Providing a high level of customer service is key in any business. Going above and beyond for your customers means that you can increase retention and revenue, as well as create a positive reputation for your company. There are many ways that you can improve the service you provide, quickly and easily, whether that’s by implementing an omnichannel customer experience, encouraging feedback or making sure your employees are trained correctly. Here are 10 ways that you can improve your customer service.
Get to know your customers
One of the first things to do when it comes to improving your customer service is to make sure you know what your customers are expecting from you. You won’t be able to provide them with the service that they are hoping for if you don’t know what that is! Take the time to get to know your target audience and think about what they need from you so that you can match this with your products and services. Understanding what your customers need from you, will allow you to get an insight into the service they would like to receive.
Encourage feedback
Although you may not want to hear feedback, especially if it is negative, it can benefit the way your business operates. Allowing your customers to feedback to you on what you have done well, and what you could change, means that you can make improvements for the better. This means that you can develop high-quality customer service in line with what your customers have told you. This will lead to increased retention and ROI, and a good reputation.
Exceed expectations
Providing a good service to your customers should be standard for companies in all sectors but going above and beyond what they are expecting of you means you can exceed expectations and create a memorable moment for your customers. You can do this by making it clear that you are doing all you can to help them – if one method is not working, you try something else, and think outside the box to help them. You could also send loyal customers cards on their birthdays, or a free gift with their purchase.
CX consultant
You could improve the customer service that you provide by utilising a customer experience consultant. A CX consultant helps businesses to improve their services, creating a strategy to help companies achieve their goals, like increasing retention, and ROI. They can also provide feedback by analysing customer experience to see where improvements need to be made so that you can adapt and make changes for the better.
Personalisation
Personalising your customer service will show that you care about your customers. You can do this as a way of improving your overall service by greeting your customer by their name and using their name when you talk to them. You should make sure you show that you are listening to your customers when they are discussing their queries with you and summarise them so that they are aware that you have listened. Showing empathy and adapting the way you talk depending on your customer is also a good way of personalising your service.
Make it easy
You should make it easy for your customers to get in contact with you. We all know how frustrating it can be when trying to solve a problem and you can’t talk to someone easily on the phone, or you can’t find the contact details on a website. Making it as simple as possible for your customers means you can solve any issues quickly and easily, which demonstrates great customer service.
Invest in training
As a way of ensuring all levels of your company provide a high standard of service, investing in training is a great way to improve your employee’s skills when it comes to interacting with customers. If you have already integrated a CRM solution, train your team to use it to the optimal level. Lack of training is one of the major CRM challenge which may eventually hamper your overall performance. It helps to set a standard that reflects your company’s values and means that whichever level of staff your customers encounter, they will receive the same high-quality service throughout.
Review competitors
This is useful for your staff if you know that another business within the same sector provides great customer service. Take the time to look at how these competitors are engaging with their customers – what are they doing that you’re not? Think about whether there are any elements of their customer service that you could use and implement into your training. This will help you to develop further your overall customer service and put you in a position to compete with businesses like yours. Taking the time to review your customer service and how it compares may even give you the edge.
Read: Customer Service Trends For 2022 You Need To Adopt
Treat your staff well
Treating your staff well can have an impact on the customer service they provide. Unhappy staff members are not going to care as much as employees that are treated well and want the business to succeed. Make sure you help your employees to be in the best position with training and guidance so they can perform at their best in front of customers. Rewarding employees and giving out praise when they have done well will give them the boost they need to carry on providing a good standard of service.
Review performances
Improving your customer service is one thing but keeping it up is just as important as implementing it in the first place. Be sure to keep up to date with reviewing your employee’s performances, to ensure that they are still maintaining good service at all levels. You should also make sure that you keep topping up your customer service training so that your employees are always up to date on the standards required from them.