Customer service and client relations are key to any organization. But your team needs to be trained, prepared, and then trained again for what may come.
The truth is there will always be surprises and challenges in a customer service role. So equipping your frontliners is crucial in several areas:
LISTENING
Simply, you must take time to hyperlisten to customer needs and complaints. Let the customer talk, complain, and voice their opinions so you can collect crucial data on the elements that need to be resolved.
DEALING WITH OBSTACLES
As a former real estate agent, I became a pro at dealing with obstacles. When a buyer walks into a home and comments, "I couldn't live with this carpet color, let's go" I was quick to say, "What if I paid to have the carpet replaced?" Now, you start hearing if there are other objections that can't be solved.
COMMON SENSE
I'm a firm believer that you need customer service reps that have common sense. It's a hard skill to train, but finding the right team with this gift and giving them the power to make decisions on the spot is key to a successful interaction.
EXECUTING A SOLUTION
Not only is it important to agree on and articulate a solution, the follow up is even more important. Give your teams the tools and resources to create, manage, and execute a plan that will provide an optimal solution for the customer.
The company relies on this crucial department of customer service. Reward, train, encourage, and train again. As the face and voice of your organization, your customer service team plays one of the most important roles in your success.