5 Tips to Improve Customer Service Skills

The way you train your team to handle conversations with customers is a key component of making lifelong customers. Whether your company already does a pretty good job or you’re looking for ways to get better, the good news is that there are some great tips for improving your customer service. Let’s take a look at five tips to use when training your customer-service employees.

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1. Practice Active Listening

Active listening is a very specific type of action — one which requires the listener to focus completely on the speaker. When the customer is done talking, be sure to ask any clarifying questions that may be necessary to ensure that you understand what is actually being said. Once you’ve established that you are clear on what they need, then you can begin to respond with your ideas or suggestions to help them find a solution. By practicing active listening, not only will your customer get the product or service they needed, but they will also begin to develop loyalty to your company because they feel that you truly care about them.

2. Empathize With Customers

Empathy is the ability to understand how a customer is feeling and where they’re coming from. When you’re dealing with someone who is frustrated, it can be easy to throw up your defensive walls and be argumentative. Since your goal is to improve customer service, however, you want to avoid this knee-jerk reaction. Instead, listen carefully to what they are saying and filter out the emotional aspects. Once you’re able to pinpoint the pain point, you’ll be able to empathize more fully with their frustration and work toward a solution that creates a more enjoyable interaction for them with your company.

3. Use Positive Language

This tip seems easy in theory, but can be more challenging in practice. Think about some of the common things you might say to a customer when trying to troubleshoot a problem. If you tell them “don’t do this”, try rephrasing to something more positive, such as “this is a better option”. This subtle shift can have a big impact on what they hear you saying and can change any negative feelings they may be experiencing to more positive ones.

4. Reward Customer Loyalty

Many industries are seeing an increase in competitive marketing, which means you need to find ways to help foster loyal relationships with your customers. One common technique that many companies use is to offer discounts or cash-back coupons when customers meet different spending levels. Other companies send customized cards to create a more personal feel. No matter what route you choose to go, find a way to reward your customers for their loyalty, and watch your customer base grow.

5. Improve Your Technical Products and Services

At Grace Networks in Arkansas, we are proud to be your leading provider of convergent communication services. In fact, we offer a variety of VoIP services to help you save money, increase productivity, and improve your customer service. From GPS and fleet management assets to push-to-talk systems and more, we provide you with the world-class broadband services you need to improve your technical products and services. Contact us today to learn more.