Posted by Meredith Estep on Wed, Mar 24, 2010 @ 08:10 AM
It may not be what you heard in kindergarten, but when it comes to customer service, there are some rules that are definitely not written in stone. There are few phrases that will heat a customer faster than, "That is not our policy." The problem is that your customer does not care about your company's rules or policies. They simply want the issue addressed to their satisfaction.
We have tips to help your staff become flexible customer service reps that are more intent on making customers happy than blindly following the rules.
Empower Your Staff
Do not make the customer ask to talk to a supervisor to get preferential treatment. This will result in a customer that no longer wants to deal with the front line reps because they are now convinced those reps do not have the power to do what they ask.
Instead, empower your staff to satisfy customers on their own. Do you have some fees that are reimbursable in particular situations? Tell your staff. Freebies or discounts to offer to disgruntled customers? Let your staff distribute them. When an employee is not worried about losing their job over a compromised policy, they will focus more on customer service and less on rules.
Be Specific
To prevent chaos from reigning supreme with this newfound freedom, make sure you are specific in your guidelines. Maybe fee reimbursements are only available to long term customers or those that purchase the most products from you. Perhaps you do not want your staff offering freebies in front of other customers that might then demand the same thing.
It is important to provide concrete guidelines that tell your staff which customers and circumstances warrant those special favors. Let them know that you are always available to provide input when they are unsure what policy modifications might be appropriate.
Rules Set in Stone
Despite your best customer service efforts, there may be times when the answer really does have to be no. These situations might include:
- Requests that would compromise the security of your company or the customer
- Requests that are not in the best interest of your customer
- Requests that would directly impact the quality or performance of your product
When these situations arise, it is important to properly train your staff how to handle them. For example, teach your employees to tell a customer what they can do, rather than what they cannot do. Make sure they explain the reason behind the negative response so they can convey that reason to the customer clearly and accurately. Give them the approval to apologize for any inconvenience the policy may cause the customer. When employees know the right way to handle saying no, the customer will be much less likely to become disgruntled and switch to your competitor.
Good customer service is characterized by flexible policies and procedures that can be adapted to each customer's individual needs. When your employees understand this concept, they will be more likely to handle requests directly, rather than waiting for the customer to ask to talk to management. Customers stay satisfied and employees feel empowered to do their jobs well. It is a win-win situation for everyone.
- Meredith Estep