Poor customer service can easily turn into lower revenue and lost business. Many clients and prospects feel like staff are unconcerned about their needs, usually because of unnecessary customer service blunders. With that in mind, let's take a look at below the most common customer service mistakes and how to avoid them.
- Not really listening - Isn't it frustrating that after blatantly ranting about the company's product or service, you found out that the staff you're talking to didn't understand a thing you just said? Customers want to be heard, understood and of course, want their issues settled. Be sure to pay attention so you can resolve the problem appropriately.
- Too many apologies - Sometimes staff say "Sorry" or "I apologise" too many times that it gets annoying at some point. They even say it like it's scripted and robotic. While apologising appeases the customer, doing so more than necessary only aggravates the situation. Plus, it doesn't solve anything. Just apologise for the inconvenience once or twice then provide an agreeable resolution.
- Overpromising and under delivering - As the cliché goes, don't make promises that you can't keep. The same principle applies to customer service. Not fulfilling your promises will definitely aggravate the issue. Be sure to set realistic, attainable expectations. Or do the other way around: under promise yet over deliver.
- Hard to reach/contact - Customers will be extremely disappointed if post-sales they can't contact you for a complaint or simple enquiry. Customers these days want to have answers fast. Otherwise, they'll find other ways to get their message heard like telling the whole cyberspace about their bad experience with your company. To avoid such a predicament, be accessible to your customers and always keep them in the loop.
- Incompetent employees - Newbies understandably go through a learning curve. But they should also be constantly supervised while learning the ropes. Train them well to ensure they can perform their tasks accordingly. Do a refresher training or seminar regularly to keep your employees proficient, regardless if they're new or veteran.
- Rudeness - Customer service requires politeness at all times. That means even if you're in a bad mood or if your customer is wrong/unreasonable. Being rude can be as minor as not smiling or greeting the customers or as major as getting a fist fight with them. Be sure to always stay respectful when dealing with clients.
These top 6 customer service mistakes can harm your organisation no matter how great your products and offerings are. Avoid them at all cost to keep your clients happy and your business intact.