In any company, the customer support department plays quite an integral role. It holds the faith of your company in its palm and because of that, it can either make or break your entire business. If a customer support agent commits one mistake, then your company has to face some serious repercussions. One wrong move on the part of a sales agent can cost your company a lot. You don’t only have to suffer loss in terms of money but reputation as well.
The research conducted by Khoros shows that 86% of customers can be turned from one-time clients into long-term brand champions if only they are provided with robust customer service. This, including various other research the evidence that customer support is truly one of the most if not the most, important part of any company when it comes to an increase in sales and a company’s growth.
So, to help you make your department excellent, we have put together a list of some of the biggest mistakes you need to avoid in a support team. Let’s take a look at them.
Mistake 1: Not Understanding the Needs of the Customers
Failing to understand what the customers are trying to communicate simply shows the incompetency of agents. On top of it, if the agent begins to assume things without giving the chance to the customers to explain, then it comes across as quite unprofessional on the part of your company. As a matter of fact, clients tend to do business with those companies that cater to the needs of their customers.
A study conducted by Qualtrics XM Institute shows that around 90% of customers trust a company that takes care of the needs of their customers. Because of that, said customers rate such companies “very good”.
In this regard, you can take pointers from companies like Xfinity that not only caters to the needs of their customers but also create a separate department for non-native speakers to communicate effectively. As a person of Hispanic descent, you can contact the CS department of Xfinity en Español and talk to the sales agents in your native language.
Mistake 2: Not Showing Empathy
This is definitely one of the most important yet neglected points. Customer support is not only about answering questions or fixing problems as robots. Clients find those companies commendable and add a human touch to their services. The absence of empathy and failure to understand where your consumers are coming from can put a huge black dot on the reputation of your company.
Showing empathy to your customers makes them see that you hold up to your claims of valuing your clients. What’s more, even if you find it difficult to solve their problems, at least showing compassion and empathy can still help you retain them.
Mistake 3: Making the Customers Wait in the Line
Put yourself in the shoes of your customers and then answer this question, how do you feel when a CS department of any company makes you wait long in line? Terrible, right? Well, this is how your clients also feel and this immediately puts them off. People love doing business with companies that value their time and efforts. This is the first step to impressing your customers and if you fail, then you can brace yourself to lose consumers.
Additionally, it also gives across the message that your company does not have enough staff to cater to the needs of all the customers. And the staff available is not professional enough to do their job perfectly.
Mistake 4: Failing to Be Patient with the Customers
As a sales agent, you come across people of all types in a day. Not everyone is going to be happy with your services. Some might even spout insulting remarks or curse words at you but that does not mean that you should start doing the same. One of the key training in becoming a CS representative is practicing patience.
You need to learn how to deal with customers of all types. At times, customers are going to be adamant about unsubscribing from your services but this is where the magic of excellent customer service comes into play. By showing patience, you can turn the whole game around. In fact, according to research by Salesforce Research, 78% of consumers are willing to continue doing business with you even after a mistake, given that you have provided them with excellent customer service.
The Bottom Line
To err is human but when it comes to customer support, you cannot afford to commit a single mistake. The support team is the backbone of any company and one wrong move on their part can tarnish the reputation of your company in the market. This is why you need to save your company from crumbling down, we have walked you through some of the biggest mistakes you need to avoid in customer support.
So, train your agents accordingly and create a department that helps your brand grow.