Intelligent Help Desk Blog

How to Anticipate Customers' Needs

 

It is one thing to adequately meet a customer's needs when asked, but quite another to anticipate those needs long before they are ever vocalized. The ability to anticipate customer needs makes all the difference between good and spectacular customer service.

Consider these tips to transform your customer service staff from employees who respond to customers' requests to employees who anticipate needs and meet them well in advance.

Know Your Product

Before your employees can begin to anticipate the needs of your customers, they have to know what products and services are available. They need to understand them completely, including the benefits they might offer to their customers. They need to know specifically what a customer might need to complete their transaction, ensuring the customer does not have to return multiple times to get necessary supplies. Your staff must have a solid knowledge of the very details that will make their customers' lives more convenient.

Know Your Customers

Once your staff is well-versed on the products and services you offer, it is time to get to know the customers. This is done by completing transactions with them, as well as indulging in casual conversations that evolve during those transactions. It also helps to know the basic categories and patterns of customers. A customer in the market for a specific product may benefit from two or three complementary products or services as well.

In some cases, knowing your customer requires a visit to their facility to see firsthand what their needs might be. When you pay your visit, take the time to talk to staff about the ins and outs of the daily operations to determine what you might offer to make things more efficient. Find out what the company's future plans might be to discover how you can accommodate growth and expansion into the products and services you provide.

Listen to the Problem

When customers come in to purchase a product or service from your business, they have a specific problem that requires a solution. The product they are hunting for may only solve part of their problem. Teach your employees to be good listeners. Explain that sometimes they need to read between the lines to determine what a customer's true needs are. By identifying and responding to those needs, you will have a much more satisfied customer in the long run.

Cross Sell without Selling

Customers do not like to be hounded into purchasing additional products, but they appreciate a customer service representative who alerts them to products and services that can make their lives easier. For example, in the financial realm, suggesting a debit card or overdraft protection to a customer opening a checking account might be a welcome addition to the initial product. The company enjoys solid customer retention through multiple products sold, and the customer enjoys greater access to their money and peace of mind when they write checks.

When you train your staff to anticipate customer needs, your service level immediately rises. Customers appreciate a company that can meet their needs before they ask, and in turn, they will return to that business over and over again.

- Meredith Estep

Sometimes 100% Is Not Enough

 

Working in customer service for a couple of years has made me learn that not every problem is solvable, no matter how badly I want it to be. While you should always make sure you try everything possible to solve the problem at hand, there will be times when you cannot give the customer the outcome they want. At those times, depending on the customer, it may cause a strain on the relationship. Make sure you let the client know that you have done everything in your power, and that management has been informed of the situation. Even though you may not be able to solve the problem at hand, it is still vital to let the customer know they are very important to you.

There are many reasons why sometimes things may not be in your control. This can happen when the customer is requesting something that is against company policy, or it might be more beneficial for the client if you go a different route with solving the issue. Sometimes your company simply will not have the appropriate resources, such as time or product, to fulfill the client's request. Below I have listed a few helpful ways to handle those tough situations.

One way to address the situation is to provide the client with every possible alternative. Give your customer many different scenarios so they can look at it from all angles, then they will have an easier time determining what they want to do from there. Also, make sure to get the client in touch with management. Customers feel a sense of control and recognize they have your respect when dealing with a higher authority. Depending on the situation, you may be able to offer them an incentive on a future order. Do not consider this a quick fix to the problem at hand, but it may help ease tensions when getting to the root of the issue. Finally, you should let the client know that you are going to have an internal meeting with your team to discuss changing policies if possible. You and your team can come up with ways to better handle the situation the next time it comes up, and to make it easier for your customers. These are all great ways to help you handle those tough situations, and if used effectively can help better your customers' experience even when you have to say no.

Finally, as long as you have exhausted every possible avenue, it is very important to make sure you do not take the customer's frustration personally. Not many customer service reps would be the field very long if they considered it their fault every time they had to say no to a client. Remember that typically the customer's frustration is not with you personally, but with the company. However, as the face of the organization you will receive the brunt of the client's disappointment. Keep your head high and make the best of a sticky situation by doing everything you can to please the customer and keep them coming back.

- Amanda Browning

Diffusing the Angry Customer

Despite your best efforts, customers sometimes become angry with your business. Dealing with angry customers is not easy since you are thrown into an emotionally-charged situation without any choice or foresight.

The way you handle a precarious situation will make all the difference in whether you lose a good customer or maintain a positive relationship. Take these steps for diffusing - and even pleasing - an angry customer.

Allow Venting Time

Imagine your customer approaches you with steam coming out of their ears, and you are unsure how to stop them. Want to know the secret? Do not try to stop them at all. Instead, allow them to let all that steam out before you even begin to try to resolve the situation. While your customer is venting, try these techniques:

 Acknowledge their right to be angry.

 Listen carefully to pinpoint the underlying issue beneath the anger.

 Do not take their anger personally, even though it is directed at you at that moment.

 Be patient and give them time to let all of their emotion out.

 Do not respond emotionally to anger; remain calm and use a low voice.

Once the customer has released their emotion and calmed down, it is time to take the situation into your own hands.

Apologize if Necessary

If your customer is angry with a defective product or a mistake your company made, do not be afraid to apologize for the situation. A simple, "I am terribly sorry for the frustration you have experienced with this incident, and I will try to make it right" will go a long way in turning an angry customer to a satisfied one once again.

Record the Details of the Complaint

Ask your customer if you can record the details of the problem to share with the rest of the staff at a later time. This ensures you get the complaint right the first time while also showing the customer that you care enough about the situation to ensure it never happens again.

Own the Problem

Angry customers get even more frustrated if they think you are trying to pass the buck. Tell your customer you will make sure the issue is resolved, even if you have to go to other employees or management to do so. Record your customer's name and phone number and promise a callback with a response if you cannot solve the problem immediately. Give the customer your name and number so they can contact you if they have any questions. This makes a customer feel that they are back in control of the situation and that they now have recourse for their concern.

Go Above and Beyond

When appropriate, go above and beyond simply resolving the problem to make up for your customer's inconvenience and frustration. Provide a product at a reduced price or offer a coupon for future purchases. Follow-up with a phone call or postcard a few weeks later to ensure your customer was satisfied with the resolution. These small steps go a long way in transforming an angry customer to a satisfied one once again.

- Meredith Estep

Ten Characteristics of Happy Customers

All businesses want happy customers. However, many companies do not know how to recognize whether their customers are really satisfied or simply going through the motions until a better deal comes along. To help you gauge whether you are adequately meeting your customers' needs, consider these ten characteristics of happy customers.

 Continuing Business - Happy customers will keep coming back to your business time and time again. They will ask for other products and service you offer. You will become their go-to place for meeting all their needs in your particular industry.

 Few Complaints - Happy customers rarely have complaints, and when they do, they present them in a calm, positive way. If you have customers frequently venting frustrations about your service or policies, you need to go the extra mile by providing flexibility customized to your customer's specific needs.

 Referrals - Word of mouth is one of the most powerful marketing tools available, and happy customers will spread word of mouth like wildfire. If you are frequently seeing new customers that have been told about your business by current customers, you are nurturing a happy customer base.

 Questions - Happy customers will bring their questions and problems to you because they are confident that you can effectively answer them.

 Feeling of Importance - Happy customers believe they are a significant part of your company. You can nurture this feeling of importance by calling customers by name when they come in and taking the time to learn about them as you are developing a professional relationship.

 Willingness to Provide Feedback - Are your current customers willing to complete surveys and provide feedback about your products or services? Happy customers feel comfortable enough with your staff to talk freely about the products and service they receive from your company.

 Trust in Your Input - When you suggest a new product or service to a current customer, how do they respond? Do they listen to your pitch, or do they immediately turn off? Happy customers trust the people they do business with enough to know that cross-sales efforts are done with their best interests in mind.

 Trust in Your Follow-up - Happy customers know that when an issue arises, your business will see the issue through to resolution. Remember that just one dropped ball in the process will frustrate your customer and diminish that trust. When your customer has an issue, own the problem and see it through to the end - without exceptions.

 Trust that Their Needs will be Met - Truly satisfied customers know that a business is going the extra mile to satisfy their needs. They trust that policies and procedures can usually be modified to their unique situations when necessary.

 Increases Your Bottom Line - Happy customers help a business grow. If you see your bottom line increasing with return customers and customer referrals feeding those numbers, you know you are doing something right.

Happy customers build businesses and these characteristics will tell you if you are on the right track. If not, it is time to strengthen your customer service to ensure everyone who walks through your doors walks out a happy customer.

- Meredith Estep

Six Fundamental Customer Service Ideas

A large part of your business' success depends on the customer service you provide. Will your customers want to return? Will they tell others about your business? Depending on your level of service, customers will make choices regarding their loyalty to you. Give them that extra service that points them in your direction again and again.

Here are six ways you can provide creative customer service that your clients will remember.

1. 24 Hour Call Service

Do you accept calls any time of day? Depending on your business, a 24 hour call line can be the difference between getting more business or sending customers to the competition.

For instance, do you run a plumbing business? Unfortunately, for your customers, plumbing emergencies do not just happen during business hours. Consider a phone line that customers can call any time in service businesses, such as locksmiths, towing, computer repair, auto repair, etc.

2. Give a Gift Basket

How do you thank your customers? Consider a gift basket for long-term, loyal customers. If someone has been placing orders consistently over the year, consider giving a gift basket as a thank you for their loyalty. Giving something back to customers lets them know you value their business.

3. Remember Birthdays and Special Events

Keep a calendar of important dates for important customers. Try to keep a database of birthdays for all your customers. Send a gift certificate in the mail as a birthday present, or even a free gift. Remembering birthdays and special events helps make a customer feel special, and he or she will reward you with continued business and referrals.

4. Memorize Names

A helpful customer service idea for your business is to ask and remember your customers' names. Nothing tells a customer that they are appreciated more than greeting them by name every time they walk into your store. Teach memorization tricks to help your staff associate names to faces. This idea can go a long way to helping you build customer loyalty.

5. Send Tokens of Your Great Service

Stay in touch with your customers. Send a simple postcard after a purchase to ask how the product worked for them. Publish regular newsletters to let your customers know about special happenings about your business. Put a holiday greeting every year in the mail.

While you want to keep your correspondence professional and brief, each little reminder in the mail helps your customers know that you value their business.

6. Provide Reminders

Sometimes a customer needs to be reminded about appointments and regular maintenance. For example, if you are a dentist or a chiropractor, a small postcard reminder that a checkup is due can result in getting customers in the door again. An auto mechanic service might send a regular oil change reminder every three months to encourage customers to continue important preventative maintenance on their vehicle. Not all customers will remember to continue setting appointments. Do the work for them, and your business will be rewarded.

Customer service is not just the face-to-face interactions with your customers. It is also the little things that build big loyalty - and boost your bottom line.

-Meredith Estep

Minimize Recession Effects by Embracing the Service Culture

 

The recession that began in 2007 has hurt the bottom line for many companies and industries. Layoffs, unemployment, and reduced consumer spending all contribute to dismal sales.

Although consumers are spending less, you can still maintain your revenues through one simple step: providing your customers with fantastic customer service. By building an emotional rapport and meeting the needs of your customers, you will develop a deeper loyalty that will pry open even the tightest wallets.

It Costs You Less to Retain Customers

During a recession, it is very important to consider the cost of acquiring new customers. On average, the cost to acquire a new customer is five times the cost of retaining a current one. Keeping your existing customers happy is one easy way to minimize recession effects.

Make the effort to get your customers back to your business. It may mean spending a little more time on average for each customer, but the returns will be worth the effort, and your business will emerge a continued powerhouse with a reputation for customer service when the recession ends.

The Service Culture Realized

Do you have an existing customer service culture that gleams? Or do you need to polish your service strategies to get back on track? Here are some tips to keep your business customer service oriented during a recession:

- Ask Politely about Placing the Customer on Hold - If your staff is currently managing dozens of phone calls, you should still ask politely, "May I place you on hold momentarily?" You should then wait for the customer to respond before actually pressing the "hold" button. This is a much better customer service approach than the standard, "Hold please" that too many customers hear on a regular basis. Try to never keep a caller on hold longer than a few seconds. Even if you need to keep them holding for a little while, make sure to check in with them and provide them updates.

- Create an Experience - Too many customer service representatives today are curt, use incomplete sentences, and provide the bare minimum amount of help. Each time you interact with a customer, you have an opportunity to create a positive experience. Instead of simply addressing their problem or questions, create an overall experience that is warm, friendly, and personal.

- Remember the Customer's Name - Whether you talk to them live and in-person or over the phone, always get the customer's name and use it frequently during the conversation.

- Always Ask If There Is Anything Else You Can Do - Meeting the current needs of a customer is never enough. Always ask if there is anything else you can do. By showing that you are happy to go above and beyond, they know they can trust you and will reward your business with loyalty.

- Provide an Acceptable Solution - Sometimes you are not able to get the customer exactly what they want. The key to remember is not to tell them what you cannot do. Rather, tell them what you can do. Provide alternate solutions to problems, and try to offer more than one alternative. Give the customer a choice. By being flexible and offering to do something to appease a customer, he or she will be grateful.

- Always Thank The Customer - Whether the customer has been aggressive or grateful, never end the conversation without saying thank you. A simple thank you will let them know you value their patronage.

There are hundreds of things you can do to improve your customer service culture. With consumer spending behavior being conservative, you want to let them know that you appreciate them spending their hard-earned money with you. Embrace the customer service culture in your business, and you will enjoy the results.

- Meredith Estep

5 Steps to Building Lasting Client Relationships

 

Did you know that the cost for attracting new customers is five times more expensive than retaining current ones? Therefore, you should make every effort to build lasting relationships with your clients. In doing so, they will reward you with loyalty and their patronage.

Here are five steps you can take to ensure a lasting client relationship:

1. Treat Clients as Though Your Business Depends on Them

Always make your clients feel important from the first meeting to the hundredth. Give them respect and make them feel that they are your most important focus. This means:

- Smile - Smiling is contagious. Even if a client has a pesky issue, you or your service staff should always face the problem with a smile and a positive attitude.

- Eye contact - Look your clients in the eye and acknowledge their presence. Let them know that their issues and presence are important. Eye contact goes a long way in establishing rapport.

- Focus - Train your service staff to give their complete focus to a client. Clients do not feel important when a service staff is talking to a co-worker while trying to handle their problems. Make sure that your staff gives deserved focus to your clients.

2. Get to Know Your Customers

All customers want to know they are important to you. Get to know them. Remember their name and greet them by name whenever they visit or call your business. Find out what else is important in their life. If you know that they have a dozen grandchildren, ask them how the grandkids are doing. Try to learn the business and personal needs of each customer.

3. Be Willing to Say Both "Yes" and "No"

Your clients will respect you when you say "yes" to their needs, but they will also respect your limits even if you say "no." If a request is outside of your staff's capabilities, be sure to tell the client what you CAN do, instead of simply what you CANNOT do.

Always try to solve a problem immediately when possible. If not, tell your client that the issue is important, and you will respond with an answer as soon as possible. Try to give them a time frame as to when they can expect your answer, and keep them updated along the way if it will take you more than a day to get them the requested information. Setting these proper expectations will show the client how much you respect and value their time.

4. Reward Customers with a Gift

Give an occasional gift to loyal clients. It might be a free dinner for two, a bottle of wine, or tickets to an event. Clients who receive gifts know that you value them and will reward your business with many returns.

5. Stay in Touch

Keep a database of your clients' contacts. Send a periodic newsletter to let them know you still are thinking of them. A newsletter is a great way to stay in touch and remind clients of your services and other new happenings to your business.

Developing customer loyalty is akin to nurturing any type of relationship. By adding a positive human touch to each interaction, you can build long-term relationships that will add to your organization's bottom line.

- Meredith Estep

Little Things do Matter!

The differences between "good" and "absolutely great" are often surprisingly small.

Little things do matter!

Think about two restaurants in which you have recently dined; one was a "good" experience, and the other was an "absolutely great" experience. Now, identify the specific differences between the two experiences which contributed to your final opinions about the two restaurants. While perhaps similar in price, menu and atmosphere, why would you describe one restaurant as good, and the other as memorably great? The differences are usually a small number of "little things" in a couple of key areas that were important to you. Now, which restaurant are you most likely to go back to? Refer to friends? Be in business longer? Little things do matter!

Here are some tips:

1. Learn something new every day.
It is extremely important to continually improve ones skills and techniques. Little things do matter. Even small improvements in a limited number of critical areas, such as your coaching skills or strategic thinking abilities, can yield dramatic differences in your performance and expected outcomes, now and in the future.

2. Analyze and plan before you act. Be proactive, not reactive.
Do not react to people or the situations in a "default mode." While reacting with "what comes naturally" could occasionally be correct, you will be more effective, if you listen, plan, think and choose responses which are appropriate to the situation at hand.

Next time you find yourself in a critical situation, take time to assess the situation and think it through before you react. Remember, small differences in behavior can yield huge differences in performance, as the little things do matter!

- JennyWinkler

Getting “Wow” Performance from Motivated Customer Service Professionals

The working force of today is dramatically different from that of even just ten years ago, and a new generation of corporate culture has taken firm root. In order for employers to get the most "bang for their buck" out of customer service professionals it is important to recognize and embrace this new culture.

In days gone by many professionals were content to simply go to work, get a paycheck, and go home. It was very much a "punch your time card" kind of mentality. Today, many professionals are looking for a work environment that will nurture and help them develop personally as well as professionally. Here are some tips for getting "wow" out of your customer service professionals:

Wow In = Wow Out - In order to truly get "wow" from your customer service professionals it is important to look at each person individually. Seek out and examine their strengths and weaknesses on a more personal level. Help your team members develop individual plans to build on their strengths and shore up their weaknesses. Schedule classes and recommend books that will help with development both personally and professionally. By doing this you can instill a sense of pride in your service professional and the tasks they may find at hand will begin to take on a greater sense of significance.

Recognition - If your customer service professional feels their job is thankless or they are in it all alone, it is unlikely you will get the "wow" service you are looking for. Set up a program where not only supervisors, but also peers can recognize others for a job well done. This not only helps build up the recipient, but helps individuals develop a sense of team. Once the team begins to understand the impact they can truly have on one another and on customers, you are sure to start seeing the "wow" flow!

Appreciation - Everyone expects a paycheck from their employer, but you can truly show your appreciation for your customer service professionals by taking opportunities to demonstrate your gratitude for a job well done. Examples of ways to demonstrate your appreciation that I have personally enjoyed include mailbox surprises. Place a small mailbox or other container that can be closed on each team members' desk. Occasionally, place a small token of appreciation inside. This is a simple way to break the monotony of the work day and boost morale all at once.

Showing your customer service professionals your admiration for the job they do is sure to spread amongst your team a positive and a strong sense of dedication while motivating them to "wow" your customers.

- Emily Clark

Treat Each and Every Client Like #1

Why is it essential to make each and every client feel like they are the most important to the business? It is a given that the success of every organization depends on retaining clients, and those patrons' loyalty depends on whether or not they are pleased with services rendered. It is of the utmost importance to show them that they are a valued client, which should result in them coming back time after time and keeping your business successful. How might one do this? Below are some straightforward and simple ways to demonstrate that you care.

First, get personal. Getting to know your clients on a more personal level is a great way to retain their loyalty. It is about learning who they are and taking care of each of their needs at the same time. Make sure to give your personalized attention to every caller. This will provide them the assurance that you are devoted to helping them out in every way possible.

Second, care for your client. After you get to know your patrons a little better, use other special occasions as an opportunity to show them that you care. For example, send out birthday cards or other notes for special occasions like holidays or even anniversaries. This simple gesture will let them know that they are important to you and that you do care.

Third, request feedback. Ask for suggestions from your clients on ways to improve your processes to better serve them. By taking their advice you are showing them that you genuinely value their feedback. Be sure to inform the client whenever you implement their suggestions into your practices. This is sure to make them feel extremely valued by the entire company.

At my organization, we take pride in caring for our clients on a personal level. Getting to know and giving specialized attention to the individual and requesting feedback are all extraordinary ways to make patrons feel important. When our clients enjoy calling us for help, we enjoy helping them that much more.

- Angelica Riera