6. Deep knowledge of the product - this one you should
develop day after day. The best customer service agents have a very deep
knowledge of the product of their company. Not just minor details or how to use
it properly, we talking about tech stuff and tips and tricks. Everything.
Knowing it all enables you to find solutions faster, without having to ask
another department for help (not that you shouldn't if you have to, but knowing
the answer is faster). Also, you will feel more comfortable working on your
position, knowing that you can answer to 99% (there is always 1% chance that a
customer will wow you with a question) of customers' enquiries. So, read every
specification, try things, ask other departments. Get your knowledge on;
7. Aaaaand... scene! - so, you think every customer has a
soft spot and that soft spot is called "solution to his/hers problem"?
Meet the born complainer guy - he complains all the time, can not be satisfied
and has a myriad of problems. How to make things right? Act it out. yes. There
will always be another customer that just wants to make your day miserable
(let's not lie to ourselves here, there are such people), but the good customer
service employee will put their acting skill on and will remain positive and
cheery, despite the frustration;
8. Surprise, surprise - remember when I told you before that
there is 1% chance a customer will wow
you with a question no matter how deep your knowledge of the product is? Good
customer service agents are ready for those surprise situations. It might be a
question for something out of your jurisdiction or a question that has nothing
to do with the product or the company, sometimes it's not even a question.
Create guidelines for such situations. You can't predict the future and it's
even harder to predict the customers, but make sure you know where to look for
help when someone throws you a curveball;
9. Tenacity - when it comes to providing customer service,
one needs to have the willingness to do what needs to be done and not take any
shortcuts to it. The good customer service agent always has the will to do what
he has to do and not cheat the customer with lazy service. If you are ready to
do anything (possible) to help a customer out you will be rewarded greatly. But
skipping procedures and not looking into details is a thing that good customer
service agents don't do;
10. Seeking improvement - one of the general skills a
customer agent should have - the willingness to learn. You might think you are
good at your job, but if you think that there is nothing else you can learn
about it, well, you might not be that good. Especially when it comes to
customer service, there are always points where you can focus more. Invest more
in your skills and you won't get left behind by the people that actually seek
improvement.
More articles on the topic:
1. 5 Reasons Why Companies Can't Handle Customer Service;
2. What Every Potential Customer Wants to Hear;
3. Building the Best Customer Service Team.