Great Customer Service is Invisible

Customer service is more than greeting customers with a smile or being polite to them as some customer service tips would have you believe. It also includes having policies and business processes in place designed to meet their needs. When done well, these processes are invisible but enhance the customer experience. Here are a few customer service tips for ensuring your clients appreciate doing business with you.

• Make it easy to complain: No one likes dealing with complaints, and there are many customer service tips that can help you prevent or avoid them. However, nothing you do will eliminate complaints completely, and making it difficult for customers to submit grievances will only make them angrier. Display your contact phone number or email prominently. Put feedback forms in obvious places, or set up a social media account specifically for customers to bring issues to the company's attention.
• Know your business: There is nothing more frustrating than speaking to someone who knows next to nothing about the products or services he's selling. Not only does the person's ignorance significantly reduce the possibility of making a sale but also it can make the company look bad. Train your employees about the products and the industry. You'll be better equipped to help the customer and make more money in the process.
• Don't rush: As customer service tips go, this one doesn't get discussed enough. In an effort to increase their sales volumes, some companies focus on the speed of the service rather than the quality. This is primarily seen in food service and call centers. However, commissioned sales people are guilty of rushing customers too. Having a business model that focuses on churning customers through the process as quickly as possible often results in poor customer service. Consumers prefer receiving great service rather than speedy service that results in a bad experience, so allow employees to slow down and fully pay attention to clients.
• Treat employees well: This is one of the most valuable customer service tips. The quality of service an employee provides customers is directly influenced by how the company treats the worker. It's no surprise that companies who treat their employees with contempt often have the worst service. If you want your employees to treat customers like royalty, you must treat them with respect. This means paying them a decent wage, being responsive to their needs, and training them properly.

You can find numerous customer service tips online that will help you develop a reputation for providing great service, and it is worth investing in following a few of them. Doing so can help you create a reputation for great service, which, in turn, will attract customers to your business.

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