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Anybody who is involved in direct interactions with a customer is in the customer service business. While the saying "The customer is always right" is not an accurate statement, you should understand that customers always think they are right. Companies fall short of the mark by utilizing a lack of common sense.
Don't force a loyal and consistent paying customer to hassle over small insignificant fees. Use common sense. Is the small onetime fee worth losing a loyal paying customer forever?
The big picture is in the understanding that the goal of your business is to generate as many consistent and loyal paying customers as possible. Consistent revenue is how you build a business. When you lose that focus, and nickel and dime your customers while also creating a high level of hassles, they will not be loyal to you. -
In general, customers simply want to be heard. They don't necessarily care if you agree with them, but they want you to genuinely feel what they are saying. Listening isn't just standing in front of someone not talking or sitting on the phone in silence. It's the ability to set all obstacles aside and solely focus on the meaning behind the words that the customer is saying. Waiting to respond while the customer is talking is one of the biggest communication obstacles that occur. Company representatives don't really listen, they instead focus on what they will say next.
Communication skills customer service representatives should know include the following:
1. Make eye contact when talking and listening.
2. Learn to empathize, saying things like "I understand," "I know how you feel" and "I can relate to that."
3. When you respond, make your statement a direct piggyback on what the customer just said.
4. Don't get angry or take offense. Show understanding, instead, to bring a customer's emotion level down. - After coming to a seemingly agreeable solution, make certain that this solution is in fact a viable resolution to what ails your customer. Avoid any assumptions and simply ask customers if this resolution is something that works well for them. You want them to walk away with a feeling of satisfaction and victory. This is how you create superior customer service. If only the customer wins or if only you win, you both lose. The company and the customer must both win.
