No Matter how much you try to avoid it, customer service mishaps will happen. Since business is takes place in real life, there will always be unpredictable errors that will happen which may earn the ire of your clients.
Good customer service has the ability to turn around every bad experience. In fact, some even say that it's a chance for any business to wow their customers - to show them that they really care.
To do so, every member of your customer service team must learn and master 5 essential values which will help them turn around a bad situation.
Here they are:
Compassion. It is without a doubt that your own employees have all been customers themselves. They know how good great service feels, and have felt every emotion that a disgruntled customer experienced. The best way to deal with a bad situation is to put yourself and your employees in the customer's shoes. Since your employees know what would displease people, then they know what NOT to do. Advice every one of them that the general rule is, "whatever you wouldn't want to be done to you, then don't do it to anyone else." That will help everyone get a better understanding of every complaint they hear from every client.
Respect. Teach every employee to respect themselves and every customer they do business with. There will be rude and obnoxious clients, and they will try to demean your people - tell you employees not to allow themselves to be harassed or disrespected by any customer. Everyone in the chain of communication is a human being worthy of dignity. The fact that a client is paying does not give them reason to demean anyone else. On the other hand, remind employees that the way they react to the rudeness of other people will also show how much self-respect they have. If they act rudely, then it shows that this is the type nature they possess. The bottom line: always put value in the dignity of any person. No one is ever above anyone else, no matter how much more money or possessions some may have over others.
Listening. The easiest way to deal with a bad customer situation is to learn to listen more and talk less. Some clients just need to vent and complain - let them - don't interrupt or reason out in the middle of their litany. And when we say listen. really "listen" to what they have to say and not just "hear." Knowing and understanding what the complaint and issues of the customer are will help in formulating a respectful and heart-felt apology or explanation. Doing so may open an unusual opportunity to turn your most disgruntled customer into your most valued one.
Honesty. When you hire employees, of course one of the most basic requirements is their honesty and integrity. Integrity is being truthful to yourself when no one is looking. Honesty is being truthful even in the presence of others. The worse thing any employee can do is make up a collection of lies to justify any untoward action or undesirable turn of events. This includes telling the customer the truth about things affecting the transaction they have with the company - like when an item can be delivered. It's tempting to over-promise, but remember, when you end up under-delivering on your promise, you will and your company will end up untrustworthy. Even if it means losing a customer, it pays to always be upfront and not deceitful. Remember that word gets around. Patience. Ahhh, truly the foundation of every excellent customer service experience, patience is something all of your employees need to master to ensure that no arguments between your people and client ever happen.
Patience is a combination of all of the virtues previously mentioned. Being patient especially with clients who take up a lot of the employee's time is essential. Never ever rush customers and practically lead them out the door - this is highly disrespectful and is a sure way to never see the same client walk inside the store. Be patient also when a client does not have much money to spend - always keep in mind that although you are face-to-face with someone on a limited budget, this same person may have all the proper connections to a network of people who have a lot of money to burn - hopefully in your store.
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