19 June 2018

Avoid These Telephone Pitfalls

Great customer service can make a huge difference to your business, but it’s not always easy to provide excellent customer service. Your bottom line could be at stake if you fall into the grasp of some common telephone customer service pitfalls. Here’s how to avoid them and keep your business thriving.

Sticking too much to a script

Your customers want to feel special when they speak with you, and that’s not going to happen if every single call sounds the same. Every customer is unique and every problem is, too. Even if the call is about something simple, make sure you’re putting plenty of personality and personalization into the call. Your customers want to know they’re speaking with a real, live person and not a robot.

Thinking that great customer service can be taught in a few days

Telephone customer service requires skills that aren’t easily learned in a few days. Great customer service is always changing, adapting to meet the needs of your customers. Don’t think you can just put your staff through a single training session and they’ll be ready to provide amazing service to your customers. Ongoing training, refresher training, and regular evaluations will all help ensure your telephone representatives are always at the top of their game.

Thinking you know what your customers want

Unless your business is mind-reading, you most definitely don’t know what your customer wants, unless you ask them. And they may not know what they want, either, but together, you can figure it out. Ask questions and listen to what your customers tell you. Your customer may be angry or frustrated, so you’ll need to listen carefully to what they’re telling you.

Often, customers call when they are upset about one thing, but the real problem could be something else completely. These calls require more than just guesswork. Only through active listening and creative problem-solving can you find the answers your customers need.

For more tips on providing top-notch telephone customer service, or to find out how a call centre might benefit your customer service team, visit Answer 365 and speak with a helpful representative today.