In the course of dealing with customers, you might be making some real \u201crookie mistakes.\u201d Keep reading to learn what kinds of mistakes we\u2019re talking about and how you can stop making them! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Not Listening Well Enough <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Ever hear the phrase \u201cyou hear, but you don\u2019t listen?\u201d Every now and then that describes how we approach customer service. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you are distracted by something, or maybe even rushing to solve the customer\u2019s problem, you may not hear all the details related to their issue. Without these details, you can\u2019t really proceed. When this happens, you\u2019ll have to ask the customer to repeat himself, and most customers don\u2019t like to do that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bottom line? Write down all important details when someone calls in, so you know exactly how and where to find the answers, and always be an active listener<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Speaking of answers, some customer service agents sometimes guess at answers to caller questions. While this may seem like a good idea in the short run, it\u2019s a bad idea in the long run. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the short run, you might think guessing at an answer (for example, just repeating something you\u2019ve heard another agent say) is a good way to get someone off the phone. But if this answer ends up being incorrect, the customer will call back and get very frustrated when they get a different response. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Once more, it all comes down to listening and asking the right questions. Make sure to add that to your daily to-do list<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Customers call with problems they need you to solve. Express what the issue is can be a challenge for some customers. In some cases, they may not know the right terminology to even describe the problem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In these cases, it\u2019s important to ask follow-up questions and not just focus on making a sale<\/a>. Beyond getting basic things like their name and account number, you need to get more details on exactly why they have called. Often, this is just a matter of asking the customer to walk you through the steps leading up to the problem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n By asking just a few follow-up questions, you can solve the issue very quickly, saving time for both you and your customer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When you work in a call center, cutting down on your average call time<\/a> is usually a big priority. If you really want to speed things up, you should check out someone\u2019s call history and records when they call you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If your call center uses a CMS, you may have opportunities to explore info about previous calls. Reviewing what this customer has called about before can help you figure out what the issue is, which can shorten your average call time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Empathy is an important quality for anyone working in customer service. However, dealing with customers all day can grind your empathy down, as can dealing with very frustrating callers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Nonetheless, it\u2019s important to go into each new call with both an open mind and an open heart. Openly express empathy when a customer tells you their problems, and don\u2019t be afraid to use language like \u201cyou are right\u201d and \u201cI apologize\u201d as customers describe the issue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When customers are angry, a bit of empathy can defuse the situation. Even if callers aren\u2019t angry, a bit of empathy will help any call go a bit smoother. If you\u2019re having trouble with empathy, make sure you are practicing self-care<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Chances are that you have a script (either from the company or one you made) for dealing with different kinds of calls. While scripts can be useful, you should know there are times you need to ditch the script entirely. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We recommend not sticking to a script past the first one or two lines and relying instead on certain useful phrases<\/a>. That\u2019s because each caller\u2019s situation is different. If you try to use the same script on everyone, it will be clear to customers you aren\u2019t paying attention to their particular problems. <\/p>\n\n\n\n By treating each caller as unique and ditching the script as need be, you can improve your customer service in a big way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As a customer service agent, one of the things you should always be careful about doing is making promises. That\u2019s because nothing angers customers more than your company breaking a promise! <\/p>\n\n\n\n This goes back to why you need to listen carefully to customers and ask follow-up questions. Never promise a result unless you can deliver it, and never promise anything until you know exactly what the customer is calling about (this helps you avoid angry callers<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n As long as your company keeps its promises, you will keep your customers. But if you fail to deliver on them, it\u2019s possible to lose your customers one false \u201cpromise\u201d at a time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are times when you cannot resolve a customer issue and must transfer them to someone else. However, it\u2019s important to make sure you have exhausted all the options before making the transfer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n First, make sure there is no possible way you can solve the customer\u2019s problem. Second, if you must transfer them, make sure you get them to the right person or department. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This is important because customers always hate it when they get transferred too much and keep having to wait longer and longer for someone to pick up. If you can cut down on how often you transfer someone, you can really improve your customer service. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Now you know how to avoid customer service rookie mistakes. But do you know where to make the best use of your customer service skills? <\/p>\n\n\n\n2. Guessing Answers <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
3. Not Asking Follow-Up Questions <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
4. Not Reviewing Caller History <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n5. Not Having Empathy <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
6. Sticking to the Script <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
7. Failure to Deliver on a Promise <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
8. Transferring Customers Too Quickly and Too Often <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Put Your Customer Service Experience to Use Today! <\/h2>\n\n\n\n