COMMON MISTAKES IN CUSTOMER

1. Not listening to your customer

2. Not asking enough questions
3. Talking too much
4. Lack of empathy
5. Not delivering what you promise
6. Not solving the problem on the first call
Mistake 1: NOT LISTENING TO YOUR CUSTOMERS
How to distinguish good from bad customer service? Well, effective customer service
agents will always listen to their customers. Most, if not all, customers contact your
support services because they have specific issues. Make sure you identify them during a
conversation with a customer and keep it in mind throughout the whole duration of the
interaction. Gather as many details as possible and think about details that may have been
missed or ignored by the customer. You really want to engage with their case in order to
meet their expectations, so listen carefully. It’s not just about listening, though. This
applies to all of your interactions with a customer who could provide details they may
expect from you to know. You must keep your eyes and ears wide open to ensure you
stay at the top of your game.
Mistake 2: NOT ASKING ENOUGH QUESTIONS
Just like you may need to work a bit more on your ability to listen carefully to your
customers, you also must learn to ask more questions. A lot of the time, customers do not
know what sort of information you need in order to solve their issues or answer their
questions. They simply reach out to you and describe what their issue or question is.
Gather all the necessary information
Extra things you may need to access include order numbers, account numbers, payment
confirmation numbers, dates that messages were sent on, or personal data to verify the
customer contacting you. Make them aware of your policies and the type of information
you may require them to disclose. If they struggle to find the information you are looking
for at any point, help them out! Ask what they are struggling with, offer more guidance,
and ask how you can be of help.
Ask before they wave goodbye. You must always ensure you have solved all of your
customers’ issues or answered all questions before ending a chat or phone call with them.
A simple “Can I help you with anything else today?” will do the job. Be patient,
understanding, and allow your customer to take their time while thinking. Trust us, it will
pay off!
Mistake 3: TALKING TOO MUCH
Under-communication, like not asking enough questions or not listening carefully to your
customers, can be as bad as over-communication. Over-communication occurs when you
basically talk too much about things that are irrelevant and do not add any value to the
case.
Be professional at what you do. Keep your conversations professional and centered
around the topic of the discussion. Do not throw in any inappropriate jokes, unless you
feel like it’s suitable and could do good for your company. The truth is, you never know
who is on the other side of the chat box or phone line. Be aware of sexist comments, as
well as those discriminating against religion or race. At all costs, avoid judging the
customer and putting the blame on them, especially if you are not sure about the cause of
a specific issue. It’s all about manners and respect!
Mistake 4: LACK OF EMPATHY
Empathy can be described as being understanding and sensitive, as well as vicariously
experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experiences of another person. In customer
service, empathy is all about understanding what your customer is going through and also
expressing your support.
Let your customers know that you understand and identify with their issues. Express your
compassion when needed and approach their case in the same way you would approach it
if it was you experiencing the problem. Nothing makes customers happier than agents
who show they are on the same team as them.
What can you do to change it?
How to show empathy then? It is easy. All you really need is to start using the correct
words. Maybe you are already empathetic, but do not know how to show it? Try using
one of these sentences:
“I am sorry we put you in this situation, I really hope to solve your issue quickly.”
“Thank you for getting in touch with us about this matter.”
“You are absolutely right, let me fix this for you right away.”
“I apologize for this situation, what can I do to make it up to you?”
“I have had a similar issue before, I feel your pain.”
“Thank you for bringing this to my attention, let me look into your case.”
With simple words like these, you will change your customers’ experience and
satisfaction levels in no time.
Mistake 5: NOT DELIVERING WHAT YOU PROMISE
When it comes to customer service, it is always better to overdeliver than to overpromise.
When people seek help from customer service agents, they pay attention to absolutely
every promise made. Therefore, if you promise something and do not deliver, chances are
they will spot it in the blink of an eye.
This is exactly why you should never ever make promises you cannot keep. It makes you
look unprofessional as an agent, puts your company in a bad light, and sends customers
back home complaining about your terrible customer service to everyone they meet on
their way.
What wrong approaches and false promises lead to
Moreover, overpromising and under-delivering as a result often lead to:
Depleted credibility – you will not be able to retain the trust of your customers or grow
your business Negative PR – the common phrase ‘any publicity is good publicity’
definitely does not apply here, and stories about your bad customer service can spread
quickly
Weak cash flow – bad customer service works like a domino of issues progressively
falling onto your company one by one, so do keep this in mind when you handle your
customers’ problems next time to avoid losing profits
Below is an example of a tweet posted by an Airbnb customer whose honeymoon was
booked after it was suddenly canceled by the company. We see here evidence of not
delivering, as well as poor customer service. Waiting 2 hours on the phone should be
unacceptable!
Mistake 6: NOT SOLVING THE PROBLEM ON THE FIRST CALL
We all know how important time is nowadays. No one likes wasting it on making
unnecessary calls or writing emails. When customers reach out to you for the first time,
do your best to solve their issues during the very first encounter. Creating a positive first
impression will leave your customers satisfied and will contribute to creating good brand
recall. What solutions are there? A good tool that could help you do it is Interactive
Voice Response (IVR) technology used in call centers. With tools like this, you can
quickly and effectively guide your customers through different options and make sure
they are always directed to the right department. Not only does that allow you to save
time and serve more customers during the day, but most importantly it also sends your
customers to the right place straight away and as such increases the chances of solving
their issue during the very first call. It is a win-win solution, isn’t it?
6. Late resolution (not at first call or email)