Customer Service skills will help you in most industries, so improving these skills are crucial. The great thing about building customer service skills is that you can do so in most entry level positions. We’ve outlined some customer service skills below that will help you in almost any industry.
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Communication
Most customer service skills center around being able to communicate with clients and customers effectively. Effective communication requires listening attentively. Make sure you understand what the customer needs in order to address it effectively. You can also communicate active listening by nodding, or when the customer is done talking, by summarizing and repeating back to them what they just said. Especially if they are communicating a particular request or concern, they want to be heard, and actively listening helps to solidify the communication process. This also helps ensure that you fully understood their needs.
According to Qualtrics, some additional ways to be a clear communicator include using your natural tone of voice rather than pitching up or down, ended conversations by asking if you can help with anything else, and communicating hold times. Being clear about how long the wait will be while you consult a manager or put them on hold will help them set their expectations for the call.
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Being Proactive
Great customer service skills require proactivity. Customers don’t always know what they’re looking for, and it’s up to you to understand what they are looking for and anticipate how your company may be able to meet those needs. This means having a strong knowledge of your company’s services and how they apply to a multitude of scenarios.
This also requires honing emotional intelligence skills. Being able to read a customer’s mood and respond accordingly will help you provide an excellent customer service experience. As Help Scout puts it, “A great customer support representative knows how to relate to anybody, but they’re especially good with frustrated people. Instead of taking things personally, they intuitively understand where the other person is coming from and they know to both prioritize and swiftly communicate that empathy.” This skill might require some practice, but it can help in negotiating with others in many different areas of life.
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Using Positive Language
Using language to your advantage is a huge skill that Customer Service representatives should develop. Many customer service roles require being able to be persuasive, and one way to achieve this is by using positive language, even in situations where the outcome might be negative.
For example, if someone asks if they can schedule an appointment for a certain day, rather than saying, “We don’t have any availability on that day,” say instead, “We have a spot two days later. Would that work for you? I will be sure to let you know if the day you originally requested becomes available. Rather than saying “no” and shutting down the conversation, you are creating a more positive outcome and letting the customer feel heard in their request.
Customer service skills are a must in almost any industry. If you are looking for customer service jobs, look no further than Staffers! Give us a call today to apply.
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