Outline:

I. Introduction

• The importance of customer service in today’s business landscape
• The need for companies to stand out and provide exceptional customer experiences
• The concept of “unconventional” customer service and what it entails

II. Providing multiple channels for customer interaction

• The benefits of offering multiple options for customers to reach out
• Examples of different channels that can be used (email, phone, social media, live chat, in-person)

III. Prioritizing personalized and human interactions

• The impact of personalized assistance on the customer experience
• The value of taking a friendly and empathetic approach

IV. Offering exceptional perks and benefits

• How going above and beyond typical customer service expectations can make a lasting impression
• Examples of unexpected perks and benefits that companies can offer

V. Conclusion

• The benefits of adopting an unconventional approach to customer service
• The potential for companies to differentiate themselves and create loyal customers by providing exceptional experiences

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I. Introduction

Customer service is an essential aspect of any successful business. In today’s competitive marketplace, companies must go above and beyond to provide exceptional experiences for their customers in order to stand out and retain their business.

But what does it mean to provide exceptional customer service? For many companies, it may involve following tried-and-true strategies and tactics that are commonly used in the industry. However, there is also value in taking an unconventional approach to customer service – one that goes against the norm and tries new, innovative ways of assisting and interacting with customers.

In this article, we’ll take a look at some unconventional approaches to customer service that have been proven to be effective. By adopting these strategies, companies can differentiate themselves and provide truly exceptional customer experiences.

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II. Providing multiple channels for customer interaction

One way to provide exceptional customer service is to offer multiple channels for customers to reach out to your company. In today’s digital world, customers expect to be able to connect with businesses in a variety of ways, and providing multiple options allows them to do so in the way that is most convenient for them.

Some examples of channels that companies can offer include email, phone, social media, live chat, and in-person interactions at physical locations. By offering a variety of options, you make it easy for customers to get the help they need, when they need it.

In addition to making it easier for customers to reach out, offering multiple channels can also improve the overall customer experience. For instance, if a customer is having an issue with a product or service, they may prefer to speak to someone on the phone rather than trying to troubleshoot the problem on their own. By providing the option to speak to a live person, you can resolve the issue more quickly and efficiently, leading to a better experience for the customer.

Overall, providing multiple channels for customer interaction is a simple but effective way to provide exceptional customer service. It shows that you are willing to go the extra mile to make it easy for customers to get the help they need, and it can improve the customer’s overall experience with your company.

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III. Prioritizing personalized and human interactions

In an era where many companies rely heavily on automated responses and AI-powered chatbots, prioritizing personalized and human interactions can make a big difference in the customer’s experience.

One way to do this is to take the time to thoroughly understand the customer’s issue and provide individualized solutions. This could involve asking follow-up questions to get a better understanding of the problem, and then using that information to provide a tailored response. By taking the time to really understand the customer’s needs, you can provide more effective assistance and improve the overall customer experience.

In addition to providing personalized solutions, taking a friendly and empathetic tone in your communications can also make a big impact. Customers often reach out to companies when they are frustrated or upset, and a kind and understanding response can help to diffuse the situation and improve their overall experience.

Overall, prioritizing personalized and human interactions is an effective way to provide exceptional customer service. It shows that you are willing to go the extra mile to truly understand the customer’s needs and provide tailored assistance, and it can make a big difference in the customer’s overall experience with your company.

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IV. Offering exceptional perks and benefits

Another way to provide exceptional customer service is to offer unexpected perks and benefits to your customers. This could include things like free shipping, special discounts, or personalized gifts. By going above and beyond the typical expectations of customer service, you can make a lasting impression on your customers and create a loyal and satisfied customer base.

For instance, if a customer is making a large purchase, offering free shipping can be a valuable perk that sets your company apart from competitors. Similarly, offering personalized gifts or discounts for repeat customers can show that you value their business and are willing to reward their loyalty.

In addition to being appreciated by customers, offering exceptional perks and benefits can also be good for your business. By providing added value to customers, you can increase customer satisfaction and retention, leading to increased sales and revenue.

Overall, offering exceptional perks and benefits is a great way to provide exceptional customer service. It shows that you are willing to go above and beyond to provide value to your customers, and it can lead to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.

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V. Conclusion

In conclusion, providing exceptional customer service is essential for any successful business. By adopting unconventional approaches, such as providing multiple channels for customer interaction, prioritizing personalized and human interactions, and offering exceptional perks and benefits, companies can differentiate themselves and provide truly exceptional customer experiences.

By going against the norm and trying new, innovative ways of assisting and interacting with customers, companies can set themselves apart from their competitors and create a loyal and satisfied customer base. In today’s competitive marketplace, providing exceptional customer service is more important than ever, and taking an unconventional approach can be a valuable strategy for achieving success.

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Outsourcing customer support has been a popular business practice for many companies, but it also comes with its own set of pros and cons. One of the main advantages of outsourcing customer support is cost savings. By hiring a third-party company to handle customer inquiries and complaints, businesses can save money on hiring, training, and managing their own in-house customer support team. This can be especially beneficial for small businesses that may not have the resources to support a full-time customer support staff.

Another advantage of outsourcing customer support is access to a wider pool of talent. By working with a third-party provider, businesses can tap into a larger pool of customer support professionals who may have a broader range of skills and expertise than what could be found in-house. This can be particularly beneficial for businesses that need support in multiple languages or for specialized products.

However, outsourcing customer support also comes with some potential drawbacks. One of the main challenges is maintaining a consistent level of service. Because customer support representatives are not employees of the business, there can be a disconnect between the company’s values and goals and the outsourced support team. This can lead to inconsistency in the level of service provided to customers, which can be frustrating for both the business and its customers.

One potential objection to outsourcing customer support is the lack of control over the quality and timeliness of support provided. While it is true that outsourcing customer support can result in a loss of direct supervision, this can be addressed by carefully selecting a third-party provider that has a proven track record of providing high-quality support. In addition, the business can establish clear communication channels and performance metrics to ensure that the outsourced team is meeting the company’s standards.

Another potential objection is the potential for inconsistency in the level of service provided to customers. This can be addressed by thoroughly training the outsourced customer support team on the company’s values and goals, as well as providing ongoing support and feedback to ensure that they are providing consistent service. In addition, the business can establish processes and procedures for handling customer inquiries and complaints to ensure a consistent experience for customers.

A third potential objection is the potential cost savings of outsourcing customer support may not outweigh the benefits of keeping it in-house. While it is true that outsourcing customer support can result in cost savings, it is important to consider the potential benefits of having a dedicated in-house team. For example, an in-house team may have a deeper understanding of the company’s products and services, resulting in more efficient and effective support for customers. In addition, an in-house team can provide valuable insights and feedback that can be used to improve the business and its offerings.

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In summary:‍

Pros:

• Cost savings: By hiring a third-party company to handle customer inquiries and complaints, businesses can save money on hiring, training, and managing their own in-house customer support team.
• Access to a wider pool of talent: By working with a third-party provider, businesses can tap into a larger pool of customer support professionals who may have a broader range of skills and expertise.

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Cons:

• Lack of control: Because the customer support team is not under the direct supervision of the business, there can be a lack of control over the quality and timeliness of support provided.
• Potential for inconsistency in service: There can be a disconnect between the company’s values and goals and the outsourced support team, leading to inconsistency in the level of service provided to customers.

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Objections to Outsourcing Customer Support:

• Lack of control: This can be addressed by carefully selecting a third-party provider and establishing clear communication channels and performance metrics.
• Potential for inconsistency in service: This can be addressed by thoroughly training the outsourced team and providing ongoing support and feedback.
• Cost savings may not outweigh benefits of in-house team: It is important to consider the potential benefits of having a dedicated in-house team, such as a deeper understanding of the company’s products and services and the ability to provide valuable feedback.

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Benefits of Outsourcing Customer Support:

• Cost savings on hiring, training, and managing an in-house customer support team
• Access to a wider pool of talent with a broader range of skills and expertise
• Potential for improved efficiency and effectiveness of support provided
• Ability to focus on core business activities while leaving customer support to a specialized team
• Potential for improved customer satisfaction through access to knowledgeable and responsive support staff.

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In conclusion, while outsourcing customer support does come with some potential drawbacks, these can be addressed through careful selection of a third-party provider, thorough training and ongoing support, and consideration of the potential benefits of an in-house team. Ultimately, the decision to outsource customer support or keep it in-house should be based on the specific needs and goals of the business.

Outline:

I. Introduction

• Briefly explain what outsourcing customer support entails and why businesses might consider it
• Mention the common belief that outsourcing customer support leads to lower quality
• Introduce the thesis that outsourced customer support can actually lead to higher quality

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II. The benefits of outsourcing customer support

• Discuss the cost savings that come with outsourcing customer support
• Talk about how outsourcing allows businesses to access a wider pool of talent and expertise
• Mention how outsourcing allows businesses to focus on their core competencies

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III. The drawbacks of handling customer support in-house

• Discuss the limitations of in-house customer support teams in terms of size and expertise
• Talk about how in-house teams can become overburdened and unable to provide timely support
• Mention how in-house teams can become entrenched in the company’s way of doing things, leading to a lack of fresh perspectives

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IV. How outsourced customer support can lead to higher quality

• Discuss how outsourced customer support providers are able to provide 24/7 support, leading to better customer experiences
• Talk about how outsourced customer support providers are able to leverage advanced technology and tools to improve the quality of support
• Mention how outsourced customer support providers are able to bring fresh perspectives and new ideas to the table

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V. Conclusion

• Summarize the key points made in the article
• Restate the thesis that outsourced customer support can lead to higher quality
• Encourage readers to consider outsourcing their customer support to improve the quality of support they provide to their customers.

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I. Introduction‍

Outsourcing customer support is a common practice among businesses looking to reduce costs and improve the efficiency of their operations. In this arrangement, a company contracts with a third-party provider to handle tasks such as responding to customer inquiries and resolving issues. While outsourcing customer support can offer many benefits, there is a common belief that it leads to a lower quality of support. However, this is not necessarily the case. In fact, outsourced customer support can actually lead to higher quality.

The thesis of this article is that outsourced customer support can be superior to handling it in-house. In the following sections, we will explore the benefits of outsourcing customer support and the drawbacks of handling it in-house. We will also discuss how outsourced customer support can lead to higher quality.

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II. The benefits of outsourcing customer support‍

One of the main benefits of outsourcing customer support is the cost savings it can offer. Outsourcing allows businesses to access a wider pool of talent and expertise without the need to hire, train, and manage additional staff. This can help businesses to reduce their overhead costs and improve their bottom line.

Outsourcing customer support also allows businesses to focus on their core competencies. By offloading non-core tasks to a third-party provider, businesses can free up time and resources to focus on their core business activities. This can help businesses to improve their performance and become more competitive.

In addition to cost savings and improved focus, outsourcing customer support can also provide access to a wider pool of talent and expertise. Outsourced customer support providers often have teams of highly trained and experienced professionals who can provide a high level of support to customers. This can help businesses to provide better support to their customers, leading to improved customer satisfaction and loyalty.

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III. The drawbacks of handling customer support in-house‍

While there are many benefits to outsourcing customer support, handling it in-house has its own set of drawbacks. One of the main drawbacks is the limited size and expertise of in-house customer support teams. Most businesses do not have the resources or expertise to build and maintain a large and highly skilled customer support team. As a result, in-house teams may not be able to provide the level of support that customers need.

Another drawback of in-house customer support is that teams can become overburdened and unable to provide timely support to customers. In-house teams may have to juggle multiple tasks and responsibilities, leading to long wait times and frustrated customers. In contrast, outsourced customer support providers can provide dedicated teams of professionals who are focused solely on providing support to customers.

In addition to the limitations of size and expertise, in-house customer support teams can also become entrenched in the company’s way of doing things. This can lead to a lack of fresh perspectives and new ideas, which can hinder the quality of support provided to customers. In contrast, outsourced customer support providers can bring a fresh perspective and new ideas to the table, helping businesses to improve the quality of their support.

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IV. How outsourced customer support can lead to higher quality‍

One of the key ways in which outsourced customer support can lead to higher quality is through the ability to provide 24/7 support. Outsourced customer support providers often have teams of professionals working in different time zones, allowing them to provide support to customers around the clock. This can improve the customer experience and help to resolve issues more quickly.

Another way in which outsourced customer support can improve quality is through the use of advanced technology and tools. Outsourced customer support providers often have access to the latest technology and tools, which can help them to provide better support to customers. This can include things like advanced customer relationship management (CRM) systems and AI-powered chatbots that can assist with customer inquiries.

In addition to technology and tools, outsourced customer support providers can also bring fresh perspectives and new ideas to the table. Unlike in-house teams, which can become entrenched in the company’s way of doing things, outsourced customer support providers can provide a fresh perspective and new ideas for improving the quality of support. This can help businesses to stay ahead of the curve and provide better support to their customers.

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V. Conclusion‍

In conclusion, outsourcing customer support can offer many benefits, including cost savings and access to a wider pool of talent and expertise. However, there is a common belief that outsourcing leads to lower quality. In reality, outsourced customer support can actually lead to higher quality. This is because outsourced customer support providers can provide 24/7 support, leverage advanced technology and tools, and bring fresh perspectives and new ideas to the table.

In summary, the thesis of this article is that outsourced customer support can be superior to handling it in-house. We have explored the benefits of outsourcing customer support, the drawbacks of handling it in-house, and how outsourced customer support can lead to higher quality. We encourage readers to consider outsourcing their customer support to improve the quality of support they provide to their customers.

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P.S. The screenplay script!‍

Narrator: “Welcome to the story of ABC Corporation, a business that has been struggling to provide high-quality customer support. Like many businesses, ABC Corporation has long believed that handling customer support in-house is the best way to ensure quality. But as we will see, outsourcing customer support can actually lead to higher quality.”

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Scene 1: ABC Corporation’s in-house customer support team is overwhelmed with inquiries.

Manager: “We’re getting buried under all these customer inquiries. We can’t keep up with the demand!”

Employee 1: “It’s not just the volume, it’s the complexity of the issues. We don’t have the expertise to handle all of these problems.”

Employee 2: “And our customers are getting frustrated. They’re waiting on hold for hours and then getting unsatisfactory answers from us.”

Manager: “We need to do something. This is unacceptable.”

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Narrator: “Despite their best efforts, ABC Corporation’s in-house customer support team is struggling to provide high-quality support to their customers.”

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Scene 2: ABC Corporation decides to outsource their customer support to a third-party provider.‍

Manager: “I have an idea. Let’s outsource our customer support to a third-party provider. They can handle the volume and complexity of the issues, and we can focus on our core business activities.”

Employee 1: “But won’t that result in lower quality? I’ve heard that outsourced customer support is never as good as in-house.”

Manager: “That’s a common misconception. In fact, outsourced customer support can actually lead to higher quality. They have access to a wider pool of talent and expertise, and they can provide 24/7 support. Plus, they can bring fresh perspectives and new ideas to the table.”

Employee 2: “That makes sense. Let’s give it a try.”

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Narrator: “ABC Corporation decides to outsource their customer support to a third-party provider. And as they soon discover, the quality of their customer support improves dramatically.”

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Scene 3: ABC Corporation’s customers are now getting better support.

Customer 1: “I called ABC Corporation with a problem and they were able to resolve it quickly and efficiently. I’m impressed!”

Customer 2: “Me too. I used to dread calling ABC Corporation for support, but now it’s a pleasant experience. They always have someone available to help me.”

Narrator: “Thanks to outsourcing their customer support, ABC Corporation is now providing higher quality support to their customers. They have saved costs, improved their bottom line, and gained a competitive advantage. The moral of the story? Don’t believe the myth that outsourcing customer support leads to lower quality. In reality, it can actually lead to higher quality.”

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Live chat and phone support are both popular methods for providing customer service, but each has its own unique advantages and disadvantages. In this article, we will compare the pros and cons of using live chat versus phone support to help you determine which option is best for your business.

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One of the biggest advantages of live chat is that it allows customers to get help in real-time. This means that they can get answers to their questions or solutions to their problems quickly, without having to wait on hold or be transferred to different agents. This can be especially beneficial for businesses that receive a large volume of customer inquiries, as live chat allows them to handle multiple conversations simultaneously.

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Another advantage of live chat is that it allows customers to communicate in writing, which can be helpful for those who prefer to communicate that way. This can be especially useful for customers who may be shy or hesitant to speak on the phone, or for those who have difficulty hearing or speaking. Additionally, live chat allows customers to easily refer back to past conversations, which can be useful for keeping track of previous interactions and ensuring that all of their questions are answered.

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One of the biggest disadvantages of live chat, however, is that it is not always available. Some businesses only offer live chat during certain hours, which means that customers may not be able to get help when they need it. Additionally, live chat may not be suitable for more complex or urgent issues, as it can be difficult to provide detailed explanations or solutions in writing. In these cases, phone support may be a better option.

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Phone support, on the other hand, allows customers to speak directly with an agent, which can be helpful for addressing complex or urgent issues. This can also be useful for customers who prefer to communicate orally, as they can explain their issues in detail and get immediate feedback. Additionally, phone support allows customers to get help outside of regular business hours, which can be especially important for businesses that receive a high volume of calls.

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However, phone support also has its disadvantages. One of the biggest drawbacks is that it can be time-consuming, as customers often have to wait on hold or be transferred to different agents. This can be frustrating for customers and can lead to increased call volume, which can be difficult for businesses to handle. Additionally, phone support may not be suitable for customers who have difficulty hearing or speaking, as it can be difficult to provide assistance in these cases.

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In summary:

• Live chat allows customers to get help in real-time and allows businesses to handle multiple conversations simultaneously
• Live chat allows customers to communicate in writing and refer back to past conversations
• Live chat may not be available at all times and may not be suitable for complex or urgent issues
• Phone support allows customers to speak directly with an agent and get help outside of regular business hours
• Phone support can be time-consuming and may not be suitable for customers with hearing or speech difficulties
• The best option for a business will depend on its specific needs and the needs of its customers.

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Top five Benefits of Live Chat:

1. Allows customers to get help in real-time
2. Allows businesses to handle multiple conversations simultaneously
3. Allows customers to communicate in writing
4. Allows customers to refer back to past conversations
5. Can be useful for customers who prefer written communication or are shy or hesitant to speak on the phone

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Top Five Benefits of Phone Support:

1. Allows customers to speak directly with an agent
2. Can be useful for addressing complex or urgent issues
3. Allows customers to get help outside of regular business hours
4. Can be useful for customers who prefer to communicate orally
5. Can provide immediate feedback to customers

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In conclusion, live chat and phone support are both effective methods for providing customer service, but each has its own unique advantages and disadvantages. Live chat is a good option for businesses that receive a high volume of customer inquiries and want to provide real-time assistance, but it may not be suitable for more complex or urgent issues. Phone support, on the other hand, allows customers to speak directly with an agent and get help outside of regular business hours, but it can be time-consuming and may not be suitable for customers with hearing or speech difficulties. 

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Ultimately, the best option for your business will depend on your specific needs and the needs of your customers.

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P.S. Would this article be better summarized in poem form?

Live chat or phone support,

Which one will make your customers snort?

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Live chat allows quick responses,

And multiple chats at once,

But may not be suitable,

For complex issues or urgent dunces.

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Phone support allows direct talk,

And help outside of business hours,

But can be time-consuming,

And not always great for those with hearing powers.

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In the end, it depends on you,

And the needs of your customers too,

To determine which is best,

Live chat or phone support, for you and your crew.

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P.S.S. What if we turned the article into a play script?

(Scene: Jane’s office. She is sitting at her desk, looking frustrated and holding the phone)

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Jane: (into phone) I’m sorry, but I don’t think I understand what you’re trying to tell me. Can you please explain it again?

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(A notification sound goes off on Jane’s computer)

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Jane: (into phone) Hang on a second, I just got a notification.

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(Jane clicks on the notification and sees that it’s a customer using the live chat feature on her website)

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Jane: (typing) Hi there, how can I help you today?

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(Jane answers the customer’s question and closes the live chat window)

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Jane: (into phone) Sorry about that, where were we?

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(Jane continues to struggle to understand the customer on the phone)

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Jane: (into phone) I’m sorry, but I think we’re just not getting anywhere with this. Let me transfer you to one of my team members who can help you.

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(Jane transfers the call and hangs up the phone)

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Jane: (to herself) This is ridiculous. I need to figure out a better way to handle these complex issues.

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(Jane thinks for a moment, then gets an idea)

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Jane: (to herself) Live chat! That’s it. I can make it available during more hours of the day, and my team can handle multiple chats at once. And for those complex issues, I’ll invest in better phone support. That way, I can provide top-notch customer service to all of my customers, no matter their needs or preferences.

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(Jane smiles, feeling excited and confident)

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Jane: (to herself) Yes, this is exactly what I need to do. Time to make it happen!

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(End scene)

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‍Summary:

1. Identify the specific skills and knowledge that your customer support team needs to possess. This may include technical knowledge, product knowledge, and problem-solving abilities.
2. Develop a comprehensive training program that covers all relevant topics and provides hands-on practice opportunities.
3. Ensure that the training program is tailored to the specific needs and goals of your company, and is regularly updated to reflect any changes in products, processes, or policies.
4. Provide ongoing support and opportunities for learning and development to help your team members continue to improve their skills and knowledge.
5. Hire team members who possess the right attitude and aptitude for customer support, and provide them with the necessary tools and resources to succeed.
6. Establish clear goals and expectations for your team, and provide regular feedback and guidance to help them improve their performance.
7. Encourage open communication and collaboration among team members, and provide opportunities for them to share their knowledge and experiences with each other.
8. Invest in the latest technology and tools to enable your team to provide efficient and effective support to customers.
9. Regularly monitor and evaluate the performance of your team, and make adjustments as needed to ensure that they are providing the highest level of service to customers.
10. Recognize and reward the achievements of your team, and celebrate their successes to foster a positive and motivated work environment.

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Let’s expand:‍

1. Identify the specific skills and knowledge that your customer support team needs to possess. This may include technical knowledge, product knowledge, and problem-solving abilities.
   
   Technical knowledge: In order to provide effective support, your team members should have a thorough understanding of the technology and systems used by your company. This may include knowledge of specific software or hardware, as well as an understanding of common technical issues and how to troubleshoot them.
   
   Product knowledge: It is important for your team members to have a thorough understanding of the products or services offered by your company, including features, benefits, and any potential issues or limitations. This will enable them to provide accurate and helpful information to customers.
   
   Problem-solving abilities: Customer support often involves dealing with complex or difficult situations, and your team members should have the skills and knowledge necessary to resolve issues and find solutions to problems. This may include the ability to think critically and logically, as well as the ability to communicate effectively with customers.

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2. Develop a comprehensive training program that covers all relevant topics and provides hands-on practice opportunities.
   
   Comprehensive: Your training program should cover all of the skills and knowledge that your team members need to possess in order to provide effective support to customers. This may include technical training, product training, and problem-solving training, as well as training on company policies and procedures.
   
   Hands-on practice: In order to develop the skills and knowledge necessary for customer support, your team members should have the opportunity to practice and apply what they have learned. This may include role-playing scenarios, mock customer interactions, and other hands-on activities that allow them to apply their knowledge in a realistic setting.
   
   Regular updates: As your company and products evolve, your training program should be regularly updated to reflect any changes or additions. This will ensure that your team members have the most current and relevant information, and are able to provide accurate and up-to-date support to customers.

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3. Ensure that the training program is tailored to the specific needs and goals of your company, and is regularly updated to reflect any changes in products, processes, or policies.
   
   Tailored to your company: The training program should be designed to meet the specific needs and goals of your company, rather than being a generic program that is used by multiple organizations. This will ensure that your team members have the knowledge and skills that are most relevant to your business, and are able to provide effective support to your customers.
   
   Regular updates: As your company grows and evolves, your training program should be regularly updated to reflect any changes in products, processes, or policies. This will ensure that your team members are always up-to-date on the latest information, and are able to provide accurate and helpful support to customers.
   
   Flexible: In order to meet the changing needs of your business, the training program should be flexible and adaptable. This may involve providing different training paths for different team members, or offering additional training opportunities to those who need them. By being flexible and adaptable, you can ensure that your training program is always relevant and effective.

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4. Provide ongoing support and opportunities for learning and development to help your team members continue to improve their skills and knowledge.
   
   Ongoing support: Customer support is a dynamic and constantly evolving field, and your team members will need ongoing support and guidance in order to continue to improve their skills and knowledge. This may involve providing regular training sessions, workshops, or webinars to help your team members stay up-to-date on the latest developments in the field.
   
   Learning and development opportunities: In addition to regular training sessions, your team members should have opportunities to learn and develop new skills and knowledge. This may involve providing access to online learning resources, attending conferences and events, or participating in mentorship programs. By providing your team members with ongoing learning and development opportunities, you can help them to continue to grow and improve as customer support professionals.
   
   Recognition and rewards: Recognizing and rewarding the achievements of your team members can help to motivate and engage them, and can foster a positive and productive work environment. This may involve providing recognition for outstanding performance, offering rewards for meeting goals or targets, or providing opportunities for career advancement. By recognizing and rewarding your team members, you can help to retain top talent and ensure that your customer support team is always at its best.

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5. Hire team members who possess the right attitude and aptitude for customer support, and provide them with the necessary tools and resources to succeed.
   
   Attitude: Customer support can be challenging at times, and team members who are patient, empathetic, and able to maintain a positive attitude even in difficult situations are essential for success. When hiring for your customer support team, look for individuals who demonstrate a customer-focused attitude and a willingness to go above and beyond to help customers.
   
   Aptitude: In addition to the right attitude, customer support team members should also have the aptitude for the job. This may involve having technical skills and knowledge, as well as strong problem-solving abilities and excellent communication skills. By hiring individuals with the right aptitude for customer support, you can ensure that your team is equipped to handle a wide range of customer inquiries and issues.
   
   Tools and resources: In order to provide effective support, your team members should have access to the right tools and resources. This may include customer support software, access to product information and documentation, and training materials. By providing your team with the necessary tools and resources, you can enable them to provide efficient and effective support to customers.

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6. Establish clear goals and expectations for your team, and provide regular feedback and guidance to help them improve their performance.
   
   Goals: In order to ensure that your customer support team is providing the highest level of service to customers, it is important to establish clear goals and expectations for their performance. This may involve setting targets for response times, resolution rates, or customer satisfaction levels, and providing your team with the tools and resources they need to meet these goals.
   
   Feedback: Regular feedback is essential for helping your team members improve their performance and meet their goals. This may involve providing both positive feedback for a job well done, as well as constructive feedback for areas where improvement is needed. By providing regular feedback, you can help your team members to understand what they are doing well and where they can improve, and can help to motivate and engage them in their work.
   
   Guidance: In addition to providing feedback, it is also important to provide guidance and support to your team members as needed. This may involve providing training and development opportunities, offering mentorship and coaching, or providing access to resources and tools that can help them to improve their performance. By providing guidance and support, you can help your team members to grow and develop in their roles, and can enable them to provide the best possible service to customers.

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7. Encourage open communication and collaboration among team members, and provide opportunities for them to share their knowledge and experiences with each other.
   
   Open communication: In order to provide effective support to customers, your team members need to be able to communicate and collaborate with each other. Encouraging open communication among team members can help to foster a positive and productive work environment, and can enable your team to share knowledge and experiences with each other. This may involve providing channels for team members to communicate with each other, such as team meetings, forums, or online chat groups.
   
   Collaboration: Collaboration is essential for customer support teams, as it allows team members to share knowledge and expertise, and to work together to solve complex or difficult problems. Encouraging collaboration among team members can help to improve their performance and provide better support to customers. This may involve providing opportunities for team members to work on projects together, or to pair up with more experienced team members to learn from them.
   
   Sharing knowledge: Customer support is a dynamic and constantly evolving field, and team members who are able to share their knowledge and experiences with each other can help to improve the overall performance of the team. Encourage team members to share their knowledge and experiences with each other, and provide opportunities for them to do so, such as through training sessions or workshops. By sharing knowledge and experiences, your team members can learn from each other and continue to grow and develop as customer support professionals.

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8. Invest in the latest technology and tools to enable your team to provide efficient and effective support to customers.
   
   Technology: In order to provide efficient and effective support to customers, your team members need to have access to the latest technology and tools. This may include customer support software, knowledge management systems, or other tools that can help them to provide fast and accurate support to customers. Investing in the right technology and tools can help to improve the performance of your customer support team, and can enable them to provide better service to customers.
   
   Continuous improvement: The technology and tools used by customer support teams are constantly evolving, and it is important to invest in continuous improvement to ensure that your team has access to the latest and most effective tools. This may involve regularly reviewing and updating your technology and tools, as well as providing training and support to help your team members learn how to use them effectively. By investing in continuous improvement, you can ensure that your team is always equipped to provide the best possible support to customers.
   
   Integration: In order to provide efficient and effective support, the technology and tools used by your team should be integrated and work seamlessly together. This can help to improve the performance of your team, and can enable them to provide faster and more accurate support to customers. Invest in technology and tools that are designed to work together, and provide training and support to help your team members learn how to use them effectively. By integrating your technology and tools, you can improve the performance of your customer support team.

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9. Regularly monitor and evaluate the performance of your team, and make adjustments as needed to ensure that they are providing the highest level of service to customers.
   
   Monitoring: In order to ensure that your customer support team is providing the highest level of service to customers, it is important to regularly monitor and evaluate their performance. This may involve tracking key metrics, such as response times, resolution rates, and customer satisfaction levels, and using this data to identify areas where improvement is needed. By regularly monitoring the performance of your team, you can identify any issues and take steps to address them.
   
   Evaluation: In addition to monitoring, it is also important to regularly evaluate the performance of your customer support team. This may involve conducting regular performance evaluations, where team members are assessed on their skills, knowledge, and abilities. By conducting regular evaluations, you can identify areas where team members need additional support or training, and can provide them with the resources and guidance they need to improve their performance.
   
   Adjustments: Based on the data and evaluations gathered, you may need to make adjustments to your customer support team in order to improve their performance and provide better service to customers. This may involve providing additional training and development opportunities, implementing new processes or policies, or making changes to the technology and tools used by the team. By making regular adjustments, you can ensure that your team is always providing the highest level of service to customers.

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10. Recognize and reward the achievements of your team, and celebrate their successes to foster a positive and motivated work environment.
    
    Recognition: In order to motivate and engage your customer support team, it is important to recognize and reward their achievements. This may involve providing regular recognition for outstanding performance, or offering rewards for meeting goals or targets. By recognizing the achievements of your team, you can help to motivate and engage them, and can foster a positive and productive work environment.
    
    Rewards: In addition to recognition, offering rewards for meeting goals or targets can help to motivate and engage your team. This may involve providing financial incentives, such as bonuses or pay increases, or offering non-financial rewards, such as additional time off or opportunities for career advancement. By offering rewards, you can help to motivate your team members and encourage them to continue to improve their performance.
    
    Celebration: Celebrating the successes of your customer support team can help to foster a positive and motivated work environment. This may involve holding regular team events, such as team-building activities or social outings, or recognizing and celebrating the achievements of individual team members. By celebrating the successes of your team, you can help to create a positive and engaged work environment, and can encourage your team members to continue to provide the best possible service to customers.

Training and developing a customer support team is essential for providing the highest level of service to customers. By identifying the specific skills and knowledge that your team needs to possess, developing a comprehensive training program, and providing ongoing support and opportunities for learning and development, you can help your team members to grow and develop as customer support professionals. 

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Additionally, by hiring team members with the right attitude and aptitude, establishing clear goals and expectations, encouraging collaboration and communication, investing in the latest technology and tools, regularly monitoring and evaluating performance, and recognizing and rewarding achievements, you can create a positive and motivated work environment that enables your team to provide efficient and effective support to customers.

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Customer service is something that you need to constantly analyze and enhance if you are to retain your business edge. 

With so much competition, customer loyalty and satisfaction are the gold standards that set you apart. 

Use those two aspects of customer service as the benchmark against which you measure your customer service success. 

To help you reach that lofty goal, we provide you with 25 customer service hacks. Follow these and watch the happiness of your customers go off the radar!

1. Give your customers the same treatment you would expect for yourself

Let’s say your customer service stacks up. But how do you know? Have you been on the receiving end of your business’s customer support? 

It can be easy to see what your competitors are doing wrong, yet it needs to be clearer when it comes to your organization. Take the blinders off and look honestly at the quality of customer service you provide.

Become an undercover boss and pose as a customer. Then you get a real look at whether your customer support is measuring up. 

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2. Be personable 

Imagine being in a conversation with someone with the personality of a wet piece of paper. There is no emotion in their voice, and their face is expressionless. Would you enjoy a social interaction like that? 

Your customers wouldn’t either. Give them friendly service, like they are talking to their best friend. 

A step in that direction builds trust in you. 

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3. Empathize with the customer 

Empathy is something that some naturally have, and others can learn to develop. It enables one to respond with compassion, warmth, and understanding toward another person experiencing an issue.

In customer service, empathy provides your front-line staff with the ability to appreciate how your clients are feeling. Empathy strengthens communication and interpersonal exchanges. 

Your customer is content because they interact with someone who “gets them.”

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4. Personalize customer interaction

How do you feel when someone uses your name? Not a friend, but a shop assistant or customer service representative? It takes the situation to a new level of informality and affinity. 

Our names are tied in with our egos. It’s our identity, and the situation becomes more personal when someone addresses us by our name. It’s as though we have become important, not just another individual amongst countless others.

Does your customer care team take this personal approach when talking with your customers? 

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5. Be open and honest

Don’t make exaggerations about your product or service. Also, if you or your team are ignorant about something a customer asked, say you don’t know. That means you will find the answer. 

Having an open and honest relationship with your customers builds trust and respect.

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6. Continue to care for the customer after the sale

Don’t think that customer care ends once they have bought your product or signed up for your service. Post-sale care is equally important. 

If you don’t offer support after the sale is completed, customers will feel like they have just been used. That will harm the reputation of your business. 

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7. Provide a timely response 

We live in a world that is becoming increasingly instant. The great thing about that is we can communicate much more quickly. Unfortunately, people in a society and culture used to immediate solutions have become more impatient.

The internet allows for prompt solutions and information to be found in microseconds. 

When customers have an issue with your product or service, they want a resolution as soon as possible. The quicker, the better. 

Set up auto-replies in your email. Provide chatbots powered by AI. These provide instant responses and show the customer that you care and are working on fixing their problem.

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8. Admit when you have got it wrong

We all make mistakes. We need to correct things. When that happens, admit that you made a blunder. Covering things up only causes things to worsen, and people will eye your business with suspicion. 

Stick your hand up, say you made a mistake, and then move on. Your customers will reward you with their forgiveness and increases loyalty. 

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9. Ask more suitable questions 

You may think you know your customers, but you assume a lot from the data you have gathered. 

Ask more probing questions about what customers need from the product. Of course, the type of questions you ask is determined by what it is you’re selling. 

Find out how your customers are using the product and for whom? 

Gather your customer support team together and have a brainstorming session around what you could ask to get more in-depth knowledge from your end users.

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10. Your customers know the issues better than you 

You offer your product and service to meet a need in the market. You are confident that what you provide is top-notch. 

But have you factored in the case that people are individuals? They may have a unique issue that you should have realized. 

Don’t blame yourself. Chances are that you overlooked an aspect of your product/service. Or it could be a customer who discovered a flaw you didn’t realize existed. 

When customers have issues, don’t offer a blanket solution. They understand the situation better than you.

Here is where empathy and understanding come into the picture again. 

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11. Listen to the customer 

Another aspect of customer support comes under the compassion banner. 

Listening is a skill that involves more than hearing words. You need to understand the emotion behind what is being said and what has created that feeling. 

Also, be proactive in your listening by anticipating what will be said next. Teach your staff how to listen properly.

Customers that know they are heard are customers that stay with you. 

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12. Overdeliver 

We all love surprises. Good ones, of course! 

When we receive something we didn’t expect, we feel so good and appreciate the giver. 

Use this basic psychological tip to enhance your customer support. 

How you over-deliver is up to you. 

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Here are some ideas to get you thinking:

– Have an unexpected free gift inside your product’s box. If you provide a service, have an extra add-on (such as a free trial of another service you offer).

– Invite your customer to join an exclusive VIP event for free. 

– Tell your customers about a product feature they need to be aware of. 

Let your imagination run wild. 

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13. Care about the customer experience

How good is the customer experience you are delivering? Can it be improved? 

Customer experience is always an aspect of your business that needs to be tweaked constantly. 

It comes down to listening to your clients and asking them what they love and loathe regarding your customer experience. 

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14. Make the experience enjoyable and straightforward 

Customers seeking help or additional information want to access the relevant data easily.

Hard-to-navigate websites or chatbots that need to provide the correct information lead to frustration. Frustration means customers (potential and current) considering why they bothered with you in the first place. 

Customer support staff that sound more like they would rather be at home than answering a customer query isn’t something you want.

Make the experience fun and simple. Once more, asking your current clients what they think about the customer experience you deliver will help you. 

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15. Provide quick solutions

A product that has stopped working or a disrupted service is an inconvenience. 

When you get the initial call or message from your customers, work on resolving the issue as fast as possible. 

You can fix some problems faster than others. 

Keep the affected clients in the loop with the progress of the resolution.

Have a database of issues and solutions that your customer support staff update with any new problems.

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16. Be approachable

Have you ever been around someone you need to talk to, but they have an air of arrogance and importance about them? A sense that you can’t approach them? 

Don’t be like that person with your customers! Let them know they can come to you no matter their problem. 

That builds loyalty towards you and your business—a lifelong, mutually beneficial relationship. 

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17. Respect your customers 

Without your customers, you can guess what will happen. Refrain from thinking of your customers as nameless cash cows. They are people and are the lifeblood of your business. 

Show them respect. That means appreciating their time communicating with you from the first point of the sales funnel and post-sales contact. 

Treat them as an individual who has unique need. Sure, your support staff may have dealt with the same issue several times throughout the day, but for the customer on the phone, it’s the first time they have contacted you about the problem. 

Make the customer feel like they are your most important person (aside from your spouse or partner!). Why treat them like that? They are the most important person to you and your business. 

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18. Provide traditional methods of contact

We live in an age where AI chatbots, social media, and online forums can offer ways for customers to communicate with you. 

But that can come across as somewhat impersonal. Hearing a voice at the other end of a phone has something special about it.

We are social creatures, and having a person we can talk to meets an interpersonal need that chatbots and similar support options can’t.

Write a letter to your customer. That’s getting more personal as it takes time and energy for you to sit down and write.

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19. Turn customer errors into customer support occasions 

Customers are right most of the time. When they make a mistake, please don’t use it to highlight the error. 

Use it to offer exceptional customer service. 

For example, a customer comes to see you but accidentally leaves behind their coat. You look up the customer’s details, and instead of them returning to you, a staff member pops around to their house to return the coat. That’s going the extra mile for your customer. Oh, and along with the coat, you have included a handful of discount vouchers! 

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20. Offer omnichannel support 

We discussed how some people like traditional ways of communicating with your business. That means you can offer a range of other channels through which your customers can connect with you. 

Here is a sampling of channels in which you can provide customer service:

– Email support 

– Chatbots

– Instant Messaging 

– Social media 

– Forums

– Video chat

Find out which channels your customers are currently using in their daily life. Are you using the same channels? The benefit of doing so is that your client base is familiar with those channels.

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21. Reply to social media messages and queries

Pay attention to comments on your social media accounts. The customers took time to reach out to you; pay them the courtesy of replying. 

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22. Empower the customer 

Do you have FAQs on your site? How about video tutorials on how to use your product or service? 

Empowerment gives your client base a subtle sense of ownership in your product/service. When they can resolve issues themselves, they feel accomplished and satisfied. 

That is excellent customer service there!

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23. Proactively ask for feedback

Don’t wait for customers to leave reviews or comments. Ask them for feedback. 

Whether through chat, over the phone, or via another channel, ask your customers to give you feedback about your customer service. Be ready to hear the stinging criticism. That is good for you as it allows you to improve.

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24. Offer a dependable guarantee 

Customers may trust your product, but a guarantee offers peace of mind. Make your guarantee easy to understand and simple to take advantage of if needed. 

On the guarantee card, list all the ways the customer can contact you. Make the process seamless and an experience with the client’s interest, not yours, as the main focus.

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25. Provide discounts and loyalty rewards

Everyone loves to save money, so discounts are a great way to reward your customers and entice new ones to come on board. The types of discounts you offer can range from general ones (that encourage people to enter the sales funnel) to specific offers (% off discounts for referrals, etc.).

Don’t make your discounts generic and boring. Some companies offer the same discount time and time again (Evernote is one example that constantly offers 40% discounts). 

You want to make your discounts unique. Have an urgency behind them, a true urgency, and something other than what customers will be offered again for a long time. 

Also, give your customers reward points or exclusive offers for their loyalty. 

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Conclusion

Customer service is a part of your business (a major part) that you can’t get wrong. It’s something that isn’t static. You need to constantly analyze those areas of customer experience you are doing well and those aspects that need to be fixed (sooner rather than later),

The hacks we have provided can ensure your customer support is at the top of its game!

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Imagine going to a hamburger fast food restaurant with only one option. Why only one? The restaurant thinks everyone is the same (i.e., customer homogeneity). It makes life easy for the staff and the customer. 

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For the customer, there is no confusion because there is just one choice: a hamburger and cola. As for the restaurant itself, there is only a need to buy a handful of ingredients, and the cooking is simple: just one style of burger and the drink.

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The interaction is limited: the staff takes your order, gives you the meal, and you leave. The whole process becomes automated and robotic. That’s because you don’t get to talk with one another. 

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The concept sounds good: it’s straightforward and uncomplicated. 

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Yet, one glaring issue with the above scenario is that people aren’t all the same.

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Needs and wants – the differentiating factor

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Everyone is the same at a basic level when it comes to needs. Using the example in the introduction, customers go to the hamburger restaurant because they are hungry. A shared need fits in with the concept of customer homogeneity: all the customers want a meal.

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However, the wants are where homogeneity breaks down. One customer may want extra cheese in their burger; another wants coffee instead of cola; another wants extra pickles and a different sauce. 

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Now there is a problem with the restaurant as it never considered catering to the personal desires of its customers. It told everyone that people just wanted a simple burger of a pattie, a slice of cheese, tomatoes, pickles, and some mustard. 

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Interacting with customers

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Businesses that think they know better than their customers don’t stay around long. It limits the interaction with the customer. Telling customers what they need and want rather than asking them is bad business. How long do you think our hamburger restaurant will remain open?

Breaking down the walls of customer homogeneity

In reality, many businesses are like hamburger restaurants. They only offer a single product—for example, Norton’s with its antivirus software or a photographer that focuses solely on wedding photography.

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Your product or service meets the need of your market. It was designed for that, yet it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. 

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To ensure that you provide your client with what they want requires communicating with them: 

• Ask them what they love about you. 
• Find out what frustrates them regarding your product or service. 
• Are you truly listening to what they want? 
• How willing are you to customize your product or service?
• Do your customers suggest innovative changes that you never considered?

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With the initial contact, does the support staff treat the customer as a clone of the previous customer? Is the phone script all the same no matter where along the sales funnel your customer is? How do you identify the unique wants of the customer?

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Segmenting your clients

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When you identify the wants of your clients, you can start to divide them up into segments. Using the hamburger restaurant example, again, you have customers that want a cheeseburger and juice; others want a vegan burger and water; another group wants extra pickles and a large order of fries. 

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You only get this information by asking your customers what they want. Then you can split them into groups. 

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Segmenting your client base into groups does lead somewhat to customer homogeneity. That’s because you have divided your clients into common collections of wants and needs. 

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Homogeneity, which leads to higher customer satisfaction

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Now that you have split your customers into groups, you can react quickly to a particular customer. That’s because you now have knowledge that allows you to meet their unique desire.

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You can segregate the information so that support is based on a group’s homogeneity. For example, someone familiar with your product may want technical assistance, whereas a new customer wants to know about additional features. 

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This kind of information is obtained through your customer interaction. That begins with the initial contact with the customer, continues throughout the sales journey, and extends to post-sales support. Don’t be scared to get input from your customers.

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Delivering the right support

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Customer satisfaction comes as a direct result of the support you provide. Offer the wrong support, and your customers will let you know. Customer homogeneity allows you to offer the proper support to the right customer.

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This support comes via:

• Staff training
• A well-designed sales manual
• CRM
• FAQs
• Relevant information across all your support channels

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Staff training

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When interacting with your customers, your staff needs to be empathic and compassionate. With these abilities, the team is better equipped to identify what support the customer needs and offer the appropriate advice.  

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Through proper training, your support team can quickly determine which homogeneous group the customer belongs to.

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In regards to customer satisfaction, your client has their query resolved promptly. 

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Sales manual

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Each section of your sales manual can be dedicated to delivering the necessary support for specific points in the sales funnel. It’s the reference guide that allows your team to provide outstanding service.

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Your sales manual shouldn’t be a static document. Constantly update it so that your support remains relevant.

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CRM

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Your Customer Relationship Management needs to have the ability to segment your customers. Also, it has to be able to be updated in real-time. That will allow users to get a snapshot of the customer’s sales journey (and whether to move them into a different group).

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Additionally, your CRM has to allow for detailed note-taking by your support staff. That gives others a comprehensive understanding of any unresolved problems needing follow-up. 

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FAQS Section 

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FAQs on your site can that allow be subdivided into areas of support:

• More details about your product for customers considering your product/service.
• Simple how-to guides designed for clients who have just come on board.
• Detailed user guides cater to individuals who love to get under the hood.
• Information about add-ons/additional features that enhance your clients’ experience.

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Just like your sales manual, your FAQs should be one digital asset that is regularly revised and updated. 

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Omnichannel support

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Gone are the days when a customer only had one way to contact a business – the telephone. Although this is still a valid means of customer service (there is a personal touch with phone calls), omnichannel support allows customers to get help 24/7. 

However, customers are fussy and don’t want generic answers. They have problems that they consider unique and want specific support. 

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As mentioned, FAQs are one way of providing detailed self-help that allows customers to find the solutions themself. 

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Other channels can be:

• Social media 
• Chatbots
• Online forums 
• E-mail support
• Peer support groups

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Whatever channel(s) you use, ensure that your clients receive relevant information based on their current needs. 

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Understanding customer homogeneity leads to satisfaction

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At a fundamental level, we all have similar needs. That can make it easier for companies to market their product to us or deliver services. However, what we want from the product and service is where homogeneity starts to disintegrate. 

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One customer wants X while another customer wants Y. If a product/service merely meets a general need without catering to individual wants, customers will be unhappy.

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Using wants to categorize your customers allows you to cater to specific desires. You can group customers into those who want X, those who what Y, and those who ask for Z.

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Through this, customers are placed into specific homogeneous groups with unique demands according to the group. 

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Now, you can tweak the support instead of offering generic support to all your customers. What you offer to those in group X differs from those in groups Y and Z. Your customers are receiving the assistance they need. They are happy and satisfied!

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All because you have understood that people aren’t all the same. 

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Fairy tales are such exciting and complex stories. They fill us with wonder and awe as we read about heroines being saved by princes. 

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These tales also have a dark side in which jealousy arises, typically from a wicked stepmother or witch who is envious of the beauty of the main female character (yes, Cinderella and Snow White, we’re talking about you).

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Such stories have a moral tale behind them. Usually, lust, greed, and hatred never win in the end. Fairy tales can also provide us with lessons that guide and steer customer service.

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Let’s run you through five such lessons.

1. Stay on the path

Little Red Riding Hood seems like such a sweet girl. She was so excited to go and visit Grandma. Little Red’s mother told her to stay on the path through the forest. 

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There’s always danger lurking amongst the thicket of trees. 

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Yet, Little Red had a rebellious streak. She would listen to mum but finding another way to her destination is tempting. That led her to detour off the path. 

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In her alternative route, she meets a wolf. We all know how things turn out after that encounter.

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With your customer service, you have set policies and procedures. These have been created to deliver the best support possible. They are the forest path that guides you to your destination: happy, satisfied customers.

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A deviation off the path can lead you to be devoured, metaphorically speaking. A customer rep who decides to do things their way could inadvertently deliver poor customer support. 

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When customers feel they aren’t getting the support they need, it can have them looking at jumping ship. You are getting devoured by the wolf of substandard customer support.

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2. Keep track of the journey

Hansel and Gretel were taken out to the forest by their stepmother and left there. However, Hansel was an enterprising young lad. 

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He left a trail of breadcrumbs to avoid getting lost as he and his sister traveled through the forest. It was his way of keeping track of their journey.

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Unfortunately, some hungry birds spied on the crumbs and ate them. The result was Hansel, and Gretel got completely lost in the forest. 

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How does all this relate to customer support? Think of your CMS.

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You want to keep track of your customer’s journey through the support channels. Where did they enter into the system, and where are they now? Each piece of data entered into the system by your customer support team is a breadcrumb. 

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The birds that devour the breadcrumbs could be data that isn’t inputted into the CMS, a bug in the software that accidentally deletes some information, or information entered into the wrong area of the CMS.

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When the breadcrumbs are gone, it’s easy for you to lose track of exactly where in the support journey your customer is. That can have your customer frustrated as they need to start from the beginning again. 

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It makes you look incompetent and can damage your reputation.

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Prevent the birds from eating your breadcrumbs by ensuring that your support team pays careful attention to what they are doing. They shouldn’t rush through the support. The details need to be recorded accurately in the correct area of your CMS. 

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Back up the data from your CMS. That protects the information from being completely lost. 

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Taking care of the breadcrumbs will allow you to track your customer’s journey through your support system easily. You can easily spot any areas where you fall short in your customer service and take corrective action. 

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3. Don’t make wild claims‍

In Rumplestiltskin, a father boasts about his daughter’s ability to spin gold out of straw. The person, the father, was bragging to was none other than the king. 

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Impressed by the claim, the king takes the daughter and places her in a chamber full of straw. He tells her to turn all the straw into gold. The problem is that the girl never had the ability and has her father to thank for her predicament. 

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Coming to her rescue is a mysterious dwarf who hears what has happened. He says he can help her if she gives him a gift. She agrees and gives him a piece of her jewelry. The dwarf gets busy and spins the straw. 

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Astounded by the result, the king takes the girl and places her in a bigger room with more straws. Again the dwarf comes to her aid (in exchange for another gift). The king is once more amazed and marries the daughter.

Excellent customer service is about underpromising and overdelivering. Unfortunately, what we learn from the Rumpelstiltskin is that when you boast about something, you are left with having to come up with the goods. 

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The father knew his daughter didn’t have the skill to spin simple straw into gold. Yet, the king was ignorant and believed the father. 

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Making unrealistic claims about how great your customer service is can cause a lot of stress for the support staff on the front line. They are left with figuring out how to deliver the goods. You have negatively affected staff morale just so your ego is satisfied.

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Boast about how good your company’s customer service is, but don’t make unsubstantiated promises. Use customer testimonials to support your claims. 

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Never overpromise. You are setting yourself up for failure.

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4. Be careful of jealousy‍

In Cinderella, we have a young lady stuck living with a stepmother and stepsisters who despised her. A similar theme is found in Snow White, where a wicked witch is jealous of the beauty of Snow White. 

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The jealousy caused the antagonists to devote their time to devising ways to keep Cinderella and Snow White oppressed. These two young ladies were considered unworthy of receiving any happiness and joy in life. 

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Looking at a competitor’s customer service success may highlight something that your customer support is lacking. That success may have you envious of your competition. 

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Like the antagonists in Cinderella and Snow White, you may want to destroy your competitor’s victory. Instead of focusing on how to fix your customer support issues, you contemplate ways to ruin the triumphs of your competitor.

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Yet, the stories of Cinderella and Snow White teach us that the heroines win in the end. The efforts of the antagonists not only didn’t work but backfired. 

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Don’t spend your efforts trying to bring down your competition. Look at why their customer support works so well and see what aspects you can bring to your company. Reach out to them and see if they are willing to work with you to upgrade your customer support. 

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By doing so, everyone gets to win over their prince (metaphorically, your customers will reward you with love and devotion).

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5. Be willing to take a dare‍

Jack was sent to sell the family cow in Jack and the Beanstalk. He took a gamble and swapped the cow for some magic beans. 

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His mother was less than happy when he came home with the beans. Planting them in his yard, they grow into a beanstalk reaching the sky. Climbing the beanstalk, Jack discovers a giant’s house in which he discovers personal items the giant has stolen from Jack’s household. 

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Jack recovers the items and takes them back home.

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When it comes to customer service, you don’t have to be conservative all the time. Some people like to play safe, but the actual rewards can come when you step out of your comfort zone. 

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Try something daring, like highlighting the times you got customer service wrong. Then ask your customers for feedback on what they would do to fix those issues. 

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Another idea could be that you offer several customers a VIP treatment in which they become the heads of customer service for a week. Let them become your boss. 

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Let your imagination run wild as to what you can do that is different.

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The point is not to be scared to take a gamble. Jack did, and it paid off for his family. 

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Reread the fairy tales

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We have just offered a mere sprinkling of the lessons fairy tales can teach us around customer service. You can learn much more from these stories that will help you enhance your customer support team.

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Maybe you can have your support team read one fairy tale a week. Then brainstorm what support lessons the tale has taught the team. Update your support manual with these new insights.

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Enjoy using these as a tool to develop and grow your customer service. The result is that you, your business, and your customers will all live happily ever after.

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Customer service is an integral pillar of your business. Some may argue that it’s the central pillar. Because if the service you are providing is below average, then people will flock to your competitors. 

There are the main aspects of customer service that many adhere to. That is, your frontline staff are well-trained. Customers can contact you through a range of channels. The CRM you use is stellar. The software gives you the data to keep your finger on the customer service pulse. Your incredible list goes on and on.

Kudos to you for being on the ball. But let’s step things up a notch and think outside the box. 

Here we will show you a bunch of customer service practices that few know about.  

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What are your customers thinking?

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Developing a buyer persona is Marketing  Practice 101. So is figuring out your customers’ pain points. 

That’s what you designed your FAQs and other service support around. Yet, what if you could get deeper into figuring out your customer? That would take your support to a whole new level. 

Consumer psychology is the key. This branch of psychology looks at why people buy the things they do. Why do they react to ads the way they do? What persuades them?  

It helps you understand why your customers have decided to choose you over your competitors (and vice versa). 

You gain an understanding of what irks them at a deep-down level. A level that maybe your frontline staff hasn’t yet fathomed the depth of. 

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Your staff are intelligent – emotionally 

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You can’t deny that those who work for you are a bunch of smart individuals. Yet, how do they fare when it comes to being emotionally intelligent?

This type of smarts refers to how well one can genuinely empathize with another person. It also encompasses the ability we have to acknowledge and control our emotions. When dealing with several upset customers in a row, it can be hard to remain emotionally stable. 

Get your frontline staff, heck, all your staff, emotionally intelligent, and you will see the results in your customer service. Here are some steps to help you get started:

• Listen for impatience in your customer’s voice. If you hear it, you’re talking too much and need to stop.
• Be sensitive to when your customer is feeling pushed into a decision. No one likes being forced into action when they aren’t ready.
• Show empathy. This could be considered the number one trait for all customer support reps. 
• Become self-aware of the emotions you are feeling. We’re human and angry customers can trigger us emotionally. 

By having your staff develop emotional intelligence, your customers will feel love and compassion. Your support team will have better resilience when dealing with emotionally charged situations. That means less stress and less burnout experienced by your staff.

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Train all staff on customer service

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As we just mentioned, everyone on your team should increase their emotional intelligence. That not only improves relationships with your customers but also within your organization. 

Customer service may just be seen as something the guys in marketing and sales do. However, it’s an aspect of your business that shouldn’t be siloed. 

It’s a team effort. That means everyone should have exposure to customer service. Make spending several weeks serving customers part of your induction process. 

It’s a paradigm-shifting experience. Your entire organization is completely customer-focused. That’s because everyone has had their boot camp time on the frontlines of service.

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Get the boss involved

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Managers are busy people; we get that. Yet, how nice would it be for a customer who had an issue to receive a personal call or response from a higher-up? 

Not just one of those “cut and paste” replies either. Customers can tell when they get one of them. 

When a customer gets to interact with the higher-ups, it conveys a more profound sense that the company cares. 

The benefit is that customers stick around and rave about you to their friends. That’s advertising money can’t buy. 

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Happy birthday

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Carrying on with the theme of caring, it’s awesome when people remember a birthday. Use this to your customer service advantage.

When customers first register with you, have them include their date of birth. That way, you have a record of their birthday. 

Send them a birthday card that your team has personally signed and the boss. If you have many team members, having them all sign the card can be impossible. In that case, have the boss do it. 

Be sure to include a gift. It could be a discount voucher or a small present. 

You can use this same approach to celebrate the anniversary of your customers’ first purchase. Let them know how much you appreciate them. 

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Offer VIP experiences

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In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, there were only five golden tickets. Those lucky enough to find one got an exclusive tour of the chocolate factory. Of course, some of the winners’ tour didn’t turn out well (but they didn’t follow the instructions).

Run a competition asking your customers how to enhance your customer service. The top ideas then can be voted on to narrow down the selection to 5 ideas. Then invite the customers whose ideas were chosen, to join an exclusive brainstorming group. 

This benefit is that your customers know they have been listened to. Also, they have a sense of ownership of your brand. 

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Hi, WhatsApp?

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WhatsApp may be an underutilized (or non-existent) tool in your customer service effort. However, it can be used in powerful ways to engage and support your user base.  

Wherever you display your customer support information, have WhatsApp as another channel option. With over two billion users, you are allowing your audience to connect with you in a way they are familiar with. 

The app is integrated easily with your CRM. It also allows you to set up chatbots for customers trying to reach you out of hours. You can customize the responses so that they reflect your brand’s voice. 

WhatsApp has the functionality to provide proactive information for customers so that: 

• they can keep track of the status of their order
• be updated on the resolution of their issue/complaint can be sent to them
• you can provide video, pictures, audio, or files in which you offer help (such as step-by-step instructions)

You can also send a copy of your product catalog or other marketing information (such as special events and exclusive deals). 

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Send some swag

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For your more loyal customers, you can thank them by sending them a little kit of your goods. Create swag if you don’t have any physical product (because you provide software or service). 

Match the type of swag with your customers’ lifestyle. If they are into running, let them have a water bottle with your logo. For the more passive audience, post them out a mug or headphones.

You can grab swag from sites such as 4imprint or Swag Expert.

Don’t let your customers know they will receive a bag full of swag. Delight them with a surprise and thank them for being so awesome.

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Conclusion

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There are well-known ways to offer excellent customer service. Providing an omnichannel support system and having updated FAQs and self-help areas on your site are just a few examples. 

To raise your customer support to that next level of awesomeness requires non-standard approaches. Having emotionally competent staff aids in increasing empathic support towards your customers. 

Discover which apps your customers typically use to communicate with friends and family. Use that same app to provide another means of support and outreach. 

Have the manager or boss sit in for a day answering phone calls and providing customer care. 

Let your creativity flow as you discover novel ways to support your end-users. Don’t be scared to experiment. Some things will work like a charm, and other ideas will fall flat. That’s life. 

But it’s a great life because you give your customers the support they crave. Revel in that.

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Customer loyalty may be seen as elusive, an ideal that all businesses strive for but few succeed in achieving. That reflects the reality that consumers are becoming pickier about customer service in the digital age.

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If you drop the ball and provide an unimpressive customer experience, then you could find your customers consider leaving. 

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Three aspects of the user experience play a vital role in maintaining customer loyalty: trust from your customers, a commitment to them: and recognition of their value. These can contribute toward having your customers stick by your side in good and bad times. These three areas shouldn’t be thought of as mutually exclusive roles. You need to see them as components of your business that are intimately entwined. They are the threads that bind together the fabric of your customer experience. 

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We will unravel these threads and look at what each one consists of. Then we will twist them together into a holistic view of your customer service.

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Developing customer trust

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Trust is something that is developed over the long term. It involves being completely transparent and honest towards those using your product or service. Building trust is a multifaceted operation.

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Talk about the risks

If your business is involved in finance and you deal with investors, don’t try to hide the fact that there is uncertainty in the market. Be explicit about worst-case scenarios. That doesn’t mean you take a blase approach to run your business, but you must be upfront about the risks.

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Use this same approach with a product. Don’t be shy in telling people about your product’s limitations. Also, if you offer a service, be honest about any issues that could affect the customer. 

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Don’t hide anything in the small print of the contract. 

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Trust is developed in small steps 

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When someone is trialing your business, they have doubts about you. These doubts are slowly erased when they have an experience that enhances the reliability of your product or service. 

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Over time, the more they explore what you offer and you provide the customer with an outstanding experience, the bond of trust grows. 

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It’s a mix of rational expectations and emotions 

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Customers will consider your business by looking at the promises you make as well as your policies. These are purely intellectual decisions with no emotional underpinnings. That is, it’s rational. Rational decision-making also considers your staff’s skills and ability to provide the necessary pre-and post-sales support to the customer.

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On the emotional side, customers expect that they will be treated with genuine empathy and concern. They will be listened to, and action will be taken to help them resolve their issues.

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When you deliver on the customer’s rational and emotional expectations, you provide them with grounds to trust you. 

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Make things personal

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You may have hundreds or even thousands of customers. Yet, each one is a human being with emotions and feelings. If you treat everyone as a generic individual, your customers can pick up on that. They will resent being treated as just another case. If you do that, trust has been eroded. 

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Make your interactions with each customer personally. Use their first names, and have a friendly conversation with them. Treat them as humans and make them feel like their problem is essential to you because it is. Now you have strengthened the emotional bond of trust.

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Building Customer Commitment

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In respect of customer commitment, this part of your business can fall into one of five types:

• Affective Commitment
• Normative Commitment
• Economic Commitment
• Forced Commitment 
• Habitual Commitment

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The level of freedom a customer feels they have in choosing to do business with you separates these from one another. We touched upon building trust in the previous section. Do this affectively, and your customers will deliberately choose to stay committed to you. 

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Let’s delve a little deeper into each type of customer commitment.

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Normative commitment

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This is created when a company and a customer share similar expectations. It could be that you are environmentally conscious, and a company uses green technology. Perhaps you want overnight delivery, and the company with which you do business promises such.

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It’s a mutual relationship based on shared values and beliefs.

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Economic commitment

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A customer decides to do business with you because of the financial rewards you offer. It could be through discounts or your rewards program. The issue with this level of commitment is that a competitor could provide more enticing offers. Now you have a customer that is contemplating jumping ship.

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Forced commitment

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Forced commitment occurs because your customer sees that there is no alternative. They stay with you because they have to, not because they want to. Typical cases are when there is a monopoly in the market or a lack of viable competitors. 

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Your customers could be sticking around because they trust you (maybe they do, perhaps they don’t). Or it may be a case of having nowhere else to go. 

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Habitual commitment

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Humans are creatures of habit. Also, we can tend to be a bit complacent. This is where habitual commitment kicks in. We stay with a business because we have become so used to dealing with it. The idea of switching to a competitor may have crossed our minds several times, but we stick with what we know. 

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It’s easy to carry on buying from a business we have gone to so consistently. It takes little thinking on our part. We just go into consumer auto-pilot mode. 

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The dangerous side of commitment

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The realistic style is the ideal commitment to creating within your organization. The customers have made a personal decision to stay with you even though the market is saturated with competition. 

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If you find that your customers are sticking around because of few alternatives, you can become smug. You may feel that you don’t have to provide a great customer experience (after all, where else can your clients go?). 

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However, you have a threat when a competitor pops up in your location. It could be existential if you find your customers flocking to someone who truly appreciates them. This is the main threat to businesses that operate in a forced commitment style.

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Habitual types of organizations may find that their customers have finally had enough. The customer becomes motivated to make the switch. That’s a reality if you don’t provide fantastic customer service.

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The role of customer recognition

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Your customers are people. People love to be acknowledged and recognized. Make this an integral part of your customer service, and your customers will remain on board with you. It’s not hard to provide recognition. 

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Here is how you do it:

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Show appreciation

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Thank your customers for their purchases (or renewal of their subscription). Have hand-written thank you notes enclosed within your deliveries. If you use social media, do weekly shout-outs to those who have bought from you over the past week. For the more loyal customers, you can have an anniversary celebration. 

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Take a personal approach

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We have touched upon this a few times already. That’s because it’s so darn important. Treat your customers as people, address them by their first name, and show empathy when they have an issue. Make this the guiding mantra of your customer service: Treat customers the way you would like to be treated. 

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Provide rewards

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Have a loyalty program that offers progressively greater rewards as customers remain with you. Also, run competitions. This can be done through your social media or other channels. Have a referral program in which your customers earn a percentage of the ongoing revenue from people they have introduced to your company.

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Deliver amazing customer service

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This should be the epitome of customer recognition. Without your customers, you have no one to serve. Show appreciation towards your customers by having impeccable customer service in place. This is an aspect of your business that needs to evolve constantly. That transformation comes via the feedback your customers provide.

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Twisting together the threads

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You can individually look at trust, commitment, and customer recognition. We have broken down these parts of your business and placed them under the microscope. However, they come together to form the main fabric of your business. That is, they are an integral part of your customer service. 

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If you don’t give your customers the recognition they seek, you will struggle to build trust. Without trust, the commitment customers have toward you is limited. If it’s a commitment developed due to a lack of alternatives, you risk losing out when a competitor appears in the market. 

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Don’t think that the responsibility for these aspects of your business falls solely on the frontline staff, such as your customer service team. The role of building trust and commitment, including recognizing your customers, is something that has to be shared across all members of your business. 

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When you have everyone within your organization dedicated to these, you will find that your customer service is outstanding. Your customers will trust you implicitly because you treat them like the most critical thing around you – which they are. 

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Without your customers, you have nothing!

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