The Customer Service Professional
Principle for handling difficult customers
Manage the moment, solve the problem, move on to the next customer
EXAMPLES OF WHAT TO SAY WHEN DEALING WITH CUSTOMERS
Example of what you might say when taking a customer service call
‘Thank you for calling (Company name). This is (Your name). How may I help you?’
To transfer a call
‘I’m going to put you through to (Name, title/ Department name). He/ she is the person who can help you with that’.
‘(Person’s name, title/ department name) can help you with that. Hold one moment please and I’ll put you through’.
To place a customer on hold
‘If I could just put you on hold a minute, I’ll find out for you’.
‘If you’re okay to hold I’d be happy to find that out for you, or if you’d prefer, I could have someone call you back’.
Dealing with angry or frustrated customers
‘I understand, and I’d like to help you get this problem resolved’.
‘I understand that your upset, and I assure you I’m here to do everything I can to help you’.
‘I’m sorry that happened, and I can’t speak for who you dealt with previously, but now that you’re dealing with me, I promise that I’ll do everything to get the situation resolved to your satisfaction here right now’.
Ending a call
‘It was lovely speaking with you, is there anything else I can do for you today?
Have a nice and thank you for calling’.
The 10 most important Customer Service Skills to have
1. Great Communication Skills
As a customer service advisor, you’ll not only need to be able to convey information clearly and concisely, but you’ll also need to be able to convey it in a positive and upbeat way. That will often mean putting a positive spin on challenging or adverse situations, and it’s for this reason that a great communicative ability is a highly coveted skill in any customer service role
2. Great Product Knowledge
Having a strong working knowledge and familiarity of the products or services you assist your customers with each day will not only make your job much easier, but will also enable you to more effectively assist your customers too
3. Active Listening Skills
Active listening skills are sought after in many different types of roles, and customer services is certainly one of them
Because this is a role that requires dialogue between you and your customer, one of the most important things you’ll need is the ability to listen to your customers and take onboard their issues and concerns while at the same time actively acknowledging them as well. That’s what active listening is all about, and it’s something an employer will look for when hiring for a customer service role
4. Good Time Management
You’ll be dealing with lots of people each day in a job where the length of time it takes to resolve each problem or query might vary greatly. Therefore, it’s really important that you have the ability to prioritize what you can and can’t do for the people who require your assistance each day
(Where you are certain you cannot assist a person in any other way, it is important as a customer service representative that you are able to direct them to someone who can, or are able to otherwise suggest an alternative way of resolving their problem to them)
5. Empathy
Empathy is another very important quality for any customer service advisor to have
Empathy in a customer service setting is regarded as acknowledging your customers concerns while maintaining a professional bearing, and is used to strike the best balance possible between being polite and being tactful. As such, it’s regarded as an essential soft skill that’s normally highly sought after by employers looking to hire in customer service role
6. Enthusiasm
While resolving other people’s problems is not always the most inspiring thing to have to deal with, the correct level of motivation is necessary for any role you perform, and customer service is no exception. The enthusiasm you bring to such a role will carry through in your words and actions, and you can be sure your customers will pick up on it too. That’s why having an appropriate level of enthusiasm will not only help you do your job more effectively, but will also help you get through the day a lot quicker too
7. Attentiveness
The ability to actively problem-solve while being attentive to your customers mood, demeanour, body language, and tone of voice, and being able to adjust your approach accordingly, is a highly coveted ability in the field of customer service
8. Patience
(Patience is referred to as a virtue for a reason)
A very useful personal quality in and of itself, in a customer service role, it can make all the difference to the level of service you are able to provide. Customer service involves you dealing with problems and service failings on a daily basis. You’ll be helping people who have had service failings, either real or perceived, from the beginning to the end of your day, so having the patience to listen and take on board the things they say will not only help you stay in the right frame of mind to do your job more effectively, but will also help you get through your workday more easily as well
9. The Ability To Maintain A Cheerful Disposition
In this line of work, the ability to maintain cheerful disposition can be invaluable.
As a customer service agent, one of your main challenges will be to provide a pleasing service experience to your customers in the face of adverse situations. To this end, it is a fact that if you greet people with positivity, they will be much less inclined to be argumentative and in turn will usually be much more receptive to what you have to say
10. The Ability To Cope Well Under Pressure
Customer service roles are naturally high pressure, and you will be dealing with situations where customers have had problems or service failing on a regular basis. It can be stressful or shocking when people start yelling or become verbally abusive, which is a situation you may encounter from time-to-time face in this line of work. That’s why when things get heated and tense, it’s very important you have the ability to stay cool and focused. Being able to retain a professional demeanour on such occasions is the true mark of a professional. And it’s why this is one of the most highly coveted skills any employer will look for when hiring for a customer service role