CSR Quick List of Dos and Dont’s

I have always said that the best way to provide great customer service is to learn to think like a customer. This ought to be a no-brainer; once you put yourself in the place of the customer, you will have a great moment of clarity regarding what your attitude and response should be. It always comes down to treating people the way you would like to be treated.

However, just in case you are having trouble making that transition, here are a few quick tips to jumpstart your thinking. First I want to present you with a list of typical customer service rep behaviors that market research tells us just drive customers crazy:

• They don’t know what they are doing. Perhaps they are poorly trained.
• They either don’t know they don’t know what they should do, or they just won’t admit it so the customer can move on.
• They have to be begged into performing their job.
• They have a passive-aggressive attitude (rude, sarcastic, indifferent), which they subtly use to control situations, but they will deny that they are doing this if challenged.
• They are too busy talking to co-workers or friends to respond to your presence (or even notice you).
• They don’t say hello or greet you, or even acknowledge you.
• They have poor phone manners.
• They do not show common courtesy. They may try to be “cool” and display a “don’t care” attitude, on the phone or to your face.
• They make the decision NOT to help you on behalf of the manager/owner without contacting him/her, thereby affecting the business without his/her knowledge.
• They work so slowly — they seem to be on a clock running at half the speed of any other clock.
• They just make you angry!

Recognizing Moments of Truth

So, now you have been warned – avoid the above behaviors at all costs if you want to keep your customer base. The reality is that you might be tempted to relapse into any of these behaviors at any time. Customer service can be a stressful process, and some customers are just plain ornery and hard to deal with, which doesn’t help matters any.

However, you must keep in mind that customers are constantly making judgments about their experiences, and they are quick to decide whether or not you have provided them with quality customer service on both the process and personal sides. They judge you and your group based on “Moments of Truth,” which is any episode, situation or event in which the customer comes into contact with your company and receives any type of service.

If you want to come out on top whenever you confront one of these “moments of truth,” keep the following tips in mind.

• Call every customer by name.
• Listen to what each customer has to say.
• Be concerned about each customer as an individual.
• Be courteous to every customer.
• Be responsive to the individual needs of each customer.
• Know your customers’ personal buying histories and motivations.
• Take sufficient time with each customer.
• Involve customers in your business. Ask for their advice and suggestions.
• Make customers feel important. Pay them compliments.
• Listen first, to understand the customer. Then speak in a way that they can understand.

Remember, everybody would like to be treated as if they are “Somebody.” Most companies roll out the red carpet for their “best customers,” but you can never be sure when an average customer may be in a position to become a top customer. Therefore, get in the habit of treating them all as if they were #1 in your book. Make them feel important and appreciated. Treat them as individuals. Always use their name and find ways to compliment them, but be sincere. People value sincerity. It creates good feeling and trust. Think about ways to generate good feelings about doing business with you. Customers are very sensitive and know whether or not you really care about them. Thank them every time you get a chance. And mean it.

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