Identifying or establishing the reason why an employee is not providing customers with good service should be a priority for businesses looking to improve the customer service skills of its staff members. For example, there could be a number of reasons why this is happening such as a health issue, stress problems, domestic crisis at home, dislike for the job, poor wages or through lack of training to name just a few.

Generally, business managers know that if an employee is lacking motivation or enthusiasm then their performance and job output will be affected. This condition could result in poor customer service leading to a down-turn in sales and a reduction in customer loyalty. To remedy this risk, a business owner may need to provide an affected employee with the appropriate support and implement strategies where required so that good customer service and business outcomes are maintained.

Regular communication and listening to employee’s issues and problems that can be resolved is therefore important. For example, providing an employee lacking the experience and confidence with the opportunity to attend a training course or ensuring that a stressed employee’s workload is reduced so that it is more manageable may be all that is required.

Another example of an employee trying to work through a marriage break-up or domestic crisis may be managed by allowing that person to work flexible hours for a short period until the matter has been sorted. In many instances any successful attempt to resolve an employee’s problems in the workplace to improve performance and overall customer service will result in a win-win situation for both the business and employee.

Generally, many happy employees who are motivated and enthused will go the extra mile for an employer who looks after them. Also, by providing employees with the knowledge, resources and training so they have good customer service skills to carry out their job efficiently, will over time help to improve business turnover, customer loyalty and customer retention.

Knowledge –

It is fundamental for any employee working in any area that has a customer focus to have a good knowledge of the service or products that a business provides. For example, this could apply to a shop assistant or retail salesperson selling any type of product, a waiter or hostess in restaurant serving customers or a receptionist working in front reception areas such as a motel, hotel, dental surgery or medical center to name just a few.

In summary, many employees working at the first point of contact are basically in a position to make or break a sale in any business, this means it is important for them to be familiar with the business or service their business or workplace provides. If an employee does not have the customer service skills to provide customers with the answer to an enquiry they should never second guess or make something up in the hope of satisfying a customers requirements. By informing the customer you will find out for them what they want to know, you can in fact impress the customer with your enthusiasm and energy in wanting to go the extra mile for them.

Expertise and Proficiency

An employee’s expertise, as the word suggests, usually comes through experience in the workplace, in some cases over many years by specializing in a certain area or a number of different areas. For example an employee may considered to be an expert because that person has IT (information technology) skills and is therefore the go to person a business will turn to whenever there is a problem with their databases. This is of course are one example any new employee can over time become an expert or specialist in, either through on-the-job training, professional training courses or structured coaching and mentoring programs.

To summarise, expertise and proficiency are both important elements of customer service skills that employers value highly. By having skilled and experienced staff members businesses are able to use their talents to inform and walk people through the more complex and complicated issues and problems that can sometimes occur in the workplace.

For example, using the web to promote and market products through a professionally designed website is becoming an acceptable practice in the business world with many businesses surviving solely on sales to online customers. It is also a distinct financial advantage to operate online businesses without the heavy costs and expenses associated with paying employees and the ongoing expenses of running an office or leased premises.

The people (or person) operating these online businesses nevertheless need to have the required customer service skills that will ensure the business earns a reputation for customer satisfaction and customer loyalty that will lead to online sales.

Many businesses and organisations realise the importance of marketing and promoting products or services they provide for their customers and how this can generate sales for their business. To effectively carry out a marketing strategy it is vital for a business to have and maintain online an informative website that customers can understand and so they can easily place orders and make enquiries about products being offered to consumers.

The ability of a business to communicate with customers by using modern technology such as an online website can therefore be just as important as conducting business on a personal basis with a customer.

By taking advantage of the world-wide web to provide consumers with exceptional good customer service by letting businesses know exactly what a business has to offer consumers, a lot of businesses are able to grow and expand in a competitive market. The advance in technology means that many businesses such as real estate agencies or realtors can now provide a potential buyer on the other side of the world a virtual tour of a property they may be interested in by simply watching a website video link on a PC screen.

In conclusion, modern technology now allows businesses to employ and utilize the talents of capable marketers with the appropriate customer service skills to embrace the power of the web to effectively market and sell their products online by informing and providing high-quality good customer service for their customers.

It is not good enough to simply have someone at a reception desk or counter who can answer telephone calls, but is not trained in other basic core business skills for example on how to competently use the firms computer database to record bookings, reservations or appointments. This may seem an easy task for most people to carry out, but messing up an appointment for a client through double booking or entering the wrong date or time will not only project a poor image for a business but could also lead to lost sales opportunities.

Businesses these days know that a downturn in the economy leading to the loss of jobs and high unemployment can rapidly cause a drop off in sales turnover and profits. With many customers only looking and not buying, businesses in the same competitive market may find it necessary to compete for a smaller consumer cash pool.

To meet these challenges many businesses either have to look at ways to trim costs and overheads or find a way to develop a service type mindset and mentality within existing staff resources. Customer service skills training has the benefit of equipping employees with the skills to create enhanced relationships with their customers leading to better customer loyalty and over time an increase in sales and market share.
Another positive for providing opportunities for staff to participate in customer service skills training programs is that it also boosts the confidence and focus of employees.

These days, professional consultants can supply specialized training programs and workshops for any customer orientated business or organisation. Some well known consultancy providers have offices in major centers around the world with experienced professional consultants who can deliver modules at workshops on a broad range of tailored stand-alone programs.

A training program designed to assist in expanding the attitude of managers and employees by helping to enhance their capabilities would be particularly beneficial if it could encourage staff members to generate for their business better relationships and customer loyalty

Generally, many of these training programs available are held for small workshop groups and are designed to effectively develop the confidence and mindset of employees to provide exceptional customer service skills and to ensure customers are provided with competent, efficient and reliable service.

Discover how providing employees with customer skills training through a professional training consultancy can help their capabilities to generate better customer relationships and loyalty in a competitive market

In practical terms it makes sense for employers to put in place training programs so their employees can provide customer satisfaction in order to improve sales and bottom line profits. It is a fact that the good reputation of any business can be severely damaged or even ruined, sometimes overnight, through bad publicity or by a customer’s complaint regarding poor customer service. The fallout can also lead to a decrease in sales, causing increased debt, negative profits and over time staff layoffs.

The golden rule for providing exceptional service is to ensure the first employee a customer or client has contact with has the necessary customer service skills to create a first-rate impression by being friendly, polite and attentive. This vital first point of contact for a customer can be through a shop assistant, reception desk person or even a telephone operator at a contact call center.

It is crucial for any business that wants to set the foundation for a productive relationship with its customers to have staff trained in customer service skills. By not doing so a business is not capitalising on an ideal opportunity to showcase itself as a professional and efficient entity within its niche market. The key therefore is to ensure employees are equipped to handle any customer related situation that may arise. For example a new employee or shop assistant should be mentored from the first day on the job to have a ‘can do’ positive attitude and trained to have the necessary customer service skills to go the extra mile. Addressing a customer’s requirements helps that person leave the premises knowing he or she has been provided with a pleasant customer experience.

By providing exceptional service from the very beginning also effectively makes customers feel comfortable knowing they are conducting business with friendly staff who are engaging, receptive and professional in how they deal with people.

Businesses thrive when customers buy products or use a service they provide. Simply speaking, without customers buying products many businesses would fold very quickly because sales generate income which means businesses can pay for new stock, settle outstanding debts, pay for wages and meet overhead costs. It is therefore important that employees working on the shop floor have the required customer service skills to build relationships with any potential customer.

The owners of these outlets are therefore required to place a considerable amount of confidence in the staff employed to have the necessary customer service skills to ensure customers are provided with good quality customer service. Employees today are also required to have cash handing experience and a good understanding of computer systems and how to handle credit card transactions at the point of sale. Customer service skills are therefore vital in dealing with consumers because in simple terms if a customer is dealt with rudely or unprofessionally they will take their business elsewhere.

Generally, any customer to a business should be considered valued and provided with first-rate customer service at all times although attending to a customer wanting to purchase a product is usually the person who is given priority. All businesses need customers because without them they will not survive in a competitive market and after all customers who buy products will mean an injection of cash to pay expensive overheads, suppliers, wages and other costs.

Shop assistants with excellent customer service skills are highly valued because they can impress shoppers with their confidence, knowledge and professionalism in how they deal with them and other customers. The following are some basic customer service skills that will explain how retail shop employees can go the extra mile to make an impact on customers –

1. Make an effort to build a rapport with the customer where possible.
2. Always be polite and helpful when a customer approaches the sales counter with merchandise or is asking about a product
3. Go the extra mile if a product is not in stock by informing the customer you can check stock back-of- house or by phoning another of your retail outlets that stock the same products
4. If you are processing a sale for the customer if there is anything else you can help with prior to the customer leaving.
5. If your business provides a customer loyalty program ask the customer if he/she would like a customer loyalty card.
6. Let the customer know that if there is a problem with the products size or color then they can exchange it for the right size.
7. Thank the customer.

If the service provided by a telephone operator is sub standard, unfriendly or unhelpful then the customer is going to be left with a lasting bad impression and will in all likelihood take his business elsewhere.

By providing poor customer service over the telephone customer’s will not only take their business to a competitor but could through word of mouth damage the reputation of the business concerned through talking to other potential customers why they will not deal with the business concerned. It is therefore extremely important for a customer’s first experience with a staff member either by telephone or in person is a pleasant friendly one.

The following are some basic customer service skills that telephone operators can use at first point of contact -

1. Ensure all calls are answered in a prompt and welcoming manner.
2. Answer the caller by giving your first name as this will help to build a rapport
3. Listen carefully to who or what the customer wants.
4. Promptly put the caller through to the department or section that will deal with their requirements
5. If the person being contacted is unavailable inform the caller of this and offer to either take a message or ask the caller if he/she would prefer to leave a message you can pass on or if on the voice-mail system if that option is available.
6. Finally where appropriate ensure you thank the customer for calling.

By providing a customer with a good first impression, a courteous and efficient telephone operator can enhance and project a professional image for the benefit of a business in the mind of the customer.

Some experienced telephone operators who have worked for many years routinely answering an office switchboard or incoming telephone lines can unwittingly fall into poor telephone answering habits. In such cases businesses may find it necessary to mentor or retrain such staff in the art of using tried and true customer service skills if their business has had a drop off in sales and bottom line profits as a result of poor customer service.

Just imagine the bad impression you would have if you drove into your local tyre shop to replace a worn tyre on your car only to find there was no one at the office front desk area for you to talk to. Although there would most likely be a reason why that has happened, waiting for 10 minutes or longer for someone to turn up and deal with you should not happen and you would remember the poor customer service the next time you needed to replace a tyre on your car. This example of poor customer service could happen in a wide range of businesses and services provided for members of the public. Small retail businesses in particular that rely on casual drop-in customers know how important it is for front counter staff to provide good customer service and why making a good first impression is essential to maintaining a good name and impression in the community.

To create a professional image and good customer service for your customers the following five customer service tips may help -

1. A reception or waiting room should always be kept fresh, clean and tidy
2. Comfortable seating should be made available for customers so they can relax in comfort
3. Keep the customer up to date with what is happening and any cause of a delay.
4. Provide magazines and a local newspaper so customers have something to read while waiting
5. Fit a water cooler during so visitors can have a refreshing drink
6. Depending on the company budget a coffee machine can be provided and a television set can be installed if considered appropriate

Lastly, it is important good customer service skills are practiced by the front counter employee or office receptionist upon the arrival of any customer or visitor. For example a warm smile followed by a simple “hi”, “hello” or “good morning” will immediately project a good initial image for any business.

Companies are able to do this by accessing a customer’s previous sales history and mailing out personal invitations. This has proven to be a very effective customer service skills for businesses because it is designed to entice its loyal customers with bargain priced products over a limited time frame. The main advantage here for the business is providing its loyal customers with the idea they are being treated as a special and have not been forgotten.

Consumers are also mindful that many large retailers and suppliers are competing for the consumer dollar and often sell the same model or brand products such as costly computers, TV sets, electrical appliances, dishwashers, furniture and other merchandise. Customers looking for a bargain not only look for the lowest discounted price being offered but also other incentives on offer, such as double customer loyalty rewards points or a heavily discounted second product.

To maintain market share and to attract repeat customer visits businesses are now finding it necessary to increase their advertising budget in an effort to boost turnover and bottom line profits. For example, one commonly used method is to arrange mass mail outs of colorful coupons and other types of sales material to tempt readers with heavily discounted prices on a wide range of different products.

Blanket advertising showing full page colorful pictures of products at slashed prices in local newspapers is also extensively used by businesses to attract and get the message across to consumers. By promoting products for sale at cut-prices on a regular basis by a well known businesses brand will in time become etched in the mind of the consumer.

Overall, this marketing strategy has the long term benefit of identifying the business with a certain type of merchandise.

Another good customer service technique many businesses now use to encourage repeat business from their customers is through a customer loyalty card program.

These customer rewards programs that work by giving loyal customers a free product after buying goods or services to a specified value are very effective in encouraging and drawing existing customers to return. The bait of providing a free product can be difficult to resist despite the customer having to outlay funds on in-store products to be eligible.