How can we entice our customers to buy more products? Customer support is a process of building relationships on a long term basis and enhance the reputation of the service as well. A glance at the 5 golden rules for developing customer support is depicted below
(1) Show respect- Never disregard the fact that the individual with whom you are dealing on the phone or in person is after all a human being with their own share of problems as well as challenges. Focus on the solution aspect, rather than harping on the emotions or personality of the customers.
(2) Take responsibility- Just because someone is the boss, they cannot pass on the problems to someone else. This is done so much in the world of business that it leads to more time being taken, and the poor customer ends up suffering. To overcome this problem, communicate what you can do and within the specified time frame what can be achieved. Always keep in touch with the customer with a phone call or an email. Certainly it makes a lot of difference.
(3) Get the facts- Even if the customer has mentioned all the facts, try and get in touch with them. The obvious reason is that one needs to know the facts which are right. Generally people who are in the domain of business want to know what went wrong and see to it that it does not occur again. In this regard always pose the right questions to the customers which makes them put on their thinking cap. This also helps in keeping a tab on the emotions of the customers as well and they feel they are very much part of the company . The key factor is to develop listening skills and the customers should feel that they are being heard. In the end summarize the entire facts and reflect on them and take the necessary action
(4) Be calm- Even if you do not agree with the customer’s point of view be calm. Upset people need to be given a chance to express their opinion. The tone of your voice should diffuse the situation as well. Do not create a situation where you put fire in the petrol. Always be assetrtive and in control of things
(5) Always acknowledge- Try and empathize with the customer. Some of the typical statements in this regard would be” I am sorry that you had to face such a problem” This does not mean that one takes the onus of the blame on themselves, but try and understand things from the customer’s perspective. This would go a long way in soothing the anger as well as the disappointment of the customer.
So from the above analysis it is quite clear that customer support involves a lot evolutions in the personality traits as well as core competency skills. If the above skills a followed the customer support will be a success for sure.
Raul is social media strategist and currently helps a sales training birmingham company.