You might have noticed that MeloTel takes customer service pretty seriously. According to the results from our Customer Satisfaction Survey, we’ve been proving that customer service is our top priority. We can’t help but feel that, without providing unbeatable customer service, there is next to no reason to work with our brand. This is especially true considering how bad the telecom industry’s reputation is in this area.
How often have you been online and seen people complain about their providers? Social media provide a lot of power to those wanting to share their opinions. And we see these opinions all the time. In fact, just last week, we saw a post that detailed a colleague’s interaction with a customer service representative from his cell phone provider. The customer had gone online to view his balance, four days after the closing of his billing cycle.
The online system had not yet been updated. So, he decided to call in to the billing department to retrieve the information. The customer service rep didn’t have the answer either! Should getting a balance really be that difficult? At MeloTel, we insist upon providing answers in as quick a time as possible. We know that people don’t like having their time wasted – especially for such simple queries. And that’s just one thing to keep in mind when providing customer service.
Here are five more:
1. Be willing to go the extra mile. Sometimes, you have to go over and above the call of duty to please your customer. This is especially true when a customer is irate. In our opinion, the customer service rep mentioned in the scenario above should have provided the customer with an added bonus of some kind. A credit for the inconvenience, for example, may have sufficed. Because he didn’t, his customer chose to express his disappointment on social media.
2. Try putting yourself in your customer’s shoes. It’s all well and good to say “I understand your frustration”, but it’s more important to truly make a difference in the life of your customer. Are you really showing that you understand the frustration your customer is feeling? What would satisfy you if you were feeling such frustration yourself? When you treat your customers the way you would like to be treated, you’re on your way to providing top-notch service.
3. Consider the impact your interaction will have. Remember that when you are servicing a customer, you are not only impacting one person. As the above mentioned scenario reveals, people are quick to share their bad experiences with others on their social media accounts. Keep in mind that people also like to share their good experiences. Your ability to serve your customers will turn into referrals if it is done in an incomparable way!
4. Don’t be afraid to “lose”. Some customer service reps treat phone calls like fights. Your customer is not your opponent. Proving that you are right and that your customer is wrong isn’t going to win you anything. Even if your customer has misunderstood something and is incorrect in his or her accusation, there is a way to go about the call that doesn’t pit the two of you against each other. Focus on the resolution, not the victory of proving your point.
5. Never be above an apology. Saying sorry will do wonders for your company. You’re human. You’re bound to make mistakes. Owning up to them, however, can often mean the difference between losing a customer and securing one for life. Be sure to be genuine and offer a form of compensation that will “wow” your customer into a confidence that your brand can always be trusted to do the right thing.
For a taste of MeloTel’s unbeatable customer service, give us a call at 1-888-MELOTEL!