One of the ways to get ahead of your competitors in a tough niche is to outdo them through customer service. Your employees’ treatment of customers will shape their perception. This may lead to a recommendation to their networks or a warning not to choose your brand. It’s important to train sales and support staff for better customer service.

Here are ways to improve customer service training.

Screen Applicants

To reduce training time (and headaches) screen applicants based on personality and willingness to learn. A person who is already open to helping others and knows how to solve problems will be an ideal fit for your customer-oriented approach. This potential employee will also be easy to integrate into your organization. They are malleable and easy to train. They can implement the customer service principles you want to uphold.

Proper Training

You should include employee training in your company’s monthly costs. Your customer service providers, whether they’re sales staff or call center agents, need training and the right tools to succeed in their job. Set them up for success by teaching them the best practices. Provide them with guidelines on how to respond to irate customers. Be flexible in allowing them to solve the problems they encounter with customers.

Empower Your Staff

One of the ways to improve customer service is to empower your employees. No one wants a micromanager looming over their shoulders. Allow your staff to respond to customers the best way they can. You can provide them with a set of responses and questions to ask, but allow them to improvise when necessary. Your sales and after-sales team are the ones facing customers in real-time. This enables them to solve problems without having to bother their manager or you all the time.

Instill Company Values

You want your team to know your small business inside and out. They should know the company’s core values, its processes, and customer service standards. They won’t learn all these things without your help. As an owner, it’s your responsibility to instill company values in your employees. Reiterate your organization’s values through emails, meetings, and others. This enables your sales team to respond to customers in the ways you want them to.

Teach Empathy and Patience

Patience and empathy are important traits when it comes to customer service. People who have both tend to do better in handling customers or calming them down. Teach your sales team to be empathetic and patient with customers. What they need to do is provide a quality solution, not a quick fix. Developing rapport with a customer is important. This allows one of your employees to connect with them and find a personalized solution.

Company-Wide Customer Service Values

Make it a point to remind everyone in your company that everyone plays a part in a customer’s overall experience, regardless of their job. Each one has a role to play, whether it’s behind the scenes or facing customers on a regular basis. Product development, backend support, marketing and others all shape brand perception and delivery of your value proposition.

Implement the above-mentioned ways to improve customer service tips to develop rapport with your audience. Treat your customers well and they will reward you with loyalty. If you need help with bookkeeping, we at Robookkeeper can assist you. We offer reliable bookkeeping services for small business owners like you.