Customer Service - What You Say Makes a Difference

No doubt we have all heard by now of the statistic stating that what we say accounts for only 7% of our communication (body language accounting for 55% and tone of voice for 38%). Nevertheless, the way in which you express yourself can have a huge impact on your customer or whoever else you are talking to. These tips may help:

1. Listen carefully to your own speech and start to notice, and then cut out, 'crutch words' - words which mean nothing, but which we commonly use as padding. Words like 'basically', 'actually', 'you know', 'sort of' and of course the dreaded 'at the end of the day'!

Not only are they incredibly irritating when used repeatedly, but they will make you sound unsure of your facts and unprofessional. You might find you slip into this habit when you're feeling flustered or uncertain.

2. Avoid expressions like 'you must', 'you should', 'you have to' when talking to the customer - they don't have to do anything unless it's take their business elsewhere!

"If I receive your order by Friday, it can be dealt with immediately" sounds so much more pleasant and helpful than "You have to get your order in by Friday or it will take another week".

3. Never tell the customer what you can't do! Instead of "We can't deliver until next month", say "We can guarantee delivery by mid-May". Always make sure you are giving yourself plenty of leeway - under-promise and over-deliver.

4. Remember to say thank you - don't take their custom for granted. You can express appreciation in all kinds of ways, from verbally to a quick note or a bunch of flowers. Or think about offering ways in which to reward regular custom - buy a certain amount and get one free etc.

These suggestions have come out of discussions during customer service and sales courses, and I hope they will help you to develop and maintain good relationships with your customers.

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Customer Service - Will Your Customers Keep Coming Back?

It is the level of customer service provided by a business which dictates whether we come back to buy more or vow never to return. I recently had an experience which is a perfect example of this:

My partner and I decided to check out a new café which is marketing itself on the quality of its food and drink. As we walked through the door we noticed that the opening hours indicated the place should have closed half an hour before. My partner asked a waitress if they were about to close. She looked confused and said she would have to ask her colleague. A few minutes later her colleague rushed past us without acknowledgment and began banging about with the coffee machine. After a few moments, when she had neither spoken nor looked at us, we took our leave, despite having made a special trip to get there. Do you think we are likely to return?

The International Customer Service Institute polled 20,000 people who had chosen not to go back to a business. 32% had not returned for a wide variety of reasons ranging from moving from the area to preferring a competitor.

A massive 68%, however, had decided to take their custom elsewhere simply because of the indifference of an employee they had dealt with. Just one negative contact can send your customers elsewhere, never to return.

A high level of customer service is essential to ensure both the long-term health and reputation of your business and your own job satisfaction. In my article 'Customer Service - the Best Way to Deal with Customers' I look at the choices we have in our daily encounters with our customers and clients.

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Customer Service - The Best Way to Deal with Customers

Dealing with customers is not easy - each one brings to the transaction their own history, experiences and current state of mind. Some may, consciously or not, be seeking to let off steam, and you may be a convenient outlet!

Having acknowledged that customer service is a tough job to do well, it is hardly surprising that those in the front line sometimes assume indifference and act as though they don't care. We have all come across the 'jobsworth' who explains away poor customer service by blaming company policy or another department. Indifference can be a protection against what sometimes feels like a very personal attack.

Without the protection of indifference, we run the risk of customers upsetting us either by hurting our feelings or by being drawn into an angry confrontation. Or we may keep our cool while speaking to the customer, but once they are out of the door or have put the phone down, we let loose with a torrent of abuse! Maybe we feel we can handle all the stress of our day, only to drive like a maniac on the way home or arrive in a foul mood.

Ideally, the best possible way we can approach customer service is to use each and every encounter with a customer to enhance our company's reputation. We live in an imperfect world where we all make mistakes and inevitably sometimes things go wrong. In my experience, when something has gone wrong and the customer complains, you have a wonderful opportunity to create a much stronger loyalty to your company than if everything always goes right!

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