Golden Rules of Good Customer Service in 2023
We are all consumers in regard to some kind of product. Therefore, we have all more or less been in the shoes of someone calling customer service.
But when you’re on the other side of the curtain, it’s sometimes hard to realize what pitfalls to avoid. So, without further ado, here is the 2023 edition of our Golden Rules for quality customer service interactions that are in a League of their phone!
Rule #1: Clear Communication
Being available and attentive are the two main things a customer expects from you. Understand that when someone calls a customer service department, it is because they need help or answers. So, make sure you always speak in an approachable manner.
That being said, be careful not to sound overly familiar; you should always keep a neutral approach focused on problem-solving.
Intonation is also twice as important on the phone and needs to be mastered because, without the “non-verbal” cues that come with in-person communication, a sentence can be misinterpreted very quickly.
Finally, being transparent will lead your client to trust you. Thus, you must be able to recognize your mistakes if necessary, and always be accommodating when solving problems.
Rule #2: Avoid playing ping-pong with your customers
We’ve all had that infamous customer service experience where they play hot potato with your call, y’know, and they just keep on transferring it back and forth between various departments. Despite our universal LOVE for the real game of ping-pong, it’s a big NO-NO when it comes to customer service!
Most of the time, communication gets interrupted during transfers, or sometimes even gets transferred to the wrong person, resulting in the customer losing patience and feeling very dissatisfied with the quality of their customer service experience.
With UBIK, call transfers are made quick and easy. You can even refer to our Phone-Specific Tutorials page at any time if you have any doubts about how to proceed!
Rule #3: Aggregated Data
Another trick that allows you to provide fast and efficient customer service is to consolidate information.
Do you have multiple contact channels? Social media accounts, phone numbers, email addresses, etc.? Consolidate all that information in one place! You can also create a customer service history log for each client. This will allow your customer service staff to have quick and easy access to all the information and contact history of the client when opening a new ticket.
Many platforms allow you to manage all of your tickets in one place, and more broadly, to funnel that data into your CRM. Here’s an article on how to choose the right platform for your business needs!
Rule #4: Managing Wait Time
Show of hands, who has ever hung up before even talking to someone when calling customer service because the wait was too long? 🙋
When we experience an issue that requires help, all we want is to get some answers, fast, and hopefully for the wait to be as painless as possible. That’s why it’s important to make sure your clients never wait on hold for more than a certain amount of time. The average duration of an “on hold” music piece is about two minutes. Ideally, you should set this time limit as your MAXIMUM waiting time.
To make the waiting time on the phone more pleasant, you can opt for “on-hold” music that reflects your brand, notify the caller of the remaining waiting time, and take advantage of this opportunity to play an audio announcement about your current offers or promotions. In short, make sure you do everything you can to avoid losing that customer waiting for you on the phone!
Your Business, Your Customer Service
Every company can shape its customer service in its own way. The key is to be faithful to your brand and your clients.
It’s up to you to find the magic formula that works for your need while still adhering to phone-based communication’s best practices, as much as possible.
Please, feel free to reach out to us, whether it’s to share your tips and tricks, or to ask for advice, we will be glad to provide support in improving your phone-based customer service tools.
