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THE IMPORTANCE OF EMPATHY IN CUSTOMER SERVICE

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empathy in customer service

empathy in customer service

Customer service is the process of providing services to customers. In general, empathy improves the quality of customer service because it establishes a connection or bond between the customer and the employee.

Offering great customer service is no longer just a nice touch— it is fast becoming the key differentiator between business success and failure. Luckily, today’s companies can harness their power by developing one important trait – empathy.

Maintain this level of understanding for your customer and your chances of ending each conversation on a positive note will increase.

When you consider that 89% of companies compete on the quality of customer service alone, the impact of empathy becomes a clear differentiator. It can be the important difference between a positive and a negative peak; a loyal customer, or a competitor’s gain.

Empathy is Customer Service

You can spend all day talking with customers who have had problems with the company. Some of their problems may or may not have a resolution, but you can always show empathy. In doing so you:

  • Help the customer feel heard
  • Acknowledge their feelings
  • Provide a good experience

Without empathy, the interaction can be cold and off-putting to customers, thus increasing the conflict.

Think of frontline customer service teams. Even in the best of times, it’s hard to keep up the optimistic, empathetic, and professional tone customers expect. Customer service teams are called upon to communicate with empathy all day, every day.

Customer service challenges amplify during times of crisis or uncertainty, as customers may need payment grace periods or policy exceptions for returns. No matter their requests, customers are counting on empathy, and they reward personal interactions that help them feel respected and understood.

Customer empathy can make a real difference during difficult times

People yearn for their needs to be considered and understood, especially during times of upheaval like we’re experiencing now. Agents will be dealing with customers that have lost their jobs, businesses, and even their loved ones. In difficult circumstances, even minor situations carry a much heavier weight.

As a company, you have the power to make a positive difference in your customer’s day, and in turn, create a loyal customer for life. Remember that one small act of goodwill can start a movement. And all it takes is a little empathy.

Credits: Dixa; Study.com

CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE – 5 Things Your Customers Deserve

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Think about this: Amazon, Uber, Zoom, and Tesla Motors, what do these brands have in common? They were each, not the first to do what they do, but they did the consumers’ job better than their competitors. And, they consistently give their customers the best service experience they deserve.

They are all disruptors. Walmart disrupted local retail businesses when they came into a community. Uber disrupted the taxi-cab industry. Amazon disrupted the entire retail world, Zoom disrupted physical meetings and office space. And, Tesla disrupted the automobile industry.

So, are you starting in a career or business and it looks like there is nothing new to do? Like everything that could be done has already been done? There is yet a way to disrupt your market. Make an exceptional customer experience your brand identity. Customer service is often overlooked in companies, and, this could be a big opportunity to differentiate your business and attract and retain loyal customers.

For The Best Customer Service Experience, Do These:

  1. Know Your Customers – Who is your ideal customer? What does your customer need? How can you meet that need? Do your research and analyze your target audience. Beyond the service, you want to provide, know enough about them to become a part of their lives.
  2. Design a customer-centered service experience – Your customers are at the centre of all you do, not you. Alongside the product or service you are offering, deliberately put your customers at the centre of your activities by designing a customized service experience. Therefore, if you know them as explained above, this should not be difficult to do.
  3. Respond quickly to every customer inquiry or comment – Know when to read the script and when to use your humanity. Do not ever keep your customers waiting. Never!
  4. Stay in Touch – Adequate use of social media will give you top-of-the-mind awareness with your customers. Be conveniently accessible to your customers and stay in touch. Social media is an extension of brand marketing for you, therefore, use it sufficiently. Something as simple as a good CRM (Customer Relationship Management) program can help you keep track of your customers, what they have bought in the past and any issues they have had.
  5. Celebrate them – Give a human touch to your brand by interacting with your customers’ experiences and achievements. Celebrate their moments with them, and, thank them for patronizing you.

In conclusion, let them know that you are not just after their money, you sincerely want to make their lives easier. 93% of customers are liekly to make repeat purchases with companies who offer excellent customer service.

Feuding Employees: How to mediate conflict between employees

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 How you can tactfully turn conflict into consensus between feuding employees

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How to mediate conflict between employees – Customer service mediator

It’s natural to try to avoid conflict, but as a manager, you’re going to eventually have to deal with a conflict between employees. It is inevitable that there will be some amount of conflict on a team with a variety of industry experts and leaders. Some amount of conflict can be healthy, as long as it is discussed and a conclusion is reached. Clashing personalities or opposing viewpoints can actually bring new thoughts and discussions on aspects of a project that had not been imagined before.

Use the following methods to create harmony in your team and your project.

  1. Be Aware That Conflict Occurs. …
  2. Set the Ground Rules. …
  3. Learn About Destructive Conflicts. …
  4. Stop Conflict When it Happens. …
  5. Get the Whole Story. …
  6. Meet for Resolutions. …
  7. Discuss Both Sides of a Perspective. …
  8. Make Compromise a Goal.

The type of conflict you have to worry about more is unspoken resentment that can erupt in an outburst, or even more deadly, in quiet mutiny or deviation from agreed upon roles, tasks and goals.

So first be aware that conflict occurs

Knowing that conflict may and will occur is the first step to resolving it, especially if you know that certain team members may disagree with each other. By recognizing that there will be conflict, a project manager knows what to expect.

Secondly, set the ground rules

At the beginning of your project set some ground rules in your first meeting. Be sure to address what process will be taken to address conflicts, as they are bound to rise and will need to be taken care of before they spiral out of control. Tell team members that everyone’s ideas are valid and that they shouldn’t be dismissed, even if you do not agree with them.

Then learn about destructive conflicts

Conflict becomes destructive when no resolution is in sight or the issue cannot be resolved. A psychological model for explaining destructive patterns is the persecutor-victim-rescuer triangle. The persecutor would be the bad-guy or bully in this scenerio, but the rescuer is also placing him or herself in a position of superiority over the supposed victim. Stop yourself if you see yourself slipping into any of these roles and also try to recognize it in your team.

How you can tactfully turn conflict into consensus between feuding employees
It is inevitable that there will be some amount of conflict on a team with a variety of industry experts and leaders. Some amount of conflict can be healthy, as long as it is discussed and a conclusion is reached. Clashing personalities or opposing viewpoints can actually bring new thoughts and discussions on aspects of a project that had not been imagined before.Use the following methods to create harmony in your team and your project.

  1. Be Aware That Conflict Occurs. …
  2. Set the Ground Rules. …
  3. Learn About Destructive Conflicts. …
  4. Stop Conflict When it Happens. …
  5. Get the Whole Story. …
  6. Meet for Resolutions. …
  7. Discuss Both Sides of a Perspective. …
  8. Make Compromise a Goal.

The type of conflict you have to worry about more is unspoken resentment that can erupt in an outburst, or even more deadly, in quiet mutiny or deviation from agreed upon roles, tasks and goals.

Be an example of good customer service in retail by paying attention to the details

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Paying attention to details…..

As a good customer service manager, you should pay attention to details because it is the little things that matter.

Image result for paying attention to customers

Just like in a restaurant, where the way you present your food can affect customer satisfaction, so can the way your staff present themselves to your customers. And this applies to any type of business that provides customer service, whether it is in offline retail, online retail, hospitality, or otherwise.

For example, the client below couldn’t stop raving about all the little service details that made him say ‘why would you want to go anywhere else?’ when posting about his stay at a particular hotel.

“1. They change the mat on the floor in the elevator to say “Good morning” or “Good evening” according to the time of day.

2. Their elevators are timed impeccably; you never wait long for one to come even if the hotel is busy.

3. All the staff wear a very nice smelling fragrance across the entire hotel.

4. Whether you call room service, reception, the garage etc, they always call you by your full name

5. They accommodate whatever request you have, big or small. Why would you want to go anywhere else?”
Even if you’re not in the hospitality industry, you can implement personal touches like this in any business.

  1. You might not have an elevator, but you can change the floor mats by your entrance to say “good morning” or “good evening”, or implement more personalised greetings in your e-mail marketing.
  2. You can try to open more check-out registers so your customers don’t have to wait in long lines to pay for their items (a bigger concern than elevators for most retailers).
  3. Some customers may be allergic to certain fragrances, but you could introduce policies that make your staff more presentable in general.
  4. If you know your customers’ names, try using them! It’s a proven fact that people like hearing their names.
  5. And flexibility is key. If you can help your customers without having it negatively affect your work, why not? Make change if you have enough small bills at the time. Allow your customers to use the restroom if they need it. Offer them a spoon if you see that they have purchased a ready-to-eat product (like ice cream or soup). None of this will take more than of couple minutes (or seconds), and your customers will appreciate your thoughtfulness, and even start to think ‘why go anywhere else?’

Disrupt Your Competition with Customer Service

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In customer service, the concept of disruption is interesting. If you ask most business people to name a company that is known for being a disrupter, you’ll hear answers like Amazon, Uber and Walmart.

Walmart disrupted local businesses when they came into a community. Uber disrupted the taxi-cab industry. And, Amazon started out disrupting bookstores and eventually moved on to disrupting the entire retail world.

While the companies just mentioned are household names, you don’t have to be a big company to disrupt. You can be a tiny company. Disruption is not about disrupting an industry. It’s about disrupting your competition. Doing something that is so noticeable that it pulls customers to you. So, here are five ways you can compete – and disrupt – your competition:

  1. Stop comparing yourself to your competitors – This is a big one. Start comparing yourself to the best customer service companies you do business with. Today’s customers know what great customer service looks like. The companies and individuals who deliver amazing service set the benchmark for everyone.
  2. Be amazing on social media – Social media is meant to be social. And, when it comes to customer service, it’s not just about responding to complaints. It’s an extension of your marketing and allows you to connect with your “community. It’s an extension of your marketing. Be appropriately bold and visible.
  3. Respond quickly to every customer inquiry or comment – A quick response time can make a customer say, “Wow!” It shows you care, that you’re paying attention and that you want to do business. A quick response time creates confidence, which is one of the keys to creating customer loyalty.
  4. Embrace technology – There are some awesome technologies out there that allow you to better connect with your customers and provide them a better customer experience. Something as simple as a good CRM (Customer Relationship Management) program can help you keep track of your customers, what they have bought in the past and any issues they have had.
  5. Be Convenient – We’ll wrap up this list with a powerful concept that may be the biggest disruption strategy today. The concept of convenience is the new wave of customer service. There are many ways to be convenient for your customer. Call your customer. Don’t make them call you. Go to your customer. Don’t make them come to you. Have business hours that are focused on your customers’ schedules, not just yours. Make doing business with you easy. All things being equal, the company that is more convenient to do business with, wins…….You can reach out to Customer Service Mediator company via mail for quick answers to their most common questions. There are many new technologies coming down the pike, but keep in mind the technology needs to make your customers’ lives better – not just yours.

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Easiest way to deal with refunds request

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Today we’re talking about a very important, and sometimes upsetting subject: how to deal with refund requests and unhappy customers.And yes, this comes up for all of us no matter who we are Read more