Customer service etiquette is one of the most fundamental aspects of any business. Doing it well defines how successful a company will be in the future. This applies to any and all industries, from entry-level to professional, especially in sales.
While it might seem easy to always be cordial while speaking to customers, it can become easy to forgot to do so when problems arise between your team and a client. Below are a few tips and tricks to ensure your employees are on top of their customer service game:
- Smile: First impressions are the foundation of the tone of a conversation. Customers will be more at ease and willing to listen to what you have to say if you start off with a smile.
- Keep a level head: It is difficult maintain pleasant communications with customers if they are upset or altogether belittling about issues that occur. In this situation, take a deep breath and focus. Remember to not take it personally. Understand when an interaction becomes larger than your scope and be sure to include the appropriate parties to diffuse the situation.
- Use positive speech: Try to avoid any negative connotations. At no point should blame be put on the customer. Remain polite throughout the conversation and mind your manners. This will build trust and respect when the customer knows what kind of behaviour to expect.
Ensure your employees know they are not alone when dealing with a difficult customer. Create a communications chart that outlines who one can reach out to if a conversation with a customer is going south. This reflects positively on the workplace environment.
Proper training for all new employees and regular refreshers a couple times annually can ensure everyone is on top of their customer service game. These sessions are routine for the company.
It’s important for employees to know the customer service standard, which can be defined in the company’s core values or mission statement. That way, employees know what they are representing and what behaviour is expected of them. Keeping these ideas in practice will help secure success for any new relations and help improve existing ones with clients.