Customer service has a very strong impact for a business. Pepper Rogers & Group saying that 81% companies with strong capability and competency for delivering the service excellence will outperform the competition.

But, it’s not easy to accomplish that. Business leaders have been racing to find the right formula to create an excellent service team. There are various studies already explaining the mandatory skills of Customer Service Representatives (CS Reps.) to deliver a service excellence. Among hundreds, we highlight these 7 as “the must have skills” for an excellent Customer Service Representatives.

1.  Acting

Acting is not about pretending to the customer, but it is more about the proficiency in self-control. We know that CS Reps. face various situations and customer’s complaints every day. The great CS Reps. have to control themselves well, no matter what mood state they’re in and no matter how the customers treat them.

Keep in mind these valuable formula:

  • Be calm whenever the customer is panic
  • Be patient when the customer starts to be rude
  • Be positive and optimist when the customer starts to pessimist
  • Be professional whenever the customers being personal

2.  Empathy

“70% of buying experiences are based on how the customers feel they are being treated.” said McKinsey. Customers commonly want to be treated as a human being with decent feeling. Therefore, in this case, it is essential for the CS Reps. to fairly understand and feel the customer’s feeling.

80% experience discover that the CS Reps. never ask their customer’s name (Content Point Client Research). In fact, one of the simplest ways to empathize the customers is by paying attention to their name. Moreover, CS Reps. also have to be able to listen to the customers carefully to find out what the customers really feel and need.

3.  Persuasive communication

78% customers said that a happy customer experience comes from the competent customer services (Genesys Global Survey, 2009). An excellent CS Reps. should be able to persuade their customers that they are the competent and the right person to help.

The proof of a competent CS Rep. is that they are knowledgeable about their company, so they can provide the right answers to the customers and give them the most effective solution. Additionally, persuasive CS Reps. definitely can switch the problem into a solution and push the customer to be loyal to the company.

4.  Positive communication

The customers who calls the CS Rep.  are commonly panic, confused, and pessimist. An excellent CS Rep. must be able to calm them down and raise their optimism.

Therefore, it is a must for the CS Rep. to always use the positive words and the mild intonation while speaking to the customers, in every situation. Focus on the solution. Don’t ever forget to show gratitude as the customers being patient and understanding.

5.  Straightforward

Your customers don’t just want you to calm them down. Specifically, they demand the right and helping answers. In this case, a CS Rep. must give them the clear information.

A straightforward communication is built holistically; from the way of speaking, pronunciation, intonation, the choice of words, to the volume. Hence, the company has to provide the communication training simultaneously for their CS Reps.

6.  Responsibility

Many experiences prove the customers are more satisfied seeing the CS Reps. work hard in finding the solution, whether that solution isn’t work well. Because, this effort shows the responsibility on their job.

Furthermore, responsibility is also shown on how the CS Reps. handle the customer’s request. FYI, the customers hate when you transfer them back and forth. If the CS Reps. understand the brand and the product well, and so the exist guidance and protocol, they can surely help the customers with no need of transferring them to the other staffs. But if they have to, please make sure that they know exactly who are the right person to reach and how to reach them a.s.a.p.

7.  Time Management

Service excellence means punctuality. There’s no customer likes to face the late reply/late answer from the CS Representatives. For this reason, it is a must for an excellent CS Rep. to manage their task priority well and know how to manage the work duration.

You can start building a good time management by manage time to these tasks: replying email, answering the phone, holding the phone or chat, and doing follow up.

Credit :

https://www.salesforce.com/hub/service/important-customer-service-skills-list/ ~ https://www.helpscout.net/75-customer-service-facts-quotes-statistics/ ~  http://www.insightsquared.com/2015/02/empathy-the-must-have-skill-for-all-customer-service-reps/ ~ https://subiz.com/blog/3-valuable-time-management-rules-in-customer-service.html ~ https://www.customerservicemanager.com/customer-service-skills/ ~ https://www.inc.com/jordy-leiser/5-things-elite-customer-service-teams-never-do.html