In this article
In today’s competitive economic environment, it is no longer enough for businesses to provide quality goods and services at competitive prices. Customers also expect a high level of customer service. The importance of effective customer service skills for all types of business across all industry sectors cannot be overstated. They directly impact the quality of interactions between an organisation and its customers and/or service users and these interactions are key to maintaining customer satisfaction, fostering loyalty, and enhancing an organisation’s reputation.
In industries where products and services are similar, exceptional customer service can differentiate a business from its competitors and provide a competitive advantage that attracts and retains customers, which is critical for long-term success.
The need to acquire effective customer service skills should not just be restricted to customer service representatives, as all interactions that a customer and/or service user has with an organisation can provide opportunities for an organisation to demonstrate excellence in customer service. This is why it is so important to cultivate effective customer service skills throughout an organisation in all areas and at all levels.
Developing essential customer service skills can improve relationships with customers and keep customers coming back to an organisation over time. It enhances brand reputation, customer satisfaction, loyalty and trust, and encourages recommendations, which is a cost-effective strategy to gain new customers and/or service users leading to increased profitability and viability.
In this article we will examine some of the essential customer service skills that are crucial for all professionals to possess.
Communication Skills
Effective communication is key to success in any industry. Good communication skills involve more than just the words you say, although those are important. They involve providing clear, succinct information, effective questioning, active listening, being empathetic to sense and understand the emotions of others, using appropriate non-verbal cues such as body language, facial expressions and tone of voice, and recognising and understanding those of others. Let’s look at these in more detail.
Clarity and Conciseness:
Clear and concise communication avoids misunderstandings, improves teamwork and cohesion, enhances internal collaboration, builds trust and credibility, and contributes to overall customer satisfaction. When information is conveyed in a clear and concise manner, it avoids confusion and misinterpretation. Vagueness and ambiguity can cause confusion and frustration for customers who are looking for clear answers or solutions. It is far better to admit that you don’t have an answer but will endeavour to find one rather than offer an inaccurate or vague response which can lead to misinterpretation and can result in customers or colleagues making incorrect decisions based on that information.
Mistakes will undoubtedly be made when customers or colleagues don’t have a clear understanding of instructions or information. Unclear guidance on how to use a product or service could lead to improper usage, causing damage or dissatisfaction, and vagueness or inaccuracies in pricing or contracts may lead to uncertainty or mistrust and risk losing the customer and damaging the organisation’s reputation.
When inaccurate information is conveyed to colleagues this can cause hold-ups in, for example, complaint resolution as the customer may be required to repeatedly communicate the same information, causing mistrust and frustration. It can also result in the wrong resolution being proposed which can be costly in terms of time and finance. It can cause stress for colleagues, may increase the risk of errors occurring and may make straightforward actions more complex than they need to be. In extreme cases, unclear or inaccurate communication of information could in some circumstances result in legal liabilities. On the other hand, clear and concise communication demonstrates professionalism and competence, particularly in providing effective service to customers. Regular succinct communication keeps customers informed and engaged, whilst timely responses to queries and concerns exhibits good customer care.
Active Listening:
Delivering exceptional customer service requires a combination of skills, including active listening, which is a crucial communication skill, especially in customer interactions. Active listening is a communication technique that involves giving your full attention to the customer, understanding their needs, and responding appropriately. Developing effective active listening skills requires fully focusing on the speaker, avoiding distractions, being attentive to both verbal and non-verbal cues such as tone, body language and facial expressions, waiting patiently and letting the customer talk until they are finished before jumping in with a solution. Good active listeners ask clarifying questions to ensure understanding and to encourage open and honest communication by listening without judgement.
Active listening enables you to not only hear what the customer is saying but to also understand the underlying needs or concerns. This is a skill that helps to establish a customer’s needs and wants, both physical and psychological, and in addressing the root cause of any issues or concerns.
Empathy and Understanding:
Empathy is essentially putting yourself into the emotional shoes of the customer and understanding their needs, wants, views or concerns from their perspective. Being empathetic towards someone doesn’t mean that you agree with them, it just means that you understand their feelings about the situation. Customer service is all about people and if you understand people better and know how your customer feels, you can support them better.
Often customer needs and feelings are not always verbalised, and body language, voice and tone can give unspoken clues to how a customer might be feeling. Showing empathy in customer service conversations triggers emotional bonds with your customers which helps to build rapport and trust and can even turn angry customers into more patient, cooperative and collaborative people. When empathy is used in difficult situations such as giving bad news to a customer, they appreciate honesty, transparency and empathy, and they expect to be treated with respect and consideration. Therefore, it is crucial to approach the situation with a positive and helpful attitude, even if the news is not what the customer wants to hear. A positive, helpful and empathetic tone can help to defuse the situation and make the customer feel valued and respected.
Examples:
Here are some examples of effective communication in customer service scenarios.
A customer contacts customer services to say that their order has been damaged in transit and that they are unsure what to do. The organisation’s policy is to either replace or refund when deliveries arrive damaged; however, to just refer the customer to the policy may cause delay and potential confusion. A clear and concise response to this enquiry might be: “I am so sorry to hear this, and understand that you are feeling frustrated. In order to rectify this I can offer you two options, either I can arrange for a full refund or, if you would prefer, I can send a replacement right away. We will also arrange collection of the damaged item, which option would suit you best?”
The customer contacts their broadband supplier as they cannot connect to the internet; they explain that they have gone through all the obvious solutions but it still won’t connect. The customer services representative replies, “I am sorry that you are experiencing difficulties, it must be frustrating. As you have told me about the steps that you have tried I will help you to find some alternatives. I have checked that this is not a service issue, so now I will talk you through some additional troubleshooting steps with a view to resolving this for you.”
A customer contacts their bank to query a charge that they did not recognise on their statement. The customer service representative responded to the client with empathy, “I’m so sorry that you are experiencing this, it must be very stressful, don’t worry, I’m here to help”. On checking the charge, it was established that the customer had in fact made the payment. The customer service representative replied, “It is an easy mistake to make, we all overlook a purchase from time to time, and it is always sensible to check with us to be sure. Is there anything else that I can help you with today?”
Problem-Solving Abilities
Even if the service is excellent, some customers will experience problems, and many customers judge how good the customer service of the organisation is by the way problems are handled. The essence of problem-solving in customer service lies in effectively identifying, understanding and addressing the challenges faced by the customer in order to be able to offer solutions that balance the needs of both the customer and those of the organisation.
Analytical Thinking:
In many cases, issues that customers may need to have resolved can be complex, so professionals providing customer service will need to be able to employ critical and analytical thinking to get to the root of the problem in order to find a satisfactory solution.
Applying analytical skills, you can break down facts and information into small elements, to better interpret data and find solutions to problems. The initial step in conducting an effective problem analysis is to identify the root cause of the issue. This requires active listening and gathering relevant information from both customers and internal stakeholders. Analytical thinking helps you determine the validity of information, carefully consider problems, and arrive at the best solutions.
Critical thinking is broader than analytical reasoning, and critical thinking involves evaluating information objectively, asking meaningful questions, and considering alternative viewpoints. Gathering varied information is essential for your ability to apply the critical thinking process. If you don’t get enough information, your ability to make a final decision will be skewed. Remember that critical thinking is about helping you identify the objective best conclusion. To identify the best solution, draw connections between causes and effects and use the facts that you have gathered to evaluate the most objective conclusion.
Depending on the complexity of the problem, you may want to propose a few resolution options to present to a customer.
Creative Solutions:
Creative thinking in customer service involves the ability to approach challenges, interactions and problem-solving in innovative and often non-traditional ways. It empowers customer service professionals to think outside the box by adapting solutions to fit unique customer needs and situations. Creative thinking in this context isn’t just about being imaginative; it is about being practical and effective while maintaining a customer-centric focus. Creative problem-solving helps overcome unforeseen challenges, and helps to find solutions to unconventional problems. It can spark innovative ideas that can lead to new product lines, services or modified procedures that improve efficiency. If you can resolve a problem, you may also be resolving the problem for other customers who have experienced it but didn’t have the time or energy to complain.
Decision-Making:
Decision-making in customer service is defined as the process of assessing customer enquiries or issues, evaluating available solutions or procedures, and selecting the most appropriate course of action to resolve the situation efficiently and effectively. Each decision you make shapes the customer’s experience, satisfaction and loyalty. Poor decision-making can result in dissatisfied customers and may impact brand reputation, whereas skilled decision-making not only resolves immediate issues but also fosters positive customer relationships.
Your decision-making should show empathy and understanding towards customers’ concerns and emotions, and be accurate and well-informed, based on a thorough analysis of available information and consideration of potential outcomes. The decision-making process needs to be efficient and effective, resulting in timely resolutions and minimal customer effort. Good decision-making focuses on achieving positive outcomes whilst balancing the needs of the customer and those of the organisation.
Case Study:
Apple’s customer support is widely regarded for its expertise in solving technical problems. For instance, when a customer was unable to back up their iPhone to iCloud and was running out of storage space, the support team not only helped solve the issue but also offered additional guidance.
Customer: “I’m trying to back up my iPhone, but I keep getting a message saying I’m out of iCloud storage. I don’t know what to do.”
Apple Solution: The Apple representative guided the customer through clearing unnecessary data to free up space, suggested moving photos to an external storage solution, and walked them through how to manage their iCloud storage settings. If the customer didn’t want to upgrade their iCloud plan, the representative suggested alternatives, such as using a local backup on a computer. This shows how Apple focused on both resolving the issue and empowering the customer with information to prevent future problems.
Patience and Tact
Many customers complain because they feel they have been treated unfairly, or have had no response and they feel aggrieved, frustrated or angry. Customers don’t usually complain aggressively about minor issues, but it is when those issues aren’t properly dealt with that problems start to occur. Understanding how to deal with difficult situations and challenging customers is essential in customer service.
Handling Difficult Situations:
Some customers will communicate in a rational way, staying calm; others, however, may let their emotions get the better of them and communicate agitatedly or aggressively, some may even insult you directly. In these situations you need to display strong self-control. By being patient and staying calm, you allow the customer to vent their frustration without creating an antagonistic situation that could get even more heated. Let the customer have their say, actively listen, show empathy, and then work to resolve the issue. Empathy statements such as “I’m sorry that you are having this problem” and “I understand why you are frustrated” can go a long way in defusing tension and building rapport.
Tactful Responses:
There will be times that you will need to deal with a sensitive situation or may have to deliver bad news to a customer, for example having to tell them that you cannot rearrange a delivery in time for an event, or that the damage occurred through user error. In these situations, choose your words carefully, opting for positive and reassuring language. Rather than making excuses or shifting blame, be empathetic, and focus on finding practical solutions to the customer’s problem.
Tips:
- Some customers are going to get angry; some may even yell and scream. The ability not to take offence will go a long way in these emotionally charged situations. Try to stay calm and politely but firmly let the customer know that such behaviour is not acceptable, and that you are here to help, but you expect to be treated with respect.
- Staying positive under pressure, often in the face of antagonism and negative emotions, can have a calming effect on the entire situation. When you stay positive, you can influence the angry customer to calm down and take a better view of things. That makes finding a solution so much easier. Taking long, deep calming breaths can help. Take one deep breath in and then exhale fully while paying attention to your body.
- When dealing with customer problems, try not to be timid or passive. This can cause the customer to lose faith in you. Be confident and speak accordingly, and it will come across as assertive. Assertiveness means taking control of the situation and doing what needs to be done to reach a successful conclusion.
- Good negotiating skills make it easier to de-escalate tense situations. Find a compromise, and whilst it may not be the best solution, it may be the best solution available at the time, as prolonging the conflict doesn’t help the situation.
- If you are unable to resolve the issue or if the customer requests to speak with a manager, don’t hesitate to escalate the situation. A manager may have additional resources or authority to address the customer’s concerns and can step in to help defuse the situation.
Adaptability and Flexibility
Flexibility and adaptability can be essential to the success of meeting customer expectations. For example, advancements in technology have transformed the way that customers interact with organisations. To be able to provide exceptional customer service, you need to be able to adapt to new tools and platforms, providing seamless support across various channels, from webchat and social media to calls and face-to-face interactions. In addition, customer needs and expectations change, and can sometimes vary from customer to customer; at other times they change with fashion, seasons of the year, and even due to media and influencer updates.
Dealing with Change:
Most customers want choice and flexibility from customer service; they want to know that you have various options available to satisfy them. In providing exceptional customer service, one size doesn’t necessarily fit all. Customer service constantly needs to innovate and adapt to maintain a competitive edge and to differentiate itself from competitors. This might mean offering a variety of communication channels or delivery options to customers. Regulation changes such as the GDPR have necessitated change in data security, some of which can frustrate customers. Being flexible in your approach to helping customers to adapt to these changes, and taking time to explain their benefits for security, will enhance customer trust.
Handling Unexpected Issues:
Every now and again a customer services professional will encounter a request or challenge that they haven’t experienced before, or that had not been planned for and the organisation’s policy and procedures do not cover. For example, it may be an organisational policy that notifications are sent via messaging; however, the customer informs you that they do not have a mobile or smartphone. A flexible solution to this issue might be to take personal responsibility to contact via their landline to notify them.
Examples:
Many businesses and service providers were challenged to adapt and find flexible solutions to overcome the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic when many had to close their physical premises to the public. Rather than risk complete business closure, loss of revenue and leaving customers without, in some cases vital supplies, many businesses innovated and quickly adapted by offering such things as online or telephone ordering, door-to-door deliveries, or outdoor pickups etc., and work from home options enabled a seamless continuity of customer services. The businesses and service providers that were able to be flexible and adapt were better able to weather the storm than those that just closed up. These adaptations enabled businesses and service providers to retain customer loyalty and in some cases expand upon their client base as they were outperforming the competition in customer service.
More recently in 2023, Royal Mail experienced a major cyberattack, which disrupted its international parcel and letter delivery services. This totally unexpected problem left thousands of customers unable to send parcels abroad, with items stuck in transit and businesses impacted. While the company worked to investigate and mitigate the cyberattack, they quickly communicated the disruption to customers, informing them that they were unable to process international parcels and letters due to a cyberattack and reassured customers that they were doing everything possible to restore services. They also provided clear guidance on how customers could proceed with domestic deliveries, which were still operational.
Royal Mail created new dedicated business customer support channels to address concerns from small businesses and e-commerce platforms, which were significantly impacted. They also offered refunds for international shipping services that were affected. This ensured that customers did not feel financially disadvantaged by the cyberattack. They outlined technical measures they were implementing to prevent future attacks, and their transparency around this process reassured customers that the situation was under control, helping restore customer confidence.
By prioritising clear communication, offering refunds, and being transparent about the efforts to resolve the issue, Royal Mail was able to mitigate the negative impact on customers.
Time Management
Providing customer service can be immensely time intensive. No two days will be the same and there are a lot of different tasks and responsibilities to deal with in order to service the needs of both customers and the organisation. Time management in customer services is all about managing the hours in a working day in a productive way in one of the most demanding fields.
Efficiency:
When customers interact with an organisation, they expect that their enquiry, concern, issue or complaint is resolved quickly and efficiently. Efficient customer service means endeavouring to get things right first time so that the customer is spared the inconvenience of having to repeat their request to numerous people, and so that it frees up time to deal with other customers. However, it does not mean rushing the interaction in such a way that you may miss crucial details or jump to conclusions. It is essential for efficiency that promises and actions are followed through; failure to follow through can damage customer relationships and the organisation’s reputation. Keeping and referring to accurate records are key to managing multiple tasks and actions in a busy customer service environment.
Prioritisation:
Customer service can be both mentally and physically demanding so being able to discern between what is IMPORTANT and what is URGENT is the starting point for prioritising. Some activities will be both urgent and important. This could be termed ‘firefighting’. These activities need to be dealt with immediately, and they are important. For example, an irate customer who is ‘shouting the odds’ in the middle of the sales floor or in the reception area may take priority as the impact of their behaviour may have negative consequences, particularly if seen by other customers. There are then the things which are important, but not urgent. Although they don’t have to be done right away, they are important, so you need to schedule quality time to deal with these. There will also be things that must be dealt with right now; they may not be that important but you need to get them out of the way, and you will need to deal with these as quickly as possible.
Techniques:
- Use to-do lists to help prioritise. Help to eliminate procrastination by ensuring that you are organised and on top of the tasks on your to-do list and when they need to be completed by.
- Control interactions by asking the right questions to give you the information you need, when you need it. Use open questions when, for example, you want to help change the mindset of the customer or you want to better understand the customer’s needs. Use probing questions to gain greater insight into what someone has just told you and closed questions when, for example, you want to confirm both your own and the customer’s understanding of what has been discussed.
- Controlling your interruptions and distractions would also drastically improve the effectiveness of your time management. Using a diary to establish set times for the things you need to do can really help, for example blank out time for tasks that need your full concentration, and make sure that you let others know when you will be available for interruptions.
- Take small breaks frequently to refresh and rejuvenate. Breaks are one of the effective time management strategies that lead to a healthier work environment and less stress.
Product and Service Knowledge
In order to provide exceptional service to customers effectively, you need to know your product or service provision extremely well as this helps you to resolve issues more efficiently, provide accurate information, and build trust and rapport with the customers.
Expertise:
When a customer makes an enquiry or complaint, by having an in-depth knowledge of the organisation’s products and/or services you can quickly diagnose and resolve the customer’s issues. This reduces the time the customer spends waiting for help, leading to higher satisfaction, and less need to escalate the issue. Customers often are looking for clarification or specific details about a product or service, so if you can provide accurate and detailed information quickly, it reduces customer frustration, eliminates confusion, and enhances the overall experience.
In addition, having a thorough understanding of the organisation’s products and/or services enables you to tailor your responses to the specific needs of the customer. Some customer issues can be complex, involving technical features, or intricate product or service provision details. You can manage these situations more effectively by providing in-depth explanations and solutions without the need to pass the customer on to someone else if you have a good understanding of the products and/or services.
Continuous Learning:
To be able to keep up to date with your organisation’s products and/or services you will need to prioritise undertaking training/learning updates. Many customer service professionals prepare and regularly update frequently asked questions (FAQs) crib sheets so that they keep on top of updates, changes, product and service launches and trends. The key is to review these crib sheets on a regular basis to ensure that the information is accurate and up to date. Imagine the impact of telling a prospective customer that your organisation does not deliver to their area when they have just seen your company’s vehicle deliver to their neighbour next door.
Impact:
When a customer feels that the person that they are talking to in your organisation has been well-trained and informed about the products and/or services they support, they will have more confidence in the advice or resolutions that are being offered, enhancing their satisfaction and promoting their loyalty. For example, a customer service professional using their deep product and/or service knowledge can, for example, help a customer to understand how to change the network settings on recently purchased equipment for compatibility with certain home routers. By providing tips on how to make the most of their purchase, the customer feels more confident using their new device, leading to a better overall experience and increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
John Lewis customers particularly value Partners’ product knowledge and advice, which is why they voted John Lewis top in a consumer satisfaction survey by Verdict Research and have placed them first for service nearly every year since the survey began. They also provide customers with buying guides to their products.
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence (EI) is a critical skill for delivering exceptional customer service; it became formally structured into five components through the work of psychologist Daniel Goleman. These components are:
- Self-awareness – Recognising your own emotions and how they affect thoughts and behaviours
- Self-regulation – The ability to control or redirect disruptive emotions and impulses
- Motivation – A passion to work for reasons beyond money or status; pursuing goals with energy and persistence
- Empathy – Understanding the emotional make-up of other people and treating them according to their emotional reactions
- Social skills – Managing relationships to move people in desired directions, through building networks, influence and conflict management
All of these components are important in customer service, and contribute to a deeper understanding of customers in order to build positive relationships to meet and exceed their expectations.
Understanding Emotions:
If you are self-aware, can regulate your own emotions during interactions with customers, and can remain calm and professional, it helps you to engage with customers more effectively and provide solutions based on the customer’s needs rather than reacting impulsively.
Effective social skills help you to communicate clearly and effectively and to be more aware of, interpret, and respond appropriately to emotional cues displayed by customers, particularly in conflict situations. In communication, only 30% of what is communicated is through words; the remaining 70% is through body language, facial expressions and tone of voice. It is crucial in customer service to recognise this to avoid misreading the situation and causing dissatisfaction. For example, a customer speaking quickly and with a tense tone may be frustrated or confused; recognising this enables you to adjust your approach by speaking calmly and offering reassurance such as responding with empathy, saying, “I understand, let’s work through this together”. When you adjust your tone, language and demeanour based on the customer’s emotional state you are better able to communicate to respond in ways that make the customer feel understood and valued. Empathy and active listening will help you to uncover underlying issues that the customer may be experiencing but has not verbalised initially.
Building Relationships:
Emotional intelligence enables customer service professionals to not only solve problems but also connect with customers on an emotional level. When you are able to connect with a customer it enables you to build trust, rapport and customer loyalty. When customers feel understood and valued, they are more likely to become loyal customers, they feel emotionally connected to the brand and are far more likely to recommend the organisation to others.
Examples:
Customers don’t expect that products and/or services are perfect all the time; however, they do expect that any concerns, problems or complaints are handled effectively. Customer service professionals who have high emotional intelligence make these interactions smoother and more positive for both the customer and for the organisation. For example, flight delays and cancellations are frequent events particularly in adverse weather conditions or during security alerts. Customers will be understandably frustrated, facing inconveniences while travelling, so when airline staff are trained to use emotional intelligence when approaching passengers to offer updates, they are prepared to actively listen to customer complaints and to address concerns with patience and understanding. In these situations they are aware that customers’ needs include accurate information about alternative flight options and compensation. However, emotionally intelligent staff will go the extra mile to check passengers’ wellbeing, provide reassurance and if necessary such practical things as options for refreshments etc. When customers feel that an organisation cares about them and their wellbeing, they can more easily forgive disruptions, and will usually remain loyal customers.
Conclusion
In this article we have examined the essential skills that are vital to be able to deliver exceptional, professional customer service. The power of emotional intelligence and excellent communication and problem-solving skills in customer service is immense as it empowers and enables customer service professionals to recognise the emotions behind customer interactions, connect with customers on a deeper level, respond to their needs and concerns and resolve their problems effectively. In doing this they improve customer satisfaction, build stronger, long-lasting relationships, and foster loyalty and trust even in challenging circumstances.
Excellent customer service skills directly impact customer satisfaction, business reputation, long-term success and job satisfaction, as engaged and motivated customer service professionals provide better service, leading to improved customer experiences and operational efficiency. Exceptional customer service also translates to positive online reviews, social media praise and customer referrals, all of which drive new business.
