Customer service has been changing over the last few years. There are more online transactions these days and at the same time social media has added another element for those selling services and goods to be ever more mindful of.
In the competition for encouraging people through their doors, both physical and virtual, businesses are discovering that consumers are more demanding and less forgiving than they have been previously. It’s had an impact on customer loyalty which is dwindling, while research suggests that a huge majority of consumers are unwilling to offer a second chance to any company falling short of their expectations.
Recent interesting stats from various surveys bear this out. CX Today.com found that 79% of customers will stop doing business with a brand after only one bad customer experience. Now that’s harsh!
At the same time, 72% of consumers expect companies to know their purchase history regardless of the method of communication. Retailers have to have eyes in the back of their heads and the sides!
PR Newswire has reported that loyalty behaviour towards brands among Generation Z since Covid-19 started shows that 37% will abandon a purchase and/or post a negative review after a poor digital experience; 57% have become loyal to brands; 63% have become less patient with poorly functioning websites; 80% have become more willing to try new brands online.
Winning Repeat Custom
It’s a truism of course, that in order to have a successful business, you need to provide good service. It used to be the case that most people who are unhappy with the service that they received did not complain. However, they might not ever come back either. These days of course everyone can be a keyboard warrior and have an impact – usually negatively.
We’ve all been there in a restaurant or a shop after a disgruntled customer has stomped off leaving the person behind the till or on the shopfloor shaking their head mumbling something about a bad online review will follow. And that’s even if they have done nothing wrong. Imagine if they have? People these days take their gripes out on the world wide web, justified or not.
The main reason for customer churn is not price but bad customer service. Handling a business’s issues in a professional and courteous manner is absolutely essential, every day.
As we’ve always known, the best recommendation for any business that provides a service is word of mouth. Make a mistake without trying to fix it or not delivering what it ‘says on the tin’, or just by being unfriendly, then you won’t win repeat custom. That disgruntled customer will tell friends and family, and actually spread the ‘word’ as far and as fast as they can.
Skills and Behaviours
That’s why a customer service practitioner’s actions will influence the customer experience and their satisfaction with an organisation.
Therefore, a customer service practitioner has to demonstrate excellent customer service skills and behaviours as well as product and/or service knowledge when speaking and delivering to customers. This goes across all engagement channels and situations which may be: face-to-face, telephone, post, email, text and social media.
And every day and every customer will be different and have different requirements. It’s a job that requires excellent communication skills, patience and kindness, helping you, and your organisation to build (lasting) relationships. The ability to listen is also crucial because learning how to serve a customer comes from listening not talking in order to exceed their expectations.
Benefits
This particular distance learning course is a great way to learn everything you need to know about exceeding, time after time, and succeeding in the process. You will learn the principles of customer service and delivery; how to understand both customers and employer organisations; and improve your understanding of how to handle complaints successfully and reduce the risk of complaints.
In the process you will achieve a nationally recognised Level 2 qualification which will provide evidence of your competency and commitment to employers. The key element though is that you can learn at a time that suits you without the need to attend college.
A customer service practitioner’s role is a key appointment in any organisation. If you don’t embrace it, it could become a chore; if you do, you will flourish and be an asset to your customer service team.
This course will give you a great start and give you the foundation to advancement and a great and varied career in sales or any customer facing role.