Most companies say that the customer comes first for them, but that’s usually a talking point, not an explanation of their policies.
To make sure that you truly meet the needs of your customers, make these changes in your workplace today.
Streamline Your Communication Services
Customers should feel happy to contact you with questions or concerns rather than full of dread about endless hold periods and confused receptionists. To streamline your communication services and increase your system’s usability, invest in Ooma phone services Enterprise VoIP communications.
Enterprise’s platform allows you to connect a variety of communication tools:
- Group messages
- Video calls
- Conference calls
- Call centers
Additionally, because the platform is available as an app, you and your employees can work anywhere. Whether you need to work remotely because of a health issue or you’re working from home because your kids have the day off, you don’t have to worry about being at your desk to answer the phone.
Because all of Enterprise’s tools are connected, you can provide your customers with the best service possible. The call center transfers callers to the correct representative, and if you don’t have enough information for your caller, just send a message in one of your groups. When customers call back to your toll free number, their information is already stored within your communication platform, so you don’t need to worry about sharing their contact information with coworkers.
Prepare for Communication Barriers
Even though most people in the United States speak English, not everyone does. Spanish and Cantonese, a dialect of Chinese, are the next most popular languages. To ensure that you meet customers’ needs even if they don’t speak English, hire customer service representatives who are fluent in these languages.
When you receive calls from customers who speak a language you don’t know, avoid the following behaviors:
- Speaking more loudly
- Making assumptions about their country of origin
- Asking about anything irrelevant to your business
- Hanging up
Instead, ask if you can transfer them to a customer service representative who can help them.
Another way to avoid putting your customers in this uncomfortable situation is to set up a call center. Set up this program so that they can select their language of preference using their keypads, or have your receptionists ask what language they would like to proceed in.
Practice Active Listening
Your attention is constantly divided between what’s happening at your job, your home, and the wider world. You also have your phone as an added distractor. As a result, it’s hard to give people the attention they deserve.
However, when a customer calls, practice active listening:
- Put away your phone
- Offer verbal affirmations such as “Right” and “Okay”
- Avoid interrupting
- Take notes
- Ask follow-up questions
Customers can tell when you’re actually listening and when you just want to get them off the phone, so use as much patience as possible to completely understand their situations. Only offer solutions once you’ve listened to everything they have to say.
Be Flexible
Right now, you have policies that keep your customer service uniform. Perhaps you don’t accept returns after 30 days, or you only offer in-store credit instead of full refunds.
While these rules help your employees handle each case, they also make your customers feel as if they don’t matter.
Become more flexible and be willing to bend the rules if someone has an unusual situation. This makes customer service more complicated, but it also gives your employees some autonomy, making them more motivated to help customers.
Don’t let your customer service become exemplary in name only. Instead, make these changes to ensure that your customers have the best experience possible.