It’s hard to know every procedure, every policy, every technique possible to handle every situation correctly. After all, maybe our procedures are standard, but our customers are not. Maybe our policies stay pretty consistent, but our customers’ needs and issues, their attitudes and actions can change from customer to customer…or minute to minute.
So, handling a customer situation well is as much about knowing what to do and WHY, as it is knowing HOW to do it. Therefore, here are 5 Guiding Principles for delivering consistently solid customer service:
Engage with Interest
We need to show that we’re focused on the other person. That they are important. That they are not a number. Show them that they are a priority.
Seek to Understand their Uniqueness
We don’t want them to perceive that we’re viewing them as anything other than a unique individual. We must be inquisitive enough to understand what’s unique about them, what’s unique about their situation. Our desire to understand helps us to convey empathy.
Figure Out How to Help
In most cases customers want us to help them resolve an issue, get a need met, get a question answered, address a certain goal. Try to determine how to help them get to that next step, get to that solution.
Take Action
It’s not enough to engage somebody; we need to also take action on their behalf, or help them to take the needed action.
Convey that You Followed Through
If you and the customer discussed the next step, and you took action on their behalf, make sure they know you took that action. If possible, make sure they know the outcome. For many customers, there’s doubt in their mind until you confirm that you followed through.
These principles are about interest, information, solution, action, and follow-through.
Focus on the Guiding Principles for Great Customer Service: Engage with interest, Seek to understand their uniqueness, Figure out how to help, Take action, and Convey that you followed through.
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