Customer service is the backbone of any business. As the front line of contact with your audience, it’s paramount in representing your company’s image and brand.
At my company, we cater to service providers in various industries who use our tools to provide a premium client experience to their clientele. Moreover, we communicate with our customers through a multitude of channels, including online chat, email, phone, and in person.
With so many customer touch points daily, getting the most out of every conversation is imperative, and no matter how we communicate, we follow a strict set of rules that ensures each customer conversation is consistent, professional, and smooth.
Here are 10 proven methods we use in our business that can swiftly improve your conversations with customers.
Stay positive.Â
Even when a customer conversation seems to be turning negative (or maybe it started that way), remember: You’re there to help, and there’s a solution. The conversation is taking place to get both parties on the same page, which means at least one of you should remain positive and be willing to advance the agenda. Make sure that’s you.
Avoid profanity and slang.Â
Being socially aware of your customer’s diction and use of slang can give you latitude here, but in general, you’re better off avoiding profanity, slang, and euphemisms. Be courteous and personable, but in your customer conversations, use a more reserved lexicon. This is not to say you should only use officious or sterile language. Just put your best language forward, as if you were writing something down and wanted to use your best penmanship.
Say please and thank you.Â
It might seem trite to say or write, but “please†and “thank you†are pound-for-pound the most powerful expressions in any language. Showing gratitude has been proven to garner better results. So say “please†and “thank you†whenever appropriate, and even say it when it’s not. It’ll never hurt!
Read more at www.businesscollective.com…
Arash Asli is founder and CEO of Yocale.com, an online booking platform for small businesses.Â
BusinessCollective, launched in partnership with Citi, is a virtual mentorship program powered by North America’s most ambitious young thought leaders, entrepreneurs, executives and small business owners.