What is Customer service skills: These are traits and practices that equip you to address customers’ needs and foster positive experiences. Customer service plays an important important role in attracting and maintaining customers. The following are the seven customer service skills for success in business.
1. Empathy
2. Problem Solving
3. Communication
4. Active Listening
- Technical Knowledge
6. Patience
7. Positive Attitude
Empathy: In customer service, empathy is the capacity to affirm a customer’s feelings and indicate that you can understand their frustration or pain- even if the problem was out of your control. In other words, empathy is putting yourself in someone else, ‘s shoes- understanding their perspectives from their point of view. Empathy builds a relationship between the customer and the employee that can enhance customer service, increase customer satisfaction, and build loyalty. Thus empathy is important for creating a good customer experience, especially after they have gone through something negative. It builds stronger bonds and gets better insights from customers. Not empathizing with a customer and being incapable of understanding their situation can cost your organization a significant share of revenue.
Problem-Solving Skill: Problem-solving is a key that empowers employees to manage, change, communicate effectively, and bring a fresh perspective to old problems. It helps in gathering and analyzing relevant data, evaluating options, weighing risks and benefits, and making informed decisions that align with the business. It helps us understand relationships and implement the changes and improvements needed to compete and survive in a continually changing environment. The key to successful problem-solving is to think about the nature of the problem, transform alternative solutions, evaluate each option, and then collect the best course of action.
Communication: Communication skills is extremely important to Business managers because receipt and transmission of messages is a fundamental, element of planning, organizing, directing, coordinating, and controlling. Effective communication with customers by answering questions and providing solutions helps to improve the business’s reputation. Communicating well over the phone or through social media or email improves customer confidence and loyalty.
Active Listening: It is a way of listening to customers with the intention of Understanding their needs and finding ways to meet them. Active listening involves paying attention to the customer’s words and body language, asking questions, and providing feedback.
Technical Knowledge: In business, technical knowledge is required to address customer queries and provide appropriate solutions. For instance, in Agribusiness, representatives should be well-versed in agricultural practices, pest management, irrigation techniques, and other relevant technical aspects.
Patience: In customer service, being patient allows you to listen attentively to customers, understand their concerns, and provide thoughtful responses. It allows leaders to persevere in the face of adversity, maintain a clear vision when surrounded by uncertainty, and inspire others through their unwavering decisions.
Positive Attitude: Leaving a positive lasting impression with customers can not only turn into revenue but can also build lasting relationships. A positive attitude will definitely help you find common ground with your customers and increase overall customer satisfaction.
