You might be interested to read part I before proceeding to
read this section of the write-up.
Point 6: Is your customer service personnel trained to
handle complains?
Complain handling is traditionally seen as the most
important concern for the customer service department. Effective handling of customer complains
could open up new opportunities for sustaining a long term customer
relationship. As already noted earlier,
the opportunity of emotional bonding with customers is best served not when
customers are happy, but when something goes wrong and unhappy customers show
up or call for redressal. However, handling complain is not an easy task since
customers vary by expectations and nature of problems could also have variety
in itself. Simply knowing rules of engagement and a printed manual with lists
of problems and solutions are not what we are talking about. Complain handling
goes beyond the boundary of a printed manual. It is about empathy- an essential
part of service executives ‘ personality- it is about connecting and
communicating while putting ourselves in someone else’s shoes.
Point 7: Do your customer service personnel stay calm with
irritating customers?
Not all customers behave well while interacting with service
executives, specifically in situations when things go wrong and they expect the
kind of redressal that might not be allowable by the company. This type of
behavior, sometimes, might be based on legitimate claims from customers’ part.
Having said that, it is not service executives’ job to match their behavior
with that of customers! In many cases, even trained executives can cross the
line and get involved in an argument with customers. Once an angry customer
shouted to an executive, saying that she feels sorry for him because he could
not find a better job rather than to work for this lousy company! Ok, it seems
like a comment (or insult) at personal level, which is inappropriate per se.
However, despite how inappropriate the customers’ comments are, learning to
stay calm and helpful is the ultimate test for customer service executives’
career. Letting customers to vent out
anger is a way to cool down the situation at end.
Point 8: Are your customer services executives trained NOT
to assume?
Assuming customer’s problem before completely listening to
it, is another problem that arises out of so called printed “service manual”
that is usually provided during training session for service executives. Every
customer problem should be treated uniquely, addressing it to the point by
carefully listening to it. Stop assuming, start listening – that is the key in
understanding customers here.
Point 9: Do your customer service department “follow-up”
with customers?
After getting a lead, or closing a sale, or handling a
complain – we often assume that things are running alright now. In many
instances, this is not right. A sales lead must be followed up, a sales must be
traced to customers and see if things are alright with him/her, a well-handled
complain must be followed up to see if the customer needs further help or not.
This is something that most customers are not expecting, thus opening up an
opportunity to delight them with their decisions to buy or for contacting the
service department.
Point 10: Are your customer service executives happy with
the company they work for?
You cannot expect to pass all the previous 9 tests if the
last test fails you. Customer service executives are your internal
customers. A group of unhappy internal
customers cannot make external customers happy. The job satisfaction may not
only flow from competitive compensation packages, but also from the external
prestige and excellence that your product commands in the market. A poorly
designed product with minimal branding effort will automatically fetch in a lot
of complains. Who does want to listen to complains (and more complains) all day
long, feeling the pain of faking a smile and keep saying sorry to address
aggrieved customers? Of course, some of them will keep acting and faking to
keep the job, but most will keep looking for places elsewhere, resulting in
increase of employee turnover at the end.
This
routine check of your customer service department will not only ensure a smooth
running of your service engine, but also would prevent it from breaking apart
that might necessitate expensive repair later on.
