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In the bustling call center and BPO industry, it is always the case that the most effective customer service representatives possess the most advanced communication skills. Considering that their job role requires hours of non-stop communication with different types of customers, it is easy to understand why this skill is non-negotiable, and why mastering it is necessary. When in doubt, don’t hesitate to repeat what your customers said by using your own words. MORE
Service Untitled The blog about customer service and the customer service experience. Home About Service Untitled Subscribe for Free Consulting Contact Archives Working on customer service skills Cheryl August 05, 2010 Customer Service Experience , Hiring & Training , Little Things, Big Differences No Comments When a customer service representative delivers great customer service, there is less stress and less hassle. MORE
You finally get to a customer service rep. You tell your story and the customer service rep responds, “I’m sorry, that’s not my department.” Since customer service has become a center of attention for most companies (even though some still don’t get it right), “That’s not my department” is being heard less and less. That said, there are still plenty of other phrases and words we, as customers, hate to hear. Customers hate to wait. MORE
There’s a lot customer service professionals can learn from doctors when it comes to delivering bad news. Help them cultivate an attitude of empathy, walk them through how to be clear, direct and concise and make sure they make customers feel completely comfortable asking questions. Now you can give your representatives even more great skills for delivering the best customer experience and for handling difficult customer situations. MORE
Every company has a team of customer service representatives who come to work every day and field customer calls. Their primary role is to speak with customers, giving them valuable insights into how your products are being used. Customer service representatives also have a unique ability to affect a customer’s opinion of a company. There’s a correlation here that’s easy to see: happy agents are better at making customers happy. MORE
According to a study by Microsoft, 56% of people around the world have stopped doing business with a company because of poor customer service experience. However, it also indicates that a lot depends on the kind of customer service operators you hire for your business. With good experience, communication skills, and product knowledge, your operators can easily take care of your customers and their growing expectations. What is a Customer Service Job? MORE
I’m so excited to kick off Customer Service Week with a free soft skills training course! I’ve partnered with Genesys to position Customer Service Representatives to deliver the best possible customer experience and redirect interactions with challenging customers. MORE
When it comes to providing the best customer service, there are certain skills that everyone staffing your contact center should possess. More often than not, it is the people themselves who make the difference when it comes to an organizations ability to provide great customer service. Here’s a list of 10 customer service skills that every person involved in customer service needs to own to be able to provide the best customer experience possible. MORE
This week we feature an article by Marlene Caroseli who shares some great activities and questions to help customer service representatives improve their service and make the customers experience better. – Shep Hyken. Chip Bell is known for helping organizations create a customer-centric culture. He asserts that customers long to interact with—even relate to—employees “who act like there is still a light on inside.” MORE
Key Personality Traits for A Perfect Service Rep. Providing outstanding customer service naturally starts from finding and hiring the right employees for your customer support team. While perfection can hardly ever be achieved – some people just happen to possess the qualities that make them more suited for the role of a customer service representative, while others simply don’t. MORE
The 2015 Employee Engagement Trends Report shows customer service employees are among the least engaged, falling behind human resources, sales, marketing, engineering, R & D, operations, finance and IT (in that order) when it comes to on-the-job engagement. In addition, the survey also shows customer service as one of departments with the lowest job satisfaction ratings and highest percentage of hostile employees. MORE
The best customer service representatives focus on people. For anyone considering a career in customer service, one must initially be able to handle stress, handle pressure, maintain friendly interactions with customers, and follow through on tasks. Most of us as consumers can probably remember some unfortunate experiences we have had with customer service agents who have lacked the ability to deal with stress and were easily excitable. MORE
The other day I was talking with a gentleman who was as passionate about customer service and experience as I am. He had worked with support centers and we were discussing how important the team in a customer support center is to an organization. They greet the customers, handle their money, and work directly with the customers – more than anyone else in the bank – yet it is typically one of the lower-paid positions. They’re your front line for your customers. MORE
“If you wonder what getting and keeping the right employees has to do with getting and keeping the right customers, the answer is everything.” – Fred Reichheld, Author, Business Strategist. A new year brings resolutions to change or improve in ways that matter, and for brands and organizations, customer service is always a key focus. I don’t think that this endeavor will be completed in 2016, but those who have bought in to the importance of service will look to: 1. MORE
Front-line customer service representatives impact our everyday lives. Whether we are returning sour milk to the local supermarket or our new car with only 6,000 miles has been in the repair shop more than it has been on the road, representatives who deal with the public are significantly important to each organization. Why then, are service people often treated as among the lowest paid in many organizations? MORE
There was a time when customer service departments/jobs were solely reactive. But increased competition and higher expectations from customers have led companies to require customer service professionals to take on a more proactive role. Customer service representatives are spokespeople and even sales people in addition to problem solvers. Customer service professionals have great influence on customer loyalty and purchasing habits. MORE
When it comes to providing the best possible service to your customers, the people you hire make all the difference. To ensure you get the best possible people for your customer service positions, here are five basic skills your customer service employees cannot be without. MORE
Customer Self Help options and channels are on the rise – Studies suggest that as many as 76% of customers … Read More Episode 62 – Treat Your Customer Service Representatives Like Royalty. The post Episode 62 – Treat Your Customer Service Representatives Like Royalty appeared first on Kristina Evey. MORE
Service Untitled The blog about customer service and the customer service experience. Home About Service Untitled Subscribe for Free Consulting Contact Archives Customer service technology can monitor your emotions Cheryl May 27, 2010 Customer Service , Proactive No Comments Just imagine being a customer service representative and having the ability to read and monitor a customer’s emotions so you know exactly what to say and when to say it. MORE
When it comes down to it, a company’s customer service rests on the shoulders of their customer service representatives. They serve as the representatives of the brand , often the only direct point of contact many customers will have with your company. What does an excellent customer service representative look like? Here are a few of the differences that may exist between customer service representatives: 1. MORE
Looking to beef up your customer service? Hire agents with formidable customer service representatives skills. It’s the only way to ensure customer satisfaction and high service levels. These are the types of customer representatives (CSRs) you should hire: “The Controller” – As the name suggests, this type is assertive and opinionated. Customer Service BPO Call Center customer service Customer Service Representative customer suppor MORE
Being awesome at customer service is all about having the needed skills and personal characteristics. Some think that communication skills are most important for customer service professionals but this isn’t the case. Customer service reps will often have to interact with angry clients, annoying clients or people who simply can’t explain what they really want. Understand Your Product or Service. MORE
Service Untitled The blog about customer service and the customer service experience. Home About Service Untitled Subscribe for Free Consulting Contact Archives Help customer focus with the right attitude Cheryl April 08, 2010 Behind the Scenes , Employees , Hiring & Training 1 Comment There are a number of factors that significantly affect how well a customer service representative is able to identify and help customers. MORE
This week on our Friends on Friday guest blog post my colleague, Ian Landsman writes about the importance of training and preparing customer service representatives to interact with customers. I agree that every employee should go through customer service training, and it should be ongoing. While customer service skills come to some naturally, there is still a tremendous amount to be learned before successfully working with any business’ customers. MORE
Many of her friends and customers who I work with have had positive results modifying their loans; the process although at times frustrating and record intensive has helped many families remain in their homes with a more affordable monthly payment. Jennifer had not spent more than ten minutes on the phone with the bank customer service representative when the agent told Jennifer she would have to ask the remainder of her questions at another time. MORE
Once the customer service representative came on the call, Cindy briefly described the problem. What do you think happened when the new customer service rep came on? 41 minutes of our life gone due to long hold times and two customer service reps who were not properly trained or had not been empowered with the authority to get the job done. Shattered customer confidence. My wife and I were on the phone with our bank. MORE
At the heart of every business is a great customer service team, always striving to deliver an exceptional service to their clients with the goal of turning a first-time customer experience into repeat business. Richard Branson truly is the face of customer service. He believes that if you keep your employees happy, they will, in turn, take care of your customers. Customers want to talk to a real person so refrain from sounding too rehearsed. MORE
Service Untitled The blog about customer service and the customer service experience. Home About Service Untitled Subscribe for Free Consulting Contact Archives Employing company vision in customer service training Cheryl September 21, 2010 Culture , Customer Satisfaction , Customer Service , Hiring & Training 1 Comment Every company needs a motivational vision; what you want your company to ultimately become. MORE
Service Untitled The blog about customer service and the customer service experience. Home About Service Untitled Subscribe for Free Consulting Contact Archives Help your customer service staff to help your business succeed Cheryl September 09, 2010 Behind the Scenes , Customer Service , Hiring & Training 1 Comment I was pulling into my office this morning when I heard a Zappos commercial on the radio. MORE
Customer Support. Have you ever called a company’s phone support number, talk to their customer service rep, have that rep transfer you to another person, only to have to repeat the story all over again? How about when you dial the company’s support number and the automated prompt asks you to put in your customer number. Then the customer support rep comes on and the first thing he or she asks you is, “What’s your customer number?”. MORE
On January 21, a customer service agent for 39DollarGlasses.com has been lauded as a hero after some quick thinking. Customer service representative Donna Petrosini was speaking with Karen Ford, a customer since 2008, when Ford began to slur her words and dropped the phone. “I was on the phone with one of our long-time customers, and suddenly she was unable to respond to my questions. Good service valued over good food? MORE
Being a customer service representative is a huge responsibility. When working in customer service, you are the face of a company. Customers who will think about the company will think about how you treated them and whether you helped them before thinking about the company’s marketing message. I’ve round up a couple of tips and best practices customer service representative should know when working in support or sales. MORE
Do you want a job or a career in customer service? What things would you do to provide a customer with excellent service? When answering this interview question, discuss how you have always worked to go the extra mile when providing a customer with service. Make sure to emphasize that ensuring that the customer is satisfied and happy is always your top priority. I was able to speak to the manager and convince him to reimburse the customer. MORE
There was a time when customer service departments/jobs were solely reactive. But increased competition and higher expectations from customers have led companies to require customer service professionals to take on a more proactive role. Customer service representatives are spokespeople and even sales people in addition to problem solvers. Customer service professionals have great influence on customer loyalty and purchasing habits. MORE
I’ve been involved in customer service for all my 40 years in business. For four decades, I’ve been trying to improve the customer experience for organizations in a variety of industries and diverse geographic locations. Having a knowledgeable, well-trained professional customer service representative (CSR) is table stakes for any business, be it B2B, B2C or B2B2C. Customers became account numbers rather than names and CSR’s followed detailed scripts. MORE
I’ll never forget the day I saw a fight, literally a fist-fight, between a customer and an employee. My 17-year old co-worker and good friend, Beverly, said to a customer who wanted to return some worn out clothing, “We’re not taking that junk back!”. the customers said. Matching the customer word for word, Beverly spit out, “B$#&@, no we won’t!” I was glad Beverly got this customer and not me. The customer punched Beverly! MORE
Customer Service Representative Related Topics Myra Golden
OCTOBER 5, 2020
I’m so excited to kick off Customer Service Week with a free soft skills training course! I’ve partnered with Genesys to position Customer Service Representatives to deliver the best possible customer experience and redirect interactions with challenging customers.
Provide Support
SEPTEMBER 27, 2017
Key Personality Traits for A Perfect Service Rep. Providing outstanding customer service naturally starts from finding and hiring the right employees for your customer support team. While perfection can hardly ever be achieved – some people just happen to possess the qualities that make them more suited for the role of a customer service representative, while others simply don’t.
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Kristina Evey
AUGUST 21, 2019
Customer Self Help options and channels are on the rise – Studies suggest that as many as 76% of customers … Read More Episode 62 – Treat Your Customer Service Representatives Like Royalty. The post Episode 62 – Treat Your Customer Service Representatives Like Royalty appeared first on Kristina Evey.
Magellan Solutions
JUNE 13, 2017
Looking to beef up your customer service? Hire agents with formidable customer service representatives skills. It’s the only way to ensure customer satisfaction and high service levels. These are the types of customer representatives (CSRs) you should hire: “The Controller” – As the name suggests, this type is assertive and opinionated. Customer Service BPO Call Center customer service Customer Service Representative customer suppor
ProProfs Chat
MAY 21, 2020
According to a study by Microsoft, 56% of people around the world have stopped doing business with a company because of poor customer service experience. However, it also indicates that a lot depends on the kind of customer service operators you hire for your business. With good experience, communication skills, and product knowledge, your operators can easily take care of your customers and their growing expectations. What is a Customer Service Job?
LiveChat
DECEMBER 14, 2016
Being a customer service representative is a huge responsibility. When working in customer service, you are the face of a company. Customers who will think about the company will think about how you treated them and whether you helped them before thinking about the company’s marketing message. I’ve round up a couple of tips and best practices customer service representative should know when working in support or sales.
Myra Golden
DECEMBER 6, 2016
There was a time when customer service departments/jobs were solely reactive. But increased competition and higher expectations from customers have led companies to require customer service professionals to take on a more proactive role. Customer service representatives are spokespeople and even sales people in addition to problem solvers. Customer service professionals have great influence on customer loyalty and purchasing habits.
CSM Magazine
JULY 17, 2017
At the heart of every business is a great customer service team, always striving to deliver an exceptional service to their clients with the goal of turning a first-time customer experience into repeat business. Richard Branson truly is the face of customer service. He believes that if you keep your employees happy, they will, in turn, take care of your customers. Customers want to talk to a real person so refrain from sounding too rehearsed.
Talkdesk
MARCH 30, 2017
Every company has a team of customer service representatives who come to work every day and field customer calls. Their primary role is to speak with customers, giving them valuable insights into how your products are being used. Customer service representatives also have a unique ability to affect a customer’s opinion of a company. There’s a correlation here that’s easy to see: happy agents are better at making customers happy.
CSM Magazine
MARCH 15, 2019
Do you want a job or a career in customer service? What things would you do to provide a customer with excellent service? When answering this interview question, discuss how you have always worked to go the extra mile when providing a customer with service. Make sure to emphasize that ensuring that the customer is satisfied and happy is always your top priority. I was able to speak to the manager and convince him to reimburse the customer.
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Innovative CX
JANUARY 30, 2020
I’ve been involved in customer service for all my 40 years in business. For four decades, I’ve been trying to improve the customer experience for organizations in a variety of industries and diverse geographic locations. Having a knowledgeable, well-trained professional customer service representative (CSR) is table stakes for any business, be it B2B, B2C or B2B2C. Customers became account numbers rather than names and CSR’s followed detailed scripts.
Talkdesk
JULY 7, 2016
When it comes down to it, a company’s customer service rests on the shoulders of their customer service representatives. They serve as the representatives of the brand , often the only direct point of contact many customers will have with your company. What does an excellent customer service representative look like? Here are a few of the differences that may exist between customer service representatives: 1.
CSM Magazine
MARCH 24, 2017
Being awesome at customer service is all about having the needed skills and personal characteristics. Some think that communication skills are most important for customer service professionals but this isn’t the case. Customer service reps will often have to interact with angry clients, annoying clients or people who simply can’t explain what they really want. Understand Your Product or Service.
Magellan Solutions
MAY 4, 2017
In the bustling call center and BPO industry, it is always the case that the most effective customer service representatives possess the most advanced communication skills. Considering that their job role requires hours of non-stop communication with different types of customers, it is easy to understand why this skill is non-negotiable, and why mastering it is necessary. When in doubt, don’t hesitate to repeat what your customers said by using your own words.
Myra Golden
DECEMBER 19, 2017
I’ll never forget the day I saw a fight, literally a fist-fight, between a customer and an employee. My 17-year old co-worker and good friend, Beverly, said to a customer who wanted to return some worn out clothing, “We’re not taking that junk back!”. the customers said. Matching the customer word for word, Beverly spit out, “B$#&@, no we won’t!” I was glad Beverly got this customer and not me. The customer punched Beverly!
Jacada
NOVEMBER 3, 2017
When it comes to providing the best customer service, there are certain skills that everyone staffing your contact center should possess. More often than not, it is the people themselves who make the difference when it comes to an organizations ability to provide great customer service. Here’s a list of 10 customer service skills that every person involved in customer service needs to own to be able to provide the best customer experience possible.
Myra Golden
AUGUST 16, 2016
There’s a lot customer service professionals can learn from doctors when it comes to delivering bad news. Help them cultivate an attitude of empathy, walk them through how to be clear, direct and concise and make sure they make customers feel completely comfortable asking questions. Now you can give your representatives even more great skills for delivering the best customer experience and for handling difficult customer situations.
Service Untitled
FEBRUARY 17, 2011
On January 21, a customer service agent for 39DollarGlasses.com has been lauded as a hero after some quick thinking. Customer service representative Donna Petrosini was speaking with Karen Ford, a customer since 2008, when Ford began to slur her words and dropped the phone. “I was on the phone with one of our long-time customers, and suddenly she was unable to respond to my questions. Good service valued over good food?
ShepHyken
MARCH 7, 2018
The other day I was talking with a gentleman who was as passionate about customer service and experience as I am. He had worked with support centers and we were discussing how important the team in a customer support center is to an organization. They greet the customers, handle their money, and work directly with the customers – more than anyone else in the bank – yet it is typically one of the lower-paid positions. They’re your front line for your customers.
Service Untitled
SEPTEMBER 21, 2011
Many of her friends and customers who I work with have had positive results modifying their loans; the process although at times frustrating and record intensive has helped many families remain in their homes with a more affordable monthly payment. Jennifer had not spent more than ten minutes on the phone with the bank customer service representative when the agent told Jennifer she would have to ask the remainder of her questions at another time.
Service Untitled
AUGUST 3, 2011
The best customer service representatives focus on people. For anyone considering a career in customer service, one must initially be able to handle stress, handle pressure, maintain friendly interactions with customers, and follow through on tasks. Most of us as consumers can probably remember some unfortunate experiences we have had with customer service agents who have lacked the ability to deal with stress and were easily excitable.
Service Untitled
JUNE 29, 2011
Front-line customer service representatives impact our everyday lives. Whether we are returning sour milk to the local supermarket or our new car with only 6,000 miles has been in the repair shop more than it has been on the road, representatives who deal with the public are significantly important to each organization. Why then, are service people often treated as among the lowest paid in many organizations?
ShepHyken
MARCH 14, 2018
You finally get to a customer service rep. You tell your story and the customer service rep responds, “I’m sorry, that’s not my department.” Since customer service has become a center of attention for most companies (even though some still don’t get it right), “That’s not my department” is being heard less and less. That said, there are still plenty of other phrases and words we, as customers, hate to hear. Customers hate to wait.
ShepHyken
JUNE 17, 2016
This week on our Friends on Friday guest blog post my colleague, Ian Landsman writes about the importance of training and preparing customer service representatives to interact with customers. I agree that every employee should go through customer service training, and it should be ongoing. While customer service skills come to some naturally, there is still a tremendous amount to be learned before successfully working with any business’ customers.
ShepHyken
MARCH 16, 2018
This week we feature an article by Marlene Caroseli who shares some great activities and questions to help customer service representatives improve their service and make the customers experience better. – Shep Hyken. Chip Bell is known for helping organizations create a customer-centric culture. He asserts that customers long to interact with—even relate to—employees “who act like there is still a light on inside.”
ShepHyken
APRIL 12, 2017
Once the customer service representative came on the call, Cindy briefly described the problem. What do you think happened when the new customer service rep came on? 41 minutes of our life gone due to long hold times and two customer service reps who were not properly trained or had not been empowered with the authority to get the job done. Shattered customer confidence. My wife and I were on the phone with our bank.
Tricia Morris
SEPTEMBER 4, 2015
The 2015 Employee Engagement Trends Report shows customer service employees are among the least engaged, falling behind human resources, sales, marketing, engineering, R & D, operations, finance and IT (in that order) when it comes to on-the-job engagement. In addition, the survey also shows customer service as one of departments with the lowest job satisfaction ratings and highest percentage of hostile employees.
ShepHyken
AUGUST 31, 2016
Customer Support. Have you ever called a company’s phone support number, talk to their customer service rep, have that rep transfer you to another person, only to have to repeat the story all over again? How about when you dial the company’s support number and the automated prompt asks you to put in your customer number. Then the customer support rep comes on and the first thing he or she asks you is, “What’s your customer number?”.
Tricia Morris
JANUARY 4, 2016
“If you wonder what getting and keeping the right employees has to do with getting and keeping the right customers, the answer is everything.” – Fred Reichheld, Author, Business Strategist. A new year brings resolutions to change or improve in ways that matter, and for brands and organizations, customer service is always a key focus. I don’t think that this endeavor will be completed in 2016, but those who have bought in to the importance of service will look to: 1.
Service Untitled
AUGUST 5, 2010
Service Untitled The blog about customer service and the customer service experience. Home About Service Untitled Subscribe for Free Consulting Contact Archives Working on customer service skills Cheryl August 05, 2010 Customer Service Experience , Hiring & Training , Little Things, Big Differences No Comments When a customer service representative delivers great customer service, there is less stress and less hassle.
Service Untitled
SEPTEMBER 21, 2010
Service Untitled The blog about customer service and the customer service experience. Home About Service Untitled Subscribe for Free Consulting Contact Archives Employing company vision in customer service training Cheryl September 21, 2010 Culture , Customer Satisfaction , Customer Service , Hiring & Training 1 Comment Every company needs a motivational vision; what you want your company to ultimately become.
Service Untitled
SEPTEMBER 9, 2010
Service Untitled The blog about customer service and the customer service experience. Home About Service Untitled Subscribe for Free Consulting Contact Archives Help your customer service staff to help your business succeed Cheryl September 09, 2010 Behind the Scenes , Customer Service , Hiring & Training 1 Comment I was pulling into my office this morning when I heard a Zappos commercial on the radio.
Service Untitled
APRIL 8, 2010
Service Untitled The blog about customer service and the customer service experience. Home About Service Untitled Subscribe for Free Consulting Contact Archives Help customer focus with the right attitude Cheryl April 08, 2010 Behind the Scenes , Employees , Hiring & Training 1 Comment There are a number of factors that significantly affect how well a customer service representative is able to identify and help customers.
Service Untitled
MAY 27, 2010
Service Untitled The blog about customer service and the customer service experience. Home About Service Untitled Subscribe for Free Consulting Contact Archives Customer service technology can monitor your emotions Cheryl May 27, 2010 Customer Service , Proactive No Comments Just imagine being a customer service representative and having the ability to read and monitor a customer’s emotions so you know exactly what to say and when to say it.
CSM Magazine
JULY 30, 2020
When it comes to providing the best possible service to your customers, the people you hire make all the difference. To ensure you get the best possible people for your customer service positions, here are five basic skills your customer service employees cannot be without.
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