How to Develop Technical Skills for Excellent Customer Service

To become No. 1 in today's tough marketplace, you must believe in and offer great customer service. That requires developing good technical skills geared toward offering excellent customer service.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Get to know your customers. The first step in offering excellent customer service is to understand who your customer base is and what it's all about. This knowledge will guide you in all customer relations attempts. After all, if you don't know what their needs are, you'll find it difficult to offer them the type of service they are after. For instance, if you offer emergency towing services, odds are that your customers will be frustrated and anxious from the moment they make contact with you and will need to be dealt with accordingly. Being able to gauge their frustration level and speak in a calm way that reassures them that you will handle the problem quickly will go a long way to building trust and acceptance. On the other hand, a slower approach is needed for a retail store selling baby equipment. In this case, the customer will want a lot of one-on-one attention in a slower-paced atmosphere.

2. Know which types of employees are best with customers. Some employees are natural people pleasers. Figure out which of your employees are better suited to working directly with clients, and keep the others busy with other duties.

3. Learn how to handle conflict. Much of the customer service industry deals with handling customer complaints and problems. When dealing with customer conflict, be sure to always listen carefully to problems; accept the blame (even if it isn't your fault) and offer several resolution offers for the client to choose from to give her the feeling of being in control over the situation.

4. Avoid problems. One of the best customer service skills is how to avoid problems and to anticipate the customer's needs. . This begins by being proactive with customers, always working hard to make them happy--even if it means fixing something that either isn't a problem or isn't your fault.

5. Take care of problems immediately. The best customer service representative is one who doesn't put off handling a customer's concerns. She gets right to it and fixes it immediately.

Tips & Warnings

• One of the top skills required for great customer service is good communication. The way you communicate with your customers relies a great deal on your manner and tone. When interacting with clients, be sure to follow these simple guidelines: Greet the customer in a welcoming and friendly manner . Listen with care to what is being said. Never assume you know what the problem is. Be alert to new information rather than assuming the outcome. Acknowledge what the client is saying. Let him know he's being heard by simply nodding your head or saying "thank you" Summarize what the customer has said so that you both have the chance to be sure you are of the same understanding. Identify the products and services that best fit the customer's needs. Use supportive statements when speaking with clients. They tend to work better. Say something like: "We regret," "I understand your frustration" or "I hear the disappointment you are experiencing." Apologize whenever it will help the situation. A simple "I am sorry..." may be all it takes to resolve the issue--and if not, it's a very good start. Appearance can be an asset or an expense. Suggest a confident, positive and appropriate image through dress, grooming and posture. Provide product and service information that is both knowledgeable and accurate. Be respectful at all times.