Any industry needs to consider the what-ifs that may impact their organization and, more importantly, their customer base.
From catastrophic failures to minor inconveniences, setting up a position and program for you to mitigate any potential for issues should be a priority to help foster positive views toward your brand.
The goal is to have a representative that can help put your customer at ease, build trust that the outcome will be the best possible, and disarm the situation through authentic interaction to create, at the very least, a positive experience regardless of the outcome.
Most of the skills you need to provide your Customer Service Representative (CSR) can be acquired, though there are a few that are what we term “soft-skills.”
The most important feature of being a CSR is that the role is to satisfy your customers through fulfilling their needs.
The Top-7 Soft Skills (And One Bonus One)
When structuring your CSR position, there are a few qualities and skills you want the person to possess, or at least be open to learning. Your CSR’s primary role isn’t to put out fires. Instead, make your customers positive by believing your CSR met their needs.
Utilizing our top-7 (top-8) soft-skills, your customer service rep will ease any potential conflict and orient the customer’s experience to one that is solutions-oriented.
1. Clear Communicator: Your ability to be a clear communicator is crucial in the role of customer service. Customers should have a straightforward time understanding what your representative is sharing and what is being communicated.
2. Able Listener: Not to be overlooked is the need for your customer service manager to be an able listener. Does the person listen to what’s being communicated, or are they quick to move on to the next subject or customer? This skill is especially crucial to acquire in the church or other personal service areas where personal interaction is central to the brand.
3. Depersonalized: The task should be the task, not a personal obligation or threat. Treat the job emotionally distant to stay focused on providing a solution for the customer.
4. Self-Control: Taking control of the situation without making it a personal attack is crucial to staying rooted toward the customer’s solutions.
5. Positive Attitude: Having a positive outlook exudes positive energy back. Tapping into that positive energy when a customer has an issue helps de-escalate concerns and worries. By your CSR having an ability to analyze, stay calm, and offer some positive reinforcement, it can disarm the situation and prioritize the actions to best help the customer increase their patience through the process.
6. Conflict Resolution: The role of your CSR is to de-escalate the emotion from the situation and find a solution that resolves the issue outright, or at the very least creates an experience that leaves the customer more satisfied than when they arrived at your CSR.
7. Empathy: Your ability to show understanding about the customer’s concerns in an authentic, honest way is crucial in helping de-escalate but also provides you with building a sense of trust.
8. Sense of Humor: Having a sense of humor in the face of adversity is almost a super-skill. In fact, having a sense of humor in the face of adversity disarms the situation, providing levity, and offering hope to those involved.
Having a good CSR is essential, but the system you put into place is just as important. Establishing a good customer service management program can be the difference in your ability to handle crises and becoming overwhelmed by circumstances.
And it doesn’t matter if your organization is a for-profit or a non-profit entity. You need to have in place a good Customer Service Management tool.
In fact, even churches can benefit from a good CSM tool to help with donations, scheduling, and other features.
There are several good church management tools, but the best ones will focus on proactive solutions before a crisis emerges; the ease with which customers can access the tools you provide; quick data analysis; and other logistical support.
Knowing your customer base is essential.
Making them feel valued and loyal to your service is critical.
Setting up a good customer service representative while using an excellent customer service management tool will give you the power of improving your relationships with your customer base, whether in the for-profit business or personal services and non-profits like with a church.
These tools and skills will help you further communicate with your customers, address any possible concerns before they become a significant issue, streamline your accounting, and create a better brand perception as well.
