Do you want your team to elevate your customer service to the next level? All businesses know it is important, but not everyone can do it well.
First, you have to define what good customer service is, then convince the sales team and the other departments of your company to apply the right practices for it to have a major impact on your company’s bottom line.
If this is something that you want, you should ask your colleagues these questions:
What is good customer service?
What is bad customer service?
How will providing one or the other affect your company?
Their answers will reflect how well your company has oriented its employees when it comes to the significance of customer service. If there are members of your team who could not give a satisfactory answer, then help them realize how valuable providing excellent customer service could be.
What makes customer service GOOD?
A key factor in delivering a positive customer experience is helping customers achieve their desired outcome. They feel satisfied when their issues are resolved promptly and the customer service representative has a positive, friendly attitude. Customers don’t necessarily have to always get their way, especially if their perceived solution would not actually help resolve their problems. Don’t look at customers who come to you with concerns as villains. Most of them are reasonable and can handle not always getting their way all the time.
The solution you offer may differ from what the customer expects, but when explained clearly and patiently, customers often recognize the representative’s expertise and are more likely to consider their suggestions.
Avoid sounding condescending and make sure that you do not disregard their ideas. Make them feel that they are being listened to before you inform them of the right way to do things.
At the end of the day what they truly want is fast and convenient support, from customer service reps who treat them with respect. In return, they show gratitude and loyalty to your brand.
Research shows when proper customer service is provided:
- 87% share positive customer service experiences with others
- 45% post about their experiences on social media
- 35% leave reviews on sites like Yelp
- 52% become repeat customers and continue doing business with you
- 24% choose your company over competitors
What are the 5 characteristics of good customer service?
Good customer service builds strong relationships and drives business success. Here are five key characteristics that define outstanding customer service:
1. Empathy
Empathy is all about deeper level of understanding and, in essence, sharing others’ feelings. For customer service, this is about putting yourself in your customer’s shoes and trying to understand things from their point of view. This will help build trust and connection and make customers feel valued and understood.
2. Patience
Patience is a virtue that must be applied to serve customers effectively. Customers may get aggressive or impatient, especially with issues that take more time to solve or require much explanation. In all these situations, being patient will help customer service representatives de-escalate situations and resolve issues more effectively.
3. Problem-Solving
Problem-solving skills are essential for addressing customer concerns and finding solutions. Customer service representatives should be able to identify the root cause of a problem, develop practical solutions, and communicate them clearly to the customer.
4. Effective Communication
Good communication is the basis of customer service. A customer service representative should communicate clearly and concisely. They are supposed to be active listeners, understanding customers and their needs.
5. Knowledge
Customer service representatives should possess in-depth knowledge of the products or services they provide. This will involve explaining product features, troubleshooting, and company policies. By demonstrating their expertise, representatives can build trust and credibility with customers.
What makes customer service bad?
We know how important great customer service is, and we aim to deliver the best support possible. However, there are times when our team may fall short, leading to negative outcomes for the business.
Knowing what constitutes bad customer service will help you and your team evaluate your standing and perhaps reverse any negative effects that your faulty practices may have caused.
One of the most common examples of bad customer service is placing the customer on hold for long. If your company is getting a large number of calls that makes your queue time too long, you might have to employ new reps to accommodate all your incoming calls. If you think you have sufficient reps but still get long queue times, it could be because the knowledge base is insufficient and your reps spend a long time looking for answers to queries.
Place a supervisor who can monitor your KPIs (key performance indicators) so you can pinpoint the problem and come up with the right solution. If you want your solutions to be most effective, engage your team in brainstorming sessions for ways to improve their performance.
As mentioned previously, customers expect a certain level of respect when they contact your customer support. If a rep comes as rude and disrespectful, your company’s customer support will already be tagged as bad and ineffective.
It is also important for your reps to sound confident and positive, even when they are uncertain about their answer. The best way to handle this situation is to ask for a minute while the rep looks for the solution. Saying “I don’t know” is simply not acceptable.
Proper training is needed for your customer support reps to become efficient in their role. Training shouldn’t be just focused on product mastery; it should also include skills like staying positive and approaching issues with a can-do attitude.
Customer service can have good days and bad days. Some customers become too aggressive because of frustration; however your support team should be able to handle situations like these professionally. If a customer comes in too hot, reps should keep a cool head so as not to aggravate the situation. Being impolite is never acceptable for a customer service rep especially when a customer calls with regards to a complaint. It is the customer service rep’s responsibility to try and pacify the situation.
Customers who feel that they have been wronged expect the customer service rep to offer some kind of solace or compensation for their trouble. A support rep should be able to show empathy and acknowledge the inconvenience experienced by the customer. If it is indeed the product that is at fault, the rep is expected to apologize and offer a solution. If the problem is caused by the customer and not the company, the rep should not blame the customer, rather, they should explain why there was a problem and assist the customer, and still suggest a solution.
Notably, if agents follow a script without any emotional engagement, the customer might feel as if there’s no admission of responsibility or genuine apology.
Agents without proper listening skills can cause more frustration to a customer. For them, having to repeat information, again and again, can be annoying especially if they are already calling about a matter they don’t feel happy about.
Customers seeking support are often frustrated when they are passed between multiple representatives. Your support team may lose credibility, as it can appear they lack the expertise to resolve the issue or that you don’t have specialized agents in that area.
In case of a call interruption, there should also be a system that allows a customer to continue with their conversation without having to repeat every detail they have already narrated to another rep..
There may be different reasons why customers call in to ask for customer support. Your role as part of the customer support team is to make sure that their experience dealing with you is pleasant and that they are fully satisfied with the company’s products or services. If you do the opposite, you’ll be chasing customers away and destroying the image of your brand.
What is the difference between bad and good customer service?
Good customer service meets or exceeds customer expectations, while bad customer service fails to do so.
Here’s a breakdown of the key characteristics of bad customer service:
- Lack of empathy: Shows little understanding or concern for the customer’s situation.
- Unresponsiveness: Delays or failure to address customer inquiries or concerns.
- Lack of proactivity: Shows no effort to anticipate customer needs or provide proactive solutions.
- Insufficient knowledge: Displays a poor understanding of products, services, or company policies.
- Poor communication: Shows unclear messaging, relies on jargon, or demonstrates disrespect.
- Ineffective problem-solving: Shows difficulty in identifying and resolving customer issues.
- Generic interactions: Not personalizing interactions or tailoring them to individual customers can be frustrating.
- Lack of follow-up: Failing to follow up with customers after interactions can also be perceived as bad customer service.
By understanding the key differences between good and bad customer service, businesses can create positive experiences that build customer loyalty and satisfaction.
Customer Service Metrics
To effectively determine the quality of your customer service, you need to track the most important metrics that provide insight into the satisfaction and loyalty of your customers. The following are some of the most important metrics in customer service:
Customer Satisfaction (CSAT)
It refers to satisfaction with your products, services, and support experiences. CSAT is usually measured by surveys in which customers are asked to rate their satisfaction, for example on a scale of 1 to 5.
Net Promoter Score (NPS)
NPS measures customer loyalty and willingness to recommend your brand. It’s calculated by asking customers to rate their likelihood of recommending your business, often on a scale of 0 to 10.
Customer Churn Rate
This is the proportion of customers who stop doing business with your company. A high churn rate reflects either customer satisfaction or retention problems.
First Contact Resolution (FCR)
FCR is the number of issues resolved on the first contact as a percentage of the total customer contacts. A high FCR represents customer service efficiency and effectiveness.
Average Handling Time (AHT)
AHT measures the average time it takes to resolve a customer inquiry. A low AHT indicates efficient customer support.
Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV)
CLTV estimates the total money value a customer will generate for the business during their lifetime. This helps you make informed decisions about your most valuable customers and care more about them in customer service.
Customer Service Training: A Key Tool for Delivering Exceptional Experiences
To provide effective customer service, train your team with the skills and knowledge needed to deliver exceptional experiences. Here’s why:
- Knowledge and Skills: This type of training ensures your staff has the proper product knowledge, problem-solving techniques, and communication methods to deal with the most common customer inquiries or problems.
- Consistent Service: Training helps standardize customer service, thus ensuring consistency in all customer interactions.
- Motivation and Involvement: A well-trained staff is more motivated and engaged in the job, leading to satisfaction and better customer service.
- Reduced Errors and Complaints: Training will help reduce errors and complaints because staff acquire the tools and techniques to deal with prevelant customer’ issues.
- Improved Customer Satisfaction: Effective training leads to happier customers, driving loyalty and positive word-of-mouth.
Conclusion
Good customer service builds solid relationships with customers and retains them, providing a solid foundation for a successful business. Understanding what constitutes good customer service and common mistakes to avoid can help a company ensure that its customers have positive experiences.
Supportbench can help your business deliver exceptional customer service and build stronger relationships. Our platform offers a range of features specifically designed to streamline your support operations, improve efficiency, and enhance customer satisfaction.
Contact us today to learn more about how Supportbench can benefit your business.
