Selling Through Customer Service

A career in sales is not for everyone. First, you have to love talking to a lot of people you have never met and then try and convince them to buy something from you. You also have to love rejection, because no matter how good you are, sales is about percentages. There are a certain percentage of people who will say “no.” Not everyone is comfortable with getting a series of “no thank you” before getting one yes.

If you want to bump your customer service skills up a notch, develop some great sales techniques. Customer service isn’t all about answering questions and solving problems. It is about knowing your customers and helping them discover what they truly need.

Years ago, the United States Post Office adopted a customer service practice of asking every customer if they needed stamps, a return receipt tracking number, or other services that they had to offer. They do it as a service to customers who may not think about other services they need or are available. By asking a few questions, they are helping the customer, but they are also selling their services. Just today I had to mail a package and just wanted to send it the quickest, cheapest way. When the clerk asked if I wanted to send it Priority so it would get there in two days, I first said no. Then, when he explained that it was a difference of only two dollars, I opted for Priority. I got a faster delivery at a good price, and he made a sale.

Often customers don’t know what you have to offer. Excellent Customer Service Agents know their company’s business and all the services they have to offer. While talking to my financial advisor one day, I mentioned that we were looking to buy a vacation property. He mentioned that the brokerage made home loans that would enable me to leave my investments working while providing a low-cost loan at a very competitive rate. I didn’t even know they made loans. He was able to provide me with a solution just by listening to me and knowing all the services the brokerage had to offer.

With so many special offers and new services being introduced every day, it is tough for the average consumer to keep up with everything. They are relying on the customer service representative to understand their needs and provide them with a fast, cost-effective option. Whether you are booking hotel rooms, answering questions in a call center or selling stamps at the Post Office, a little salesmanship along with excellent service makes a happy customer and a more profitable company.

Mary Nestor-Harper, SPHR, is a consultant, blogger, motivational speaker and freelance writer for Customerservicejobs.com. Based in Savannah, GA, her work has appeared in Training magazine, Training & Development magazine, Supervision, BiS Magazine and The Savannah Morning News. When she’s not writing, she enjoys singing Alto II with the Savannah Philharmonic Chorus and helping clients discover what they love and spend their life on it. You can read more of her blogs at http://www.csjobsblog.com/ and view additional job postings on Nexxt