Customer Service Skills

Customer service is an attitude not just a department. Each employee in an organization has customers. The customer may be an external one such as the buyer of a product or an internal one such as a fellow employee in a different department within the company. In either circumstance, customer service skills are necessary.

Listening

Active listening is vital to customer service. This type of listening involves restating the issue back to the customer which ensures the customer was heard and understood.

Empathy

Empathy shows the customer that the representative understands the problems caused and the hardships it created for the customer.

Courtesy

Phrases such as "please" and "thank you" show respect for the customer. Always treat the customer with dignity and respect; courtesy is a way to do this.

Follow-up

When a customer has a request or needs a problem solved, let him know what the representative will do, who will take the next steps and what can be expected toward resolving the problem. Set expectations with the customer and fulfill those commitments.

Availability

Customer service also consists of being available for the customers. The hours of operation for the company may need to be outside of the traditional workday in order to accommodate customers' requests.

References

• Principles of defusing a hostile customer
• Customer service: Even online
• Top 10 telephone basics

Resources

• Eight critical customer service skills
• Handling customer complaints