Recruit and Retain Great Customer Service Agents
Agents want opportunities to grow and learn. By doing so, agents are able to develop skills for future career goals. When agents are recognized for their efforts and achievements, they’re more likely to stay with that employer.
Promote Great Attitudes
When it comes to customer service, attitude beats aptitude. When hiring customer service agents, look for those who wish to serve and express empathy when handling upset customers.
Encourage Excellent Communication Skills
Customer service agents must demonstrate respect and empathy. These skills will offer a calming affect when an agent is asking customers questions to help tend to their needs. Agents need to have the ability to summarize their issue back to their customers because it will help show their professionalism.
Encourage Honest Persuasive Abilities
When dealing with a customer, it’s important to use proper skills of persuasion. They can help reduce the amount of customer complaints and objections, and it will also improve sales numbers and customer satisfaction rates. Advise employees to keep “What’s in it for them?” in mind and keep it simple; customers are more likely to be persuaded by ideas or solutions they can understand.
Promote Product Knowledge
Everyone in your organization can and should be a part of customer service. This allows customers to get their questions answered immediately, making it more convenient for them and you.
Encourage Time Management
Knowing how long each customer service call “should” take is essential. This can help agents to service additional customers per day, gaining customer loyalty. Knowing how to solve problems, thinking ahead, and maintaining composure at all times also allows an agent to reach customers more timely and effectively, leaving the customer feeling satisfied and content with the service they received.
Help Agents Read Customers
By learning more about human psychology, body language, and understanding sounds when speaking, agents can be relaxed and confident with their methods of communication any time they’re on the phone with a customer. Picking up on how clients speak can determine how to steer the conversation, as well as if they are a new or long-time customer.
Foster Closing Ability
“Closing the deal” for someone who has contacted customer service is as important as how an agent communicates with that customer. Knowing when to transition into the closing of the deal based on each individual customer is essential. Asking the customer if they’re satisfied is a great way to confirm whether the call is on the right track.
