Having a job as a Customer Support Specialist is a challenging and interesting experience for me. I got an opportunity to work as a Customer Success Specialist at a multinational web hosting company last year. I learnt a lot for being an IT Customer Success such as time management, communication, teamwork, and all the things about hosting and website.
What is Customer Service?
Customer service is the frontliners of a company who are responsible for any response and feedback coming from the customers. Being a customer service is not only to reply chat or taking the phone calls. They put the customers’ needs as priority. They are the skilled and empowered agents who face complex questions and request. Moreover, they work round the clock via multiple platform such as documents, email, chat, and social media.
What should Customer Service Do?
Customer service is important for a company as they build relationship with people outside. They provide solutions to customer’s problem and give best experience in order to keep the good reputation of the company. From the articles I read, I got lots of information dealing with the position as Customer Service. I understood that there are something should be done and should not as the one helping the company’s customers.
Firstly, as a customer service, I should pay attention to the tone during conversation with the customer. I agree that tone do matters in conversation. However, it depends on the context as well as the customer’s mood and condition. As far as I know, we need to be flexible to use either casual or formal tone. We should look over the language and context employed by the customer in giving problems or questions. For example, if the customers are frustrated, formal tone is better to use as it implies politeness and care to them. Moreover, I strongly agree and willing to learn to remove negative words in replying or responding the customer. Positive tone will change the situation and perception instead of using negative tone.
Secondly, giving advocacy to the customer is a good thing that I want to learn. According to HelpScout, it is a form of practical empathy and tactical communication. Hence, I should align my self in favor of getting customer’s problem solved by giving clearly and concisely explanation. Showing empathy is important as a customer service. Besides, being able to read customer’s emotional state is also interesting to learn. This is what I should do to listen the customer first and be patient, then try to validate the problem. If I do not know the answer, I need determine that the problem should be handled or transfered to another department. However, transfering customer will make them to wait for a moment so that I need to confirm first whether it is okay to do so. Also, I try to give understanding to the customer that the problem will be fixed right away and call them back. Additonally, I have to use the correct words or tone to deliver such thing to the customer either on call or chats.
Thirdly, dealing with the words or phrases suggested to use or to avoid. I am interested in reframing the way to say ‘no’ to the customers. No means either we do not have the answer or solution or we do not understand the customer’s desire. I learnt that I can use another phrase like clarifying the customer’s problem, making an effort to understand their issue, trying to calm them down, and many others. Besides, I read some articles suggested to avoid saying ‘apologize or sorry’. Im my opinion, those words are still imprtant to use since it shows our sympathy and caring. Nonetheless, do not just say those word in short, but give reasons and explanation. Moreover, those words work to apply when the customer complains or there is mistake from the service.
Last but not least, there are some traits that should be acquired as a customer service. They are such as friendly, responsible, focus, multitasking, communication, and always smile to welcome or respond your customer. In addition, being well-informed about how to handle multiple chat and the information of the company’s product is necessary. To me, those are my opinion and thoughts towards the articles dicsussing the customer service position in a company.
Clevaster 