PROFESSIONAL QUALITIES IN CUSTOMER SERVICE

A lot of people have fancy things to say about customer service, including me. But it’s just a day-in, day-out, on going, never ending, unremitting, persevering, compassionate type of activity. Professionals who constantly deal with customers (inside and outside the company) need to strive for certain qualities to help them answer customers’ needs.

The professional qualities of customer service to be emphasized always relate to what the customers wants. After years of polling and market research, it turns out customers are constantly internalizing their customer service experience. What this means is they are grading your customer service during each transaction but you rarely know it.

While there are a multitude of customer needs, six basics needs stand out:

1. Friendliness – the most basic and associated with courtesy and politeness.

2. Empathy – the customer needs to know that the service provider appreciates their wants and circumstances.

3. Fairness – the customer wants to feel they receive adequate attention and reasonable answers.

4. Control – the customer wants to feel his/her wants and input has influence on the outcome.

5. Alternatives – most customers want choice and flexibility from service. They want to know there are many avenues to satisfy them.

6. Information – customers want to know about products and services but in a pertinent and time-sensitive manner but too much information and “selling” can put off customers.

It is also very important for customer service employees to have information about their product or service. Good Information is Often Good Service, Service providers who answer, “I don’t know” or “It is not my department” are automatically demeaned and demoted in the mind of the customer.

Customers want information, and they disrespect and distrust the person who is supposed to have information but does not.

Employees need to be empowered to satisfy customers. Employees will give bad service to customers if they themselves receive bad service and little feedback from their managers and supervisors.

Remember: external customer service starts with internal customer service.