Read on…. Simple Tips to Improve your Customer Service Excellence!

As any good business owner knows, customers are what make a business succeed or fail, and most businesses already place a great deal of importance on providing customer service exellence. However, no matter how well your staff is trained or how many safeguards you have in place, there is always room for improvement.

In our current economic climate, consumers are increasingly tightening their wallets and the competition is fiercer than ever, so it is extremely important for businesses to distinguish themselves from their counterparts in every way possible.

Here six tips on little things you can do to improve your customer service excellence and keep your customers coming back time and time again:

1. Be sincere

There is honestly nothing worse than fake courtesy, and customers can tell the difference between someone who really cares about providing great service and someone who is just there to take their money and shoo them out the door.
If you and your staff members truly care for and appreciate the business your customers are bringing you, it will show and they will want to come back.
Sincerity breeds trust, and if you love what you do and are passionate about selling your product or service and helping the customer find what they need, your customers will love you for it.

2. Take the time to listen

If you don’t listen to your customers, how will you be able to provide them with good customer service? Too often, customers’ complaints or questions are brushed off without a second thought, which leaves them feeling frustrated and unsatisfied.
If a customer comes in angry, don’t just assume they have a bad attitude or want to get something for free. Yes, there are people who are just grumpy and difficult to satisfy, but most people just want to get their money’s worth and be treated with respect and courtesy.

Take the time to listen before you try to offer your advice or come up with a solution. Ask questions if necessary, and genuinely take an interest in what they are saying.

3. Acknowledge mistakes and find a solution

The worst thing you could do after a mistake has been made is try to cover it up or pretend it never happened. People know that you are only human and that mistakes do occur, so rather than ignoring the fact that something went wrong, be honest about it and try to find a way to fix it.

Even if you think the customer didn’t notice that the mistake was made, it is best to let them know about it and reassure them that you will do your best to put it right, even if it means a loss on your end. If they find out later that you covered it up, you will lose that customer forever.

Own up to your mistakes and always take responsibility for them, because failure to do so could seriously damage your business’s reputation.

4. Ditch the jargon

In almost every line of work, there will be some jargon that some of your customers aren’t familiar with and won’t understand. Rather than confusing them with long words or complicated explanations, try to break things down and explain things in terms they can understand and relate to.

You won’t impress anyone with the extent of your knowledge if they don’t even know what you’re talking about. Use analogies and explain complicated terms to them if you notice that they look a bit lost. A good way to make sure you are communicating efficiently is to ask questions as you go.

5. Never let your frustration show

There will always be difficult customers who just don’t seem to know what they want or make your life a living hell with their rude or demanding mannerisms. However, it is important that you are able to simply take a deep breath and remind yourself that it’s not personal.

Maybe that person is having a bad day or going through something difficult in their life. Of course, sometimes that customer really just isn’t a nice person, but it’s still your job to remain courteous and keep your emotions under control.

If they really overstep the boundaries, its okay to let them know, but keep it professional and don’t stoop to their level.

6. Make sure your staff is knowledgeable

It goes without saying that you should be knowledgeable about your trade, but it is also important to make sure that your employees know what they are selling and can answer basic questions about it when necessary.

They don’t have to be experts on the subject, and it’s okay for them to call you over if they can’t answer a certain question, but employing people who know less about the products or service than the customer does makes you look unprofessional or gives the impression that you just don’t care.

Provide your employees with sufficient training and make sure they are up to date on any recent developments or innovations in your line of work.

 

 

You might also like:

6 Great Example of Customer Service http://www.thinkaboutcrm.com/6-great-examples-customer-service

Making the Most of Customer Service http://www.thinkaboutcrm.com/making-most-customer-service

The CRM Process http://www.thinkaboutcrm.com/crm-process-step-by-step