Page 96 - DENG401_Advance Communication Skills

Unit 4: Working with Customers

4.2 Understanding Customer Service Basics Notes

As we all know that successful customer or client service is the source of revenue of any business.
An organization can offer promotions and discount their prices to attract new customers, but
repeat business and ongoing relationships are the keys to profitability. As you know that
Customer service refers to an organization’s relationship with its customers: meeting their
expectations, listening to their statements, and solving their problems. Providing customer
service involves communicating with your customers, identifying their wants and needs, and
developing customer friendly procedures to serve them.
1. Communicate a professional image: Make your first contact with a customer businesslike
and pleasant. Whether in person or on the phone, smile when you communicate with a
customer, be enthusiastic and prompt, and use professional etiquette. Keep in mind that
your primary goal is to promote goodwill for your company.
2. Listen to your customers: When serving customers, especially those with complaints,
spend most of your time listening. Active listening means that you stop talking and
concentrate on the customer’s words, not on how to counter their arguments or respond to
their claims. Active listening also helps you understand a customer’s needs and the content
of their messages. Listening shows that you value customers and respect what they have
to say.

3. Ask questions: Make sure you understand explanations and requests by asking for
clarification. You can also ask questions to gather all the facts you need to make a decision,
to solicit suggestions for improvement, and to find out what your customers need and
want. After you ask a question, be prepared to keep quiet while you listen to the response.

4. Exceed expectations: One popular definition of excellent customer service is an
organization’s ability to consistently exceed customer expectations. You can do this by
determining what a client wants, and then doing that and more. Being more attentive and
helpful than your customers expect helps to build customer loyalty.

Rating customer service

Effcient and Effcient and
impersonal
friendly
Practical Service
High

Low Slow and Ineffcient and
insensitive friendly

Low High

Personal service

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 89