Customer service is more and more dependent on technology, but it’s the ability to make personal connections and build relationships that will keep customers for the long term.
This month in Customer Communicator, the training and motivation newsletter for frontline reps, J.N. Whiddon, author of The Old School Advantage suggests five ways to inject old school courtesy and personal attention into relationships with customers.
One of the most meaningful techniques is showing empathy with stories.
When life was lived at a slower pace, there was more time to engage with customers and others on a personal level. Whiddon advises slowing down and taking those extra few seconds to let the customer know that you understand and share their feelings.
To demonstrate that understanding, Whiddon recommends sharing stories about similar experiences. Saying something like, “You know, I was speaking to someone the other day who had this same situation, and we were able to resolve it very quickly.”
This approach tells the customer that you care about people as individuals, Whiddon says. “It’s subtle things like that that help to build relationships.”
More techniques for providing “old school” service appear in the May issue of Customer Communicator.