Effective Customer Service - the Fab Four
Effective Customer Service - The Fab Four
Your organisation must add value to its customers.
Why? Because, no customer will pay you for NOT adding value.
You have probably experienced organisations that act as if their customers were a nuisance and a cause of irritation to the staff.
These organisations are on the road to ruin.
On the other hand, you have also experienced the pleasure being cared for by an organisation that goes out of its way to offer you the best possible customer service.
These organisations are on the highway to heaven.
There are four customer service skills to learn and practice.
We call them, the fab four.
1. Communication
Communication is a primary skill.
Effective customer service relies upon the following communication skills:
The ability to:
- Make a good first impression
- Investigate the customers' needs
- Explain your products and services
- Answer questions and objections
- Negotiate agreements
- Gain commitment
- Gain referrals and positive social media postings
Communication skills are a combination of:
- Good and careful use of spoken language
- Proper voice tones
- Excellent appearance and body language
- Effective writing skills
2. Technical Skills
Technical skills are also necessary for good customer service.
If the customer-facing staff member is unskilled, or lacks knowledge, then the impression left in the mind of the customer is bound to be negative.
On the other hand, if the customer-facing staff are efficient, proficient, knowledgeable and experienced, then the impression in the mind of your customer is bound to be positive.
Therefore, a high degree of technical expertise is absolutely necessary for your success.
3. Structure
Underpinning the skills of the customer-facing worker, is the organisational structure, systems and protocols.
Organisations should be just that: organised!
In addition, they should be systematic, well designed, logical and efficient.
If the individual worker is working for an organisation that is chaotic, unsystematic, badly designed and inefficient, then the customer will NOT be well served.
Successful organisations are not lucky. They are structured in such a way that causes them to be successful.
How would you rate your organisation?
- Systematic, or chaotic
- Structured, or unstructured
- Well organised, or not
- Efficiently managed, or not
4. Attitudes
Attitudes are the foundation stones of your organisation.
Some of your staff have the right attitude towards customers. They understand that the organisation can only succeed if it satisfies the customers' needs.
The attitude we want to encourage is a genuine desire to help others.
If your customers get the feeling that your staff really DO want to help, then they will respond positively and will be more accommodating if, on occasion, things go wrong.
On the other hand, if the customer gets the feeling that the staff "don't care", then they will have no loyalty and will be quick to find fault.
A good attitude is partly created by the individual worker and is partly created by the culture of the organisation.
Summary
To succeed you must add value to others.
Nobody will pay you for NOT adding value.
In order to add value, you must have the right attitude. You must genuinely want to help others.
In addition, you must have the technical skills and structures in place, that will allow you to add value to your customers.
And finally, you must have the personal communication skills that will allow you to understand their needs and explain how your products and services will work to help them.
When combined, these fab four skills form the foundation of customer service and if you apply them, you will be more successful.
About the Author: Chris Farmer
Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years’ experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.
Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.
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