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

Is Service the Competitive Edge You are Missing?

 In the face of a global marketplace and a sluggish economy, how can a company gain a competitive edge without breaking the bank? This is a dilemma that plagues many different industries today, but the solution is fairly simple. Enhancing customer service is one of the most cost effective ways to build and expand a customer base and increase profits!

By rising to the top in your service skills, you can ride out current challenges and maintain a healthy bottom line. Consider these four reasons to focus on customer service as you are building your business.

Customers Mean Sales

It is amazing how many companies seem to forget that the customer is their bottom line. Meeting your customers' basic needs is not enough. You must be prepared to surpass your customers' expectations by anticipating needs and going the extra mile. You must keep a consistent inventory so the products your customers frequently want are always available. You should train your staff to handle customers' complaints adeptly, so even disgruntled customers will become satisfied once again and come back for more.

Word of Mouth is Cheap Advertising

There are plenty of ways to advertise your business today. You can take out ads on television or create a blog on the Internet. You can resort to mass mailings or email blasts to get the word out. All of these techniques work, but they also cost money.

The best value in your marketing dollar comes from word of mouth advertising. One happy customer tells another potential customer until business is booming.

Disgruntled Customers Hurt Business

You may never know that a customer was unhappy with the service they received from your business. However, others will know. Other potential customers hear about your employee that handles customers rudely, or a product that did not live up to its promises.

Word of mouth can be a powerful marketing tool, but negative words can also hurt a business. Do not let customers leave your place of business until you know they are fully satisfied with the goods and service they received from you.

Quality Service is Cheap

Indeed, you might need to invest in a training program to teach your employees the basics of exceptional customer service. You might need to spend a bit to encourage your employees to provide the best service they possibly can. You might even take a few dollars out of your marketing budget to draw up customer surveys or comment cards to get feedback from your customers. However, the value that comes from a reputation for spectacular service will pay you back tenfold with better customer retention, word of mouth referrals, and happier customers overall.

Your industry may be engulfed in fierce competition, but there are ways to rise above the rest. If you want to stand out from the crowd, invest in better customer service skills for your entire staff. You will never see a better value for your marketing dollar.

- Meredith Estep　

Customer Service Find in Our Community

Every year, my team goes to Build a Bear Workshop at North Point Mall to make bears to donate to various children's charities. This is always a big treat to everyone on the team as a good way to spend some time together outside of the office, as well as doing something to benefit our community.

We were very fortunate to have the team of Brittany, Deanna, and Heather assisting us with building our bears this year. While they typically do not host parties consisting of only adults, they made sure to treat us the same way they do all of their customers, making sure we had a good time and encouraging us to have fun and act like children a little bit. If you have ever been to the Build a Bear Workshop, then you can imagine that we hopped around the store, stuffed our bears, and even "washed" them in the sinks that the children use.

This year, we made our bears for an organization called Bert's Big Adventure, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides a spectacular five day journey to Walt Disney World® for children with a chronic and/or terminal illness and their families. We were able to make personalized bears for each child as well as their siblings. Brittany, Deanna, and Heather were able to give us excellent ideas on how to make each bear different and specially designed for each child. Their attitudes definitely reassured us that they care about the cause as well, and were happy to be a part of this gift.

Having the team of Brittany, Deanna, and Heather there to assist us with this spectacular experience made a huge difference to us. We are sure to keep going to Build a Bear Workshop for years to come!

If you would like to learn more about Bert's Big Adventure and the amazing things they do in these children's lives, please see the attached media kit or visit their website at http://www.bertsbigadventure.org/.

- Amanda Browning

 

 

How Important is Reliability, Really?

 Being reliable is an extremely important quality to have, especially in the customer service realm. Proving to your clients that you are reliable by doing what you say 100% of the time is one of the most fundamental aspects of customer retention. Try comparing the way you treat your customers to the way you would expect from others in your personal life. It is very important that those that are close to you are honest and do what they say - as it is the same in customer service. The more you prove yourself as unreliable, the more customers will be easily persuaded to try one of your competitors. As we have said before, the level of your customer service will make or break your business.

In today's economy, almost everyone has to fight tooth and nail to retain current accounts, and certainly to sign on new ones. We no longer have an industry in which giving a good presentation and having a nice smile will earn you customers; you have to prove to them why you are the best, through any means possible. Potential customers have more options than ever before, and most companies are going to fight for their business. It is vital that you find a way to prove why they should choose you, or remain your customer when tempted with other offers.

You may be wondering the best way to prove that you are the best possible choice for current and potential clients. First and foremost, you have to strive to always do what you have promised. Make every effort to mold your relationship with the customer into an open, continuous, and cordial one. Be sure to prove to the client why you deserve their business by taking advantage of every opportunity to provide knock-their-socks-off service. Keep in mind that exhibiting great customer service in any arena may just put your foot through the door of a new opportunity. Commitment, communication and delivering results will keep you in for life.

- Angelica Riera

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

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

Answering the Phone on the First Ring: A Great Way to Start the Call!

 

Client calls are the lifeline of your company's revenues. Whether the phone rings with a qualified lead or a returning client, you need to always be ready to answer the phone instantly.

What the Number of Rings Says about Your Business

Is there a difference whether you answer the phone on the first, second, or third ring? Absolutely! You only have one chance to make a great first impression, and this process begins when the phone starts ringing.

Wait too long to answer the phone, and the caller may perceive the business as apathetic or unprofessional. Worse, they may lose interest and hang up the phone. Generally, if a caller has to wait for four and five rings, he or she will believe the company is closed for the day, does not care about its clients, or has gone out of business.

Fulfill Instant Gratification Needs by Picking up on the First Ring

In sharp contrast, answer the call on the first ring, and the caller knows you are instantly ready to assist him or her. This sets the scene for a great first impression before you have even finished saying, "How can I help you today?"

Remember, today's consumers are busy and demand instant gratification. By answering the call on the very first ring, you already begin to meet their needs, even before they have spoken their first words.

Make Customers Feel Important

No matter how busy your business is right now, clients like to know that they are important. By answering a phone call right away, you acknowledge that their call is important, even if you need to ask if they can hold for just a moment.

Create a Fantastic Phone Impression

Once you have answered the phone call on the first ring, there are additional ways you can achieve client satisfaction via the phone:

- Answer with a "smile" - Callers can tell when a phone service staff is annoyed or not in the mood to answer a call. This should never happen to any caller. Train your phone service staff to always answer with a smile. This way, their greeting will always sound sincere and welcome.

- Avoid the dreaded pinball effect - No one likes to be bounced around like a pinball in a machine. However, callers often get the runaround in the attempt to find the "right" person to help. Train your phone answering staff to listen to a caller's needs right away. Ask questions if necessary. Transfer ONLY when an appropriate candidate is identified. If at all possible, give your phone answering staff the authority to answer questions and provide the best service possible as the first contact.

- Avoid automated call answering - Callers have become weary of "press 1 to continue." Automated answering systems were designed to help businesses offer the best service to clients by directing them to the right person. However, in the process, the system has become lengthy and wastes precious time for the caller. Avoid an automated system if at all possible. Provide living, breathing people to answer your clients' calls. These are representatives who can listen to their needs and start providing them with the best service on the first ring.

- Always ask if there is anything else you can do - Clients call with a specific purpose. Always be sure you have met that purpose and go beyond if necessary. Before you close the call, ask the caller if their question has been answered and if there is anything else you can do for them. By being available, you give the client notice that they are valued and appreciated.

Service businesses live or die by the service they provide. Do not lose clients because of poor phone answering habits or etiquette. Brush up your phone service skills and be sure your callers are happy and satisfied.

- Meredith Estep

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