For many years, companies have adopted a ‘one size fits all’ attitude to customer service interactions. This shouldn’t be the case. Your customer service says a lot about you, it’s what makes you stand out from your competitors and it’s what encourages customers to come back to you.
So how can you personalise your service?
Here are 4 ways that you can make your customer interactions more personalised:
- Anticipate customer needs
Customers expect businesses to know more about them, to predict their expectations and to know what they will need in the future. For example, a supermarket online-shopping website will remember what you bought last time and Amazon will show you suggested products based on what you’ve previously viewed. The same concept can be adapted in any business. When a customer makes a purchase, keep them up to date on products that relate to the product they bought. Entice customers based on their requirements, rather than other attributes. Advancements in CRM systems means that companies are now able to build up a detailed analysis in what a specific customer will need. This will make your customers feel more unique and valued.
- Address the customer with the correct salutation
A simple but effective way to personalise a call is to use the correct salutation, but getting the correct salutation first time can be tricky. Try asking after the initial stage of the call if it is okay to call them by their first name. Break down that formal barrier and make that phone call more personal. Agents need to use their common sense to gage the tone of the call. If the customer is evidently annoyed, asking to call them by their first name may annoy them further. It’s best to make a new judgement on each individual call.
- Be aware of lifestyle clues
Every single customer is unique and individual. Train your agents to listen out for any subtle clues about their lifestyle. This information will slowly start to build a relationship between agent and customer. Ask them about their holiday destination, their type of car, the barking dog in the background; all of these examples can be used to strike a point of middle ground.
- Be human
Ultimately, customers want to speak to humans, not robots. Simply being friendly and reassuring helps the customer understand that their problem is being resolved. Customer service is becoming an increasingly impersonal and robotic experience, so making the effort to be friendly and compassionate will go a long way.
It’s important to remember that 66% of customers switch companies due to poor customer service, taking time to invest in your company now will help it to grow in the future.
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