Monday, July 22, 2013

Tip #451: 9 Great Customer Service Traits to Develop in Your Team Members

#451
    
Having the right corporate culture within your customer service department is essential to the success of your business. Your customer service representatives (CSRs) are the face of your company - they need to be enthusiastic about the product and service you are selling as well as patient and professional. With an engaged customer service team, you will experience increased growth and customer loyalty.

One Bad Experience Can Cost You A Sale. 

When it comes to customer service, it only takes one bad experience to lose a client for life. In this e-tip, we will look at 9 elements to consider developing in your staff - skills that can project a positive image for your company.

9 Customer Service Skills.

Customer service reps who succeed demonstrate the following set of skills - skills that you should train your team on:

1. Positive Attitude When Someone Calls - A cheery outlook is a requirement for any CSR. CSRs who demonstrate a positive attitude are often described as friendly, helpful and likeable.

2. Remain Objective - The best CSR can see issues from all angles, understanding how a problem can affect the organization as well as the customer. They present an objective outlook to the customer.

3. Are Sympathetic To A Customer - A good CSR is always a cheerleader for your organization, but remains sympathetic to the customer. This perspective generates long-term customer loyalty and provides the CSR with a unique opportunity to suggest process improvements.

4. Have The Ability To Manage Stress - Even on a good day, most CSRs will handle serious complaints from customers. They understand the difference between overwhelming stress and the balanced stress of a heavy workload. Effective CSRs keep control of their emotions under duress.

5. Strong Interpersonal Skills - To get things done, a good CSR understands how to create and maintain business relationships in and out of the company. This enables them to get things done quickly and effectively without consuming resources or starting drama.

6. Strong Communication Skills - The bulk of a CSR's job involves interacting with customers. CSRs must be able to separate facts from emotion. They are able to communicate effectively in both spoken and written conversation. Additionally, an effective CSR can summarize a customer interaction to you.

7. Has The Ability To Influence Someone - A persuasive CSR can guide the customer towards the desired conclusion. Additionally, they motivate others to achieve the corporate culture you wish to foster in your organization.

8. Remains Flexible - A useful CSR is adaptable and will try different approaches within set rules or guidelines. Additionally, a flexible CSR is receptive to new ideas and procedure changes.

9. Uses Clear, Simple Language - An effective CSR can simplify information when talking to a customer, helping to minimize the customer's frustration. A good CSR understands that there is not usually a need for a customer to understand your company's internal process or the acronyms you use to identify things within your organization.

Executive Summary: Customer service is not simply a department - there is also an attitude that goes along with it. Whenever a customer interacts with your customer service team, it represents the potential to retain a customer, garner customer loyalty and sell additional products and services to them. CSRs demonstrating the key traits listed above will be assets to your organization.

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1 comment:

  1. Thanks for sharing those traits. Customer care and customer service always go hand in hand. Here in Australia, almost each establishments has contract with a Australian telecom company for their personalized numbers. That's their way to show their customers they thy are valued.

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