Customer service is an indispensable part of today's businesses. Becoming a skilled customer service representative is not easy. In addition to product knowledge and job duties, focusing on honing soft skills is also an important factor.
Customer service representatives must be thoroughly familiar with the request handling process.
Process for handling requests for consultation and information provision
Support request handling process
Complaint and grievance handling process
Service cancellation call handling process
Skills required to become an excellent customer service representative.
1. Listening skills
Listening skills are the key to effective communication. If you don't pay attention to what your customers are saying, you are likely to misunderstand their expectations. As a result, you will provide ineffective customer service and may even anger them.
The difference between hearing and listening
| Listen | Listen |
| Random | Focus |
| Not paying attention | Voluntary |
| Passive | Proactive |
| Natural reflex | Skill development |
Common mistakes when listening
- Not concentrating while listening: doing other work, talking while thinking, listen and think.
- Focus only on the issues raised by customers without listening to their feelings.
- Being emotionally affected or catching negative emotions from customers.
- Listen with the intention of waiting for the customer to finish speaking so that you can refute, guide, and offer advice.
- Judge and criticize the information provided by customers.
- Intentionally interrupting the customer.
- Do not take notes on important points in the conversation.
So how should we listen?
Empathic listening is a skill listen attentively and interaction aimed at understand emotions of the speaker, alongside ideas and thoughts of theirs.
Listen and respond effectively using the C.A.C.E. formula
Tips for listening to customers effectively
- Put yourself in the customer's shoes and perspective.
- Listen to the feelings of customers and yourself.
- Focus entirely on the conversation.
- Do not judge or give advice.
- Do not interrupt customers when they are speaking.
- Respond to customers.
See also: Customer Service Representative Profile
2. Customer response skills
Feedback is repeating what the customer has just said, what the customer feels, or clarifying what the customer wants to say and gaining the customer's approval.
Content feedback: Summarize and restate the customer's problem in your own words so that the customer confirms the problem they are facing and you understand the customer's problem correctly.
Emotional response: Translate and name the customer's emotions, then respond to them so they feel heard and acknowledged.
3. Language skills
View the article: Use effective language when communicating with customers
4. Skills in identifying customer psychology and personality
In Sun Tzu's Art of War, it is written, "Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will fight a hundred battles without danger." Similarly, in customer service, when we clearly understand the psychology and personality of our customers, we will find it easier to persuade them, especially for the group. demanding customers.
Identifying psychology and personality through D.I.S.C.
| Personality group | Characteristics | Communication characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| D – Dominance | Loud, fast voice Strong language, easily hurtful Make a direct request Conservative, quick-tempered | Quickly, thoroughly, address the issue directly Soft, flexible Do not interrupt the customer Express agreement with the customer's viewpoint |
| I – Influencing | Voice affected by emotions Talkative, rich in vocabulary Communicate by telling stories and sharing Express your feelings | Listen to customers Responding to customer feedback Respond to customer feedback Express agreement |
| S – Cooperation (Stabilizing) | Gentle, polite voice Speak less Easy to agree, compromise Weak resistance | Proactively share the situation encountered by customers Specific solution orientation Reassure, empathize Genuine concern |
| C – Diligent (Cautious) | High demands on logic and detail Often refers to numbers: deadlines, number of calls, specific times, etc. Requires precision in terms of language, process, and commitment. Often ask why questions or ask counter questions | In-depth knowledge and expertise Fulfill commitments to customers Provide a thorough solution, clearly step by step Monitor and promptly notify customers of any issues that arise. |
5. Effective information gathering skills.
During the customer service process, customer service representatives need information to accurately identify the issues customers are facing, thereby finding the most appropriate and quickest solutions.
In addition to the information provided by customers, customer service representatives need to know how to extract additional important information.
6 types of questions to gather customer information
| Form | Question |
| The quest for truth | What: What is it? What? What is it? Who: Who? Who is involved? Why: Why? When: What day? What time? Where: Where? How: How do I...? |
| Emotional question | How do you feel about this? What are your thoughts on this matter? |
| Measurement question | How long? ...how much money? ...how much is the difference? ... how satisfied are you on a scale of 1 to 10? |
| In-depth questions | Could you elaborate on...? Could you please provide me with detailed information about...? Could you give me a more specific example so I can better understand...? |
| Multiple-choice question | Among these, what are you most interested in? Between these two options, which one do you feel is more suitable for you? |
| Closed question | ... right? ... right? ...is that okay? |
Please note: Ask clearly and precisely. Pause to give customers time to think. Ask again in a different way if the customer cannot answer. Always thank them after receiving a response.
Once all the information is available, it's time to provide a solution for the customer.
6. Maintain positive emotions in customer service
View the article: Here
Customer service plays a vital role in maintaining customer relationships and enhancing the company's image. To be successful, customer service representatives must master the process of handling requests, hone skills such as empathetic listening, effective communication, appropriate language use, and customer psychology. These factors not only help resolve issues quickly but also create satisfaction and long-term loyalty among customers.
