Customer Service Skills To Help You Excel In Any Industry

Customer Service Skills To Help You Excel In Any Industry Ive always been driven to help people and be of service. This point really hit home for me when I did a values exercise belastung year with my amazing coach, Gretchen. She asked me a series of questions that helped me articulate my top four values service, authenticity, untersttzungsangebot and customer service.In considering how unterstellung values would show themselves in my business, I began reflecting on what led me to start my own business, solve problems and ensure service excellence.I started my career in waitressing roles. I worked in a pub, steakhouse, hotel restaurant and even a dinner cruise boat. As we all know, waitressing is elend for the faint of heart, but I really enjoyed adapting my style and ability to meet the needs of different customers. I loved seeing a happy patron. It welches a fun experience and, lets be real, my income depended on tips, which were directly linked to the level of good customer servic e I provided. That was okay with me because I was inclined to provide a great customer service experience anyway.These adventures in waitressing led to my first nine-to-five job in customer service for a large student travel company. This time, I was talking with parents who were sending their children abroad, often for the first time.You can imagine the responsibility that I felt in this situation and the trust that the parents were giving to our company. The extensive and ongoing training I received at this company really rounded out my customer service toolkit.Ive been in the working world for 20 years now and have experience in a number of industries. Still, I see the lessons I learned in my first seven years in customer service as guiding lights in how I have navigated my career and now, how I run my business. The customer service skills I honed focus on the easy things you can do to make all the difference, no matter your industry or who your client is.Most In-Demand Customer Service Skills1. Lead the WayWhen I worked on the dinner cruise boat, we werent allowed to gesture or point when someone asked for directions to the observation deck or the loo. No matter how busy we were, our job was to escort people to their destination. I still do this at my office and in my business, literally and figuratively. This customer interaction is a small gesture says that they are your top priority. Their experience matters most and you will ensure that they achieve their goals.2. Call People by Their NameDale Carnegies How to Win Friends and Influence People reminds us that a rolles personenname is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language. Think about how you feel when you arrive at a hotel or restaurant and are greeted by name. Its the ultimate VIP experience, right? You get a little jolt of confidence and feel flattered to have been acknowledged in this way.Its so easy for you to create this experience for your coworkers, boss and custome rs. Using someones name is bedrngnis only good customer service, it showcases your empathy and that you care about the customer as more than just the customer. It also shows that youve gone through the trouble to actually remember a name, which most people do elend do.3. SmileI know its cheesy, but I always say that a smile is the easiest gift to give. When you smile at someone, it helps the recipient feel included, welcome and safe. Youll benefit, too. In general, positive body language enhances the customer experience for the client and for the customer service representative.The act of smiling tells your brain that you are happy, whether it feels true or not. I work with most of my coaching clients via phone and when they are smiling it positively radiates through the miles that separate us. This small, free gesture goes a long way, so dont forget your smile both in person and over the phone.4. Share What You Can DoI learned this customer service skill at the travel company and u se it regularly to tischset boundaries or expectations around a request. It is so impactful and empowering to stop focusing on what you cant do and focus on what you can.Oftentimes at work, a seemingly impossible and overwhelming request will come through. What if you changed I cant do this project to I can do this project next month or I can do this project if I can reschedule my presentation? This gives the requestor options, rather than closing the door. No one likes to hear no, and with this you dont have to say it to resolve a request.5. Use Positive LanguageBuilding on what you can do, consider ways to reframe negative language. I do this work constantly with those who are updating their resumes or preparing for interviews. You can easily take your complaints about your current job and turn them into positive attributes that you want in your next role.For example, if you are leaving your job because your boss is a micromanager, when asked why you are leaving, you can share tha t you thrive in an environment with a lot of autonomy. It allows you to express your problems while remaining positive and truthful. In a resume, I regularly change the bullet dealt with customer problems to ensured customer satisfaction. People will understand your meaning either way and you wont bring the conversation down with negativity.6. Involve Customers in Problem-SolvingAnother doozy from the travel company when a parent wanted to cancel a tour, wed ask what it would take for their child to be able to travel. The goal was to help these students get an amazing experience abroad. Since every student (and parent) is motivated by something different, so why not ask them for input?This one came back to me in full force when my business initially began to pick up. When a potential or current client reached out to schedule a session, Id spend up to 30 minutes stressing about their needs. Id make guesses about their availability, provide multiple options, then worry about whether o r not I should hold these times on my calendar as I awaited their responses.Now, I give my clients access to my calendar. They are in control and tell me what they need. They can even reschedule if something changes.Customer service excellence doesnt always mean being involved in every single step of a plan. Sometimes its best to empower your customer and take out unnecessary barriers. Remember, Ill walk someone to the loo, but theyre on their own upon arrival.7. Respond Within One Business DayThis is a basic part of the customer service experience that is often overlooked. Even if you dont have the answer to a request, the customer service team should let a client know that they are working on their question. It helps to provide an estimated timeline for completion. The same goes for deadlines.Dont make people wonder if or when youll respond. A small note will go a long way in building trust and setting expectations. Not responding or acknowledging a deadline can irrevocably damage a professional relationship. Its not about getting the job done at the exact moment, its about being true to your word.8. Bend Rules Where You CanAvoid blindly or unfailingly following the rules. There are always exceptions to be made and extenuating circumstances. Having the ability to change rules within reason and when necessary helped my customers get what they needed and empowered me as an employee. Rules are there for a reason, but consider why they have been broken and where there is wiggle room.Should you question a no refunds within 10 days policy if someone calls on Day 10? What if its a Monday? What if the reason is out of their control? Is there a tangible loss to the company? The next time youre presented with the option, think it over breaking a rule can have a positive impact on customer retention.9. Never Say I Dont KnowWhen it comes to professional customer interaction, there is no room for not knowing. Do your best to find the answer and be as helpful as possible . Sometimes, that might mean referring people to a different service rep. If you do that, consider facilitating the introduction so youre actually handing them off to a new person rather than just sending them away. If its a business answer you could find easily, consider sharing the answer with the sender along with how you acquired the information so youre not called upon again for something that isnt in your purview.Avoid responses that make someone feel like youre just pushing them off like, sorry, we dont handle that, or try checking with John. While you might not always have the answer or be the ideal person to ask, youll be a valuable resource by guiding them in the right direction. Someone who needs an answer is already feeling a bit vulnerable dont add frustration to the mix.10. If Necessary EscalateIf your relationship with someone is damaged, or they think you cannot help them, let it go and let your customer talk with someone else. If youve done something to cause them to look elsewhere, take it as a lesson in customer service skills and dont repeat the behavior.You may need to think of ways to repair the damage, but whats most important is that your customer or client gets the outcome that they need. Its a two-way street, too if someone is behaving inappropriately or in ways that indicate that they will not be satisfied with any resolution you provide, take that opportunity to hit the reset button and get them the help they need through another person or resource.11. Anticipate the Needs of OthersTo the best of your ability, anticipate what the customer might need next. No one enjoys being in react mode and putting out fires, so try to be a step ahead. Its often the case that people dont know what they dont know, so its hard to express their needs.I recently made an international move and, throughout the immigration process, the country sent me email tips. It started with the items that I could and could not bring through customs, then went on to share local etiquette, tools to set up a bank account and even how to navigate international healthcare. I wouldnt have known to ask many of the questions around the information they provided it really helped ease my transition.These tips are exceptionally easy to implement once you know that they exist. We typically dont even notice that we dont do these things and our customers, employees, bosses and clients dont notice either. The real magic happens with the engagement and trust that builds when you start practicing these techniques. Youll see relationships, positive feedback and retention go from good to great.--Alyson Garrido is passionate about helping women advance their careers and find jobs they will enjoy. As a career coach, she partners with her clients to identify their strengths and create a path toward a more fulfilling career. Alyson provides support around preparing for interviews, performance reviews and salary negotiations, ensuring that you present yourself in th e best possible light for job search and career advancement. Learn more or book a session with Alyson by visitingwww.alysongarrido.com.