How to Deliver Exceptional Customer Service
The customer is king. Without people buying products or services, your business isn’t going to survive. Providing exceptional customer service is a must but what does this look like? And how do you provide it?
Let’s be honest, when it comes to customer service, you are not going to get it right all of the time. As the saying goes, “you can’t please all of the people all of the time”. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try, however.
Working as VAs to an assortment of clients, we work directly with their customers. We provide the listening ear when something has gone wrong, as well as talk through the best service or product for them.
We try really hard with every email and phone call to uphold exceptional customer service.
Underpinning exceptional customer service is bringing together an underlying set of best practices but what does that mean?
No.1 – Knowing your product
Whether a physical product such as a light fitting or a service, such as domestic cleaning, the person providing the customer service experience needs to have an in-depth knowledge about it. As well as knowing about products and services, you also need to value and believe in it too.
Customer service is about helping the customer get the most from what you do and offer.
No. 2 – A positive attitude
In the face of a complaint, you need to remain positive. Most times, you’ll probably manage this without a problem but when the day is long and stressful, it can be hard to keep your composure.
You need to remember that no matter how small or inconsequential the problem is to you, it is an issue for your customer.
When we feel unwell, uncertain, anxious or stressed, the tone of someone’s voice on the phone, the tone of their email or the choice of words they use on live chat can be misinterpreted.
Even if you think (or know) that someone is unhappy or upset, you must maintain composure, and remember to listen and get underneath the crux of the complaint.
No.3 – Creative problem solving
You have to think on your feet and outside of the box. Even if the problem is not of your making, think of how you can solve it so that the customer is given a great story that they will tell to others.
There are some great examples of customer service that show how being creative and responsive produces a great story about your business, what you do and how you do it.
No.4 - Be uber-responsive
Customer gets in touch with a question? Get on it with the answer!
Customer emails to complain? Respond with a holding email whilst you investigate!
Customer has a simple query that could be resolved by looking at FAQs? Get in touch with them with the answer and more information on FAQs!
Responding quickly is important because this is an important signal that, as a business, you value them and their custom.
No. 5 - Human customer service
Chat-bots are all well and good but 40% of customers say that they want better human customer service - that is, talking to someone from the business to resolve an issue or find out more information (or whatever their request is).
No. 6 - Plenty of information
That said, not everyone wants to talk to someone when they have a relatively minor query so that means making sure
FAQ web pages are detailed and accessible (as well as findable)
A search option on your website that produces results
A chat-bot that can answer some of the basic questions customers have.
No. 7 - Build your business around customers
In the current technology age, it is easy to assume that everyone wants to Whats-App or chat with a bot, or email and search the web. Whilst these all have their place, a human-centric brand will stand out because their business, products and services, how they offer, interact and what they do, is built around the most important asset - their customer.
No. 8 - Listen
To really understand what a customer is talking about, you need to listen - properly. Are they complaining and if so, what’s the real problem? When they are asking for information, what is it that they really want to know?
It isn’t just the physical act of listening, like a conversation but understanding what the data is telling you too. What’s the pattern of complaints or issues being raised? Is it a certain product or a promise being broken, such as deliveries not arriving on time?
Keep a record of the issues you are dealing with so you can identify a pattern, if there is one.
No. 9 - Don’t promise what you can’t deliver
Under promising and over delivering wins you 5* reviews. But over promising and under delivering earns you 0* and lots of complaints!
Think carefully about what you are delivering, how you are delivering and whether you are placing too much stress on a fragile system that simply cannot deliver the lofty goals you have set it.
A golden rule of customer service is that if you say you will email or call back, then do so.
No. 10 - Anticipate customer needs
Be helpful. Do your best. Try to do extra for your customers. Most people will appreciate it…
