The 6 Qualities of Great Customer Service

We have an idea of what great customer service is. How many of us actually put that into practice? What are your company policies when it comes to providing excellent customer service? Are you treating customers how you’d like to be treated?

Great customer service is the foundation of any business. It’s like building a house. And we all know to have, a strong, stable foundation is crucial in carrying the weight of the business. As an entrepreneur or business owner, you should evaluate your customer service standards to ensure your customers are satisfied. We’ve compiled this list of the 6 biggest qualities of truly great customer service as a guide to you when assessing your business.

Caring - Value for Money

Providing great customer service comes down to one crucial thing — caring. Not only should your company care about the products and services you offer, but you should ensure your providing value customer base. Ensure that the customer receives a working product which includes a manual or step by step guide for easy setup or use. If you’re a service provider, ensure that you deliver on time.

Put in place a support system to answer questions, provide updates and general enquires. Make yourself available to your customers for any questions, repairs and or concerns. The customer should never feel dismissed, frustrated, or unheard. Your goal should be to provide great customer service to everyone.

Passion - Aspire to Achieve Greatness

Passion is a rare quality. It is what separates businesses which exceed expectations from those who offer mediocre service to customers customer. When a company is passionate about what they offer, they treat their customers with value and respect they deserve.

To offer great customer service, you need to know who your potential customer is. Research what are their desires, pain points and goals. Ensure that the product or service you’re offering provides value to your customers.

You and your team should go the extra mile to ensure quality products and services are delivered at all times as well as outstanding customer satisfaction. Don't make money and profit be your motivation. Let your passion for providing great customer service be your motivation. Do you want to gain loyal customers? - position yourself to be the brand that they trust.

Service Mindset - Providing Outstanding Service

Companies with great customer service don't view customer service as a policy. Instead, it’s an organizational mission that proves to represents what the company stands for. Without a spirit of helpfulness, there is no basis for customer service at all.

Excellent customer service does not only relate to problem-solving. It should be a culture adopted by your entire team. The customer's needs are the top priority. Providing exceptional service is a reward in itself.

Clear Communication - The Human Connection

One of the most important aspects of great customer service is clear communication.

Clear communication isn’t as easy as it sounds. We tend to use automation and generic operators to connect with customers and speed up response time. But there's nothing like the human touch.

Many issues need to be escalated and handled by you or someone on your team. To resolve the issue you first need to listen to the customer's complaint. Then it's best to repeat it back to them to ensure you capture and understand their plight. Then you provide solutions after you have assessed the situation. Effective communication involves putting yourself in the customer’s shoes and a providing simple explanation to get to a quick, solution for all parties. Often times, this means eliminating the jargon in favor of language that even the non-technical can understand.

Your team needs to be flexible, patient, and possess self-control because each client is unique. As an entrepreneur or employer ensure that your team is trained up on the latest customer service techniques.  

Willingness - Be Proactive

A dissatisfied customer will always become more irate if presented with automated systems, excessive transfers, or long hold times. They should be able to contact an actual human being to assess the issue and suggest the appropriate solution. That individual should approach the situation with a calm attitude and willing to help.

Having multiple communication channels is essential in providing excellent customer service. People are busy. Being available for a direct call, 24-hour tech support with live chat, or via social media channels are all great options a business can utilize for communication. Having a clear schedule and providing after-hours and weekend customer support is an added bonus for customers. Be the type of company that customers can rely on. You’ll be ready and eager to help when they need you. Great customer service stems from adopting this attitude.

Repeat Customers - The Gift of Referrals

Excellent customer service should not be solely focused on taking care of customers. It must also be largely geared toward a good reputation and the desire for repeat customers. Establishing an awesome relationship with your customers is key for repeat business. It is vital for companies to understand who are their target customers, what their pain points are, and how to best serve them.

The goal of customer service is to transform an unhappy customer into a customer who feels delighted by the service they just received. People spend tons of money on ads daily. Here’s one of the best-kept secrets across all industries - Happy clients = endless referrals.

When customers love what you do and how you treat them, they’ll tell the people they’re close to. You’ll position yourself as a brand they can trust.  When trust is present, customers will not only purchase over and over again, but they’ll spread the word of how awesome your company is.

Importance of Great Customer Service

Ultimately, the happier your customers are, the more prosperous your business will be. Having great customer service at every level of the buyer’s journey ensures you have a growing customer base. Strive to be an industry leader in customer service, and your business will flourish.

Great Customer Service Tips

• Live chat/ customer support portal
• Have an up-to-date Knowledge Base
• Multiple communication channels
• Hire applicants with experience and enthusiasm.
• Train employees on the newest Inbound strategies
• Make sure service and procedures are consistent across the board