Getting Out of the Customer's Way

Customer service professionals walk a fine line between providing just the right level of support and pushing customers away with too many offers of assistance. Most customer service tips focus on creating better customer relationships, but there are some cases when getting out of the customer's way is actually the best thing you can do. Doing so gives customers the opportunity to examine your products and ask questions at their leisure, which can actually help you build better relationships with the people you serve.

Traditional customer service tips focus on the importance of maintaining contact with the customer after the sale, but there are some cases in which leaving the customer alone is the best course of action. One way to get out of the customer's way is to make information readily available. Software companies can do this by posting lists of frequently asked questions or detailed software tutorials. If customers want to contact you, they have the option of doing so, but giving them this information up front allows them to learn at their own pace and reduces the amount of time it takes to get up to speed with using a new product.

"Forbes" contributor Ty Kiisel talks about the importance of staying in the background when dealing with customers. He uses his dry cleaner as an example of someone who provides excellent service without creating a lot of fanfare. It is important to remember that getting out of the way doesn't mean abandoning the customer entirely. It simply means that you should provide excellent customer service without making a big deal about it. The dry cleaner in question often provides extra services without even mentioning them to Kiisel, so Kiisel remains loyal to the company, even though other dry cleaning companies are closer to his home. Kiisel also offers several customer service tips, such as having passion for your job and making everyone in your company part of your customer service team.

Writer Bill Kerschbaum has his own set of customer service tips to help people when dealing with customers. He recommends using "content as a service," which refers to providing website content that makes it easier for customers to find the information they need. This reduces the likelihood that customers will need to call or email you for assistance. This might seem counterintuitive, but providing this information can actually improve the service you provide your customers. Add this technique to your arsenal of customer service tips to see if it helps improve customer satisfaction.

Customer service is one of the most important functions in any company, but you must know when to help customers and when to get out of their way. Use these customer service tips to refine your customer service strategy, ensuring that you achieve the right balance between providing enough assistance and providing too much assistance.

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