10 things to know about customer service

Customer service is a growing industry and a key factor for a lot of businesses. It has a lot of things to offer to employers and employees. It is no secret that customer service has lots of beneficial aspects to companies, such as customer loyalty, impact on the public image, increased sales. But a lot of people are not familiar with this kind of position and tend to pass on opportunities to work in this sector.

Here are 10 things that you should know about customer service whether you are thinking about working in this area or you already are.

1. Types of Customer Service. There are varieties of customer services which you can choose from the one that is best for you. Whether you like to contact people face to face (self-serve, on-site) or through more traditional ways like via phone or even impersonal like emails, chats, social media.

2. Schedule. People often correlate customer service with night shifts and work during the weekend, but this is not always the case. A lot of companies also offer work from home, freelance work, or a typical 9 to 17 work schedules.

3. Training. Everything you need to work in this area is a high school diploma. The company offers the necessary training that will help you to cope with the difficulties you might come across but also the tools (e.g. CRM software) which will help you keep track of clients and their problems.

4. What happens at work, stays at work. In a lot of jobs people are required to take work home with them, just so they can meet the expectations. This is not the case here. Work stays at the office, giving you the chance to fully use your free time as you wish.

5. It is not all about solving the customer’s problem, but also creating a solid relationship with them. Solving the cumstomers problem is a big part of the job, but it is so much more than that. As customer support, you need to build a connection with the client, make their experience with you memorable enough to talk about it with family and friends – granting the company free promotion. After all, it is more profitable to keep your current clients loyal and satisfied with your services rather than finding new ones.

6. Walk a mile in the customer’s shoes. Generally, customer service is a cakewalk, but sometimes it can be stressful, especially when dealing with unfriendly clients. Unfortunately, this is not something you can avoid but you can turn the situation around. Being patient and empathetic is essential, but so is understanding that their anger is probably not caused because of a malfunction of the company’s product. We all had bad days and took our anger out to the wrong person. Show interest in the customer’s problem, be understanding and try to defuse the situation.

7. Miscommunication. A lot of conflicts or dissatisfaction are created from unnecessary misunderstandings. A customer service representative needs to speak clearly and explain things that might be obvious to themselves but maybe not obvious to the customer.

8. Sales skills. In some situations, people contact customer service when they consider buying a product or use the company’s services, and they need more information. This is the time to shine and persuade them to choose the company or the product over others.

9. Knowledge of the company and its products. The more you know, the better it is. Efficiency is important in customer service and knowing the company’s vision as well as the products and the services they offer. It will give you an edge in solving as many problems as fast as possible.

10. Feedback. Asking the customers for feedback on your services is a great way to help you and the company improve, whether it is positive or negative.

Would you like to find out more about open positions in the customer service area? Get in touch with our team! We speak different languages and we are always available to provide you with all the answers. Check out our website www.itselecta.com or send an E-Mail to info@itselecta.com.