Being customer-centric, thinking like a customer, and putting the customer first are all very familiar sayings that are thrown around often. But what does it really mean to do these things and have superb customer service skills?
Customer service spans many different fields of work; hospitality, sales, community management, telecommunications, retail…etc. In fact, even if the words “customer service” are not explicitly used in a particular job description, nearly every business has a department or a team that serves and deals with customers. Since that team is at the forefront of the company’s reputability and have the ability to influence and shape the perceptions that people form, their skills must wow the grumpiest of customers.
Here are five habits from Bayt.com, the Middle East’s #1 Job Site, that are essential for the success of any customer service oriented job:
1. Top-notch communication
This is one of the skills that are in highest demand across all fields. In fact, the Bayt.com Job Index survey revealed that good communication in English and Arabic is the top attribute (63%) that employers in the Middle East look for in a candidate. So what does that really mean in a customer service context? It means very clear and direct correspondence, language competency, business acumen for the relevant field, and overall confidence in speaking, writing, and reading the primary language.
2. Effective Listening
The secret to success in customer service is effective listening. To be an effective listener means to truly pay attention and to be able to repeat or rephrase what the customer tells you. You need to understand your customers’ wants and needs, their challenges and problems, so you can help them in the best way possible. And the only way to do that is to listen to your customer. Ask them about their problems, challenges, frustrations, and goals. Keep on asking questions until you know exactly what they want and understand what they need. Only then should you start offering the solution.
3. Genuine empathy
What this means is expressing authentic concern, care, and desire to be helpful. It is one thing to try to quickly go through customer emails and inquiries to reduce the numbers, and it is a whole different thing to truly understand what the customer needs and attempt to help them out of genuine concern. This is where “placing yourself in the customer’s shoes” comes in; you know how they feel and you want to make sure they are as satisfied as possible.
4. Creative problem solving
As today’s global economy becomes more complex, customer service professionals are continuously exposed to new challenges. According to the Bayt.com poll, Education and Innovation in the Middle East and North Africa, creativity is an important skill for professionals to have and the majority of respondents (88.5%) agree that creative thinking is important for getting a job in today’s economy. It is important for every business to create a culture that fosters and rewards innovation, with employees always up to suggesting new ideas, embracing challenges and exploring alternative solutions to enhance the customer experience. In the customer service context, the employee’s ability to think outside the box can be an unparalleled skill to impress the customer and yield positive results for the business.
5. Objection handling
Harsh words are not always insulting and complaining customers are not something to be taken personally. Complaints and objections are unavoidable. Most customer service professionals fail to prepare for objections. Prepare a list of the 10 to 20 most common objections and prepare answers for each of them. Your answers should be clear and concise. Rehearse your answers until they sound natural but not robotic. Another thing to keep in mind is that objections can often be turned into invaluable feedback if the situation is controlled, the issue is acknowledged, and the focus is redirected towards the solution.
Do you have other tips for customer service? Feel free to share them by commenting below!
Check out some of the latest training opportunities in customer service and sales through the Bayt.com Learning Portal.
