5 Steps to Improve Relationships with Your Customers

From assisting with a purchase to dealing with a malfunctioning product, your company’s customer service is going to interact with customers on a regular basis. Some of them will be nice and friendly while others will be upset and angry. No matter the situation, you want to use the opportunity to improve the relationship with your customer to ensure their loyalty.

1. Teach Empathy and Patience

Not all customers are easy to deal with for a call centre agent or service representative. Regardless of the customer’s attitude, your agent must maintain an attitude of professionalism. Furthermore, it helps if they are empathetic and patient because it shows in their voice and manner.

Empathy happens when you put yourself in someone else’s shoes. Perhaps the customer is upset because they bought a product that isn’t working correctly. Imagine how you would feel in the same situation. Even if you disagree with the customer, it can help if you understand their point of view and how they feel.

Patience is important when you have to explain the same information multiple times or when the person wants a different answer and you can’t give it to them. When someone is being patient, they won’t raise their voice or act frustrated with the customer.

2. Explain How to Communicate Clearly

One of the biggest problems in customer service for any business is a lack of clear communication. What the service rep is saying may not be what the customer is hearing. In some situations, the agent may assume a customer knows the basics about a product.

It’s important to teach your customer service agents how to think like a customer when they are speaking to them. Make sure they don’t assume a customer knows information or talk in technical terms the average person doesn’t understand. They should explain everything in simple terms and in great detail.

3. Be Willing to Adapt

Not every customer is going to react the same way or have the same level of understanding. Your customer service agent should be able to adapt to various situations. It also helps if you can give them some independence on how to handle issues. If they can find a unique way to resolve the situation that fits in with the company rules and regulations, it can make the customer happy and ensure long-term loyalty.

Part of the ability to adapt is dependent on the amount of training your agents receive. You may need to work through real-life situations in training to help them understand what options are available. Make sure your agents know who to turn to when they are unsure of an answer. When they are more confident in their job, they will be better able to meet the needs of the customer.

You can help your staff improve their relationships with customers by teaching them how to empathize and be patient, how to communicate clearly and how to adapt to the different customers and situations.

Ashley Meszaros is the Owner/President of We An-Ser Communications in Calgary. We An-Ser Communications provides award winning call center services in Calgary, dispatching, medical answering services, man down services, lone worker support, wireless panic services and more. They service the North American market.

Ashley Meszaros is the Owner/President of We An-Ser Communications in Calgary. http://www.wean-ser.com/calgary-call-centre-services/