The FIVE Secrets to Outstanding Customer Service

By now, you’d already know how expensive and time-consuming it is to acquire new customers. Hence, the best way to keep business flourishing is through a successful customer service that results in loyal customer relationship and continuous revenue.

Valuable customer engagement is the key to outstanding customer service. That’s what keeps customers coming back time and again.  

But how do you do it? Especially now when everyone loves to complain about customer-service nightmares both online and offline – you need special tricks!

And this is what you’ll find in the next couple of lines – 5 ways to up your customer service BRILLIANTLY.

1. Step into your customers’ shoes

Ask yourself: what type of experience would I want?

You’ll realize that merely having a non-negative customer experience is not enough. As a customer, you look forward to a memorable interaction with the company that leaves you wanting for more.

To ensure that you provide a memorable customer engagement every time, use cloud CRM and do these following steps:

• Map out your customers journey

• Note when do they first interact with your company

• Note when do they stop

Carefully examine the above-mentioned aspects to understand their preferences/attributes to further create a positive experience and build a stronger relationship.

2. Adjust with Customers

Just like the companies, customers too often drop the ball. So don’t be aggravated if they show up late to a meeting or do not have all the relevant information, based on which your customer service team can provide assistance.

Try and adjust to their needs. Keep in mind that every customer is a brand ambassador that can bring in more revenue or act as a barrier to attracting more customers. Hence be as courteous as possible and put in the best efforts to deliver an exceptional customer service.

3. Don’t just sell

Offer expert advice on what’s best for your customers’ needs -- even if it’s not your product/service. Trust me, this works. After all, we ourselves want the same thing. Do not believe?

Think: given a situation which sales rep would you like to go to?

• Sales person A who is only focused on selling

• Sales Person B who understands customers’ needs and offers them genuine professional advice.

The answer clearly is Sales Person B

Reason: The type of professional guidance that Sales person B will provide will build trust with the customer and contribute to a positive experience and long-lasting relationship.

Remember, by suggesting other genuine alternatives, you might lose sale initially, but customers will remember your support and come back for repeat purchases in the future.

4. Use the THREE MAGICAL words

According to Gregory Ciotti, Marketing Strategist – ‘’Behavioral research has revealed that there are three distinct words that tend to have a magical effect on the customers:

• FREE: it's been used for decades as the #1 attention-grabbing word for every industry.

• INSTANTLY: The temptation to fix the problems instantly works on all customers/buyers.  As a result, customers are much more likely to give the product a chance if they know they won't have to "defer" their gratification to a later date.

• NEW: Things that are new activate our brain's reward center. Including phrases like new products, new improvements, new features, are the best way to keep the customers on their toes always.

5. Make customer service a baked-in part of the culture

Imbibe customer service values within your company culture. Make it an important part of your company’s Mission Statement, Ideology and Motto. Highlight the importance of good customer engagement and customer service in front of your team members.

Ensure that your employees live the company’s values on a day-to-day basis, and create better service outcomes.

Truly Listen: Listen as much as you talk. Remember, great customer service is all about implying a strategy that works for your customer. And there is no better way to determine what’s working and what’s not than hearing it from customers themselves.

Collect in your customer feedback, analyze the experience and determine the best way to improve their experience. Be quick enough to respond to your customers’ feedback to ensure their opinions are valued.