How to be a Great Work-From-Home Customer Service Associate

 

Tip #1: Empathise

The simplest and most useful strategy for dealing with customers, whether they’re polite and friendly or irritated and brusque, is to imagine yourself in their position. Putting yourself into the mind of the customer helps you to access the needs and desires of the customer, and make your interaction more efficient and pleasant.

Tip #2: Courteous Behavior

Take ownership of what has gone wrong. Apologizing in a simple, direct manner will give the customer the sense that you are on their side, and that the company they’re dealing with has enough humility not to cover over a mishap. Say thank you as and when required as it helps in building a good rapport with customer.

Tip #3: Explanations

When something has gone wrong in a customer’s use of a product or service, they’re likely to get frustrated as it spoils their experience. It is important to explain the root cause of problem in precise, direct language and not make unnecessary excuses. Best tactic is to focus on creating a solution to the problem instead of fixating on the problem.

Tip #4: Product Knowledge

You should try to learn as much about the product or service you’re dealing with as possible. This way, when a customer mentions a detail about the product in passing, you’re familiar with the product enough that the detail is not beyond your comprehension. Customers who are upset or frustrated are more likely to calm down if they get the sense that the person they’re dealing with is deeply familiar with the product itself and is well-prepared to help them. This makes for a friendlier and more productive phone call.

Tip #5: Active Listening & Acknowledgement

Once a customer has finished describing the problem, repeating back a quick and clear summary of the problem will immediately establish your expertise to the customer and will win customer’s faith that their issue will be fixed. If problem is complex, do ask clarifying questions–this will make the customer feel that you’re really present and listening. 

Tip #6: Customer Feedback

Do ask for customer feedback at the end of a call as it gives the customer a sense of control and provides you with the tools to improve your customer service techniques with every call. Be sure to use direct language along the lines of, “If you don’t mind my asking, is there anything I could have done differently today that would have made your experience better?” By gathering this kind of information, you will soon know tips and tricks specific to the product you’re dealing with and the demographics you’re speaking to which will set you on the right course for superb customer service.