The power of good customer service

Customer service is one of the easiest things to do, but many employees actually struggle with it. For one reason or another, they do not understand how to interact with your customers and they have a hard time forming relationships with them. Having good customer service skills will allow your business to develop strong connections with your customers and they will remain loyal customers for many years.

Think about some of the companies you commonly shop from and the reasons why you do. If you only buy pizza from a certain local business, it's probably because you have gotten to know this company. They can probably identify you by name and they have your order memorized. Gaining customer service like this does take time, but having lifelong customers is one of the best ways to keep your business alive.

Good customer service isn't hard to learn, it starts with something simple called a smile. When you walk into a store and the associate looks bored, you automatically have an assumption about that person and the company. When you walk into a store and the associate smiles and says "hello", you are likely to have a different outlook.

The nice thing about smiling to your customers is that it can get you out of an uncomfortable situation. If you have customers that are rambling on about their personal life, a simple smile will let them think that you are listening and that you care. Body language is important when it comes to good customer service. Keep a smile on your face when you are talking on the phone with your customers, it has actually been shown to improve your tone and mood on the phone.

Help your customers. You don't need to be like the furniture stores that hit up their customers every 5 minutes, but it is important to ask your customers if they need help. Don't be too pushy about selling your products to them, instead watch them and ask them if you can help them find something. Just let them know you are interested in them and you will get a positive response from them.

Notice your co-workers and help them if they are struggling. We all know what its like to be the new person at work and having a co-worker step in and point you in the right direction is always nice. Encourage employees to help one another, especially if one employee looks like they are in a bind. Perhaps they have a lot of customers waiting on them (checkout lines) or they don't quite know where to send customers that are looking for specific products.

Helping one another is a great way to create a friendly work environment and eliminate the hassle for your customers. Don't try to step on each others toes, instead think of your business as a team and that you are all there to help each other become a better employee.

Solve customer's problems. If you really want to keep people coming back for more products, you need to take time to solve their problems. Try to get answers for them as quickly as possible. If you need to talk to a supervisor, don't keep them waiting too long. Get the answers the customers need and they will be grateful for it.

Treat them like gold. Customers want companies to fawn over them. While you may not think they are right, try to find ways to let the customer think they are right. It's important for them to feel special when they come to shop at your store, make them feel this way by smiling at them, calling them by name, and assisting them in any way possible.