By Meredith Estep
Most who work in the field of customer service would agree that it is much easier to manage a happy customer than an angry one. Many customers who become angry with your business do so over simple customer service mistakes that could have been easily avoided right from the beginning of a transaction. We have four common customer service mistakes made in businesses every day and steps to avoid those mistakes before they ever happen.
Mistake: Setting Up a Hostile Environment
Most of us have walked into a business at one time or another, only to be ignored by staff members or treated rudely from the first “hello.” This sets up a combative environment that does not bode well for a satisfying experience or a happy customer.
Most of us have walked into a business at one time or another, only to be ignored by staff members or treated rudely from the first “hello.” This sets up a combative environment that does not bode well for a satisfying experience or a happy customer.
Solution: Train Staff in Hospitality
Customer service training begins with the initial greeting customers receive when they walk into your business or call up on the phone. A warm smile and pleasant demeanor can go far in preventing customer mishaps in the future.
Mistake: Ignoring a Customer’s Problem
Whether the customer service rep doesn’t listen to the customer’s issue or doesn’t respond in the way the customer expected, customers that don’t get their specific problems addressed become a problem for customer service reps.
Whether the customer service rep doesn’t listen to the customer’s issue or doesn’t respond in the way the customer expected, customers that don’t get their specific problems addressed become a problem for customer service reps.
Solution: Encourage Active Listening
Train your staff to really listen to what a customer is saying through role play in training sessions. Explain that customers communicate with more than words, so heeding tone, body language and other non-verbal signals will help reps understand where a customer is coming from.
Mistake: Failing to Follow Through on a Customer’s Request
When a customer comes in with a request, he expects the customer service representative to follow it through to completion. When this doesn’t happen, an angry, frustrated customer is usually the result.
When a customer comes in with a request, he expects the customer service representative to follow it through to completion. When this doesn’t happen, an angry, frustrated customer is usually the result.
Solution: Teach Staff to “Own” Customer Problems
Accountability is the key to avoiding this common customer service mistake. Create an environment where your reps understand that if they are first point of contact for a customer, they must also be the last. When CSRs know they will be held accountable for that customer’s satisfaction, they will be more likely to follow through on a request until it is completed.
Mistake: Trying a Customer’s Patience
Even the most patient customers have their boiling point, and once that point is reached, it is much more challenging to create a happy experience for that customer overall. Customers expect service that is fast, efficient and accurate and your business is responsible for providing it.
Even the most patient customers have their boiling point, and once that point is reached, it is much more challenging to create a happy experience for that customer overall. Customers expect service that is fast, efficient and accurate and your business is responsible for providing it.
Solution: Streamline Procedures, Train Staff
If your procedures are frustrating customers, it may be time to streamline some of them into a more efficient process. Thorough training of customer service reps is also essential to ensure customers enjoy a fast, accurate transaction every time they walk into your business.
Sometimes customer service mistakes are inevitable; CSRs are only human, after all. The good news is that you can dramatically reduce the number of mistakes you have to deal with by implementing simple preventative measures guaranteed to produce more happy customers and fewer frustrations and challenges on your front line.
By Meredith Estep