Customer Service Training - Own the Customer's Needs

Customer service training is the key to a successful business. A company can have every other aspect of their business set perfectly, yet if the service isn't right, then the business will fail. Great customer services starts with great training. Every employee needs to know the company's service policies and how to work within these policies to provide the best service possible. Some of the most important skills in every customer service training program are active listening, defining customer's needs, making every customer their own and helping customers outside their department.

Listening is the first skill to develop as a customer service representative. Without good listening skills, great service is not possible. Focus your attention directly on the customer and completely stop the task you were working on. Maintain eye contact with the customer and make sure you hear every word. If necessary, ask questions to make sure you understand exactly what they are looking for.

Once you have listened to the customer and asked questions you should be able to define their needs. Repeat their needs back to them to get approval. By defining the customer's needs you will make sure that you are assisting them correctly. This step helps alleviate mistakes and ensures a positive experience for the customer. Poor communication is one of the major reasons for a bad service experience. This simple step will increase the level of service dramatically.

Once you have begun the process of assisting a guest, you need to make that guest your own. In other words, this customer is now your responsibility and their experience at your business is up to you. Following through and making sure their needs are met is essential. Sometimes you may need to pass the customer off to another more knowledgeable co-worker. When this happens you need to make sure that the new rep has all the proper information and that an introduction is made. Whenever possible follow up with the guest to make sure they received the help they needed.

Lastly, a great service rep is willing to help a customer outside of their department. How many times have you been in a store and had a customer service rep simply point you to another department or ignore customers outside of their department. If a customer needs help it's every customer service reps responsibility to help them or introduce them to someone who can help them. Customers are every employee's responsibility and it takes a team effort to ensure extraordinary service.

Training employees on service is one of the most important investments a company can make and active listening, defining customer's needs, making every customer their own and helping customers outside their department are some of the most essential skills. Without these skills, every company is doomed to failure. Without satisfied customers, the best-laid business plans are a waste of time.

Charlie Bentson King is a writer and producer of customer service videos for TrainingABC. TrainingABC is a distributor of customer service video and DVD programs such as Give em the Pickle.