6 Rules for Excellent Customer Service

The general advice of all customer service departments is to “listen to your customers.” And sure, that’s a great start, but it means nothing if you aren’t actively listening and trying to problem solve. Think back to the most frustrating call you’ve ever had—the phone operator probably acted like they could care less about your problems, never mind getting them solved quickly. The whole process took 20 minutes and by the end of it, you still had your original problem (now complete with a few busted blood vessels and a sore throat from repeating yourself so many times). If you are to be good at customer service, your company must be valuable to your clients. So, how do you do it? How do you give awesome customer service always? By following these rules: Answer Your Phone Sounds simple, no? Avoid answering systems if at all possible. People want to talk to a person, not a machine. Accept Complaints No one likes hearing things they’ve done wrong. But give their complaint proper attention and you won’t lose their future business. Even if it’s negative, feedback is valuable in any form to know how to better serve your clients. Take it with class—your customers will appreciate your patience and attention. Don’t Take it Personally Accept accountability, even if you didn’t personally handle their case. Apologize if necessary, and be the one who saves the day. Don’t get defensive. Simply ask how you can help solve their issue. Train Your Staff You can’t be the only one equipped to handle situations. Make sure your staff is well aware of protocol on solving various customer problems. And make it so your employees ever have to respond with, “I don’t know, but _________ will be back in 20 minutes and he/she can answer your question.” Go the Extra Mile If it takes 10 extra minutes to solve a problem more fully, do it. Go the extra step, call the extra person, and take the extra time because customers will notice. Don’t Break a Promise Never agree to anything that your team or company isn’t capable of following through on. Breaking a client’s trust is the best way to lose them—permanently.