Career Lander

Archive for the ‘Customer Service’ Category

Customer service is more than answering a customer’s question. The main goal of superior customer service is listening to the customer and going above and beyond to meet her needs.

Happy customers will return and bring other customers with them. To achieve superior customer service, it is important to master the top 10 customer service skills.

Listen

The most important customer service skill is listening. When a customer calls with a complaint, listen in silence, giving all of your attention to the customer.

It is important to completely understand a customer’s problem or need before attempting to fix it. A customer also will be less irritable if he doesn’t have to repeat himself.

Language

When speaking to customers, it is important to use proper grammar and words the customer will understand. Tailor your language toward the customer. Do not use difficult words that the customer might not understand, or technical words specific to the industry you work in.

Tone

Always use a pleasant, friendly voice when speaking with customers. Harsh tones might give the impression that you are yelling at the customers or not willing to help them with their problem.

Enunciate

It is important that the customer can understand what you are saying, so speak clearly. It is important to keep in mind that people might be calling from all over the country or world and your voice might seem like an accent to them. Speaking clearly to avoid any unnecessary confusion.

Flexibility

Sometimes to help or please a customer, you must be willing to extend payment dates or “bend the rules.” It is important to be able to work within a structure, yet stay flexible to please the customer.

Organization

Customer service specialists must be organized because they might need to go to multiple people to solve one customer’s problems. To give a person an extension, you might need to speak with a supervisor and then a manager, and if this is the case you should record everything on the customer’s file.

It is important to keep all the information in order so you look professional when speaking with the customer and can answer any questions.

Respect

Customer service representatives must respect the customer. Address them by Mr. or Mrs., or by their first name if preferred by the customer. Listen to their problem and do not interrupt them. Make promises you only intend to keep and return calls as promised.

Problem Solving

Customer service care requires the ability to solve problems. Not every customer will have the same question or concern, so you must have the ability to think outside the box. You should be able to think “how can I solve this problem most efficiently.”

Professionalism

Professionalism is important in customer service because not every customer will be happy. Never take the customer’s anger personally and be sure to always keep a calm, friendly tone regardless how ugly the situation turns. Keep in mind that appearance is also a part of professionalism, so do not wear skirts or tops that are too low. Your dress code should at least be business casual.

Product Knowledge

To help customers who are having problems with a specific item, you must be aware of what the product is and does. Even working in a store, it is important to have knowledge of each department and where most items are located so you can direct customers.

Excellent people skills and an ability to solve problems might top the list of job requirements for a customer service manager.

Customer service managers oversee the staff that interacts with the public, handling questions, complaints and requests from customers.

Retail operations, hotels, museums, historic sites and theme parks are examples of organizations hiring customer service managers.

Depending on the type of organization, customers might be called guests, patrons, visitors or clients.

Front-line Experience

Experience dealing with parents whose child is lost and customers dissatisfied with their purchase is a vital job requirement for a customer service manager.

Past job experience in a front-line position might include having been a museum tour guide, a retail sales clerk or a waiter or waitress at Denny’s Restaurant.

Front-line experience provides customer service managers with insight into the daily challenges and frustrations of handling customers’ issues.

Management Experience

Past management or supervisory experience provides skills in motivating, evaluating and training staff. A customer service manager oversees the staff that creates and sustains the image of an organization.

Previous management experience gives the customer service manager the ability to develop customer service goals, communicate those goals to the staff, train the staff to meet the goals and handle internal and external communication challenges.

Supervisory or management experience might come from managing a retail store, supervising the dining room at a hotel or coordinating the guides and interpreters at a large nature center.

Training Experience

Experience creating and presenting training programs is an essential skill for a customer service manager. Past training experience provides the customer service manager with the knowledge and ability to develop training objectives, design various learning formats, present the training programs and evaluate their success. Training experience might come from training and supervising a vacation bible school program or implementing training programs for a tutoring company.

Engaging Personality

As the face of an organization’s customer service philosophy, a customer service manager must have an engaging personality. This person must enjoy interacting with people, remain calm under stress and be able to smile when confronted with a disgruntled guest or staff member.

Educational Requirements

Most customer service management jobs require a 2- or 4-year degree relating to one or more of a customer service manager’s skills. Degrees in business administration, communication, or media and public relations would be appropriate.