6 Habits of Highly Successful Customer Service Representatives
At Signcraft our brand has spent the past 45 years evolving to meet the needs of our clients. Customer relationships, service and rapport are a way of life.
Ashley Phillips reveals some very identifiable traits that set the best CSRs apart from the rest..
Signcraft - specialising in re-brands, new developments and multi-site roll-outs, our consultancy services ensure unique and functional solutions that will bring your branding project to life.
"6 Habits of Highly Successful Customer Service Representatives"
At the heart of every business is a great customer service team, always striving to deliver an exceptional service to their clients with the goal of turning a first-time customer experience into repeat business.
If your team are happy and feel appreciated they will, of course, perform at their very best. But what separates a good customer service representative from a highly successful one?
We have found that there are 6 very identifiable traits that set them apart from the rest.
Practice Patience
This can be a tricky one. You either are naturally a patient person or you’re not. However, most habits can be learnt and you will find that the best CSRs practice the art of patience irrespective of whether their personality reflects that or not.
Take the time to understand your customer’s frustrations from their point of view and never skip on the details. Nothing could be more frustrating than having to repeat yourself to a representative because they were not completely attentive the first-time around.
This leads us to the next common habit.
Listen Twice as Much as You Speak
As much as you may want to stop a blabbering customer in their tracks, don’t butt in. Sometimes they just need someone to listen to them in order to make it all ok. Think of a time when you had to repeat your story a couple of times before the person on the other side actual understood what you had to say.
A situation like this can be avoided just by listening.
Our world is so digitalized these days that customers just want to know they are talking to a real person and are really being listened to.
Think Outside the Box
This habit will really set you apart. There is always a solution to the problem at hand and the phrase “I’m sorry but I cannot help you with that” just doesn’t quite cut it. You can always do something to help, even if that something is just passing customers over to a more suitable team member to help them with their problems.
Customer Service representatives who think outside the box are very much invested in their careers. They take pride in their work, they aim to please and always find a way of doing things differently.
Be remembered by your clients by being able to problem-solve on the spot to create a unique solution that resolves their unique issue.
Be Relatable
Customers want to talk to a real person so refrain from sounding too rehearsed. The best CSRs will call you by your name, ask you how your day is travelling and generally just make you feel comfortable.
From a client’s point of view, nothing feels better than having great interaction with a real person. If you can manage to finish the call leaving them feeling happy and satisfied – they will remember you and the business that you represent.
According to Kolsky, 55% of consumers are willing to pay more with the guarantee of a great experience.
Know Your Stuff
Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to customer service. Not only does it help you in conflict resolution, sound knowledge of your product or service can increase upselling and cross selling rates.
Your customer will pick up on whether you know your stuff or not right away. Don’t lose your confidence due to lack of knowledge. We can’t know everything all the time and sometimes procedures change or products get an upgrade. If you simply haven’t been supplied with correct information just yet, be honest and offer to find them the correct answer right away!
Always Be Prepared for Roadblocks
Whether it’s a glitch in the system, a lack of information or miscommunication, roadblocks are inevitable. It’s how you handle the situation that really counts. How do you avoid roadblocks? By asking questions!
Everything begins with the proper training, so be that person in the conference room asking as many questions as needed to really take on the new information. Put yourself in the customer’s shoes and think about what concerns you would have on the topic.
Treat training workshops as mastermind sessions. For every question you have, it may spark a thought in someone else and you’ll find the team bouncing ideas off each other.
Although not the most popular way of identifying roadblocks – role playing actually works incredibly well. Everyone has a different way of viewing things and role-playing scenarios in a safe environment can lead to resolving issues before they happen outside in the real world.
Putting it all Together
Adopting the above 6 habits will put you on the right path to becoming the most successful customer service representative possible. A little help goes a long way in this line of work and what may seem like the simplest of solutions usually works the best. Take the time to understand your clients, be tolerant and helpful.
About the Author
Ashley Phillips is Managing Director of The Website Group, a UK based Digital Agency specialising in pay monthly business web design, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and Social Media Marketing.
Our services.
45 years of developing end-to-end branding solutions that are focussed on buildability and brand consistency.
Consult.
Vision – Value – Strategy
Design.
Capture – Model – Assess
Create.
Procure – Manufacture – Install
Enhance.
Maintain – Upgrade – Partner
By utilising 45 years of manufacturing success, we are proudly Australian-made and create all custom signage and branding in-house. With 6 manufacturing facilities across the country and extensive trade expertise, we ensure all projects, no matter the size, are delivered and installed with consistency and quality.
Services include:
- Development of custom signage and branding
- Patented processes to increase project efficiency
- Specialist, world-class machinery
- National quality assurance program
- National installation team
- WHS plans to support minor and major, private or public installations
- Complete range of safety access equipment
