One way for customer service reps to minimize repeat calls is to answer the customer's unstated questions before a follow-up call is ever needed. Or, put another way, to answer tomorrow’s questions today. For example, if a customer calls to set up a new service the rep might proactively say, “By the way, people who…Continue reading
It’s December, and that means office parties. Love them or hate them, try to make the most of them. Here’s how: Attend. Even if the party is not mandatory, it reflects well on you as a team player to attend. Shine. When the event is being held during or right after work, your normal dress…Continue reading
To succeed in the ever-changing world of customer service, frontline reps can rely on five basic traits. And while service technology may come and go, these traits will never go out of date says customer service trainer Nancy Friedman. Trait 1: Positive service attitude. People with this trait enjoy helping others, and they will put…Continue reading
Customer service trainer Renée Evenson reminds frontline reps to apply their telephone skills to the written word. “Effective communication is the same whether you speak or write yourmessage,” she says. But sometimes courtesy gets lost in the written word. When responding via email, social media, or chat, remember to use the same phrases of assurance…Continue reading
It’s often counterproductive to respond to customers before they have finished speaking. Even if you think you know how to help, you may not have gotten the whole story, says Stephen Boyd, author of Emphatic Listening. To get the whole story, he suggests these five tips: • Talk less and listen more. • Encourage the…Continue reading
When there is silence on a service call, customers tend to get concerned: Are you still there?What are you doing? Will you return to the call? To keep the customer from worrying, explainwhat you are doing throughout the contact. For example, you might say: “I’m waiting for your order to process, and then I can…Continue reading
