10 Customer Service Tips to Improve Customer Satisfaction

A soft smile and a good attitude Is something that costs nothing to the company but will pay off in a huge way.

If you want to increase business at your establishment, you have to win over your customers. Teach each of your employees these ten customer service tips and you will be sure to do just that.

1. Practice Clear Communication

For you to be able to help your customers they have to be able to know what you’re saying. Practice clear communication, don’t mumble or use technical words that only those who work at your establishment would understand.

Don’t use passive aggressive language such as actually and convey to your customers exactly what you mean. Confusing labels on products such as 50% more don’t help matters any. Always calmly explain these confusing labels when your customer is confused.

2. Visualize Great Service

People in any profession will prepare themselves mentally by visualizing success. Here is a short exercise that you can do to prepare yourself.

• Write a thank you letter to yourself from an imaginary customer.
• Read Your letter every day for about a month.
• Make it your goal to receive letters from actual customers just like the one you’ve written.

It sounds a bit odd, but it will help you set a goal for yourself.

3. Adaptability

Every single one of your customers is different. They come in with different backgrounds and different personalities. Be able to sense a customer’s change of mood, and adapt.

Sometimes even your regular customers will come in with a different attitude than usual. Maybe they had a bad day? It’s called having existential oneness. Instead of being mad that a customer yelled at you, think that maybe one of their parents are sick in the hospital. This mindset will help you with adapting to crazy mood swings.

4. Work Ethic

Customers love when you see their problem through to the end. At the same time, you have to make sure you don’t spend too much time on one customer while you have a line waiting. It’s a delicate balance.

An important customer service tip to remember, make sure if you work in a retail store, if a customer asks where something is at, you physically take them to the product. They will appreciate it, and sing praises.

5. Listen For Emotional Needs

We’re not saying be the customer’s physiatrist, but sometimes customers will tell you their deepest issues.

If a customer starts to unload on you about their dying sibling, make sure to listen to them and respond accordingly. Sometimes it’s not this extreme It’s just an issue that the customer is having with a product. Acknowledge that you’re sorry they wasted their time, and for the inconvenience, they had with the product.

Understanding someone’s emotions can lead to better service.

6. Partner Technique

When a customer is having an issue, you need to be right there with them. Stand beside them, look at the source of the issue together.

Make sure you use language like “we” and “Us” Listen to the customer so they feel like they are being heard. Face the issue with the customer, be a team.

7. Take A Deep Breath

We know it’s hard not to use sarcastic language and fuss back at a customer when they start in on you. You naturally want to fight back with a customer, but you can’t.

Instead of giving into that naturally fight response, take a deep breath, pause for a minute until you feel yourself calm down, and then speak.

Sometimes it’s the matter of having thick skin. Swallow your pride, and take the customer’s complaint as helpful feedback.

8. Knowledge

You’re the one who is working, so you know the rules and regulations of the company more than anyone. Customers depend on this knowledge when they shop at your establishment.

Stay informed of company practices enough that you can answer questions or, know who to turn to if the questions become a little out of your knowledge.

Don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know” customers will sometimes appreciate the honesty, but sometimes they respond negatively. That’s why you have to know where to turn when things get hairy.

9. Use Positive Language

Using positive language will avoid any unnecessary conflicts. Instead of saying, “we don’t have this product”, say “This product will come on our truck on this day. I can hold it behind the counter for you.”

Keeping the conversation on a positive note, and keeping it away from that gross don’t word, will reduce the chance of your customer becoming upset.

Speaking of language, learning a second language will allow you to help your customers even more. Visit us here to learn how to quickly learn a second language.

10. Take Your Time

Our last customer service tip, take your time. We know we said above to do this, especially if you have a line, but sometimes you have to.

If you’re becoming stressed because you’re trying to get each customer’s sandwich to them in less than 3 minutes, you may come off as irritated and hard to deal with.

If you feel like you’re about to cross this line, slow down, take a deep breath and then get back to it. Just make sure you’re not going so slow that you have a line going out the door.

If you’re a customer, you want to treat the employees well. You get better service that way, right? Click here to learn more about treating employees like you want to be treated.

11. Use These Customer Service Tips

If you teach each of your employees these ten customer service tips, you will be sure to please your customers. Make sure to not put extra pressure on your customers to meet unattainable goals such as speed. You don’t want them to come off as angry to your customers.

Are you suspecting that your employees are unhappy? Well, if they are it’s avoidable. Click here to learn how to keep them cheerful.