I’ve been in customer service for the entirety of my career. I’ve held roles in food service, hospitality, and currently information technology. If there was a role that involved helping customers, I was there. As such, I view all customer service situations with an eye that may be more critical than most, and for the past few years, I have found myself muttering more frequently that “customer service is dead.” Pleasant interactions with customer service employees are sparse at best and having an excellent experience is rare.
Customer Service Best Practices
Over the last couple of months, I have been helping my daughter find a home to rent which afforded me the opportunity to experience many customer service moments. These moments either reassured and inspired me, or made me want to tell everyone I know to stay away from a particular company. Take a look at what sets apart the good from the bad:
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Communication:
The rental market where we live is on fire. The best companies understand that prospective tenants move fast to avoid getting the best options scooped out from under them. These companies have simplified processes in place to assist the prospective tenant, like virtual tours and information on renting best practices. The company we ended up renting from made sure we never felt like we were in the dark, always following up with timely and effective communication.
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Inspiring Confidence:
The renting process can be overwhelming and uncertain at times. So when one company we tried to work with never seemed to know where our paperwork was in the approval process, it only emphasized the already taxing process. This company asked for documentation more than once and argued with me when I explained we had already sent it (twice). In the end, the property we were trying to rent was put up for sale by the owner at the same time we had an application to rent it. Companies in the customer service business need to inspire confidence with their clients. It’s okay to not have all the answers, but let the customer know that you will find out the answer and get back to them. Follow-through and transparency inspires confidence. -
Proper Training and Staffing:
The first interaction a prospective client has with a company should be pleasant. If the front-line team members are miserable, understaffed, or not properly trained that will make for an unpleasant customer experience from the get-go. You never get a second chance to make a first impression and you don’t want that impression to be that “customer service is dead.”
Related: Are you Overlooking These 5 Hidden Obstacles to Providing Outstanding Customer Service?
At Collabrance, we understand the importance of great customer service, and we take a lot of pride in our own service philosophies. We are excited to celebrate Customer Service Week in 2022 with office games, food days, and moments of recognition for our team. Celebrating the work our team does every day to support our customers is one way we ensure that customer service remains alive and well!
Keep up with our Customer Service Week festivities by following Collabrance on LinkedIn.
If you're interested in customer service training, PathShare® HR Services offers this training as a service. Click below to learn more!
