Honing the art of delivering exceptional customer service is essential in most industries and professions.
The way I see it, if we practice going above and beyond to help people achieve their goals in everyday life, regardless of whether or not we’re ‘at work’, it becomes an intrinsic part of our psyche.
Think about it, would you rather deal with a salesperson with an unhappy demeanor, or someone who loves what they do, and genuinely wants to help others?
Here are my 5 top tips for delivering great customer service:
1. Work on yourself. As I eluded to above, if you emanate happiness, people will notice – and will gravitate towards you.
2. Be yourself. Don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through – in fact, use it to your advantage. There’s nothing worse than a fake salesperson.
3. Facilitate, don’t push. Concentrate on giving the person what they want. Focus on giving, not ‘selling’ – you are simply providing what someone else needs. Sometimes they don’t know what that is, so your job is to facilitate the process.
4. Be professional. Politeness, manners, personal grooming, and general social etiquette goes a long way in sales. Often the most simplistic tips are the most effective.
5. Go above and beyond. The smallest things can make the biggest difference. A discount off their next purchase, a coffee, a bottle of wine, or simply finishing the job a day earlier than they expected.
Customer service is not easy, but simply making an effort and showing you care will make all the difference.
As John Maxwell once said, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care”, and I couldn’t agree more.
Nina James 