Good customer service is increasingly the key to competing in the increasingly competitive, globalized world that companies now find themselves in. Whereas before the Internet, many companies were often the only choice for their customers by virtue of location, equipment, and skills, the “flattening” of the world, the spread of technology and software, and the speed of communications has made it possible for companies across the globe to compete with one another for the same market, regardless of location or culture. As a result, many have turned to offering that “personal touch” over attempting to beat the prices of companies in countries where costs are incredibly low. The key to providing that personal touch is, of course, the kind of customer service that keeps your clients coming back again and again.
Providing the right help desk software is critical to creating a great customer service experience for your clients. Help desk software that is fully functional and updated with all the latest features and advances in technology allows clients to solve their own problems faster than a customer service representative or technician ever could, while also ensuring that those representatives and technicians receive those service tickets faster and more efficiently than ever before. However, at the end of the day, it is the quality of the people behind the software that is most important; to that end, it is very important that your customer service reps and technicians have all the skills necessary to deliver a great customer service experience to your clients.
Patience, Patience, Patience
The most important quality you should expect from your customer service representatives and technicians is patience. Your clients may not know everything there is to know about the technology they are working with; in fact, the reason they’re contacting you is because they lack that expertise! They may even lack the language to describe what their problem is, necessitating a walkthrough on the part of your customer service representative to accurately identify the issue so that a swift and satisfying fix can be found.
When your customer service representatives become impatient or frustrated with a client, however, that can easily lead to a cancellation; with so many competitors out there looking to snatch up new clients, your customer would have no problem finding someone else to do the job for them. This is the double-edged sword of customer service: it can make or break a company’s reputation and client base.
Not Just Hearing, but Listening
An element of that patience is the ability to be attentive to your client’s needs. Your customer service representatives should really, truly listen to what their clients are saying in order to supply a great customer service experience. Whether it is listening to and understanding the problems they are describing or catching on to new services that they are interested in, your customer service representative should be tuned in to what your clients are saying at all times.
This also means learning more about the clients themselves. When your customer service representative knows the client, their business and industry, their past interactions with your company, their concerns and worries and problems, and even their language and terms that they like to use, that is something that clients will pick up on and recognize as a special kind of care and service that your company offers. This kind of experience is exactly what your clients are looking for, and something that cheaper and less “friendly” or attentive competitors often cannot offer.
Investing in Client Happiness
Ultimately, your clients are looking for what everyone is looking for: someone who will listen and take the time to work with them to get their problems solved and their business on track to even greater prosperity and profits in the future. When you treat your customers as an ATM that need only be paid attention to in dire circumstances, they will recognize that attitude and quickly find someone who will take more time and care with them.
While help desk software can make the service and resolution element of your customer service process incredibly fast, efficient, and effective, it takes a human being with the right mix of patience, attentiveness, communication skills, knowledge, and tenacity to really reach your customers and make a difference with them. When you invest in your customer service department, you invest in your clients’ happiness.
