The Fine Line in Customer Service

The fine art of excellent customer service is one that takes the proper amount of care for the customer, without becoming an irritant to them. There are many ways you can irritate the customer, but the two main root issues come from either ignoring them too much or hovering over them too much.

It should never be possible regardless of the company you work for, for someone to be able to walk in, stroll around, and walk out, without being greeted or assisted by anyone. That is evidence of a real lack of customer care if allowed. On the other hand, the customer should be approached and offered assistance at least once. Some customers know just what they want, and so there is no need to hover over them until they leave. If they decline initial assistance, then give them distance yet keep an occasional eye on them in case they appear to be in need.

I know I have gone to a store knowing what I wanted, and so I have refused assistance when approached; only to find something I had not planned for, and therefore was in need of assistance, but never able to find someone to help.

Some places can be crazy busy, and so it can be understandable to have to wait for customer care; but sometimes it can be avoided. I have been to places where you see there are representatives available, but they have chosen to get distracted by something other than the immediate need for customer care. As a customer service provider, you just have to be aware of the surroundings. Glance around for possible service opportunities before doing other work that is not as urgent.

If you are in a manager position, and responsible for hiring new people, remember, the quality of customer service will never be more than the quality of the people whom you hire to provide it. If your only goal is to find cheap labor, then you can expect your customer service will suffer. These types of positions can often be considered “entry level” positions, but without giving new hires the proper amount of training you are just asking for trouble.

Hiring people off the street and just tossing them into the mix with minimal training, is like throwing a rabbit to the wolves. They will not be able to perform or offer the best service possible, and that can hurt business in the long run. Also, as a manager, you have a major influence upon how your employees treat customers, just in the way you treat your employees. Do you greet them enthusiastically each day? Do you listen to and accommodate their needs? Do you politely deal with them? The kind of “service” you give them, and the kind of ways you treat them will affect their overall attitude and way of working with the customers, so keep that in mind.

So, as a manager, treat and train your employees correctly. As a customer service provider, learn to walk that fine line between ignoring and irritating, and see to ways you can go above and beyond their service expectations.