The Customer Is Always Right: 5 Customer Service Training Key Tips to Improve Your Team’s Customer Relations

Everyone’s had a bad experience with customer service. Whether it’s a long wait, a service rep’s bad attitude, or a lack of any response at all, these are the experiences that can drive away business.

The costs of bad customer service are enormous, with some $62 billion a year in annual lost revenue for US companies.

So the message is clear: you need to improve your customer service training. Fortunately, we’ve got you covered with five customer service ideas and tips that will win you new customers and ensure the loyalty of those you already have.

1. Service With a Smile

Okay, so this one might seem a little obvious. But it’s worth repeating as often as possible.

A customer service representative with an unfriendly attitude leaves a big impression on customers, and for all the wrong reasons. No one wants to deal with a rude customer service rep—particularly after paying good money!

So make sure to stress that a positive, upbeat attitude is essential. The simple act of being friendly and helpful, or at least understanding, can mean satisfied customers and repeat business for your company.

2. Getting to Know You

This one’s a big deal.

It’s important for your customers to know that you’ve taken the time to get to know them and understand their needs. It proves that you actually care about them, and that will translate to returning customers in the future.

The best customer service techniques should always focus on the customer. As this article about prioritizing the client’s needs makes clear: it’s not about YOU.

Don’t get hung up on your own issues. Remember that you’re here to provide a service to your customers—they expect you to get hung up on their issues.

3. Be Professional

All effective customer service skills training must stress the importance of professionalism. Train your customer service reps to be polite, responsive, and to always strive to interact positively with customers.

Look, we all know that customers can sometimes be difficult to handle. If they’re contacting the customer service department in the first place, they’re probably not in the best mood, to begin with—obviously, something’s gone wrong, and they’re trying to fix it.

Customers can be rude, belittling, and obnoxious. What else is new?

But this is where customer relations can really shine. A service rep who remains calm and cool under pressure will truly stand out—and might even win back that irate customer who’s about to walk out the door.

4. Timely Response

Few things tick off customers more than service reps who take their sweet time getting back to them. That’s why the best customer service programs focus on a quick response—even if only to assure the customer that the problem is being addressed.

Nearly 30% of global consumers expect a response to a complaint on social media within one hour; nearly 40% expect a response within one day. So be sure to create a policy for quickly responding to customer complaints, preferably within 24 hours.

It shows professionalism and a desire to please, and even if you can’t resolve the customer’s issue, it goes a long way to creating goodwill that will repay you in the long run.

5. The Customer Is Always Right

This old saying is old for a reason.

Ultimately, the customer is giving you their hard-earned cash in exchange for goods or services. So they exercise a pretty powerful veto power—they can just refuse to give you any more money.

Even if the customer isn’t right, it’s important that they feel they are. They need to walk away knowing that their concerns are understood and that they won’t be ignored. Anything less and you can expect them to say sayonara to your company.

Use These Customer Service Training Tips To Improve Your Customer’s Experience

A badly-trained customer service rep can do irreparable damage to a business. All it takes is a single negative experience to drive a customer into your competitor’s arms.

Good customer service training, on the other hand, can build your company’s customer base and drive repeat business. These five simple tips will improve your customer service interactions, and put your business on the road to success.