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Often, your customer service employees will be the first line of contact for both your potential and your current customers. To ensure the best possible experience, make sure your reps have the following skills.
Listening
The single most valuable skill of a customer service representative is their ability to listen. Most people will be coming with a problem, question or complaint, and it’s critical that they are able to hear and absorb their concerns without appearing dismissive or rude. The last thing you want is a customer to feel ignored.
Communicating
Conversations are a two-way street, so once the problem has been identified, the floor is open to your employee. As a representative of the company, he or she can’t stutter or second-guess words. Instead, they need to speak openly, intelligently and articulately. This requires your reps to be confident in themselves and have above-average verbal communication skills.
Analyzing
Good customer service reps can think on their feet and respond quickly to changes in tone and attitude from the customer. For example, if your rep is trying to explain something to them and they’re just getting angrier by the minute, that rep will need to know how to adjust the approach and find a way to calm them down. This is called situational analysis, and if your reps aren’t already versed in it, they’re in for a trial by fire the first time they handle a customer complaint.
Problem Solving
At heart, customer service boils down to one question. “How can I help you?” If your reps aren’t any good at reaching across the divide and finding a way to bridge the gap between company and consumer, it’s time to consult the professionals. Visit impactlearning.com for training information to improve your rep’s customer service skills.
