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I Just Want To Talk To A Real Person!!!

It happens to the best of companies, those with top-notch customer service representatives who are well-trained and knowledgeable.

A customer slips through the cracks and gets put in limbo…”Please wait for the next available representative.”

Responsive customer service is essential in building relationships with customers that lead to brand loyalty and long-term sales.

One poor customer service experience can mean thousands of lost dollars in future revenues, maybe more.

 

Here are a few tips on how to strengthen your customer service perception so you can increase customer satisfaction (which will subsequently lead to more sales!)

1. Have real people answer the phones. This might be a hard sell at first because it means an increase in customer service reps to handle the call centre load, but case studies have proven that customer satisfaction and loyalty increase with personal interaction on the phone versus an automated phone service (e.g., see “How to Improve First Call Resolution” by Rob McDougall of Upstream Works).

2 Get it right the first time. The first contact with customers is the most important. That’s why it’s imperative to get it right on the very first phone call. Make sure your customer service reps are knowledgeable and empowered to take care of customer concerns right then and there.

3. Decrease your workflows. Many call centres have a maze of complicated workflows that a customer service rep must navigate to find the answer to a customer’s question or complaint. Sometimes this can even span across several different systems. Simplify your workflows and your systems, and it becomes easier and quicker to satisfy your customers.

4. Be proactive. Mine your customer service data to identify problem areas or issues that arise frequently. Use this information to make changes in products, services, or procedures that address and rectify common concerns. With this data guiding business decisions, the amount of customer phone calls will reduce while your customer satisfaction increases.

5. Follow up with surveys. Do you routinely ask your customers about their customer service experiences? If not, you should. A simple survey with an open-ended question or two allows customers to let you know what they really think. Offer an incentive for customers to complete the survey. It needn’t be something costly, but should be something of value to them.

6. Educate, educate, educate. The more knowledgeable your customer service reps, the quicker and easier they can handle customer interactions in a positive manner. Cross-departmental and procedural awareness are only the tip of education because the more savvy your customer service reps, the more up-selling they can provide. And we all know how up-selling current customers affects the bottom line.

 

It definitely sounds easier than it is, but in the long run, these steps just might catapult your sales and customer service metrics through the roof.

If you or your company are interested in advanced training for customer service reps to shore up gaps in your customers’ experience, Natural Training offers several award winning training programmes that can boost your level of customer satisfaction.

Call one of our experts today to be connected with the courses you need to become a customer service guru.

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