Customer Service Skills and Techniques

• Customer service departments promote company objectives and encourage customer satisfaction and retention. With the help of proper training, evaluations and feedback, customer service departments seek to uphold high standards for both internal and external customers. Customer service positions require the use of specific skills and techniques for individual and company success.
  
  

Basic Skills

• Basic computer and phone skills serve potential customer service representatives well. These skills are necessary to interact with customers and encourage internal communications and data management. Phone systems often feature multi-line operations which require that representatives understand how to properly use the hold and transfer functions on the phone. The ability to simultaneously speak and look for helpful information, or record comments, helps representatives and the organization remain effective. Organizations often provide computer training to account for the differences in system and software applications. However, customer service positions require previous working knowledge and understanding of basic computer operations.
  
  

Customer Interaction

• Interactions with customers must remain professional, productive and efficient. Utilizing customer service techniques, including active listening and positive tone of voice, representatives maintain relationships and encourage brand and company loyalty. Active listening requires the representative to exercise patience, listen to the customer and respect the customer's viewpoint. With active listening, judgments and falsehoods are removed from the equation. After the customer has concluded, the representative uses the information that they gathered to confirm the problem and offer solutions. Interacting with customers using a positive tone of voice can mean the difference between successfully resolving a complaint or causing undue stress and unfortunate outcomes. Top-notch customer service requires that customer service representatives greet customers with a pleasant tone of voice and provide knowledgeable and courteous service.
  
  

Conflict Resolution

• The development and implementation of products and services brings with it compliments, comments and complaints. Conflict resolution skills provide representatives with the groundwork that they need to successfully walk the fine line that exists between customer satisfaction and company policy. While training on specific policies will provide the representative with different avenues of compensation for most complaints and problems, representatives must understand how to demonstrate tact and confidence when approached with these situations. The use of empathy often helps reduce any anger that the customer has. Demonstrate empathy by allowing the customer to vent, reassuring the customer that you understand the situation and offering to help resolve the issue. Avoid interrupting the customer. The solution offered should fit the circumstance and also fall within company limits and policy. For issues requiring more extensive compensation, companies often require representatives to escalate the call to a supervisor or manager.