Effective communication in customer service; 8 tips to achieve this
Understand each other. Why is that so hard? Too often, people have problems when it comes to communicating.
And after all, it shouldn’t be too hard, should it? Transmitter → Message → Receiver. And the same thing, in return. Communication is a pretty simple scheme, don’t you think?
When it comes to customer service, effective communication is absolutely essential and has an impact on many levels.
How are you going to solve a person’s problems if you can’t understand them? If you’re not able to listen or ask the right questions, do you want to do your job through magic or infused science?
Or how do you plan to work quickly, if you get stuck as soon as you find a “difficult” customer? Or if you lose your temper and get into arguments that lead nowhere.
Effective communication is one of the most important aspects of customer service. Luckily, as in many other occasions, the Integria IMS blog comes to your rescue like a superhero, to offer you some ideas to improve it.
Some ideas to improve effective communication in customer service
Whether online, face-to-face, on the phone or by smoke signals, there are some good practices that can help you improve the way you communicate with customers – do you want to do your job properly? Take a look at these tips.
– Listen carefully
Good communication depends on understanding that it is a two-way street. It is not only about getting your message across effectively, but also about being able to receive the message that your interlocutor wants to convey to you effectively. Open your ears wide and pay attention. There’s no other way to do it!
– Ask questions
It is one of the fundamental components of active listening. Ask your customer whatever you need to know to understand their message. Not only will it help you to better understand their needs and solve their problem more effectively, but it will also let them know that you care about what you are telling them, so that a better relationship will be created.
– Don’t interrupt
It is a sign of good education and the gift of opportunity. Don’t “step on” your client, let them have their say. And to ask the necessary questions, wait for the right moment and it’s likely that your client was about to tell you what you need to know right at the moment you interrupted him or her.
– Express yourself clearly
When it comes to communication, clarity is always a value – do you really need to use a language and terminology that your customers can’t understand? You’re not defending a doctoral thesis in court. Express yourself in a language that allows your interlocutor to understand what you want to convey and you will be much closer to doing your job well.
– Don’t go out of your way
As soon as your clients are done with their questions, do you start telling them how much fun you had on your last vacation or how delicious your your mac and cheese is? Well, that’s a problem you should try to correct. Changing the subject abruptly or getting lost in twists and turns won’t do you any good and your customers won’t like it either. Focus: it’s not about hanging out or spending the morning, it’s about exchanging the information you need to solve the problems that the user may have.
– Do not devalue the customer
It is one of the most frequent sins committed in the customer service. Sometimes, our experience and knowledge can play tricks on us and make us believe that the user doesn’t have much idea on what they are talking about, or that we already know the solution to their problems before they are through.
That’ s a big mistake. With this attitude your attention will be reduced and you will not let the client express him/herself properly. You’ll make him or her uncomfortable and it’ll be harder for you to help him or her. Wrong, very wrong….
– Show an honest interest
Okay, you’re probably going to have some problems with your customers sometimes, but do you know that’s an attitude that can be changed?
Think about it. If you are able to feel more empathy for your customers, not only will you be able to put yourself in their shoes and help them better, but you will probably feel more interested in your work, you will start to like it more and your working day will be much shorter.
And to top it off, your customers will also perceive that their problems matter to you, and their relationship with you will be better. They will think things like “What a nice girl” or “What a nice boy this kid is“. Don’t you think that’s a good bunch of reasons to be more interested in the users’ problems?
– Use nonverbal language
Whether in person or over the phone, non-verbal language is a very important part of the message.
The tone of voice, the posture, the look… Do you really want to achieve effective communication while you look away or mumble? In communication everything matters, so don’t forget these variables.
Here are some ideas for effective communication. If you do that, you’ll be closer to providing good customer service. And if you take a look at Integria IMS, you’ll be even closer.
Don’t you know what Integria IMS is yet? How about taking a few minutes to get to know it? Integria IMS is a program that includes, among other features, an incident management system (help desk software) based on tickets (ticketing) that can be very useful in the management of customer service for companies and organizations.
Would you like to find out what Integria IMS can do for you? You’re doing great! Click here: https://integriaims.com/en/product/help-desk-software/
Or you can also ask us any query you may have about Integria IMS. You can easily do this, by using the contact form at the following address:
https://integriaims.com/en/company/contact/
The Integria IMS team will be happy to help you!