Those technologies have to be understood and addressed when making customer service decisions. But unless something really drastic happens within our lifetimes, I think it’s a fair guess that yes, customer service will always be an important part of business. Remember, business isn’t just about exchanging services or products for money. It’s also about community-building and self-fulfillment. That’s what this website is really about. The best businesses aren’t always the ones that have the biggest net worth. They are the ones that make a real difference, genuinely pay attention to the customers, and consider their community. Think about your favorite businesses and companies and ask yourself: how do they serve their customers? Is that service something that any amount of technology can really get rid of? I don’t think so.

What a person has to say and how they behave are extremely important, but how they visually appear is deeply vital. Psychologists have studies this phenomenon for ages. First impressions matter! Nature and learned behavior has taught humans to associate well-groomed appearances, smiling, and confident body language with credibility. Let’s get started:

Smiling – not only does smiling automatically put you, the customer service provider, in a more positive mood, but it also establishes a better first impression with the customer. A relaxed, happy facial expression from the beginning can disarm a disgruntled customer.

Voice – your tone of voice should be friendly and calm. Even if you are tired or frustrated, it’s important to generate patience and at least control your tone of voice.

Talk with your hands – well, words count too. But if you use your hands to emphasize what you are saying, the customer will feel like you are invested in them.

Eye contact – it’s important to establish eye contact with the customer so that they feel connected to. Not everybody maintains eye contact by nature, so make sure you are patient with yourself and your employers/coworkers when improving this simple tip.

Appearance – customers might not notice it consciously, but it really does make a difference to them if your hands are clean, your hair is well-groomed, and your dress is professional or at least uniform and clean. This lets them know that you take them and your position seriously. Think about how you can improve your appearance in your company or where you work. Do you have a uniform? Do you make sure that the uniforms the employers wear are clean? Are you afraid to tell someone to go home if they don’t look the part? These are important parts of a business! All the details count.

Hellos/Goodbyes – stick to some simple etiquette when making transactions with customers. It’s expected in many businesses to shake hands with the customer before and after an important transaction is complete. This isn’t the case everywhere, but consider how the people you work with say hello and goodbye. Do they remember to do this properly? Remember – the customer is the most likely to remember first and last impressions.

Listen with your body – when a customer is talking, try to lean forward slightly and nod your head to show them that you are listening and thinking about what they are saying. If you do this, you will be more likely to actually listen to them, too.

Back up! – make sure that you are at a comfortable distance from the customer. Not too far, but not too close.

Sit up! – your posture shows the customer your level of interest in them. If you are slumping against a wall or in a chair, they will automatically assume on some level (whether consciously or subconsciously) that you aren’t interested in them. Face the customer and have an attentive, forward-leaning posture.

Don’t:

Use a flat tone of voice. If you use a flat voice, you are communicating to the customer that you are bored or would rather be doing something else.

Don’t speak too slowly. Remember, you are trying to exude cheerfulness just like you would if you were talking face to face with your customer.

Make sure you don’t speak too loudly. The customer might get the impression that you are angry or impatient.

Do:

Pick up the phone in three rings or less. If you let the phone ring too long, the customer will not only feel impatient, but will get the impression that the company is disorganized and inattentive.

Show respect to the customer by offering a kind greeting. Examples include “good afternoon,” or “good evening.” Even a simple “hello, how are you?” will do.

Give your name right from the beginning. When you do that, the customer feels like he/she is being personally taken care of. They may not consciously register that such a small detail made them feel more positive about their service experience, but it really makes a difference. Additionally, if the customer needs to call back, he/she can easily ask for the same person again as to not restart the entire service all over again.

When you wrap up the call, use a similar approach that you would use when saying goodbye in person. Be kind and friendly, and make sure that everything the customer needed to be taken care of was addressed.

Below are some more specific common challenges that should be handled smoothly and with deliberate thought:

To transfer a call, always begin by asking the customer if it is okay for you to transfer them. Also explain why they are being transferred. If they say “no,” try to give them a little more information about why it is necessary for them to be transferred.

To put a customer on hold, ask them if it is okay first. Make sure that you are putting them on hold for a good reason. Explain to the customer why you need to put them on hold. Make sure you return to the phonecall promptly. Also make sure, if you are a manager or business owner, that you instruct your employees about when it is okay to put a customer on hold.

To take a message, let the customer know that the co-worker isn’t available at the moment but that you can take a message for them. Make sure to not be too specific, as too much information is irrelevant. If the co-worker isn’t working for more negative reasons – illness, family emergency, failure to show up for work, or any other negative reasons – it’s best not to mention it. Let the customer know when the co-worker who is unavailable will be able to be contact. Kindly offer to take a message, and make sure that the message is received. It’s also best to follow through with the message by gently making sure the co-worker has addressed it.

When customers are satisfied, they are more likely to buy from you – more sales = more income. They are also more likely to return and refer friends which (you guessed it) equals more business. Also, whoever is running the business will experience less stress from inadequate funds and customer complaints. The employees and managers who work in the business also have an easier time if customers are happy. They experience less stress, a happier life at work, and therefore a happier life outside of their job.

The more informed the customers are, the less likely they are to return items. Additionally, if customers are satisfied with their service, they are less likely to complain about the employees.

On an organizational level, employees who are not running into problems with customers will not need to be fired. Firing and hiring costs time and money. The employees you already to have will be more productive because things will run more smoothly in the business or company. The higher the productivity, the higher the inventory turnover. The higher the inventory turnover, the higher the profits.

As you can see, customer service affects the business and the people within it on all levels.

Friendliness: customers want to be in a good environment! Life is hectic enough – we all have stressful situations to deal with. A smile, short waiting times, and an overall friendly and relaxed environment are a must for great customer service.
Empathy: customers want to know that you care about their opinions, questions, and circumstances.
Fairness: the customer wants to be prioritized and cared for. They want their concerns to be resolved promptly.
Communiciation: customers want to know about all of the products and services in a clear and brief manner. They want their personal needs to be understood, and they want to be responded to by someone who is articulate.
Knowledge: it is extremely important for customer service providers to know about the product or service they are selling. Customers want to be helped by someone who is responsible for the information that they should know! Make sure you and all of your service providers are maintaining a wide body of accurate information.
Honesty: sometimes there are situations that the employer cannot totally control, and there are always going to be situations that test our ethics. So the “bottom line” when dealing with customers has to be honesty. Don’t make promises unless you know for sure that you can keep them. If you are honestly trying as hard as you can to be of service and you are letting them know exactly what your limits of power are, then you will have customers that trust your business.

What is the definition of customer service?

In order to create great relationships with our customers so that they return to us over and over again, we need to emphasize the concept of service. “Service” differs from the more one-dimensional “transaction” with the customer – the service or goods that we exchange for their money. The service provides the customer with something more than the product or service he/she buys. Customer service provides them with satisfaction. The more satisfied a customer is with how they have been treated, the more likely they to be an ongoing patron of the business. That means more business success for you!

Good customer service doesn’t have to be limited to the external customer. It also can describe how coworkers treat each other, because the work environment directly effects the ways employers treat customers. Good customer service creates continued success, larger profits, better teamwork, and market expansion.