Mastering The Art of Customer Support With 6 Crucial Tips

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Imagine that you have the power to buy a home that you’ll live in for the rest of your life. All you have to do is choose the one that fits you best. Sounds easy, right? Well, it is until you start exploring the different kinds of households and properties. With so many variables, from distance to price, you can get overwhelmed and feel lost. That’s when you need a good real estate agent with valuable customer support to save the day! In this blog, we’ll look into what customer support is and why it’s so crucial to the success of a business. You’ll discover how tact, preparedness, and genuine connection can make a casual shopper into a loyal customer. Here’s what you need to know about the art of customer support!

What is customer support?

Customer support is like the army; it’s the frontline personnel that gets the job done. While salespersons and negotiators are crucial to conducting business, it’s the customer support crew that handles the day-to-day problems. Whenever a shopper or subscriber has an issue with their service, customer support is the first one they reach out to. Whether fixing a simple login problem or a serious financial concern, it’s the frontline that can make your customer happy or sad.

There are different ways that customer support occurs, depending on the size and scale of the company. Larger groups and conglomerates typically have a specialized team dedicated to sorting out all these problems on a daily basis. They’re the ones who receive complaint calls, discuss the details with clients, and coordinate with other departments to fix the issue. There are also AI chatbots that handle can carry the simpler issues, such as a new customer’s registration or an older customer’s cancellation.

For smaller companies, start-ups, and owner-operated businesses, customer support can look very different. Typically, you’ll find the owner themselves or one of their trusted staff members handling all the complaints and concerns of their customers. While they may not have formal training, they have the benefit of being closely connected and involved in the workload. In other words, they know how things work and they can use that knowledge to answer any of your questions. For example, an owner is the best person to ask when you want to know if they’ll be open during the holidays. After all, it’s their business!

How can good customer support benefit your business?

There are many ways that customer support can help your business grow. From retaining customers to improving sales, good customer service can drastically change how your company operates. It can also foster a great reputation, encouraging more people to come over and check your company. Here are some benefits you gain from having good customer support!

It keeps your business alive.

As mentioned before, customer service handles all the complaints and issues that clients may face. However, it’s not just where your problems are met. Customer service is an extension of your company, meaning it’s how your enterprise would interact with the audience. In other words, it’s the way your company speaks to the people and resolves conflict.

Recent studies explain filing your taxes only when close to the deadline leads to last-minute mistakes and/or overpayments. Procrastinators are also less likely to participate in saving plans. They are less likely to keep a fixed amount every month because they think they can just spend their money now because of next month’s salary. Until this practice goes on over and over again. Saying good customer service keeps your business alive may sound like a bold statement, but it’s not!

According to Zendesk (2022), six out of ten clients will switch from one company to another after one bad customer support experience. By having good customer service, you’re more likely to build trust and loyalty. On the flip side, bad customer experience will sour relationships and cause others to jump ship.

It fosters and improves morale.

Think of the last movie that you watched and thought “Wow, this is incredible”. If you met with your friends or family, would you go out of your way to recommend this movie? By doing so, you’re already showing the power of good customer service! You see, a good company doesn’t thrive only on quality products or branding. It also depends on how well they reach out and interact with their clients. If a company gives a great impression, customers are more likely to recommend and support that business. In that sense, morale grows and builds as the audience does.

That same morale can spread and grow among your colleagues at work. If your team or company was doing great business and receiving plenty of positive feedback, it’d put a smile on your face. It’s not just a confidence boost, though. It’s also a sign that you’re doing your job properly and that people are enjoying what you have to offer. The better your business thrives, the more motivated and encouraged you and your coworkers will be. Like a snowball, the path to success can grow bigger as long as you keep that momentum going!

It satisfies the customers.

A good business plan is the framework of every company. An excellent crew is the heart and soul of every company. However, no matter how good a plan or a team is, customers make or break the business. They are the blood that keeps your company growing, so you have to keep them satisfied. Part of that includes good customer service. With great communication and assistance, you can make a one-time customer into a lifelong member of your community.

Zendesk reported that over 80% of consumers felt they were more likely to make another purchase with a company due to positive customer service. Whether it’s the simple gestures, like saying thank you after every e-mail, or a serious problem, like fixing account problems, good customer service is the one of the roots of success. By having effective client support, you can ensure that your business will be around for years to come.

What should you do to master effective client support?

Once you understand the three principles of financial minimalism in your life, you’ll be ready to manage your expenses and focus on protecting your financial future.

Focus on the client’s goals.

The first tip to mastering effective customer support is to focus on the client’s goals and needs. Remember, your customers are asking for your help. It’s your responsibility to find out what they need and how soon they need it. If it can’t be fixed, it’s your goal to find a compromise or resolution that keeps them satisfied.

To make this happen, you need to start asking the right questions. Focus on what their main issue is and how it transpired. Look at things from their perspective and see what they did or didn’t do. The more you understand their context, the easier it’ll be to know the problem. In addition, be genuine when you examine their concerns. A personal touch to every advice or guiding step is going to be noticed. By seeing your sincerity, they’ll feel like a valued member of the audience, instead of a passing shopper.

Be open to customers from all walks of life.

Customers and clients come from all kinds of backgrounds and attitudes. Even if they come from similar worlds, there’s never a single solution or approach. Some may be more patient and kind, while others might be upset and confused. To keep them happy, you should start by having an open mind. Always look at each client as an interested party. Don’t discourage or push them away, whether you know them personally or not.

Aside from having an open mind, always look for their communication style. Some people like details and statistics. Others might prefer a simple, direct answer. You have to be flexible enough to meet them halfway. Remember, the way you behave and respond is crucial to your company. Microsoft reported that 90% of Americans look at customer service to see if they should do business or not. Keep your conduct honest and engaging, and you’ll make crucial connections in the long run.

Research and evaluate the market.

A report by Zendesk revealed that 64% of business leaders saw that customer service benefitted their company’s growth. This could imply that good customer service only yields better growth for your business. Now, half of the charm in client support is a personable connection. The other half, however, is all about statistics and data. Client support relies on your know-how to resolve all kinds of problems, from financial transactions to membership deals. In other words, you have to know your business and your market to get the advantage.

For example, a real estate company handles properties and leasing for different clients in a state or city. Their job isn’t only to buy and sell a house, though. It’s also to find the best values, deals, and locations to make a client’s purchase meaningful. To do all that, the company has to research its local market. Each agent needs to be aware of mortgage trends, of leasing practices, and of property laws. The more informed the agent, the more trustworthy they are. So if you want your customers to trust you, prepare your knowledge and be ready for any and all questions.

Know the price and market range.

Another crucial aspect of customer service is price. Whether it’s the company’s own products of the cost of their work, good customer service knows the value. You want your clients to get their money’s worth. The best way to do that is to know your price and why it costs that much. Some might argue that there are better prices or more valuable services elsewhere. That’s why good client support has to know their worth. Once you sell your customers on the value of your work, then you convince someone to stay and trust in your service!

In certain cases, you also need to be aware of the market range of your services. Industries like real estate and hardware have to know if a property or product is worth the money. Some may be too cheap, meaning you could lose out on a lucrative deal. Others might be too expensive, driving away potential customers without good reason. By knowing the market range of your business, you can find ways to adjust the prices to match their worth. It’s not just the client that needs help. Sometimes, it’s your own company that can use some valuable support.

Always be engaging.

According to Comm100, millennials prefer live chats for customer service over other options, such as chat bots or phone calls. While this is part of the digital marketing age, it also presents an interesting concern: how do you stay engaged when you’re chatting? A bot would only give canned replies, so it’s not going to always understand context or details. Meanwhile, a phone call can be tough to manage when you’re in a busy office space. So, how do you stay engaged?

The trick is to apply the art of active listening. Even if it’s only through mobile chat, you can tell if someone is paying attention or not. Being engaging is as much about hearing someone as it is speaking to them. Whether you’re on the phone or in person, you must absorb all the details that the client has. They want to be heard, so it’s your job to lend an ear. By paying attention and asking questions that matter to their situation, you show that you care. In doing so, you show that you can help.

Strategize for all solutions.

Lastly, providing good guidance means having a strategy. Anyone can listen to a customer’s complaints and be sympathetic. However, good customer service is about giving solutions to these problems. Being personable is helpful, but it’s not the only way to offer help. You should also be ready to give them options and answers that can tackle their issue. Even if it’s a simple answer, it’s better to have your plan ready than to scramble for a result.

Furthermore, you’re going to handle clients from all kinds of backgrounds. There is no “one size fits all” answer to their problems. Like a computer manual, there can be many sources or reasons for an issue to occur. It’s up to you to find out how you can fix them. And if you encounter a problem you haven’t solved yet? Be honest! It’s better to show that you are working on it than to lie or pretend.

By following all these tips, you’ll see how much of a change good customer service can be. According to Qualtrics XM Institute, almost 90% of companies with excellent customer experiences do better than their competitors. To put it simply, happier customers lead to greater business and profit. Follow these crucial tricks to customer support, and you’ll discover the impact that quality service can have on your clients and your company!

Takeaways:

Customer support is how a company handles day-to-day problems, from simple login issues to serious financial concerns.
Good customer support helps retain customers, improves morale, and satisfies the customers, resulting in positive feedback and recommendations.
To master effective client support, there are six tips to remember:
Focus on the client’s goals Be open to customers from all walks of life
Research and evaluate the market Know the price and market range of your business
Always be engaging with your clients
Strategize the solutions for potential problems.
Good customer service keeps your business alive, and bad customer experience can cause customers to switch to another company.
Having a great reputation encourages more people to check your company and builds trust and loyalty.
Fostering and improving morale can spread and grow among your colleagues at work.
Over 80% of consumers felt they were more likely to make another purchase with a company due to positive customer service.
Be genuine when examining customer concerns, and always look for their communication style.
Knowing the market range of your services helps you adjust the prices to match their worth.
Being engaging is as much about hearing someone as it is speaking to them.

Article Sources

Agarwal, A. (2020, March 18). Customer Engagement Statistics In 2023. Outgrow.
Amaresan, S. (2022, June 27). 40 Customer Service Stats to Know in 2022.
Gupta, C. (2023, April 5). Customer support: Definition, importance + 10 key strategies. Zendesk.
Help Scout. (2022, May 21). Customer Support: Definition, Importance, and 8 Essential Tips. Help Scout.
Kerr, M. Accessed on May 11, 2023. The Effects of Customer Service on Organizations. Chron.
Lin, Y. (2023, March 18). 10 Customer Service Statistics You Need To Know In 2023 [Infographic]. Oberlo.