Without a doubt, the biggest test of customer service comes when things go wrong. When they do, you have a perfect opportunity to build trust by sincerely bending over backwards to fix the problem. However, from the customer’s perspective, the biggest issue is not that a mistake has been made or problem exists. He is only watching to see if you will make every attempt to deal with the situation to his satisfaction.
Here are a few quick tips for preserving that sense of personal caring when you are interacting with customers:
? Call each customer by name as often as you can.
? Listen to what each customer has to say. Don’t jump to conclusions.
? Be concerned about each customer as an individual.
? Be courteous to each customer.
? Be responsive to the individual needs of each customer.
? Take sufficient time with each customer to effectively address his problem.
? Make customers feel like this call is the most important thing you have done today.
When addressing customer needs, here is a FAB-ulous idea. In this case, the FAB in fabulous stands for feature – advantage – benefit. Too often, customer service reps employ a one-size-fits-all approach to customer calls; just giving the standard minimum response so they can clear the call and move on. However, if you will take the time to really listen to your customers and make sure you understand their problems, you will be able to provide a solution for them in the form of what is known as a benefit statement, and this can make a big difference.
A customer isn’t really interested in company policies and procedures; he just wants a solution for his problem. Now, whatever you can offer him is most likely defined by policies and procedures, but don’t start with the company, start with the customer. Show him the benefit of what you can do for him.
? A feature is a characteristic of a product or service. The popcorn setting is a feature on some microwave ovens.
? An advantage defines what that feature does – for instance, pop popcorn with the press of one button.
? The benefit is the way in which the advantage of the feature meets a customer’s need. If he tells you that he mostly uses the microwave to pop popcorn, then the popcorn feature would be a great benefit for him.
Whenever you are explaining a possible solution to a customer’s problem or need, use a FAB form to create a benefit statement like this:
“Mr. Jones, here is what I can do for you. I can offer you this (state the feature of your solution) which does this (state the advantage of your solution) which will give you this (state the benefit the customer will receive from your solution.)”
By using a benefit statement when suggesting solutions to a customer service problem, you will be making it very clear that you have carefully listened to and understood your customer’s problem, and are working to meet his need.
Whatever you do, stay focused on the customer’s need. That is really all he cares about.
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August Customer Service Quick Tip of the Month – Ask for a Piece of Their Mind
Too often, when a customer calls customer service, he is more than ready to tell you what he thinks about your product or service, and not usually in a good way. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have something important to say, once you get him calmed down. Your company uses market research all the time when developing new products and services. The reason is obvious – you want to be selling what people want to buy! Why don’t you do the same thing in customer service? You won’t know for sure if your system is really keeping customers satisfied if you never ask (until repeat business drops through the floor). Why not send out an email survey to a customer within 24 hours of his call to your CS department, asking him to rate the way your company took care of him and asking for suggestions? Better yet, contact a sampling of your customers directly by phone, and use a live person to ask the questions. The answers you receive, even if they are not all flattering, can be invaluable for helping you to improve your customer retention rate, and that is a good thing.
