Personalizing Customer Service - Customer Service Tip #2

Once your team has the skills and the training to use them properly, you're off to a great start. The real heart of customer service is personal interaction with the customer. There are a number of advantages to having a real person respond, as opposed to using automated systems. Be sure you use those advantages of personalizing customer service as much as you can.

For instance, encourage your reps to establish a personal connection with the customer. If they pick up a shared interest or some aspect that they have in common, your rep should take a moment to talk about it for a bit. This really drives home the fact that not only is the customer talking to a human, but a human that cares about them on a personal level. This also shows that your representative is listening, and more than that, understanding.

Likewise, if your rep makes a mistake, they should own up to it, even if the customer didn't notice. This is the deepest kind of honesty and humanity, and your customers will appreciate it. In fact, the honesty will often overshadow any mistakes made, and your customers will trust you all the more.

Once the problem is solved and the conversation is over, you're not done. Do some follow-up to make sure the issue is truly resolved and that your customer was pleased with your service.

A good customer service program and help desk remembers that both the company and the customer base is composed of people. No one wants to interact with a faceless entity, free of personality, nor do they want to be treated as one. It's important to make sure your customers know there is something more to your company than just selling a product or service.

You've got social media for your company, right? If not, you need to get started. LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc. are essential to establishing a link to prospective buyers. If your customers or potential customers post questions or comments on social media pages, definitely take the time to respond to them personally. That simple acknowledgment shows your company has a human touch.

That personal touch should also extend beyond social media to your website. Post pictures and bios on your website to help customers feel like they know you, at least a little, before they call. Use real pictures on your chat avatar, and make use of visual support tools like video recording to add a personal element to help desk inquiries. You might even consider community building measures, like an interactive website. Naturally, if you build something interactive, you and your representatives will also need to interact, so everyone feels like they're part of something.

To see how TeamSupport helps provide a personalized customer experience watch our video: