problem solving skill in customer service

12 Top Techniques for Customer Service Problem Solving

In the dynamic landscape of customer interactions, effective customer service problem solving is more than beneficial — it's a necessity. It's about recognizing that every conversation is an opportunity to transform a challenge into a solution. This approach leads to an enhanced customer experience, where every interaction is valued.

Along with the do's, we'll highlight some critical don'ts to avoid. Whether you're new to the industry or a seasoned professional, this blog post is dedicated to uncovering effective strategies and techniques that will elevate your customer service problem solving skills to the next level.

Understanding Customer Service Problem Solving: The Essentials

The essence of problem solving in customer service lies in effectively identifying, understanding, and addressing the challenges faced by the customer. This skill set goes beyond issue resolution; it encompasses empathy and practical knowledge to develop solutions that elevate the experience with your brand. On a general level, this can be achieved through active listening and ensuring that service representatives grasp each customer's unique situation. Most customers do not want robotic replies, especially when they are being told "no." They want tailored replies and solutions to their issues.

Why is problem solving in customer service so important? It stands as the cornerstone of building customer retention and trust. When issues are resolved with care and efficiency, it reinforces confidence in your brand. It also solidifies a strong, positive brand reputation. This proactive approach in addressing customer needs helps foster long-term relationships. Further, it ensures a lasting impact on your business's image and customer loyalty.

12 Key Customer Service Problem Solving Do's and Don'ts

Do regularly train and update your team's skills.

Why It's Important: Customer service training plays a vital role in keeping your team equipped to handle a wide array of customer issues effectively.

Example: Implement regular training sessions that cover new customer service tools, communication techniques, and updates about products or services. This could involve workshops on handling difficult conversations or training on new software features.

Best Practice: Schedule ongoing training and development programs. Encourage continuous learning by providing resources like webinars, workshops, and access to relevant industry content.

Do Celebrate and Share Positive Feedback

Why It's Important: Sharing positive customer experiences can motivate your team and demonstrate the value of excellent customer service.

Example: When a customer compliments a team member or expresses satisfaction with a resolution, share this feedback with the team. This not only boosts morale but also sets a standard for the quality of service.

Best Practice: Create a system for collecting and sharing positive customer feedback to highlight success stories and best practices. This can be done both internally within the team and externally on social media or marketing materials. You may also consider incentivizing positive feedback. For example, if an employee receives 20+ 5 star reviews via the customer feedback survey, they receive a $25 Starbucks gift card.

Do Utilize Technology to Enhance Efficiency

Why It's Important: Leveraging the right technology can significantly streamline service processes, leading to quicker problem resolution and more proactive customer support.

Example: Implementing a customer service ticketing system can help track and manage customer queries more efficiently, ensuring no issue is overlooked. Also, implementing chatbots on your website can create an added level of convenience for your customers.

Best Practice: Research and invest in customer service tools that suit your business needs. This might include CRM systems, chatbots, or advanced ticketing systems.

Read More: What is AI Ticketing and 10 of Its Benefits to Customer Support Businesses

Do Create Personalized Customer Engagement

Why It's Important: Personalized customer interactions based on the customer's history and preferences demonstrate a deep understanding of their needs.

Example: Use data from previous interactions to tailor your approach. An example is referencing a customer's past purchases or support issues when offering assistance. This shows the customer that they are valued and remembered.

As you go down this path, you can begin to segment your client base into specific customer types. Some examples might be the "tech-savvy," "senior citizen," and "business-owner." You can approach each of these customer types with a different style, and can even consider personalized email messaging.

Best Practice: Train your team to use customer data effectively to personalize each interaction. Utilizing CRM systems can help in storing and retrieving relevant customer information to make each interaction more personal and meaningful.

Do Offer Multi-Channel Support

Why It's Important: Providing multichannel customer support meets customers where they are most comfortable. This can be whether it's via phone, email, social media, or live chat.

Example: A customer prefers to communicate via social media messaging for quick queries but uses email for more detailed discussions. Offering both channels caters to their preferences.

Best Practice: Implement a strategy that integrates various communication channels seamlessly. This can help provide consistent and effective customer support across all platforms. Most employees can be cross-trained on all these platforms, which is something the organization should strive for.

Do Understand and Adapt to Generational Differences

Why It's Important: Effective communication strategies are key to tailoring your approach to meet the varying needs of each generation.

Example: While a baby boomer might prefer a detailed phone conversation with plenty of confirmation throughout, a millennial might favor a quick chat message.

Best Practice: Train your team to recognize and adapt to the differing needs of each generation. Coming up with a "cheat sheet" of things to keep in mind for each age bucket can be a great resource for employees.

Read More: Customer Service Excellence Across All Generations

Don't Make Assumptions About the Customer's Issue

Why Not: Jumping to conclusions without fully understanding the customer's problem can lead to miscommunication and potentially worsen the situation. It's crucial to approach each issue with an open mind.

Example: If a customer is unhappy with a product, avoid assuming it's due to user error. It could be a misunderstanding about the product's features or an actual defect. Assuming user error can infuriate a customer as they consider you are blaming them directly for the issue they are having.

Better Approach: Always ask clarifying questions and listen carefully to the customer's explanation. This ensures that you fully understand the problem before offering a solution. An example might be if you offer computer security software that requires user set-up. You, as the employee, should be knowledgeable about the process already. Ask the customer to explain the steps they took during installation to see if they have missed one or done things out of order.

Don't Neglect the Emotional Aspect

Why Not: Focusing solely on the technical side of a problem-solving process and ignoring the emotional intelligence in service can make them feel undervalued and frustrated. Focusing on emotional intelligence gives a more comprehensive understanding of the customer's feelings.

Example: If a customer is upset about a delayed shipment, simply explaining the logistics process without acknowledging their frustration can leave them feeling unheard. They want to know that you understand where they are coming from.

Better Approach: Empathize with the customer's emotional state. A simple acknowledgment like "I understand how frustrating this must be" can go a long way in calming an upset customer and building rapport. Using the logistics example, put yourself in the customer's shoes. They may be waiting for an important package, perhaps a medical device, or a birthday gift for a loved one. Each situation should be treated as if the package contains something of timely importance, not just any materialistic good.

Don't Overlook the Importance of Follow-Up

Why Not: Failing to follow up can leave customers feeling neglected and can lead to unresolved issues resurfacing.

Example: After resolving a customer's issue, not checking back to confirm their satisfaction can lead to missed opportunities for feedback and improvement. For example, let us say that you work for a telecommunications company. You visit a client to resolve an issue with a cable tv box that seems to turn off at random intervals of use. You have not heard from the customer in a week. Even though it is safe to assume that all is well, it is still a nice gesture to check in with the customer to ensure everything is working well. They will appreciate that and likely remember you for outstanding service.

Better Approach: Implement a system to routinely follow up with customers after their issues have been addressed. This will help increase satisfaction and provide valuable feedback. This can be done via an email survey, phone call, or even personal visits, depending on the type of business.

Don't Underestimate the Power of a Knowledge Base

Why Not: A well-maintained knowledge base is a vital tool for efficient problem solving. Neglecting it can lead to inconsistent or outdated information being provided to customers.

Example: Customer service representatives relying on an outdated knowledge base might provide incorrect information. This can lead to further customer frustration. For example, a customer may be calling you back about an issue regarding a malfunctioning cable TV box. If you do not have a record of the initial call notes, or have notes about a similar issue from two years ago, this is cause for confusion and frustration.

Better Approach: Regularly update and maintain your knowledge base. This ensures that your team has access to accurate and current information, which is important for effective problem-solving. Investing in good cloud-based knowledge base software is a prudent step.

Read More: Everything You Need to Know About Customer Service Knowledge Base Software

Don't Dismiss Customer Feedback

Why Not: Ignoring customer feedback can lead to repeated mistakes and missed opportunities. Customer feedback analysis is essential for continuous improvement and innovation.

Example: Not taking customer complaints seriously or considering them for future changes can result in a loss of trust and customer loyalty. For example, let us imagine that you manage the mens clothing design at a noteworthy athletic brand. You change the design of a pair of popular pants and start to receive negative feedback about the fit on post-purchase surveys. If you take no action, customers could boycott your brand.

Better Approach: While it is one thing to actively encourage customer feedback, it is another to action this feedback into a tangible result. Use received feedback to inform service improvements for customers and training programs for employees.

Don't Rely Solely on Scripted Responses

Why Not: Over-reliance on scripted responses can make customer interactions feel impersonal and ineffective, especially in complex problems.

Example: Using a standard script for a unique problem can frustrate customers who seek a more personalized approach. For example, imagine you are a customer looking for a refund on a product you did not receive, even though the company claims to have shipped it. If the company replies using a generic response such as, "while we are sorry your item did not arrive, we completed our end of the agreement by sending it out. Please follow-up with the shipping company." While this is technically correct, customers do not want to be passed from company to company to get their answer. In this case, it might be more valuable for the seller to contact the shipping company on the customer's behalf and open up an investigation. Going the extra mile saves the customer added time and frustration. It might also score you, as the seller, some extra points and loyalty.

Better Approach: Train staff to use scripts as guidelines rather than strict rules. Encourage them to personalize interactions based on the specific context and customer needs.

Read More: Seamless Customer Experience: Top 10 Strategies for Better Service Delivery

The Bottom Line: Mastering Customer Problem Solving

Effective customer problem solving is essential in the dynamic world of customer service, turning every interaction into an opportunity for positive change. As highlighted earlier, addressing and solving customers' problems is not just about quick fixes but about creating lasting relationships. This involves actively listening, empathizing, and using tailored strategies to meet individual customer needs. This approach not only resolves immediate concerns but also sets a high standard for customer service, contributing to the long-term success of any business.

To elevate your team's game, explore Giva's innovative Customer Service Software . With features like a customizable dashboard, robust reporting analytics, and quick setup, Giva is designed to streamline your customer service process. Experience Giva's impact on your customer service delivery by trying it free for 30 days .

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How to Improve Problem Solving Skills in Customer Service

Keeping customers happy pays off.

Happy customers buy more, generate positive word-of-mouth advertising, and create great referrals.

Unhappy customers complain, and they do it loudly. What’s worse, for every customer that complains, 26 stay quiet .  

Delivering great customer service can be challenging, but why?

According to Jeff Toister of Toister Performance Solutions and author of three customer service books , there are five reasons why customer service is so hard:

• It’s not instinctive
• Our customers see what we don’t
• It’s sometimes hard to be friendly
• We aren’t good at multitasking
• Directed attention fatigue

So how do we overcome these challenges ?

Problem-solving.

“Every problem has a solution. You just have to be creative enough to find it.” Travis Kalanick

One of the main reasons our customers do business with us is because we solve a problem for them.

Depending on your product or service, your business can help customers:

• experience something new
• feel comfort
• become healthier

What problem does your business solve for your customers?

Problem -solving skills is vital to Customer Service

Solving a customers’ issue should be the goal of every one of your people.

But typically in the past, when an issue escalated to a certain point, help desk service or customer service reps (CSRs) were told to escalate these calls to a supervisor or manager.

More and more companies are asking customer service reps (CSRs) to handle these types of issues, not managers.

That’s a big change for many CSRs.

It’s also a task CSRs can get right with the proper problem -solving skills training . Failing is not an option for CSRs. It’s just too costly.

What is the impact of poor customer service?

Companies lost $75 billion in 2017 from customers switching to competitors because of bad service. That’s up $13 billion from 2016. With customers demands increasing each year, it doesn’t take much to disappoint customers with poor customer service. Obviously, CSRs need to be at the top of their games to keep customers happy.

This guide offers tips on how to help your people solve customer service problems quickly, efficiently, and cost-effectively.

The guide covers the following topics:

• Critical thinking in customer service
• Rules to help customer service people think critically
• Basic customer service problem-solving scenario
• Concrete steps to solve a customer problem

Keeping customers happy can boost customer loyalty, corporate productivity , and business profitability—goals for every company out there.

“Fall in love with the problem, not the solution.” Uri Levine

Critical Thinking in Customer Service

Delivering epic customer service is essential these days. But that’s easier said than done, given today’s more demanding customers.

Identify critical thinkers

To manage demanding customers requires someone highly skilled in troubleshooting—someone with the creativity to solve difficult problems.

All while under the pressure of the customer.

So, look for customer service people that are creative problem solvers when hiring new workers. These people have a penchant for thinking outside the box to solve problems.

That includes not just the ability to think rationally , but also the need to question the information given. Put simply, critical thinking is never taking anything for granted.

Build critical thinking skills

Customer service people can develop critical thinking skills with practice. In a post by Ransom Patterson on CollegeInfoGeek.com reveals seven ways people can improve critical thinking skills:

• ask basic questions
• question basic assumptions
• be aware of your mental processes
• try reversing thing
• evaluate existing evidence
• think for yourself
• remember you are not perfect

Apply these tips encourages critical thinking.

Another critical thinking technique CSRs can use is constructive controversy. A proven problem-solving method, constructive controversy helps you decide if a decision we’re making is the right one for you. Here’s more on this technique .

Basic Customer Service Problem-Solving Scenario

Savvy businesses aren’t afraid to provide employees with customer service problem-solving training.

One aspect of this training is learning the four phases of a problem-solving situation and what to do during each phase. See below:

Listen to customers

Listening is the first step in solving customer’s problems. It’s also the most critical. But customer service people often need training to do it well.

If customer service reps don’t listen, they won’t know the nature of a customer’s problem and its impact on him or her.

Sometimes, all customers want is for CSRs to lend a sympathetic ear. Other times, they need more.

Also, CSRs need to let customers vent without interrupting them.

Acknowledge customer’s pain

During this phase, CSRs need to acknowledge they heard customers and “feel” their pain.

Paraphrasing the problem back to a customer says you’ve done that. It also makes sure everyone is on the same page. If CSRs don’t fully understand the issue, they may end up providing the wrong solutions. Saying something like “I’m sorry you had to call us to deal with this issue” also helps.

Offer alternative solutions

If the issue is merely an oversight on the customer’s part, no remedy is needed.

But if the situation is the company’s fault or a product or service fails, you may need to offer alternative solutions.

Resolution is critical.

In this case, the customer not only didn’t get what he or she wanted but also were inconvenienced. That’s a bad combination no matter how you look at it. Going above and beyond by resolving the issue and offering a free product or service, a special coupon, or a gift voucher goes a long way with customers.

Execute/Follow-up

After agreeing on a solution, CSRs need to execute. Then, you need to follow up. That ensures that customers end up happy with the resolution and are satisfied with the outcome. If they’re not, then customer service people need to find a way to satisfy them.

Understanding these phases of a successful issue resolution is crucial when dealing with unhappy customers. It’s the “secret sauce” to keep buyers happy.

Extra: Be prepared

In addition to this approach, you may want to have some prepared responses to seven stock questions customers ask. They’re questions that almost every company gets:

• Why don’t you have it in stock?
• Why didn’t you or your company tell its customers?
• Why did I pay less the last time I was here?
• Can I have a refund because of this problem?
• You did it last time I was here?
• You said the problem/product was fixed?
• You said you’d call me when the problem was fixed.

Providing stock responses to these questions not only helps customer care people follow company guidelines but also keeps customers happy.

How to Handle Customer Service Issues: 9 Steps

Problem-solving often seems straightforward, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes, it’s complicated. Having workers well-versed in problem-solving skills and techniques for customer care representatives helps. Approaching issues in a systematic way simplifies the problem-solving process.

Below is a 9-step process that can help CSRs resolve even the most complex customer service issues:

Identify the problem

The key to doing this is to ask the right questions. Below are some customer service problem-solving interview questions:

• What is this call really about?
• Is there an underlying issue causing the problem the customer isn’t aware of?
• What does the customer want us to do?
• Is the issue being made worse by a known problem or bug?
• Is this issue identifying a repeated customer service problem or is it a new issue?

These questions can help CSRs pinpoint the real problem. It’s not always what customers think. Acknowledging the customer’s pain, as we said above, also helps.

Find out what customers need

Try to understand how customers see the issues involved and try to get a solid understanding of his or her needs. If appropriate, ask customers what they’ve done to resolve the issue.

Find out how the issue impacts the customer

Understanding how an issue affects a customer is crucial. It helps CSRs not only connect with the customer but also prioritize tasks.

Clearly define the root of the problem

Having identified the problem in steps 1 to 3, you now need to understand what caused the problem. By identifying the cause of the problem, you will have a better idea of how to solve it. Also, you will know how to avoid a simialr problem in the future.

Produce possible solutions

Knowing the problem, your customer care person needs to start brainstorming solutions. They also need to find out what solutions other co-workers may have used to solve the problem. CSRs can then generate a list of potential solutions.

Evaluate each solution and pick the best

Evaluate all the solutions. Decide if you have the resources to implement it, how much the solution costs, how long it will take to execute it, will it resolve the issue, and if it follows company policy.

Plan the solution’s implementation

Some solutions are easy to execute. Others are harder. For harder solutions, think about who will execute the solution, what will it costs, when and where you will execute it, and how will it be implemented. Also, double check out the benefits of the solution.

Discuss the solution with customers

Having nailed down the solution’s details, discuss it with the customer. Walk through it with him or her step by step and ask for feedback. Be ready to adjust the plan. Execute the solution — After the customer approves the solution, it’s time to execute it. Follow up to certify the progress of the solution, that you’re meeting any deadlines and where you stand with the budget. Re-work your plan, if necessary.

Analyze the results

Having finished the implementation, analyze the results. Use quantitative and qualitative data, if available. Can you improve the solution? Also, ask the customer if the resolution met their expectations. That’s critical.

This ten-step process may seem a bit much for call center agents, technical support people, and customer care representatives to tackle. But using it works.

Having customer care people go through it step by step helps your CSRs quickly resolve customer issues the first time that customers call. Track resolution time to see how your CSRs are doing.

Resolving issues when customers contact your business keeps them happy.

Happy customers buy more, generate positive word-of-mouth advertising, and create outstanding online referrals. On average, a happy customer tells nine people about their experience with you.

Keeping customers happy is the secret to boosting customer loyalty, increasing profitability, and differentiating you from competitors. Doing those things can take your company to the next level.

Unicom Teleservices

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Solving the 12 Most Common Customer Problems [Guide]

11 min read

A surefire way to improve engagement and retention is to focus on solving customer problems.

Think about it – what would you do if you needed help but all you got was an incredibly unhelpful customer service agent? Chances are, you would take your business elsewhere.

That is precisely why you need to focus on improving your customer service problem-solving and providing excellent support focused on reducing the number of dissatisfied customers.

Where to get started? That’s what this guide is for, outlining frequent customer service issues and their solutions.

• Customer service problem-solving is the process of identifying and efficiently resolving customer concerns in a timely manner.
• Focusing on solving customer problems is vital because it offers key benefits, like improved retention , satisfaction , and loyalty , along with reduced support costs.
• Common customer service issues include lengthy wait times, inaccessible human reps, slow resolution, inconsistent support quality , and poor communication skills of the support team.
• A few shared reasons, like insufficient training, limited staffing, complex customer issues, and no standardized procedures or centralized knowledge bases , cause these issues.
• Possible solutions for these complaints involve implementing callback systems, simplifying automated menus, establishing clear resolution timelines, and standardizing training.
• Some additional effective techniques for problem-solving include empathizing, active listening, sincerely apologizing, proactively communicating, and offering compensation where needed.
• Improving your self-service resources and ensuring consistent operating hours are also useful best practices.
• Ready to optimize your customer service problem-solving strategy? Schedule a Userpilot demo and see how you can get started.

Try Userpilot and Take Your Customer Experience to the Next Level

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What is customer service problem-solving?

Customer service problem-solving is a discipline focused on optimally identifying, addressing, and resolving issues customers encounter with a product or service.

It is important to note that, contrary to its name, customer service problem-solving is not just about fixing customer complaints.

It’s much more complex than that.

It requires effective problem-solving skills along with other key capabilities like communication , empathy , and critical thinking. It’s also about creating a system where all customer issues are prevented or solved as fast and efficiently as possible.

If done right, customer service problem-solving offers great benefits, such as improved customer satisfaction and loyalty .

Why solving customer problems is so important

Providing excellent customer service is a whole art, one that requires you to develop a functional strategy to do it right. But once you perfect your customer service problem-solving and better train your customer service team, the benefits are endless. Here are just a few:

• Increases customer retention .
• Enhances customer experience .
• Builds customer loyalty.
• Encourages customer engagement .
• Reduces support costs.
• Facilitates customer feedback collection.
• Drives customer satisfaction.

12 most common customer service problems (and how to fix them)

Different companies run into several types of customer service issues. However, there are quite a few recurring customer queries and complaints almost all customer service agents face. So let’s deep dive into what these are and learn the golden rules needed to solve customer service problems.

1. Long wait times

When you look at customer feedback, a common problem that frequently comes up is how often customers have to wait for customer support . All these extended hold times and long queues just add to the customer’s annoyance and dissatisfaction .

Main reasons :

• High call volume.
• Insufficient staffing.
• Complex customer complaints.
• Inadequate training .
• Limited self-service options.
• Backlog of unresolved issues.

Implement a callback system so customers don’t have to wait hours to talk to a customer service rep. Next, focus on streamlining your processes and consider increasing staffing during peak hours. Lastly, introduce chatbots for instant support on low-priority issues.

2. Frustration with inaccessible human reps

Customers often get frustrated with complex automated customer service menus and the inability to reach a human representative.

• Cost-saving strategies.
• Fewer customer service representatives.
• Outdated technology .
• Poor menu design .
• Language limitations.

There are several ways to solve this customer service problem. Start by simplifying automated menus and adding a clear option to speak with a human customer service agent.

Additionally, create comprehensive self-service materials so customers can troubleshoot independently. Also, regularly test the system for ease of usability and accessibility.

3. Slow resolution times

The next common customer service problem is customers having to follow up multiple times to get their issues resolved. This need to constantly check up on the issue wastes more of the customer’s time and is a sign of poor customer service.

• High workload and ticket volume .
• Complicated customer issues.
• Poor internal communication .
• Incomplete issue documentation .
• Ineffective prioritization of tasks.

Establish a clear resolution timeline, improve internal communication, and ensure regular follow-ups with customers until the issues are resolved.

4. Inconsistent support across channels

Customers experience different levels of support quality depending on the contact channel they use. So, a chatbot might not offer much help but an email ends up providing effective customer service problem-solving. This inconsistency only leaves customers confused about which channel to trust .

Main Reasons :

• Varying levels of support training.
• Different support team structures .
• Inconsistent use of knowledge bases.
• Lack of standardized procedures.
• Limited integration between channels.

Start by providing consistent training and resources to service reps across all platforms. Next, ensure that all support channels are well-integrated so information and user data flow seamlessly between them.

A good example of such omnichannel communication is Bluehost, which offers the same quality of live chat and phone support.

5. Excessive transfers between departments

Instead of any issue resolution , customers are often transferred several times between departments without making any progress . In the end, all that’s left is an angry customer and their unresolved complaint.

• Poor initial issue categorization.
• High specialization within departments.
• Insufficient cross-department communication.
• Inconsistent problem-solving protocols.
• Miscommunication or misunderstandings.

Instead of having multiple departments handle specific issues, train all customer service agents to handle a wide range of problems . Also, establish clear protocols for when transfers are necessary and explain the procedure to customers as well.

6. Poor communication skills of customer service reps

Sometimes customers feel undervalued and misunderstood because the customer service representatives lack empathy , communication, or problem-solving skills.

• Insufficient training programs .
• Inadequate soft skills development.
• Lack of performance monitoring .
• Limited knowledge of products or services.
• Limited focus on customer empathy .

Invest in your customer support team, training them in skills like empathy, active listening, and clear communication. Introduce regular monitoring and evaluation of customer service interactions , via CES surveys for example, for quality control.

7. Insufficient knowledge among support staff

Oftentimes, support representatives fail at customer service problem-solving because they lack relevant knowledge . In some cases, they even recommend wrong solutions , which only worsen the customer complaint and potentially increase churn and losses.

• Lack of customer service training.
• Limited access to updated product information .
• Complex product or service offerings.
• Rapid changes in products or services.
• Poorly designed knowledge management systems .

Provide comprehensive training to your customer representatives, ensuring that they are well-versed with the product or service.

Next, try maintaining an up-to-date customer service knowledge base that is accessible to all. This way, representatives can refer to it whenever needed instead of suggesting flawed solutions.

8. Conflicting information from different reps

A common customer complaint is how often they receive conflicting information from different support representatives, leading to confusion and greater mistrust.

• Lack of clear documentation and standardized procedures.
• Inconsistent training across different departments.
• Outdated or inaccurate knowledge base .
• Insufficient supervision and monitoring .
• Varying levels of agent experience.

Make sure all customer service agents are on the same page, by standardizing important information and procedures. Moreover, ensure that each team member gets access to the same resources , training, and product information.

9. Perceived difficulty in contacting customer service

Sometimes, the customer service problem-solving quality itself isn’t the issue. Instead, the problem is that some companies avoid direct contact, making customers exert a lot of effort to get in touch with customer service.

• Cost reduction strategies.
• Overreliance on self-service options and automation .
• Limited staffing resources.
• Overwhelmed support infrastructure.
• Challenges in scaling customer support operations.

Make contact information easily accessible, mentioning it clearly at several touchpoints . Also, to cater to varying customer needs , provide multiple contact channels, and ensure prompt responses.

Hostinger does a good job at this, clearly outlining numerous support channels, along with links to other help center resources like tutorials :

10. Difficulty in resolving issues through self-service

Providing self-service options is great, but it shouldn’t be the only way customers can get help . Companies need to consider that not all customers find it easy to troubleshoot and resolve issues on their own.

• Complex or inaccessible UI design .
• Lack of sufficient information.
• Limited types of content (e.g. only blogs, no videos or tooltips ).
• Technical glitches or bugs .
• Inability to handle complex customer complaints.
• No human support options.

Simplify self-service interfaces and ensure easy access to human support as well for customers who prefer it.

Introduce various content types within the resource center , such as comprehensive and interactive guides , FAQs, blogs, case studies , checklists , etc.

11. Unresolved customer issues

Usually, the main reason behind decreasing customer satisfaction is simple: their problems and complaints aren’t getting resolved. When this happens, customers feel neglected and are more at risk of churning .

• Lack of technical skills and training.
• Inadequate knowledge management systems .
• Complexity of the product or service.
• High employee turnover affects resolution continuity.
• Poor integration between departments.
• Ineffective prioritization of customer issues.

To improve customer retention, implement a follow-up system to ensure all issues are resolved and offer timely updates to customers. In addition, provide personalized customer service to build trust and understand specific pain points so you can resolve issues better.

12. Inconsistent operating hours

Last but not least, a recurring customer service problem is when support is not available at consistent or convenient times. This just makes it harder for customers to seek help , causing them to ultimately give up on your business entirely.

• Limited resources for 24/7 support.
• Lack of sufficient staffing to cover all time zones.
• High cost associated with around-the-clock service reps.
• Difficulty in recruiting and retaining staff for non-traditional hours.

To avoid any confusion, standardize your operating hours and communicate them clearly to customers. If customer complaints about operating hours still continue, then consider providing extended hours as well.

Here’s an example by SiteGround that clearly advertises it’s 24-hour support:

Try Userpilot and Take Your Customer Service to the Next Level

The key customer service problem-solving techniques.

Now that you’ve gone over all the common customer complaints and queries, it’s time to focus on making sure they don’t happen again. To help with that, here are the top customer service problem-solving best practices guaranteed to delight customers.

Empathy, active listening, and personalization

One simple technique for providing the best customer support is to listen carefully. This requires that you solely focus on the customer without any distractions, show interest, and ask clarifying questions. Only through such active listening can you truly understand the customer’s needs .

Along with listening intently, you also need to be patient and reflect on the customer’s feelings. In other words, you must empathize with your customers’ experience before jumping to a solution. This helps build trust and rapport necessary for long-lasting relationships.

Lastly, it is important to acknowledge that all customers are unique, and therefore each customer’s problem should be treated individually. This allows for a more personalized solution , best-suited for the customer’s specific complaint.

Troubleshooting based on experience

It’s true – practice does make perfect. So if you want to improve your customer service problem-solving skills, the best way is through hands-on experience . The more practice you get working on and learning from previous cases, the more your ability to diagnose and fix issues will improve.

However, this doesn’t mean you don’t need any training at all. Instead, the two go hand-in-hand. Training provides the necessary foundational knowledge , while hands-on experience refines that knowledge through practical application .

Both these things also help ensure cross-department exchange of information and improved collaboration over time.

Providing sincere apologies

A golden rule of customer service: Never ever argue with the customer. When a customer is upset or in need of help, arguing with them will only make matters worse. Plus, arguing only further ruins the customer experience and could lead to negative word of mouth .

The right thing to do is to apologize sincerely. Often, a genuine apology is all customers need to feel validated, helping de-escalate the situation. Moreover, once you’ve apologized, customers are more open to trusting you, thereby making them receptive to any proposed solutions.

To ensure an apology is effective, it should be timely, specific to the customer’s issue, and accompanied by a clear plan for resolution. If done right, sincere apologies contribute greatly to customer satisfaction , loyalty, and a positive brand reputation.

Consistent follow-up and proactive communication

In order to provide effective customer support, simply resolving the problem is not enough. There are other elements you need to simultaneously take care of as well, to provide customers with a seamless experience throughout.

To start off, the service team must keep customers informed about the progress of their issues. This includes letting them know of any delays or necessary follow-up actions. Such transparency in the resolution process helps reassure the customer and highlights your commitment to customer service.

Even after providing a solution, you must follow up with the customer again to ensure the problem has been fully resolved.

Offer compensation

In certain cases, simply apologizing for the issue is not sufficient. Rather, it is important that you offer compensation for the negative experience.

This helps repair the relationship by demonstrating accountability on your part and showing how committed you are to customer satisfaction . It also provides a tangible gesture of goodwill , which can hopefully reduce any negative impact the issue may have caused.

Glovo (a food delivery app) is a good example to quote here. If your order is missing some parts or has other issues, Glovo often issues instant refunds.

Improving self-service resources

Finally, the last trick to perfecting your customer service problem-solving ability is to create comprehensive self-service options . These can include resource centers, knowledge bases , how-to videos, community forums, help center portals, user guides , and more.

Providing these resources empowers customers to quickly resolve issues on their own, reducing wait times and boosting satisfaction . Additionally, self-service portals also decrease the workload on customer service teams, enabling them to focus on more complex inquiries.

For example, here’s a look at the self-service options Zendesk offers:

Effectively and quickly solving customer problems is crucial for driving retention and enhancing satisfaction. But there are several other facets to customer service problem-solving to keep in mind too, such as empathy, active listening, and other soft skills.

To make things easier, try keeping a few tips and best practices in mind. For example, focus on training your customer service team, proactively communicating, offering multiple channels of contact, and enhancing self-service resources.

With all these techniques in hand, you’ll be able to reduce churn and create a positive customer experience in no time!

Want to get started solving customer problems? Get a Userpilot Demo and see how you can improve customer loyalty.

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10 Tips and Techniques for Customer Service Problem-Solving

October 11, 2023

Start training your teams today

In the customer service world, challenges arise when you least expect them. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting, mastering the art of problem-solving is essential.

In this article, we’ll share with you 10 simple yet effective tips and techniques that will empower your team to navigate customer service issues like a pro.

From active listening to setting realistic expectations and offering solutions, these strategies will benefit your business by enhancing your team’s problem-solving skills and boosting customer satisfaction.

Why are problem-solving skills important in customer service?

Problem-solving skills are crucial in customer service because they turn frustrating situations into bright opportunities. When you effectively identify and address customer issues, you also show that you genuinely care about their satisfaction.

These skills build trust, improve customer loyalty, and lead to positive word-of-mouth recommendations. Moreover, they help your team handle challenges efficiently, reducing stress and improving overall job satisfaction.

In short, mastering problem-solving in customer service is the key to creating happy customers and a thriving, customer-centric business.

Customer Service Problem-Solving # 1 - Active Listening

Active listening is a vital technique in customer service problem-solving. It involves fully focusing on what the customer is saying, not just waiting for your turn to speak.

To practice it effectively, encourage your team to maintain eye contact, nod in acknowledgment, and use phrases like "I understand" to show empathy. Let them practice how to avoid interrupting and give customers the space to express themselves fully.

By truly hearing your customers’ concerns and needs, your team can respond more precisely and find solutions that leave customers feeling valued and satisfied. This successfully turns potentially challenging situations into positive experiences.

SC Training (formerly EdApp) can empower your customer service team's problem-solving skills by offering interactive and customized training courses. These problem solving training courses include SC Training (formerly EdApp)’s Problem Solver course. There’s also a course on Dealing with Difficult Customers .

Through scenario-based simulations, your team members can practice resolving real-life customer issues in a safe learning environment. SC Training (formerly EdApp)'s reporting and analytics features allow you to monitor individual progress, identify areas for improvement, and provide targeted feedback.

With the flexibility of mobile learning , your team can also access training anytime, anywhere, making it convenient to sharpen their problem-solving abilities. Plus, SC Training (formerly EdApp)'s engaging and adaptive content makes sure that your team stays motivated and develops the critical skills needed to excel in customer service problem-solving.

Sign up to SC Training (formerly EdApp) for free to unlock your customer service team’s best potential.

Customer Service Problem-Solving # 2 - Stay Calm and Patient

Staying calm and patient is a superpower in problem-solving. When your team keeps their cool even in tough situations, it sends a reassuring message to the customer that they’re competent and there to help.

Some tips you can give them are to take deep breaths, to remember it's not personal, and to not rush through the conversation. Pausing to collect their thoughts can also lead to better solutions and prevent the situation from escalating.

With this customer service problem-solving skill, your team gains the upper hand in resolving issues effectively, creating happier customers, and making their jobs less stressful in the process.

Customer Service Problem-Solving # 3 - Apologize Sincerely

Apologizing sincerely is a golden technique in customer service. When your team members genuinely say, "I'm sorry," they show empathy and take responsibility for any inconvenience the customer has faced, regardless of fault.

This simple act of acknowledging their frustration can go a long way in diffusing tension and starting the path toward resolution when it comes to customer service problem solving. A sincere apology demonstrates that your customer service team cares about their experience and is committed to making it right.

So, don't let your team underestimate the power of a heartfelt "I'm sorry" in turning a customer's problem into an opportunity to leave them feeling valued and satisfied.

Customer Service Problem-Solving # 4 - Take Ownership

Taking ownership is a remarkable technique when dealing with customer problems. When your team members accept responsibility for resolving an issue, they send a clear message to the customer that their concerns matter to your business.

It doesn't matter if your product or service caused the problem. By taking ownership, your team demonstrates a commitment to finding a solution and ensuring their satisfaction. This step builds trust and confidence in your customers, showing that your team is there to support them every step of the way.

Encourage your team to say, "I'll take care of this for you." It's a powerful way to transform challenges into opportunities in exceptional customer service problem solving.

Customer Service Problem-Solving # 5 - Set Realistic Expectations

Setting realistic expectations is an important step for customer service problem solving. When you communicate clear timelines, you're being honest and transparent with what the customer can expect.

This helps manage their expectations and prevents disappointment down the road. Under-promising and over-delivering is a technique your team can use to make sure that they have the time and resources needed to meet or exceed the commitments they’ve made.

This technique not only prevents misunderstandings but also creates a positive experience by showing that your team is dependable and trustworthy. It ultimately makes customers happier and more satisfied with the service they receive.

Customer Service Problem-Solving # 6 - Collaborate with Colleagues

Letting your team members collaborate with their colleagues for problem-solving is like having a superhero team for customer service in your organization. Sometimes, challenges are complex, and it's perfectly okay to call in reinforcements.

They can also involve other team members or departments when needed, ensuring that they have all the expertise and resources at their disposal. Effective internal communication is the key here; so make sure that everyone is on the same page.

This customer service problem solving example helps find more comprehensive solutions and demonstrates a unified commitment to customer satisfaction. So, remind your team that they’re not alone in this mission–collaborate, conquer, and make your customers' day better together.

Customer Service Problem-Solving # 7 - Offer Solutions

Offering solutions is not just about acknowledging the issue; it's about actively seeking ways to fix it. Presenting practical solutions to the customer's problem shows that your team is dedicated to making things right and that customer satisfaction is their top priority.

So when faced with examples of problem-solving scenarios, have your team discuss the options, outlining the pros and cons if necessary, to help your customers make an informed decision.

Offering solutions not only resolves the immediate problem but also fosters trust and loyalty, leaving customers feeling heard, valued, and confident in your team’s ability to provide exceptional service.

Customer Service Problem-Solving # 8 - Follow-Up

Once the issue is resolved, your customer service team shouldn’t leave your customers hanging. They should take the extra step to check in with them.

Whether it's a quick email or a phone call, asking if everything is going well shows that your team genuinely cares about their satisfaction even after the problem is resolved. It's a fantastic way to ensure their needs are fully met and to gather valuable feedback for continuous improvement.

Following up not only leaves a lasting positive impression but also transforms a simple resolution into a memorable and delightful customer experience . So, remind your team to circle back and make sure that your customers are smiling long after the issue is history.

Customer Service Problem-Solving # 9 - Document the Interaction

When your team members keep detailed records of customer issues and the steps taken to resolve them, they’re creating a valuable resource for your customer service team.

These records offer a clear picture of past challenges and solutions, making it easier to spot trends and identify areas for improvement. Plus, they guarantee consistency in your service by allowing any team member to pick up where you left off, providing a seamless customer experience.

Think of documentation as your team’s secret weapon for conquering future customer service adventures, helping them navigate problems with confidence and precision.

Customer Service Problem-Solving # 10 - Learn from Each Case

After resolving an issue, let your team take a moment to reflect on what went well and what could be improved. Have them analyze customer feedback and common issues to identify patterns and trends.

By turning each case into a learning opportunity, your team can continually refine their problem-solving skills and fine-tune your business’s customer service approach.

It's the key to growth, making sure that you and your team are always ready to tackle new challenges with even greater expertise. This ultimately creates happier customers.

Donna is an elearning content writer for SC Training (formerly EdApp), a mobile-based microlearning platform designed for today's digital training needs. When she's not writing web articles, she writes lines of code or songs or anything food-related.

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• Customer experience management

8 customer service challenges and how to resolve them

The most important skill for a customer service agent to learn is empathy. that, plus a well-crafted customer service plan, can solve nearly any problem that arises..

• Sandra Mathis, Microsoft

Customer service agents are the first line of defense in solving issues and managing customer expectations , but finding a solution is not always as easy as it seems.

How an agent addresses a challenge can be the difference between a repeat customer or one that will seek out a competitor. Understanding the top eight common challenges -- and how to address them -- is only the first step to ensuring long-term customer loyalty .

1. Managing customer expectations

The core of all customer service interactions is understanding the customer's needs and the best way to satisfy them. It begins with customer service agents actively listening to the customer as they explain their issue. Next, agents must act as investigators as they take that information and ask additional questions to get to the root cause of the problem. Then, they can identify the best solution based on the company's processes and procedures.

Customer service agents must empathize with customers because they need to build a relationship that instills trust. If the customer knew how to resolve the problem independently, they would not have reached out for help. The customer service agent can address the issue beginning with an apology:

This article is part of

Ultimate guide to customer service for businesses

• Which also includes:
• 10 customer service best practices to follow
• 13 customer retention strategies that work
• 5 examples of bad customer service and how to avoid them

Download this entire guide for FREE now!

"Mr. Black, we're sorry for the problem you are experiencing. Let's see how we can get this matter resolved for you. Can you tell me more about what's happening? "

Then, the agent can ask follow-up questions to help get more context for the problem. Once the agent identifies the root problem and possible cause, they can start finding viable solutions.

2. Not having a satisfactory answer

The general expectation is that a service agent will resolve any concern or problem a customer may have. However, a time will inevitably come when a customer service agent cannot answer a customer's question or provide a satisfactory resolution to their problem. If a proper solution takes time beyond the first call, customers should have their expectations managed with regularly scheduled follow-ups . A possible response to a customer could be:

"Ms. Johnson, I am looking at your account information. Based on what you are telling me and what I can view on your account, I will need to follow up with another agent to give you the correct information on the next steps. Can I place you on hold for two minutes to do that follow-up?"

It's essential to manage expectations and provide an update if a full resolution is still in progress. It's critical not to leave the customer wondering.

3. Transferring customer calls too frequently

There are two red flags for customers when they contact a customer service department -- a phone tree that goes on and on and automated messages that transfer them from team to team. While a call sometimes needs to be transferred to better support a customer's needs, making this process as seamless as possible is crucial to creating a superior customer experience. The agent should inform the customer who they will be speaking to and why this transfer is appropriate to their particular needs. A possible response might be:

The general expectation is that a service agent will resolve any concern or problem a customer may have.

"Ms. Hall, I am going to transfer you over to Sue, who is in the payments department. She is better able to look into the details of what happened with your bill back in September. I will remain on the line with you as this takes place."

4. Upset customers

An unfortunate yet common experience is encountering angry customers, and it takes skill to handle them appropriately . Customers want their dissatisfaction taken seriously and their problem resolved as quickly as possible. It is essential that a customer service agent listens and responds with genuine empathy and compassion during these interactions. A good guideline is to apologize for the situation; a customer service agent should take responsibility and accountability for the organization.

"Mr. Smith, I'm sorry this happened. Let me see what I can do to resolve this situation for you as quickly as possible."

5. Customers are dealing with service outages

It is paramount to be transparent with customers about what the service team does and does not know when service outages happen. The best approach is to explain what the problem appears to be at that moment, including if there is no current estimated time of resolution. There is often an ongoing communication response plan by those working on the outage or crisis response teams in cases like this.

"Mrs. Jones, I'm sorry that this outage has impacted you. The service outage is on our end, and our response team is diagnosing the problem with our technicians. Once we have a clear idea of the cause, we can provide an estimate for when the service will be restored. Based on my current information, we expect to get our next update in an hour. At that point, I could provide an update via email or text message, depending on your preference. Thank you for your patience and understanding."

6. Lack of time due to serving multiple customers at once

Addressing multiple tasks and customers at a time is sometimes unavoidable. It's often best to have a method in place to handle these scenarios when they arise. When addressing the first customer, the agent should inform them it will take time to manage their inquiry or find a solution. Often, customers are okay being placed on hold if it means a resolution is coming.

"Ms. Lee, are you okay if I place you on hold to look into this situation further? It should only take me a couple of minutes."

Then, if another call comes through, the customer service agent will be expected to multitask both interactions. The goal should be to create an experience that feels personalized -- even while handling multiple calls. This is a skill that will develop over time and takes practice to perfect .

7. Not having a solution to the customer's problem

Occasionally, a customer may have a request that goes beyond what a company provides or offers. In such a situation, the customer service agent is responsible for managing expectations. It's best to give a 'soft no' and provide a comparable alternative if possible.

" Thank you for calling, Mr. Adams. Unfortunately, this is not something we currently offer, but we can do X, which is not quite the same but may still address your needs."

8. Customer service inquiries are not consistent

As service and product offerings evolve, new procedures for addressing issues can come from ad hoc experiences. As a result, the customer service experience may be inconsistent and not align with the customer service workflow or the appropriate stage in the customer journey . The agent should be able to use their expertise to help address any discrepancies. As the customer service team compares the agent's work against the established customer service plan , they can identify key areas to be revised while keeping the customer journey in mind.

Applying the tips identified in these eight scenarios will enable customer service agents to tackle challenging customer service situations and help build long-lasting customer loyalty .

Top 5 challenges in field service management

What are the different types of contact centers?

10 examples of AI in customer service

The future of customer service: 12 trends to watch

Related Resources

• The Rise of South Africa as a Global CX Hub –Hinduja Global Solutions
• Customer experience maps vs. customer journey maps –TechTarget ComputerWeekly.com
• Comparing CRM to CX –TechTarget ComputerWeekly.com
• IT Basics: Real-time Analytics –TechTarget ComputerWeekly.com

Dig Deeper on Customer experience management

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The Guide to Effective Customer Service Problem Solving

Cases that start as “I don’t know” quickly become “I figured it out!”

“I don’t know” isn’t a good enough answer in customer support. When customers come to you with unique problems and unusual questions, we can’t refuse to answer them. In this guide, we’ll give you the steps to turn that “I don’t know” into something better:

“I don’t know, but I’m going to figure it out.”

With this guide to effective customer service problem solving, we give you a three-step process to follow:

• take stock of the information you’ve been given,
• gather any additional information you need,
• and then work to solve the problem and respond to the customer.

Let’s get started.

Assess the information you have

Information is the most important tool in your tool belt. The first step in solving any problem is to identify all the information you already know. Whether this case was escalated to you for help, or if you’ve just realized that there may be more than meets the eye to this problem, take the time to lay out everything you know.

Customer’s tone

How does your customer feel about the situation? Are they technically minded, or are they struggling to describe technical issues ? Are they calm and cooperative? Or combative and frustrated? Is this a deal-breaker for them? Or is it just a weird bug? The demeanor of your customer will inform how you approach the situation going forward.

Customer’s history

Do a quick review of the customer’s previous support interactions, any purchases they’ve made, what plan type they are on, etc. This context will help you replicate the issue, as well as respond appropriately to the customer.

What’s happening?

Do you know enough about what’s happening? Have they sent through screenshots? Error messages? Console data? What were they trying to accomplish? It doesn’t need to be a technical problem for this step to still be important. Understanding what the customer’s motivation is will help solve a variety of issues.

Has this happened before?

It’s very unlikely that this is a brand new problem. Has the customer reported it happening before? Has any other customer reported it happening before? Help desk search functions are incredibly powerful tools. Search error messages and problem statements to see if other customers have reported similar issues. You can also search the internet to see if it’s a third-party issue. For example, if you’re using a third-party payment system, you might be seeing one of their errors when customers are purchasing on your website.

Gather more information

Okay, we’re partway there! If you didn’t have an epiphany while you were sorting through the information already at your disposal (sometimes that happens!), it’s time to gather more data.

Can you replicate it?

There’s no way to get more information than to get hands-on with the problem. Do you see the same thing happening?

If not, what information do you need to replicate it?

If you can’t replicate the issue, it’s probably because you’re doing something different or in a different environment. What information do you already have about the customer’s environment? What do you need to know in order to do exactly the same thing?

• Environment: browser version, extensions (try it incognito?), other settings.
• Steps: can they record a screengrab? What are they trying to do? What error message do they get?
• Specific settings: what account are they using? What version of your product are they using? If you can try it in their account (using “admin mode” or “god mode” so you can see it without asking for their username or password), does it happen for you as well?

Ask other people

Now’s the time to check in with other people on your team to see if they have any ideas. Have they ever seen something similar?

Depending on your relationship with your product and engineering team, you may also be able to check in with them at this point. However, many teams have a more formal bug reporting process in place to prevent “side of the desk” questions from interfering with their workflow. If that’s the case, you may want to do more research first.

Solve the problem

Now you’ll need to actually solve the problem for the customer. It might require finding a workaround, or reporting a bug to the development team.

Bug or works-as-designed?

Once you’ve replicated the issue, you’ll need to decide whether that is the way it’s supposed to work, or if you’ve found a bug. If it’s a bug, congrats! You can file a bug ticket and ask your engineering team to fix it. If it’s a feature or a design flaw, you may need to make a case for an update. In this case, the complex problem may turn into a feature request.

Is there a workaround?

Can you get to the customer’s desired end result in another way? Whether the issue turns out to be a bug or a feature, if you can find another way to achieve their goal, your customer will be happy!

Write a great response

Once you’ve replicated the issue, solved the problem, found a workable solution, or at least documented the bug for a future fix, you need to get back to the customer. Writing an empathetic, thorough response can make all the difference in a complex situation.

In many cases, your response will follow the same steps as a great customer service apology :

• Offer explanation
• Fix the problem
• Wrap it up and let them know what’s next

Resources for Customer Service Problem Solving

We all need a little help sometimes. If you’re learning how to fix more difficult problems, these resources can help.

Help Scout’s Art of Troubleshooting

On a mission to troubleshoot a bug? This guide is super helpful .

Support Details website

Learn how to use Developer Tools, especially Web Consoles

Be like Sherlock, and look for clues!

Customer support requires communication skills and problem-solving skills. Looking for the clues to solve the puzzle becomes a big part of your job as soon as you start to take on more difficult customers. With this guide to customer service problem solving, you’ll have a systematic way to approach those tough questions. Cases that start as “I don’t know” quickly become “I figured it out!”

How did you like this blog?

Sarah Chambers is a Customer Support Consultant and Content Creator from Vancouver, Canada. When she’s not arguing about customer service, she’s usually outdoors rock climbing or snowboarding. Follow her on Twitter @sarahleeyoga to keep up with her adventures.

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21 Key Customer Service Skills (and How to Develop Them)

It doesn’t matter how great your product is: If your customer service is poor, people will complain about it, and you’ll lose customers.

The good news: It’s not impossible to turn things around. Transforming your customer service from mediocre to great won't happen overnight, though. It requires a serious commitment to meaningful change, a team of rockstar support professionals, and work across the entire organization.

This is a chapter in our  Ultimate Guide to Running a Customer Service Team . When you're ready, check out the other chapters:

Chapter 1 – 21 Key Customer Service Skills (and How to Develop Them)

Chapter 2 – 13 Response Templates for Tricky Customer Service Emails

Chapter 3 – 12 Customer Service Phrases to Use (+ 8 You Should Avoid)

Chapter 4 – 10 Ways to Deliver Consistently Great Customer Service

Chapter 5 – 47 Pro Tips on How to Talk to Customers

Chapter 6 – 107 Customer Service Statistics and Facts You Shouldn't Ignore

Chapter 7 – Go-To Scripts for 16 Tricky Customer Service Scenarios

Chapter 8 – The 16 Best Customer Service Software Platforms for 2024

Chapter 9 – Customer Feedback: Why It’s Important + 7 Ways to Collect It

Chapter 10 – How to Set Customer Service Goals (+ 9 Example Goals)

Chapter 11 – Customer Appreciation Ideas: 17 Ways to Thank Customers

Chapter 12 – 4 Customer Success Plan Templates and How to Use Them

What is customer service?

Customer service is the act of providing support to both prospective and existing customers. Customer service professionals commonly answer customer questions through in-person, phone, email, chat, and social media interactions and may also be responsible for creating documentation for self-service support.

Organizations can also create their own definitions of customer service depending on their values and the type of support they want to provide. For example, at Help Scout, we define customer service as the act of providing timely, empathetic help that keeps customers’ needs at the forefront of every interaction.

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Why is customer service important?

When 86% of customers quit doing business with a company due to a bad experience, it means that businesses must approach every support interaction as an opportunity to acquire, retain, or up-sell.

Good customer service is a revenue generator. It gives customers a complete, cohesive experience that aligns with an organization’s purpose.

According to a variety of studies , U.S. companies lose more than $62 billion annually due to poor customer service management , and seven out of 10 consumers say they’ve spent more money to do business with a company that delivers great service.

Understanding that customer service is the cornerstone of your customer experience helps you leverage it as an opportunity to delight customers and engage them in new, exciting ways.

What are the principles of good customer service?

There are four key principles of good customer service: It's personalized, competent, convenient, and proactive. These factors have the biggest influence on the customer experience.

Personalized: Good customer service always starts with a human touch. Personalized interactions greatly improve customer service and let customers know that your company cares about them and their problems. Instead of thinking of service as a cost, consider it an opportunity to earn your customer’s business all over again.

Competent: Consumers have identified competency as the element that plays the biggest role in a good customer experience. To be competent, a customer support professional must have a strong knowledge of the company and its products, as well as the power to fix the customer’s problems. The more knowledge they have, the more competent they become.

Convenient: Customers want to be able to get in touch with a customer service representative through whichever channel is the most convenient for them. Offer support through the channels of communication your customers rely on most, and make it easy for customers to figure out how to contact you.

Proactive: Customers want companies to be proactive in reaching out to them. If one of your products is backordered or your website is going to experience downtime, proactively reach out to your customers and explain the problem. They may not be happy about the situation, but they will be thankful that you kept them in the loop.

By building your customer service strategy around these four main principles, you'll create a positive, hassle-free customer experience for everyone who deals with your company.

Customer service tips by business type and industry

B2B customer service

B2C customer service

SaaS support

Customer service in healthcare

Startup customer service

Customer service in education

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21 key customer service skills

While delivering consistently good customer service requires work and alignment across your entire organization, a good place to start is your customer service team . It's important to hire people who genuinely want to help your customers succeed — and to pay rates that are attractive to skilled professionals.

Finding the perfect hire for a support team can be challenging. No particular checklist of job experiences and college diplomas adds up to the perfect candidate. Instead, you’re looking for qualities that can’t necessarily be taught.

These folks thrive on one-on-one interactions within their community. They love problem solving. They’re warm, approachable, and great at teaching other people how things work.

Here are the 21 customer service skills that every support professional should seek to develop and every leader should look for when hiring new team members.

Foundations of Great Service

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1. Problem solving skills

Customers do not always self-diagnose their issues correctly. Often, it’s up to the support rep to take the initiative to reproduce the trouble at hand before navigating a solution. That means they need to intuit not just what went wrong, but also what action the customer was ultimately after.

A great example? If somebody writes in because they’re having trouble resetting their password, that’s ultimately because they want to log into their account.

A good customer service interaction will anticipate that need and might even go the extra mile to manually perform the reset and provide new login details, all while educating the customer on how they can do it for themselves in the future.

In other situations, a problem-solving pro may simply understand how to offer preemptive advice or a solution that the customer doesn’t even realize is an option.

2. Patience

Patience is crucial for customer service professionals. After all, customers who reach out to support are often confused and frustrated. Being listened to and handled with patience goes a long way in helping customers feel like you’re going to alleviate their current frustrations.

It’s not enough to close out interactions with customers as quickly as possible. Your team has to be willing to take the time to listen to and fully understand each customer’s problems and needs.

3. Attentiveness

The ability to truly listen to customers is crucial to providing great service for a number of reasons. Not only is it important to pay attention to individual customers’ experiences, but it’s also important to be mindful and attentive to the feedback that you receive at large.

For instance, customers may not be saying it outright, but perhaps there is a pervasive feeling that your software’s dashboard isn’t laid out correctly. Customers aren’t likely to say, “Please improve your UX,” but they may say things like, “I can never find the search feature” or “Where is (specific function), again?”

You have to be attentive to pick up on what customers are telling you without directly saying it.

4. Emotional intelligence

A great customer support representative knows how to relate to anybody, but they’re especially good with frustrated people. Instead of taking things personally, they intuitively understand where the other person is coming from and they know to both prioritize and swiftly communicate that empathy.

Think about it: How often have you felt better about a potential grievance simply because you felt immediately heard by the other person involved?

When a support rep is able to demonstrate sincere empathy for a frustrated customer, even just by reiterating the problem at hand, it can help to both placate (the customer feels heard) and actively please (the customer feel validated in their frustration).

5. Clear communication skills

Your customer support team is on the front lines of problem solving for the product itself, and serves as a kind of two-pronged bullhorn.

On one side, they’ll be the voice of your company to your customers. That means they have to have a practiced grasp on how to reduce complex concepts into highly digestible, easily understood terms.

On the other, they’ll represent the needs and thoughts of customers to your company. For example, it doesn’t behoove the customer to receive a long- winded explanation on the ins-and-outs of solving a particular bug.

The ability to communicate clearly when working with customers is a key skill because miscommunications can result in disappointment and frustration. The best customer service professionals know how to keep their communications with customers simple and leave nothing to doubt.

6. Writing skills

Good writing means getting as close to reality as words will allow. Without an ounce of exaggeration, being a good writer is the most overlooked, yet most necessary, skill to look for when it comes to hiring for customer support.

Unlike face-to-face (or even voice-to-voice) interactions, writing requires a unique ability to convey nuance. How a sentence is phrased can make the difference between sounding kind of like a jerk (“You have to log out first”) and sounding like you care (“Logging out should help solve that problem quickly!”).

Good writers also tend to use complete sentences and proper grammar — qualities that subtly gesture toward the security and trustworthiness of your company.

Even if your company offers support primarily over the phone, writing skills are still important. Not only will they enable your team to craft coherent internal documentation, they signify a person who thinks and communicates clearly.

7. Creativity and resourcefulness

Solving the problem is good, but finding clever and fun ways to go the extra mile — and wanting to do so in the first place — is even better.

It takes panache to infuse a typical customer service exchange with memorable warmth and personality, and finding a customer service rep who possesses that natural zeal will take your customer service out of “good enough” territory and straight into “tell all your friends about it” land.

Chase Clemons at Basecamp advises the following:

“You want to have somebody who you don’t have to give a lot of rules and regulations to. You want to have somebody who is talking to a customer and understands ‘Their boss is really yelling at them today. This person is having a really bad day. You know what? I’m going to send them some flowers to brighten things up.’ That’s not really something you can teach. They have to go the extra mile naturally.”

8. Persuasion skills

Oftentimes, support teams get messages from people who aren’t looking for support — they’re considering purchasing your company’s product.

In these situations, it helps to have a team of people with some mastery of persuasion so they can convince interested prospects that your product is right for them (if it truly is).

It’s not about making a sales pitch in each email, but it is about not letting potential customers slip away because you couldn’t create a compelling message that your company’s product is worth purchasing!

9. Ability to use positive language

Effective customer service means having the ability to make minor changes in your conversational patterns. This can truly go a long way in creating happy customers.

Language is a crucial part of persuasion, and people (especially customers) create perceptions about you and your company based on the language that you use.

For example, let’s say a customer contacts your team with an interest in a particular product, but that product happens to be back-ordered until next month.

Responding to questions with positive language can greatly affect how the customer hears the response:

Without positive language: “I can’t get you that product until next month; it is back-ordered and unavailable at this time.”

With positive language: “That product will be available next month. I can place the order for you right now and make sure that it is sent to you as soon as it reaches our warehouse.”

The first example isn’t negative per se, but the tone it conveys feels abrupt and impersonal and could be taken the wrong way by customers — especially in email support when the perception of written language can skew negative .

Conversely, the second example is stating the same thing (the item is unavailable), but it focuses on when and how the issue will be resolved instead of focusing on the negative.

10. Product knowledge

The best customer service professionals have a deep knowledge of how their companies’ products work. After all, without knowing your product from front to back, they won’t know how to help when customers run into problems.

All new Help Scout employees, for example, are trained on customer support during their first or second week on the job; it’s a critical component of our employee onboarding process.

According to Help Scout's Elyse Roach, “Having that solid product foundation not only ensures you’ve got the best tricks up your sleeve to help customers navigate even the most complex situations, it also helps you build an understanding of their experience so that you can become their strongest advocate.”

Mitigating gaps in product knowledge

It takes time for team members to build up their product knowledge. And if you have a very complex product, it may take your team members years to learn every one of its ins and outs. However, the right customer support tool can help you mitigate those gaps in product knowledge.

For example, with  Help Scout , you can:

Create a database of saved replies that support agents can use to answer frequently asked how-to questions about your product.

Search your help center articles and insert links to them in responses without ever leaving the conversation view.

Set up automated workflows that attach helpful internal notes to conversations with instructions on how to reply.

Search all previously sent responses by keyword, tag, and more to see if someone else on the team has already answered the question.

Whether you're using Help Scout or one of its alternatives , make sure you browse the features available to help your teams deliver exceptional customer service.

11. Acting skills

Sometimes your team is going to come across people who you’ll never be able to make happy.

Situations outside of your control (such as a customer who's having a terrible day) will sometimes creep into your team's usual support routine.

Every great customer service professional needs basic acting skills to maintain their usual cheery persona in spite of dealing with people who are just plain grumpy.

12. Time management skills

On the one hand, it’s good to be patient and spend a little extra time with customers to understand their problems and needs. On the other hand, there is a limit to the amount of time you can dedicate to each customer, so your team needs to be concerned with getting customers what they want in an efficient manner.

The best customer service professionals are quick to recognize when they can't help a customer so they can quickly get that customer to someone who can help.

13. Ability to read customers

It's important that your team understands some basic principles of behavioral psychology in order to read customers' current emotional states. As Emily Triplett Lentz writes:

“I rarely use a smiley face in a support email when the customer’s signature includes ‘PhD,’ for example. Not that academics are humorless, it's just that : ) isn’t likely to get you taken seriously by someone who spent five years deconstructing utopian undertones in nineteenth-century autobiographical fiction.”

The best support pros know how to watch and listen for subtle clues about a customer's current mood, patience level, personality, etc., which goes a long way in keeping customer interactions positive.

14. Unflappability

There are a lot of metaphors for this type of personality — “keeps their cool,” “staying cool under pressure,” and so on — but it all represents the same thing: The ability some people have to stay calm and even influence others when things get a little hectic.

The best customer service reps know that they can’t let a heated customer force them to lose their cool. In fact, it is their job to try to be the “rock” for customers who think the world is falling apart as a result of their current problems.

15. Goal-oriented focus

Many customer service experts have shown how giving employees unfettered power to “wow” customers doesn’t always generate the returns many businesses expect to see. That’s because it leaves employees without goals, and business goals and customer happiness can work hand-in-hand without resulting in poor service.

Relying on frameworks like the Net Promoter Score can help businesses come up with guidelines for their employees that allow plenty of freedom to handle customers on a case-to-case basis, but also leave them priority solutions and “go-to” fixes for common problems.

16. Ability to handle surprises

Sometimes, customers are going to throw your team curveballs. They'll make a request that isn't covered in your company guidelines or react in a way that no one could have expected.

In these situations, it's good to have a team of people who can think on their feet. Even better, look for people who will take the initiative to create guidelines for everyone to use in these situations moving forward.

17. Tenacity

Call it what you want, but a great work ethic and a willingness to do what needs to be done (and not take shortcuts) is a key skill when providing the kind of service that people talk (positively) about.

The most memorable customer service stories out there — many of which had a huge impact on the business — were created by a single employee who refused to just follow the standard process when it came to helping someone out.

18. Closing ability

Being able to close with a customer as a customer service professional means being able to end the conversation with confirmed customer satisfaction (or as close to it as you can achieve) and with the customer feeling that everything has been taken care of (or will be).

Getting booted before all of their problems have been addressed is the last thing that customers want, so be sure your team knows to take the time to confirm with customers that each and every issue they had was entirely resolved.

19. Empathy

Perhaps empathy — the ability to understand and share the feelings of another — is more of a character trait than a skill. But since empathy can be learned and improved upon , we’d be remiss not to include it here.

In fact, if your organization tests job applicants for customer service aptitude, you’d be hard pressed to look for a more critical skill than empathy.

That’s because even when you can’t tell the customer exactly what they want to hear, a dose of care, concern, and understanding will go a long way. A support rep’s ability to empathize with a customer and craft a message that steers things toward a better outcome can often make all the difference.

20. A methodical approach

In customer service, haste makes waste. Hiring deliberate, detail-oriented people will go a long way in meeting the needs of your customers.

One, they’ll be sure to get to the real heart of a problem before firing off a reply. There’s nothing worse than attempting a “solution,” only to have it miss the mark entirely on solving the actual issue.

Two, they’ll proofread. A thoughtfully written response can lose a lot of its problem-solving luster if it’s riddled with typos.

Three, and this one may be the most important, it means they’ll regularly follow up. There’s nothing more impressive than getting a note from a customer service rep saying, “Hey! Remember that bug you found that I said we were looking into? Well, we fixed it.” That’s a loyal, lifetime customer you’ve just earned.

An important side note: The best hires are able to maintain their methodical grace under regular fire.

Since the support team is often tasked with the tough work of cleaning up other people’s messes, it’s especially important they understand how not to internalize the urgency — and potential ire — of frustrated customers. Instead, they know how to keep a cool head and a steady, guiding hand.

21. Willingness to learn

While this is probably the most general skill on this list, it’s also one of the most important. After all, willingness to learn is the basis for growing skills as a customer service professional.

Your team members have to be willing to learn your product inside and out, willing to learn how to communicate better (and when they're communicating poorly), willing to learn when it’s okay to follow a process — and when it’s more appropriate to choose their own adventures.

Those who don’t seek to improve what they do — whether it’s building products, marketing businesses, or helping customers — will get left behind by the people who are willing to invest in their own skills.

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What if someone on your team is lacking these skills?

What if you're leading a team of support professionals who aren't open to improving their approach to customer service? What if they lack the skills above and don't seem to be interested in developing them? Help Scout's Mathew Patterson has a solution:

Often, the root cause of what could be perceived as a lack of skill or unwillingness to learn is the result of a work environment (current or prior) that didn't reward going above and beyond to provide excellent service.

Try providing your team with some clear guidelines for what you expect and some examples of what great customer service looks like at your company in a way that brings to bear all of these skills, and as you do it, make sure that you're celebrating those small wins as you see people starting to use these skills.

Once your team starts to see that their efforts are being acknowledged and rewarded, you'll have people start to get more engaged, and you'll have a clearer picture of whether or not there are actually people on your team who have real skill gaps that you need to work on.

The evolution of customer service

As Seth Godin wrote , customer service means different things to different organizations, but things aren’t going to end well for the companies who simply see customer service as a “cost-cutting race to the bottom.”

The bottom line: Great customer service is a growth center, not a cost center. It’s really that simple.

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11 Essential Customer Service Skills & How to Develop Them

Customer service skills have been under the microscope ever since customer expectations from branded customer support increased manifold, especially after the pandemic. Almost overnight, skills like customer empathy and patience surpassed technical knowledge and persuasiveness as criteria to assess service quality. 

Evidently, the list of customer service skills to grow in your workforce is dynamic and evolving. One can never be sure they have it all when it comes to delighting customers with stellar support while maintaining operational excellence and controlling costs. 

That being said, there is a definitive list of essential customer support skills identified after processing volumes of customer feedback to gauge what qualities customers value in support reps.  And we are sharing the list in this comprehensive article, along with proven tips to develop these skills in record time. Let’s get started.  

What are customer service skills?

Why is it important to have good customer service skills , 11 customer service skills essential to survive and thrive , 6 tips to hone your customer service skills , create delightful customer service experiences with sprinklr .

Customer service skills are a combination of interpersonal abilities, communication techniques and problem-solving competencies that individuals possess to effectively and positively engage with customers.  

These skills are essential in providing satisfactory service experiences, addressing customer needs and maintaining a positive relationship between the customer and the business.  

Key elements of customer service skills include active listening, empathy, effective communication, problem-solving and adaptability, all aimed at ensuring customer satisfaction and loyalty. 

Let us look at some examples of customer service skills worth exercising: 

• Active listening : Repeating a customer's concerns to ensure accurate understanding before offering solutions. 
• Empathy : Expressing sympathy and understanding when a customer faces challenges with a product or service. 
• Effective communication : Providing concise and easy-to-understand instructions or explanations to customers. 
• Problem-solving : Resolving a customer's complaint by offering alternatives or taking immediate corrective actions. 

Top-tier customer service skills are the linchpin of a successful and sustainable business, influencing critical aspects such as customer retention, brand perception and revenue.

Improved customer retention  

Loyal customers purchase repeatedly and recommend actively. Customers who experience exceptional service are more likely to become loyal patrons. The art of active listening, empathy and effective problem-solving creates a positive customer experience, fostering a connection beyond the initial transaction.  

You can improve customer loyalty and customer retention , building a solid foundation for long-term success by consistently delivering outstanding customer service . 

Enhanced brand perception  

Beyond individual transactions, good skills in customer service contribute significantly to a brand's overall presence in the market. Satisfied customers become enthusiastic brand advocates , sharing their positive experiences with friends, family and through online platforms. This word-of-mouth marketing is a potent force that amplifies brand visibility.  

A positive reputation for exceptional service sets a brand apart from the competition, creating a favorable image that lingers in the minds of consumers.

Also Read: 5 Steps to Build Brand Equity Using AI-Driven Insights

Organic customer acquisition

A brand known for its commitment to customer satisfaction stands out in a sea of options. Positive testimonials and reviews from existing customers act as powerful endorsements, influencing potential customers' decisions. The positive reputation created by exceptional service becomes a valuable asset, drawing the attention of individuals actively seeking reliable and customer-centric businesses.  

Thus, good customer service skills retain the existing customer base and serve as a beacon, attracting new customers and contributing to sustained business growth.

Customer service skills are pivotal in creating an environment where customers receive assistance and feel understood, respected and satisfied. Such skills collectively build strong, lasting relationships between customers and the business. Let's explore the top 11 skills you can hone to make service interactions a delight for your customers:

1. Empathy 

A PwC consumer intelligence report reveals that 64% of U.S. customers feel brands neglect the human touch in customer experience, of which customer service is a key pillar. 

Customer empathy allows support agents to connect emotionally with customers. This emotional connection fosters trust and loyalty, making customers feel valued and heard. 

When a customer expresses frustration with a product issue, respond empathetically, saying, "I understand how frustrating this must be. Let's work together to find a solution."  

Read More: How to Show Empathy in Customer Service: Learn from Experts  

2. Clear communication 

Clear communication is a powerful way to guide customers toward desired actions. It involves presenting information and influencing decisions clearly and distinctly. This skill clarifies product functions and features, increases customer trust and enhances customer satisfaction. 

Use clear communication to address customer queries smoothly. Try suggesting additional products by highlighting their benefits and how they complement the customer's initial purchase. 

3. Adaptability 

Adaptability takes the front seat in enabling support agents to tailor their approach to different customer needs and diverse situations. It ensures that customers receive personalized and effective assistance, regardless of the challenges. 

Adapt communication styles based on the customers’ preferences and the customer service channels they use for communication, whether they prefer detailed emails or snappy chats. 

Learn More: 13 Golden Rules for Customer Service Email Etiquette  

4. Impulse control 

Impulse control is vital in maintaining professionalism and composure, especially in emotionally charged customer service scenarios . It prevents hasty reactions that could escalate issues. By exercising impulse control, support agents contribute to a positive customer experience, even when faced with difficult or irate customers. 

When faced with an irate customer, practice impulse control by taking a deep breath before responding, ensuring a calm and collected demeanor. 

Be a Pro: Effective Tips to Handle Angry Customers  

5. Accountability 

Accountability fosters customer trust. When support agents take ownership of mistakes or issues, customers appreciate the transparency. This builds credibility and shows a commitment to resolving problems, ultimately strengthening the customer-business relationship. 

If a service error occurs, admit the mistake, apologize and outline the steps to rectify the situation.  

6. Active listening  

The practice of active listening improves customer engagement . By genuinely listening to customers, support agents gain a deep understanding of their needs and concerns. This facilitates accurate problem-solving and demonstrates to customers that their opinions are valued. 

During a support call,  

• listen attentively to the customer's concerns 
• repeat key points to show understanding 
• ask clarifying questions 

7. Time management  

Handling one of the ten most demanding jobs worldwide is not a cakewalk; we acknowledge this fact. Time management can help cope with the stress and also ensure timely responses to customer inquiries. Quick and efficient resolutions contribute to customer satisfaction, preventing frustration due to delays. Proper time management is key to meeting service level expectations and maintaining a positive customer experience. 

Set realistic timelines for issue resolutions, factoring in the service level agreement (SLA) agreed upon with the client as well as your personal challenges. 

8. Technical knowledge  

Technical knowledge instills confidence in agents. Support agents can provide accurate information and effective solutions when they deeply understand products or services. This resolves issues promptly and enhances the customer's perception of the brand's expertise. 

Demonstrate technical knowledge by guiding customers through troubleshooting steps or explaining product features. Accelerate issue resolution by creating a knowledge base for your customers and employees.   

9. Positive attitude 

A positive attitude is contagious and sets the tone for positive customer interactions. It transforms challenges into opportunities, creating a more pleasant experience for customers and support agents. Positivity contributes to a nurturing and supportive customer service environment. 

Approach customer interactions enthusiastically, expressing genuine interest in assisting and resolving issues. 

Editor’s Pick: Tips to Become a Happier, More Positive Call Center Agent  

10. Professional language 

Professional language is essential for creating clear and respectful communication. It ensures that customers receive information understandably and appropriately. Using industry-appropriate language and acceptable customer service phrases builds credibility and maintains a high standard of customer service. 

Communicate using industry-appropriate language, avoiding jargon and tailor your tone to match the formality desired by the customer. 

Also Read: 3 Important Qualities of Customer Service  

11. Patience 

Patience is a virtue that prevents frustration, both for support agents and customers. It allows agents to navigate complex issues calmly and ensure customers feel heard and valued, even in prolonged or challenging interactions. Patience is key to providing thorough and effective customer support. 

Practice patience during lengthy support interactions, reassuring customers that their concerns are a priority. 

Now that you are well versed in the top customer service skills, let us explore some tips to fast-track your upskilling efforts. 

1. Never lose composure in tense situations  

By immersing yourself in the customer's perspective, understanding their emotions and responding with genuine concern, you create a connection that transcends the transactional.  

For instance, a customer is frustrated and demands a quick resolution. Say, “I understand you have a tight schedule. I will try my best to resolve the inconvenience quickly.”  

Interesting Read: Understanding the Science of Emotions Makes You Better at Customer Experience  

2. Be selective in your word choices  

Positivity in customer service is a potent elixir that shapes the tone of interactions. Choosing words carefully and framing responses tactfully creates an atmosphere that nurtures goodwill.  

For instance, instead of saying, "I can't help you with that," opt for, "Let me explore alternative solutions for you." This maintains a positive vibe and assures customers that their opinions are valued, contributing to a positive experience. 

3. Become aware of your triggers  

Patience is paramount in customer service, and self-awareness is the key to maintaining it. By identifying personal triggers that might provoke frustration, you equip yourself to respond calmly in challenging situations.  

For example, if faced with a demanding customer, take a moment to breathe and respond thoughtfully. This ensures that patience prevails, leading to more constructive resolutions and positive customer interaction. 

4. Prioritize clarity above persuasion  

Clear communication is an effective workplace skill . It emphasizes providing information transparently rather than attempting to persuade. Prioritizing clarity ensures customers comprehend the information being conveyed.  

For example, when explaining a product feature, use simple and direct language to ensure the customer understands the information presented clearly. 

5. Ask questions to arrive at accurate resolutions  

Elevating customer service to a personalized level involves engaging customers through thoughtful questioning. This not only demonstrates interest but also allows for tailored assistance.  

For instance, instead of assuming a customer's needs, ask open-ended questions like, "What specific features are you looking for in a product?"   

This encourages customers to share relevant information, enabling a more personalized and effective service. 

Need more inspiration? Check out these customer service tips to boost your CSAT  

To summarize, skilled agents can differentiate good customer service from excellent customer service that lingers in the customer’s psyche for a long time. Ongoing training and coaching can build a culture of upskilling and learning that is mutually satisfying for the company, customers and agents. 

To level up your customer service game, leverage a technological solution like Sprinklr Service that offers an AI-powered quality management module and integrated live coaching for customer service agents and managers. Built atop a super-powerful AI layer, Sprinklr scores agent skills objectively on technical and soft skills, benchmarking against the team and industry standards while recommending improvements tailored to each agent’s skill gaps. 

Sound unbelievable? Take Sprinklr Service for a free spin and witness results firsthand! 

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17 Key Customer Service Skills [List & Resume Examples]

Poor customer service is hard to forget. One mistake and you are out. Businesses understand it better than ever. As a result, skilled customer service representatives are in high demand.

It is clear that you can’t have happy customers without offering amazing support. Period.

But which customer service skills translate into great customer service experiences? Is good service more than solving a customer’s issue?

In this article:

• Customer service hard skills and soft skills
• What personality traits make a good customer support rep
• How to improve customer service skills
• How to list your service skills on a resume

If you want to learn more about delivering excellent customer service, you can also read:

• Do You Know What Customer Service Means at All?
• What is Customer Retention? 8 Best Strategies [+Apps]
• 7 Ways to Deliver Excellent Customer Service [Examples & Tips]
• Customer Success Essentials [Metrics, Stories, & More]
• Customer Support vs. Service [Definition + Software]

What are the best customer service skills and traits?

Here is our list of good customer service soft skills, hard skills, and personality traits.

Soft skills for customer service:

• Emotional intelligence
• Body language
• Clear communication
• Active listening
• Conflict resolution
• Decision making
• Problem solving
• Time management

Hard skills for customer service:

• Foreign language fluency
• Technical knowledge
• Typing speed
• Knowledge of CRM software
• Microsoft Office/Google Docs Editors
• Live chat, chatbots, and email software

Personality traits for customer service representatives:

• Determination
• Responsibility

Learn how to improve customer service and recreate in-store experiences

Let’s discuss each of these customer service core competencies in detail.

If you need general training, you may also be interested in joining a training program for agents. Here are some of our recommended courses and useful exercises: 19 Best Customer Service Training Programs & Activities

1. Emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the ability to recognize and manage emotions. This refers both to your own emotions as well as those of your customers.

High levels of emotional intelligence and empathy are critical for dealing with customers. It has become one of the main criteria for employee development. People with high emotional intelligence outperform employees with high IQ but low EQ .

Many modern organizations use EQ assessments on a regular basis. It is one of the essential customer service skills.

There is a very strong correlation between your emotional intelligence and your results as a support agent. On average, high-performing customer service representatives get better scores on emotional intelligence tests. A report by TalentSmart demonstrates that they score 17% higher than engineering and 3% higher than sales departments.

Empathy is the most important component of EQ for customer service jobs. A good agent should be able to see every problem through the customer’s eyes. Here are some useful resources that will help you develop and improve EQ—especially empathy:

• 13 Best Emotional Intelligence Activities & Exercises
• Useful Phrases That Convey Empathy to Customers

2. Positive body language

The role of body language in retail customer service is invaluable. However, it is difficult to put it into an easily definable framework. Some say that 90% of communication is body language. Others argue that 55% is nonverbal, 38% is the tone of voice, and the remaining 7% are words and their meaning as such.

It is difficult to measure the exact impact of your posture or voice. But controlling your body language is a necessary skill for a customer service agent. Unless you are using live chat or other text-based types of customer service , obviously.

Proper posture might be instinctive for you already. But the ability to communicate through body language is also something you can learn. Make sure to:

• Maintain eye contact with a customer (but do not stare at them)
• Smile and nod to acknowledge customers and what they say
• Try to use a calm, low-pitch voice that is not too dynamic
• Observe the behavior of your customers to read what’s on their minds (e.g., if they are irritated or in a hurry)

If you want to learn more about conveying the right message through your body language or read your customers’ body language like a book, check out:

• How to Read Your Customer: The Body Language of Yes and No
• 6 Tips for Increasing Customer Satisfaction Through Positive Body Language

3. Clear communication

Have you ever tried to make a written transcript of your conversation? Sometimes we may think we are communicating in a clear and effective manner. But in fact, most of our everyday conversations with friends are very chaotic and choppy. Chatting with someone is very different from explaining a complex technical issue.

Cohesive communication is one of the most important items on our customer service skills list. Fortunately, you can communicate with your customers very effectively using fine-tuned canned responses . Today, there is no need to come up with original answers to every question from scratch and write new messages. You can achieve clear communication by crafting and perfecting your regular set of canned replies.

Obviously, troubleshooting unusual issues will still require your full attention. You can always reach a good communication level with customers if you follow a process. For example, you should break down your instructions into several steps. Ask for feedback after each step and rephrase the instructions that were misunderstood. This way you can clear up any issue.

Here are two interesting pieces on improving your communication skills for customer service:

• 15 Tips for Better Customer Service Communication
• 7 Rules for Effective Customer Service Communication

4. Active listening

Active listening is a technique that uses paraphrasing and reading non-verbal conversation cues. It gives you more insights about customers and allows you to follow their train of thought. Active listening is equally essential when interacting through office phone systems or live chat tools, as you have to comprehend customers’ needs and concerns quickly and accurately. By asking follow-up questions you ensure that you are on the same side.

Our recent customer experience survey shows that businesses are very bad at listening to customers . Only 17% of customers believe that online businesses listen to them. It is a little bit surprising since the problem is easy to address. You can instantly improve the quality of customer experience by using proven formulas.

Some of the most powerful phrases that you can ask to steer customer service conversations in the right direction are:

• Could you tell me a little bit more?
• It sounds like you are experiencing [X], am I correct?
• I’m sorry you have to go through that
• It would make me angry too
• Let’s make sure that I’ve got everything right

By using active listening skills you show a customer that you understand them. It allows you to make an instant connection. Active listening helps to convey that their problems are your problems too and you feel responsible for finding a solution.

Further readings to improve your customer service active listening skills:

• How to Listen to Customers Effectively
• 20 Best Practices For Live Chat Etiquette

5. Conflict resolution

In customer service, conflict resolution and de-escalation techniques are used every day. To deliver good customer service , an agent should be a good negotiator and know how to calm down a raging bull.

Being able to deal with customer complaints and angry customers can be hard at first. But you can learn some useful statements and tricks to turn those situations around:

• Stay calm and don’t argue, even if you are right
• Withhold your judgment and keep your opinions to yourself
• Use empathy, apologize to your customers, and show that you understand how they feel
• Offer a solution and describe the end result
• Provide different alternatives and empower the customer to make the ultimate decision
• Shift the focus of the conversation on achieving the outcomes described before
• Make sure that the problem has been solved
• Thank your customer for providing feedback and bringing the problem to your attention

If you want to find out more about resolving difficult situations with unhappy clients, read:

• How to Handle Customer Complaints [10+ Response Examples]
• How to Deal With Angry Customers in 5 Easy Steps [Tips & Examples]

6. Decision making

Working as a customer support agent requires thinking on your feet. You don’t have to always make the best decision. But you need to be decisive and display confidence. Customers want to be taken care of—and they won’t trust you if you don’t know what you are doing. You should, at the very least, try to make a good impression.

If you want to make a good impression and make the best decisions, keep the following things in mind:

• Focus on your goal . Think what is the ultimate reason why customers reach out to you.
• Make decisions fast . Try to develop a habit of making decisions quickly. Even if something goes wrong, it will be a valuable lesson for the future.
• When in doubt, dig deeper . If you can’t decide on the right solution, it may mean that you don’t have enough information. It’s a good idea to ask the customer for details.
• Ask for help if you need it . Consult with someone who knows more about the topic if you still can’t decide on your best option.

Be careful! Being decisive does not mean that you can make arbitrary judgments. You should make sure what kind of decisions you are allowed to make and which ones are beyond your competencies. Your future customer success manager should prepare a well-defined policy. Situations such as giving discounts or accepting returns should be spelled out. Just stick to the rules.

7. Problem solving

The primary job of a customer support agent is to solve the problems of customers. And you can’t really do that if you are not willing to experiment, analyze, and try out different approaches. Sometimes you’ll have to be very creative and think outside the box.

You can solve anything if you break down the process into smaller steps. Follow this pattern to deal with any challenge thrown your way:

• Describe the problem in your own words and make sure that you understand it
• Check if someone solved a similar problem already (and how they did it)
• Prepare a list of possible solutions and analyze their pros and cons.
• Eliminate the most difficult, expensive, or otherwise impossible and prohibitive ideas
• Determine your main course of action and a backup plan
• Put the plan into action and see if it works. Try to draw additional conclusions and go back to step 1 if it doesn’t.

The most important part of problem-solving is identifying what the problem actually is. You should always try to dig deeper and understand why a customer wants to achieve something.

For example, people keep asking how to trigger automatic messages with Tidio’s JavaScript API . But when our agents ask some follow-up questions it turns out that those users don’t need the API. They can create chatbots to reach their goals instead.

8. Time management

Multitasking is a myth. People can’t really handle many processes simultaneously. But what they can do is divide their time into smaller chunks and use it more effectively . It is another important customer service skill.

There is a very simple way to help your customers around the clock. Many businesses improve customer experience with AI chatbots. In some situations, you don’t need a customer support team at all. One bot can do the job. Find out  how to start with Tidio chatbots here .

But customer service is usually very hectic in itself, right? Do we need to organize our time and work at all? Isn’t it just about dealing with incoming calls as they pile up?

Well, things get complicated if you handle one “important” case for three hours and try to catch up by speeding up during the rest of the day.

It may be a good idea to start using time and task management techniques. For example, the Eisenhower Matrix can help you decide which tasks to prioritize.

Try to measure how long it takes to provide assistance to an average customer. Then you can determine which cases take more effort and require more time. Once you start measuring it, you can discover many patterns and insights. You’ll learn that:

• You can delegate some cases to other agents
• It’s better to take regular breaks than to do customer service marathons
• Setting benchmarks and allocating time slots improves your efficiency
• It is perfectly fine to be assertive and provide customers with resources instead of direct supervision

Time is a critical factor in customer service. You should know when to devote it to providing help and when it’s better to focus on other tasks.

Read more about time management as a tool in your customer service skillset:

• 6 Time Management Tips for Call Center Agents

9. Foreign language fluency

Customer service outsourcing is extremely popular. There are high chances that you are not a native speaker of the language that you’ll use to chat with customers. Working on your spoken language fluency is the single most important hard skill for customer service.

Interestingly, you don’t need to worry if you have a slight accent. Being able to communicate effectively is more important than perfect pronunciation. Using the right intonation and stressing critical words is something you should really pay attention to.

You shouldn’t obsess about using advanced vocabulary. Instead, try to make your language sound more natural by:

• Using filler words such as well/um/right/let’s see to make your sentences less choppy (just don’t overdo it)
• Speak out loud as you practice and record it on your mobile—listen to the recording to catch your mistakes
• Use a chatbot like Chirpy Cardinal to practice “neverending” conversations online in real-time

If you want to brush up on your English speaking skills, check out this document provided by Maryland Department of Labor:

• English for Speakers of Other Languages: Customer Service Curriculum

10. Technical knowledge

People don’t call customer service for fun. They usually need technical support. This means that you must understand the ins and outs of your product. And—let’s face it—they are more likely to need help with their malfunctioning smartphone than a non-electrical device.

Good customer service agents need to be tech-savvy. There is no way around it, especially if you want to work in a corporate environment. The majority of customer service agents have to look things up on their computers and solve technical problems.

Being able to use a computer doesn’t count as a technical skill. You shouldn’t list it on your resume because it is obvious that you should be able to use it. Focus on enumerating specific software tools and technologies instead.

Understanding how products work is an essential customer service skill for SaaS companies. For example, our customer service representatives need to have extensive knowledge on:

• Ecommerce platforms and technologies
• Chatbots and conversational interfaces
• Marketing automation and email marketing
• Integrating live chat widgets on websites

If you are looking for a customer service job, it may be a good idea to show that you are familiar with the products that the company offers. It shows that you are curious and that learning new things doesn’t scare you. Doing it before your actual product knowledge training sends a good signal.

11. Typing speed

This customer service skill is pretty straightforward. The faster you type, the faster your response time . It has a direct impact on your performance as an agent and makes your life a lot easier. This skill is also quite easy to learn and measure.

Typing speed is usually measured by multiplying your accuracy and the number of words typed per minute. For example, if my typing speed is 70 words per minute but my accuracy is 92% (words without a typo), my adjusted typing speed is 64 WPM (70 WMP x 92%).

Typing speed benchmarks:

• Slow: below 20 WPM
• Average: 20-40 WPM
• Fast: 40-60 WPM
• Professional typist: 60-90 WPM

Some companies make it a formal requirement and may assess your typing speed during an interview. For example, to work at Concentrix your typing speed should be at least 35 words per minute.

Go to this website to check your typing speed:

• Online Typing Speed Test

12. Knowledge of CRM software

Customer service representatives usually use CRM software solutions such as Zendesk or Zoho. The tools are quite similar and getting used to them is only a matter of time. Still, if you have experience with a dedicated customer service app, your chances are brighter.

Some of the best apps that companies use include:

To find out more, check out our ranking of the best customer database software .

Make sure you are not confusing CRM software with project management and team collaboration apps such as Jira, Asana, Trello, or Slack.

13. Microsoft Office/Google Docs Editors

Talking to customers makes up the majority of your work as a customer service rep. But what about the rest? Well, dealing with documents, reports, and presentations is a pretty safe bet. 

Sooner or later, you’ll be asked to prepare some kind of a spreadsheet or a dashboard with your results. Or write a detailed onboarding plan for new junior employees. Or help with presenting your company’s quarterly customer service KPIs .

The majority of businesses collect customer feedback by copy/pasting it into an Excel or Google Sheets file. Organizations tend to prefer Google Docs Editors because they make sharing documents easier.

Make sure to know how to create basic documents in:

• Google Docs (Word alternative)
• Google Sheets (Excel alternative)
• Google Slides (PowerPoint alternative)

14. Live chat, chatbots, and email software

The customer service landscape has changed drastically over the last several years. Today, a live chat customer service agent equipped with quick replies and AI chatbot assistants can do the work of 10 call center agents.

Why is live chat so effective? Think of using a sort of autopilot—controlling and adjusting the exchange of messages rather than writing them from scratch. An agent is supervising the customer service flow and intervenes only if they have to.

It is also the favorite communication channel of about 46% of customers. Tools like Tidio allow you to switch between channels and provide omnichannel service. You can start a conversation through a live chat widget, continue it by exchanging emails, and finish on Facebook messenger. And you can manage everything in one dashboard. Firing up chatbots or canned messages is a matter of two clicks.

15. Determination

Determination is the ultimate personality trait for a customer service agent. You must be able to persevere and get to the bottom of a problem even when customers call you names. And you must constantly work on your customer service skills to increase customer satisfaction levels.

You need empathy to understand customers, but it can also take its toll on your mental balance. At first, the amount of work and stress can be overwhelming.

If you are determined to go the extra mile and deliver amazing experiences to customers, it will give you more motivation. After some practice, you’ll learn to get everything under control.

You can measure if you are a determined person by taking a test designed by Angela Ducksworth. Your Grit Score will help you understand if you need to work on the strength of your character and perseverance. For example, West Point cadets usually score higher than Ivy League undergraduates.

16. Responsibility

This one may sound like a cliche. Responsibility is something that the majority of job applicants declare as their strong side. For pretty much every position imaginable.

But, in customer service, it is really crucial that you handle every case from start to finish and never leave your clients in the dark.

The common tasks and customer service requirements include:

• Managing a high volume of incoming messages (or calls)
• Building relationships with customer
• Providing accurate information and answering customer questions
• Meeting customer problem resolution quotas
• Documenting customer interactions
• Managing customer accounts
• Increasing customer retention

You wouldn’t want an irresponsible person to take care of them all, would you?

17. Patience

Customer service professionals should be patient. They must be able to use positive language even if they are dealing with a frustrated customer.

Or if they are exchanging messages with people who take their time to type their messages in.

Incidentally, you can take a peek at customers’ messages even before they send them!

You can find more about premium features offered by one of the top customer service platforms here.

How to list customer service skills on a resume

OK, we have the complete list of excellent customer service skills. But you are probably asking yourself—which skills should I put on my resume for customer service? Surely I can’t put “nice moves and good body language” right next to my Microsoft Excel proficiency!

Skills for customer service resume:

• Active listening skills
• Adaptability
• Attentiveness
• Customer orientation
• Cross-selling and up-selling techniques
• Familiarity with de-escalation strategies
• Great command of the language
• Good communication skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Positive attitude
• Proactive approach
• Problem-solving skills
• Self-control
• High sense of responsibility
• Team player

Here is an example of a resume that highlights customer service skills and qualifications:

Customer service skills resume

Check out the top customer service interview questions and answers to better prepare yourself and boost your chances of getting the job.

You can become an awesome agent even without much job experience. Typical resume skills for customer service include emotional intelligence, empathy, and clear communication. The way you approach other people is more important than working for X years at a specific company.

If you need more tips on deciding which skills you should put on your customer service resume, here is a useful guide:

• What Skills to Put on a Resume  

Building a customer support team is extremely difficult. If you meet several of the requirements mentioned in this article, you are already among the top. And you can improve the remaining customer service skills through practice.

Customer service representative skills that you should focus on:

• Voice tone/cohesive writing

If you are looking for a job in customer service, make sure to mention at least some of them on your resume.

Still, you can always enhance the effectiveness of your customer service efforts by using the right tools. Want to try an app that turns mediocre customer service skills into great customer experiences? See what happens if you have great customer service skills already.

Share this article:

Kazimierz was one of the original authors of Tidio Blog. His primary objective was to deliver high-quality content that was actionable and fun to read. His interests revolved around AI technology and chatbot development.

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Never Leave Your Customer Without an Answer

20 Essential Customer Service Job Skills (& How to Gauge Them)

Published: August 08, 2023

Unfortunately, some customer service teams have developed a less-than-desirable reputation. This is because bad experiences haunt customers — like being left on hold for thirty minutes, or having to repeat the same problem three different times, or speaking with a rep who sounds more like a robot than a human.

Of course, not all customer service teams fit into this stereotype. In fact, many are genuinely thoughtful and receptive to customers. However, it can be hard to shake those tricky preconceived notions which may leave you feeling a bit discouraged.

If you want to hire a stellar customer service employee, they should have a certain set of skills that truly connects them with customers and creates a satisfying experience with your organization. We‘ve curated the following list of essential customer service job skills and what interview questions you can ask to gauge them, but before we dive in, let’s define what it means to work in customer service.

What is customer service?

Customer service is the act of providing assistance, support, and solutions to customers before, during, and after their interaction with a company. It encompasses many skills like effective communication, empathy, and more to deliver a positive and satisfactory customer experience.

8. Professionalism

A manager would want a customer service candidate with professionalism because it establishes a positive and trustworthy image for the company. Professionalism ensures that the candidate represents the company with integrity and respect, maintaining high customer service standards.

It also fosters excellent communication skills, handling any customer interactions with politeness, courtesy, and professionalism, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Interview Question: How do you handle difficult or challenging customers while maintaining a professional demeanor?

This question helps managers determine a candidate's ability to handle challenging situations with grace, demonstrating professionalism and ensuring a positive representation of the company.

9. Situational awareness

Quick thinking comes from understanding situational awareness — mindfulness towards events occurring in an environment and understanding what they mean for you. However, in respect to customer service, situational awareness is the ability to “read” customers at any given moment and understand what they're thinking and feeling.

This skill is highly valuable as it can determine words or actions, moving forward. If a customer seems to be wary, reps can work hard to make them feel more comfortable. If they seem to be starting to get angry, your team can start doing damage control before the situation gets out of hand. Being mindful of the customer's state will help reps fine-tune conversations to best-fit customer needs.

Interview Question: How do you personally tailor each customer interaction to the individual customer?

Situational awareness is based on the idea of being mindful of the differences between individual customers, rather than treating every single customer the same way. So, this question will help you understand how the candidate would plan to do just that. Strong candidates will likely bring up tailoring interactions by reading the situation before acting.

10. Persuasion

While reps should always be kind to customers and mindful of their emotions, your service team is often there for the purpose of persuading customers to use some product or service. This isn‘t manipulation but understanding how that product or service can improve your customers’ lives. Customers don't always know what product would be best for them but often will trust a service rep who confidently recommends one.

Customer service reps should be strong persuaders. This doesn‘t mean aggressively trying to get customers to purchase something they don’t want or need. It means actively listening to what issues they're facing in their life or with their current product or service and coming up with options to resolve these issues — whether that be through purchasing or upselling and cross-selling.

Interview Question: Convince me to buy your favorite product.

This statement might stump candidates for a moment. That‘s okay; give them time to think. However, their response will show you how well they can persuade you to buy something. Since they should develop a deep understanding of and love for your company’s products as an employee, they should be able to persuade customers to buy your products as easily as they could their favorite product.

11. Adaptability

Customer service employees constantly face surprises, like when a customer suddenly blows up over a minor inconvenience. Perhaps, a rep is faced with a technical problem and has no idea how to go about solving it. Or, a customer wants help with a brand new product that your team hasn't quite gotten the hang of, yet. Rather than panicking, customer service reps should be able to think quickly on their feet.

Customer service employees aren‘t expected to be endless encyclopedias who have all the answers to life questions. But, they are expected to think quickly about how to get customers the answers they need. Whether that be improvising on the spot, passing them on to a more qualified coworker, or asking to get back to them once they’ve properly researched the answer, customers will appreciate your team's ability to have an immediate response.

Interview Question: How do you handle unexpected changes in customer demands or priorities?

While the intentions of this question might be a bit obvious, they‘ll still force the candidate to think on the spot. The candidate will have to think back on a time when they exercised this skill and how they handled this type of situation will be telling of their future as an employee. If they aren’t able to think of a distinct memory, that may be a warning sign.

12. Technical Skills

Technical skills allow customer service reps to effectively troubleshoot and resolve customer issues related to products or services. This proficiency enables the candidate to provide accurate information, guide customers through technical processes, and offer solutions that accommodate their specific needs.

Additionally, having technical skills empowers the candidate to handle a wider range of customer inquiries, enhancing their ability to provide more comprehensive support.

Interview Question: Describe your experience using customer service software or other tools to assist customers.

Managers should ask this question to assess candidates' proficiency in using essential tools, ensuring they can navigate systems effectively to provide efficient customer support.

13. Conflict Resolution

Customer service is all about solving problems. Usually, those problems are related to your company‘s products or services. Service reps troubleshoot and get customers moving on with their day. However, some conflicts, as mentioned above, can be related to a customer’s negative attitude. These are the ones that tend to be the most challenging for new service reps.

Diffusing an angry customer is no easy task, but the best customer service reps will know the right words to use to calm down the customer. And, if they‘re unable to calm them down, they should know when it’s time to pass the case on to a manager.

Interview Question: Have you ever faced a situation where you had to mediate a conflict between customers? How did you handle it?

This is a great question to ask candidates who have some experience working with customers. The candidate will likely be in a situation where they’re faced with an angry customer, so you'll want to know they can be trusted to turn the situation around.

14. Detail-Oriented

Strong attention to detail is a skill that managers want their teams to demonstrate on a day-to-day basis. How your service rep presents themselves, completes tasks, and answers customer inquiries reflects the quality of the brand as a whole.

Interview Question: How do you ensure that you enter accurate and detailed information when documenting customer interactions?

This question helps managers assess a candidate's meticulousness in recording accurate information, ensuring smooth handoffs and comprehensive issue resolution.

15. Multitasking

Managers want a customer service candidate with multitasking skills because it enables them to handle multiple customer inquiries simultaneously, improving productivity and efficiency. Multitasking skills allow the candidate to effectively prioritize and manage competing tasks, ensuring that customer needs are met in a timely manner. And, being able to multitask helps the candidate adapt to a fast-paced environment, reducing customer wait time.

Interview Question: Provide an example of a time when you had to handle multiple customer inquiries simultaneously. How did you manage?

Managers should evaluate candidates' ability to handle high volumes of customer inquiries by multitasking effectively without compromising service quality or response time.

16. Positive Attitude

While you might not think of this as a skill, in a customer service job, maintaining one certainly is.

Service reps oftentimes are the first people that customers speak to in a business, and it's their responsibility to create a welcoming and friendly environment for customers. A positive attitude allows the candidate to approach each customer interaction with enthusiasm and genuine care, enhancing the overall customer experience.

It also enables the candidate to handle customer complaints constructively and empathetically, turning potentially negative experiences into positive ones.

Interview Question: How do you maintain a positive attitude when dealing with challenging or demanding customers?

This question enables managers to assess candidates' ability to maintain a positive, empathetic, and helpful attitude when dealing with difficult customers, ensuring customer satisfaction.

17. Cultural Sensitivity

Cultural sensitivity ensures that the candidate respects and values differences, avoiding any potential misunderstanding or offense. By being culturally sensitive, the candidate can navigate cross-cultural communication challenges, tailor their approach to individual cultural preferences, and ultimately provide a more inclusive and customer-centric experience.

Interview Question: How do you ensure that you provide outstanding service to customers from diverse backgrounds?

You want to bring a candidate onto your team that will provide excellent service to every paying customer. The last thing you want is to hire an employee that lands your business in hot water from unacceptable language or behavior.

18. Teamwork

A positive team dynamic within the customer service department is crucial to any business. Effective teamwork allows the candidate to support and assist colleagues, creating a seamless experience for customers. It also ensures that the candidate can effectively communicate and coordinate with other team members, facilitating efficient problem-solving and enhancing the overall customer journey.

Interview Question: Describe a situation when you had to collaborate with colleagues from other departments to resolve a customer issue or inquiry. How did you approach it?

Managers should evaluate candidates' ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams, ensuring collective efforts to resolve complex customer issues efficiently.

19. Productivity

Any manager would want a customer service candidate with productivity skills because it ensures efficient handling of customer inquiries and requests, maximizing the team's output. Productivity skills enable candidates to manage their time effectively, prioritize tasks, and work on multiple customer cases simultaneously without compromising quality.

Interview Question: How do you maintain productivity while still ensuring excellent customer service?

This question enables managers to assess a candidate's ability to balance productivity without compromising service quality, ensuring efficient resolution of customer inquiries.

20. Follow-Through

A customer service candidate that can follow through demonstrates reliability and commitment to solving for the customer. When the candidate follows through on customer inquiries or concerns, it builds trust and confidence in the company, enhancing customer loyalty. Additionally, following through on customer service interactions ensures that no customer is left unresolved, leading to higher customer satisfaction and a positive reputation for the company.

Interview Question: Can you give an example of a time when you had to follow up with a customer to ensure their issue was completely resolved?

Managers should ask this question to evaluate candidates' commitment to resolving customer issues fully, ensuring proactive follow-up and exceptional service.

Understand the Key Aspects of Customer Service

Customer service jobs require reps that are multifaceted and prepared to meet each customer's unique needs. By asking intentional interview questions and gauging each candidate for the qualities listed above, your business will have a star-studded team that your customers will appreciate.

Editor's note: This article was published in April 2019 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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Customer Service Skills Essential for Great Teams

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As the famous saying goes, " Customer service  shouldn't just be a department, it should be the entire company." This sentiment highlights the importance of integrating exceptional customer service into every aspect of an organization, particularly within teams that interact directly with  customers .

In today's competitive marketplace, where customer expectations are higher than ever, providing outstanding customer service can be the key differentiator that sets a company apart. Teams that excel in customer service not only meet customer expectations but consistently exceed them, fostering strong relationships and driving business growth.

"Customer service shouldn't just be a department, it should be the entire company." Tony Hsieh (CEO, Zappos)

This article delves into the essential customer service skills that every great team should master. By the end of this guide, you will have a comprehensive understanding of the essential skills, necessary to enhance your team's performance and elevate your company's customer service to new heights.

Whether you are a team leader looking to boost your team's effectiveness, a customer service professional seeking to improve your skills, or a business owner aiming to create a customer-centric culture, this article provides valuable insights and actionable advice to help you achieve your goals. 

Let's embark on this journey to mastering customer service skills and outperforming the competition.

Understanding the fundamentals of customer service in teams

In the realm of customer service, the foundation upon which successful interactions are built lies in a deep understanding of its core principles. For teams, mastering these fundamentals is not just beneficial; it is essential. A cohesive team that understands the basics of customer service can work seamlessly to provide consistent, high-quality support, ultimately leading to higher  customer satisfaction  and loyalty.

Customer service, at its heart, involves meeting and exceeding customer expectations through effective communication, empathy, and problem-solving. But when these principles are applied within a team setting, their impact is magnified. Teams that operate with a unified understanding of customer service can handle inquiries more efficiently, provide more personalized experiences, and create a more positive overall customer journey.

What is customer service?

Customer service is the support and assistance provided to customers before, during, and after purchasing a product or service. It encompasses a range of activities aimed at ensuring customer satisfaction and fostering positive experiences with a company. This includes addressing inquiries, resolving issues, providing product information, and ensuring that customers feel valued and heard.

Exceptional customer service is proactive, empathetic, and responsive, focusing on creating and maintaining a positive relationship with the customer.

The role of customer service in different industries

The role of customer service varies significantly across different industries, yet its importance remains universally acknowledged. 

In retail, customer service involves helping customers find products, offering recommendations, and processing returns. In the technology sector, it includes troubleshooting technical issues, providing software support, and guiding customers through complex processes. Healthcare customer service focuses on patient care, answering medical queries, and ensuring timely assistance. 

Each industry tailors its customer service approach to meet the specific needs and expectations of its customer base, highlighting the versatility and critical nature of this function.

Customer expectations

Customers today have high expectations for the service they receive. Common expectations include:

• Prompt responses to inquiries and swift resolution of issues.
• Correct information and reliable solutions.
• Courteous, respectful, and knowledgeable interactions.
• Understanding and addressing customer emotions and concerns.
• Easy access to support through multiple channels (phone, email, chat, social media).
• These expectations are shaped by past experiences and the service standards set by leading companies.

Meeting customer expectations is essential for maintaining satisfaction and avoiding negative experiences. When a company meets expectations, customers feel their needs are understood and addressed, leading to positive customer experience and a sense of reliability and trust in the brand. However, merely meeting expectations often results in a neutral impression.

Exceeding customer expectations, on the other hand, can transform a satisfactory experience into an exceptional one. This involves going above and beyond in service delivery, such as providing personalized recommendations, offering unexpected discounts or benefits, or resolving issues more comprehensively than customers prefer or anticipated. Exceeding expectations creates memorable experiences that foster loyalty, encourage repeat business, and generate positive word-of-mouth referrals.

25 customer service skills essential for your team

Mastering a diverse set of essential customer service skills is essential for any team striving to deliver exceptional service and exceed customer expectations consistently.

1. Active listening

Active listening is a crucial component of good customer service. It involves fully concentrating on what the customer is saying, both verbally and non-verbally, and seeking to understand their perspective.

By actively listening, customer service representatives can better identify and address the customer's needs and concerns.

One important technique for active listening is to focus on the speaker and avoid distractions. This means avoiding multitasking while on the phone or in-person with a customer, and making eye contact and nodding to show that you are engaged in the conversation.

Another technique is to ask clarifying questions to ensure that you have a clear understanding of the customer's needs. This not only helps to ensure that you are addressing the customer's concerns effectively but also demonstrates to the customer that you are actively listening and taking their concerns seriously.

Reflecting on what the customer has said is also an effective active listening technique. This involves paraphrasing what the customer has said to show that you understand their perspective and to clarify any misunderstandings.

LiveChat allows agents to pay close attention to customers' concerns and respond thoughtfully, showing that they truly understand and care.

2. Problem-solving

Customer complaints and issues are inevitable, and how they are handled can significantly impact customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Effective problem-solving involves a number of steps. The first step is to identify the issue and gather all relevant information. This may involve asking the customer questions or conducting research to better understand the problem.

Once the issue has been identified, it is important to remain calm and professional, even if the customer is upset or frustrated with purchasing process. Using positive language and acknowledging the customer's feelings can help to diffuse the situation and build trust.

The next step is to work collaboratively with the customer to identify potential solutions. This may involve offering alternatives or suggesting compromises. It is important to be flexible and open to different solutions, as this can help to demonstrate that the customer's needs are being taken seriously.

After identifying a solution, it is crucial to honor any commitments made to satisfied customers. This can involve taking appropriate action to address the issue or following up with the customer to confirm their satisfaction with the resolution.

LiveChat enables quick identification and resolution of issues, often in real-time, which enhances customer satisfaction.

3. Communication skills

Clear and concise communication is essential in building trust, managing expectations, and resolving issues.

When communicating with customers, it is important to use language that is easily understood. This may involve avoiding technical jargon or industry-specific terminology and using simple, straightforward language.

Both verbal and written communication skills are important in good customer service. Verbal communication involves speaking clearly and actively listening to the customer. It is important to use a friendly and welcoming tone and to avoid speaking too quickly or too slowly.

Written communication skills are equally important, particularly in the age of digital communication. This includes skills such as grammar, spelling, and punctuation, as well as the ability to convey information in a clear and concise manner.

It is important to take the time to review emails, chat messages, and other forms of written communication to ensure that they are error-free and effectively convey the intended message.

LiveChat supports concise and coherent messaging, helping agents to convey information accurately and avoid misunderstandings.

4. Product knowledge

Having a strong understanding and knowledge of the products or services offered is a critical component of good customer service. It helps customer service representatives to effectively assist customers with questions and concerns, and can improve customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Product knowledge involves having a deep understanding of the features, benefits, and limitations of the products or services offered by the company. This very technical knowledge includes understanding how the product works, its intended use, and any associated policies or procedures.

When interacting with customers, having a strong customer service skills and a good product knowledge allows customer service representatives to provide accurate information and address questions and concerns more efficiently.

This can help to build trust and increase customer confidence in the company and its products or services.

Agents can utilize LiveChat’s chat archives to access and share accurate product information swiftly.

5. Patience

Patience is an important interpersonal skill that can be developed and improved with practice. It involves the ability to remain calm and composed, even in challenging or frustrating situations.

In customer service, patience is essential in dealing with customers who may be upset or difficult to work with. By maintaining a positive attitude and demonstrating patience, customer service representative can help to de-escalate tense situations and work towards a positive resolution.

Patience can also help customer service teams to build trust and credibility with customers. By taking the time to listen to their concerns and being patient in finding a solution, customer service team can show that they value their customers and are committed to providing excellent service.

There are a number of techniques that can help to manage frustration and maintain patience in customer service.

These may include:

• taking deep breaths,
• focusing on positive outcomes,
• and practicing active listening.

By staying focused on the customer's needs and remaining patient, customer service professionals can create a more positive experience for both the customer and themselves.

Handling multiple chats simultaneously teaches agents to stay patient and composed, even in stressful situations.

Among the crucial soft skills, empathy is one of the most important. It is the capacity to put oneself in the customer's shoes and understand their situation from their perspective.

Empathy is  important in customer service  as it can help to build a positive and lasting relationship with customers.

When customers feel that they are being heard and understood, they are more likely to feel valued and satisfied with the service they receive. It can also help to defuse tense or difficult situations and create a more positive outcome for all involved.

In order to demonstrate empathy, customer service agents must actively listen to their customers and try to understand their perspective. This involves being patient, asking questions, and showing genuine concern for their situation.

By using personalized rich messages , agents can demonstrate empathy, making customers feel valued and understood.

7. Adaptability

Adaptability is the ability to adjust and respond to different situations and customers. It is the capacity to be flexible and open-minded in finding solutions to customer issues.

In customer service, adaptability is important as it allows customer service representatives to respond effectively to the diverse needs and expectations of customers. By adapting to different situations and customers, customer service representatives can build stronger relationships with their customers and create a more positive and satisfying experience for them.

Adaptability also enables customer service representatives to find creative and innovative solutions to customer problems.

By being flexible and open-minded, customer service reps can develop new approaches and strategies to meet the unique needs and challenges of each customer. This, in turn, results in  excellent customer service .

Agents can easily switch between different communication channels within LiveChat, adapting to customer preferences seamlessly.

8. Attention to detail

Paying attention to detail is important in customer service as it can help to ensure that  customer needs  are met effectively and efficiently.

By being detail-oriented, customer service representatives can provide accurate and reliable information to customers, avoid mistakes and misunderstandings, and ensure that  customer complaints  and issues are resolved thoroughly and promptly.

Techniques for improving attention to detail include:

• taking detailed notes during customer interactions,
• reviewing and double-checking information,
• and asking clarifying questions to ensure understanding.

It is also important to develop strong organizational and interpersonal skills to manage multiple tasks and customer interactions effectively.

By paying close attention to details, customer service representatives can provide accurate and reliable information to customers, avoid mistakes and misunderstandings, and ensure that customer needs are met effectively and efficiently.

9. Conflict resolution

Excellent customer service skills must include conflict resolution, which is the ability to navigate difficult situations and find mutually satisfactory solutions that meet the needs of both the customer and the business.

Effective conflict resolution is essential in customer service as it can help to build strong  customer relations , increase  customer loyalty , and enhance the reputation of the business. Good customer service skills in conflict resolution require customer service representatives to be patient, empathetic, and skilled at communication and problem-solving.

Techniques for resolving conflicts with customers include active listening to understand the customer's perspective, acknowledging and empathizing with their feelings, and working collaboratively with the customer to find a mutually beneficial solution.

It is also important to remain calm and professional during conflict resolution interactions and to follow up with unhappy customers to ensure their satisfaction.

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10. Time management

The ability to prioritize tasks, organize work schedules, and manage time effectively to ensure that customer needs are met promptly and efficiently is yet another important skill.

Time management  skills are essential in customer service as it can help to increase productivity, reduce stress, and improve the quality of customer interactions. By managing time effectively, customer service reps can ensure that customer calls and inquiries are addressed promptly, issues are resolved quickly, and follow-up is provided when necessary.

How to become better at time management? Some ideas to consider include:

• setting clear priorities and goals,
• planning and organizing work schedules,
• eliminating distractions,
• delegating tasks when appropriate,
• using technology to streamline processes,
• and taking breaks to recharge and refocus.

If you think about relevant skills in customer service, then time management should definitely be one of them.

11. Multitasking

Multitasking is a vital customer service skill that involves juggling multiple tasks while providing excellent customer service. It is the ability to manage several tasks and responsibilities simultaneously while maintaining a high level of the service quality in great customer service interactions.

Effective multitasking skills are essential in customer service as it can help to increase efficiency, reduce wait times, and improve the overall customer experience.

By managing multiple tasks effectively, customer service representatives can ensure that customer inquiries are addressed promptly, issues are resolved quickly, and follow-up is provided when necessary.

Techniques for effective multitasking include setting priorities, using task lists and reminders, and breaking larger tasks into smaller, more manageable ones. It is also important to stay organized and focused, avoid distractions, and seek help when necessary.

LiveChat’s automation features, such as canned responses and chatbots, streamline repetitive tasks, allowing agents to focus on more complex customer needs.

12. Positive attitude

Maintaining a positive attitude is crucial in customer service as it can greatly impact the customer's perception and service experience.

When agents are positive towards customers, they create a positive first impression and help to put customers at ease. They are more likely to engage in positive interactions, listen actively to customers, and offer appropriate solutions to their problems.

Developing a positive mindset, practicing empathy, and maintaining a sense of humor are a few techniques for maintaining a positive attitude. It is also essential to stay professional, remain calm under pressure, and avoid negative language or attitudes.

This approach can create a welcoming and friendly environment, build trust, and establish a rapport with customers that can greatly impact the  customer service experience .

13. Persuasion and influence

Persuasion and influence are critical customer service skills that involve convincing customers to take a specific action or change their perception.

What are the techniques you could try? Active listening, understanding the customer's needs and preferences, and tailoring the message to meet their specific situation are just a few examples. It is also important to use positive language, establish credibility, and provide evidence or examples to support recommendations.

The importance of persuasion and influence in customer service lies in the ability to build trust and loyalty with customers, increase customer satisfaction, and improve overall customer experience.

When customer service team can effectively persuade and influence customers, they can provide solutions that meet their needs, address their concerns, and offer a positive customer service experience.

Effective persuasion and influence skills can help customer service representatives to build trust, establish rapport, and provide solutions that meet customers' needs.

14. De-escalation techniques

When customers become upset, it can be challenging to remain calm and professional. However, by using effective de-escalation techniques, customer service representatives can calm the customer down, address their concerns, and find a solution that meets their needs.

Effective de-escalation techniques include acknowledging the customer's concerns, and remaining calm and professional. It is also important to validate the customer's feelings, and offer alternative solutions if necessary.

Additionally, customer service representatives should avoid using negative language, raising their voice, or becoming defensive, which can further irate customer and escalate the situation.

The importance of de-escalation in customer service lies in the ability to maintain a positive relationship with customers, reduce conflicts, and prevent negative feedback or reviews.

By using effective de-escalation techniques, customer service representatives can provide a positive customer service experience, even in challenging situations.

Our platform’s built-in feedback tools help collect customer opinions, which can be analyzed to improve service continually.

15. Teamwork

In many cases, customer service reps work in teams, and effective teamwork is critical to ensure that customers receive prompt and satisfactory assistance.

Effective  teamwork  in customer service involves sharing knowledge and expertise, communicating effectively, and collaborating to find solutions that meet customers' needs.

It is essential to establish clear roles and responsibilities, establish goals and objectives, and  work together  to achieve them. Effective teamwork also involves being open to feedback, supporting colleagues, and providing constructive feedback to improve performance.

The ability to provide efficient, effective, and high-quality service to customers relies heavily on this skill. By working collaboratively, customer service representatives can leverage each other's strengths and expertise to provide quick and effective solutions to customers' issues.

Teamwork also promotes a positive work environment, which can lead to increased job satisfaction, productivity, and employee retention.

16. Professionalism

Maintaining a professional demeanor with customers is yet another skill customer service professionals should master.

It involves presenting oneself in a polite, respectful, and courteous manner to customers, irrespective of the situation or circumstances.

The importance of professionalism in customer service cannot be overstated. A professional demeanor helps to build confidence and trust with customers, making them more likely to do business with a company in the future. It also helps to make customer contacts and establish the reputation of the company as reliable, trustworthy, and customer-focused.

Professionalism in customer service is especially important in situations where customers are frustrated, angry, or dissatisfied. With this skill, customer service representative can de-escalate tense situations and work towards resolving customer issues.

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17. Calm under pressure

When dealing with frustrated or upset customers or facing challenging situations, it is easy to become flustered, anxious, or defensive. However, remaining calm under pressure is essential to provide effective customer service.

Calmness under pressure is one of the soft skills that can be developed and improved with practice. You can try deep breaths, focusing on the present moment, and maintaining a positive mindset. Having a clear understanding of the situation and remaining empathetic towards the customer's concerns is also very important.

If you can manage high-pressure situations, de-escalate tense interactions, and provide customers with a positive experience, you are more likely to win or retain customers.

18. Conflict management

Conflict management involves handling disputes or disagreements between team members in a constructive manner, so that everyone can work together effectively to provide excellent customer service. Effective conflict management helps to prevent long-term negative effects on team morale, customer retention, and business success.

One of the key techniques for managing conflicts within the customer service team is to encourage open communication. All team members should feel comfortable sharing their opinions and concerns, without fear of retribution or retaliation. It's important to establish ground rules for communication, such as listening respectfully, avoiding personal attacks, and sticking to the topic at hand.

Another effective technique is to work collaboratively to find a solution. Team members should be encouraged to approach conflicts with a problem-solving mindset, rather than an adversarial one. This can involve brainstorming ideas, evaluating different options, and coming to a mutually agreeable resolution.

Remember that conflicts can arise from misunderstandings or differences in perspective. Active listening and empathy can help team members understand each other's viewpoints and find common ground. By acknowledging and addressing differences in a respectful and constructive manner, conflicts can often be resolved before they escalate.

19. Follow-up skills

After a customer has made a purchase or interacted with a business, following up with them is a great way to show that their satisfaction is important. It also helps to identify potential issues and areas where improvements can be made.

One of the most important aspects of follow-up skills is timeliness. Customers appreciate prompt follow-up after their interaction with a business. This can be in the form of a phone call, email, or even a message through social media. A timely follow-up shows that the business values the customer's time and wants to ensure that their experience was positive.

Another important aspect of follow-up skills is the ability to ask for feedback. Asking customers about their experience with a business can provide valuable insights into areas where improvements can be made.  Customer feedback  can be used to improve products, services, and overall customer satisfaction.

Effective follow-up also involves making commitments to customers and following through on them. If a customer has an issue that needs to be resolved, following up with them to ensure that the issue has been resolved to their satisfaction is important.

LiveChat’s follow-up capabilities ensure that customers receive consistent and ongoing support even after the initial interaction.

20. Upselling and cross-selling

Upselling and cross-selling are sales techniques that are often used in customer service to increase revenue and improve customer satisfaction.

Upselling  involves suggesting a more expensive or premium version of a product or service that a customer is already interested in, while cross-selling involves recommending complementary or related products or services that the customer may also be interested in.

For the customer, these techniques can provide them with a better overall experience by offering them additional options and providing more value for their purchase. For the business, upselling and cross-selling can increase sales revenue and customer loyalty.

Upselling and cross-selling should always be done in a way that is respectful of the customer's budget and preferences. Being too pushy or aggressive can lead to negative customer feedback and hurt the business's reputation.

You should always focus on providing excellent service and meeting the customer's needs, while also offering additional products or services as appropriate or customer decide.

21. Cultural awareness

In today's global marketplace, cultural awareness is an essential aspect of providing strong customer service.

Customers come from diverse backgrounds, and it's important to recognize and respect cultural differences to provide exceptional service. Cultural awareness involves understanding and appreciating different customs, traditions, and behaviors. This can include being mindful of differences in communication styles, personal space, and religious practices, among others.

By being culturally aware, customer service representatives can avoid misunderstandings and miscommunications, and create positive interactions with customers.

For instance, being aware of cultural differences in communication styles, such as directness and indirectness, can help representatives tailor their approach to meet the needs of customers from different backgrounds.

Similarly, being respectful of personal space and avoiding physical contact can make customers feel more comfortable.

22. Emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage one's own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. It is one of the most important soft customer service skills.

Having emotional intelligence helps service providers to empathize with customers and understand their needs and concerns. This, in turn, allows them to provide better support and solutions to the customer's problems.

When a customer is upset or frustrated, an emotionally intelligent agent can respond in a calm and supportive manner, which can help to diffuse the situation and resolve the issue more effectively.

Moreover, emotional intelligence allows support reps to manage their own emotions, such as anger or frustration, which can arise in difficult or challenging customer interactions.

By keeping their emotions in check and responding to customers with positivity and empathy, they can maintain professionalism and ensure that the customer's needs are met.

23. Critical thinking

The ability to analyze complex situations, identify potential solutions, and make informed decisions that benefit both the customer and the company is also a very important skill.

In customer service, critical thinking skills allow representatives to solve problems effectively and efficiently. When dealing with a customer issue, critical thinking enables representatives to identify the root cause of the problem and determine the best course of action to resolve it.

This often involves asking probing questions to better understand the customer's needs and concerns, and using sound judgment to make decisions that align with company policies and procedures.

Another important aspect of critical thinking in customer service is the ability to anticipate potential problems and proactively address them before they become larger issues. This could involve identifying trends in customer feedback or product performance and making recommendations to management for improvement.

24. Decision-making

Decision-making is an important customer service skill because it allows service providers to make informed choices that can positively impact the customer's experience.

Effective decision-making involves analyzing a situation, identifying the best course of action, and taking the necessary steps to implement that action. Customers often rely on customer service representatives to make decisions that can resolve their issues, and a well-informed and timely decision can lead to a positive outcome.

On the other hand, poor decision-making can lead to customer dissatisfaction, negative reviews, and even loss of business. Therefore, honing decision-making and negotiation skills is crucial for providing excellent customer service.

25. Resourcefulness

Finding creative solutions to customers' problems problem solving skills is the last - but definitely not least - item on this list of great customer service skills.

When customers encounter a problem, they expect the customer service representative to be able to solve the issue quickly and efficiently. However, sometimes the solution to a a customer service agent's problem is not immediately apparent. This is where resourcefulness comes in.

Resourcefulness involves thinking outside of the box and finding unconventional solutions to problems. It requires customer service representatives to be flexible and adaptable, and to have a deep understanding of the products or services they are supporting.

Being resourceful also involves being able to leverage the resources available to you, whether it's utilizing online tools like customer service software or collaborating with team members to find a solution.

Implement these important customer service skills with LiveChat

Mastering good customer service skills is crucial for businesses to succeed and retain customers in today's competitive market.

By prioritizing customer service skills and providing ongoing training and support, businesses can create a positive customer service experience that not only meets but exceeds customer expectations.

Integrating crucial customer service skills with the  best live chat software  can significantly enhance your team's ability to deliver exceptional service. LiveChat provides a versatile and efficient medium for real-time customer interactions, making it an ideal tool for implementing these skills effectively.

By leveraging LiveChat, teams can not only enhance their technical abilities but also develop and refine the soft skills that are essential for outstanding customer service. This combination of technology and skill development positions businesses to exceed customer expectations and build lasting, positive relationships.

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The 6 most important customer service skills.

Good customer service skills among your brand representatives is a must—so why is it often so difficult to define exactly what skills make good customer service possible? 

One reason is that customer service is a multifaceted, complex job, involving both soft skills (such as empathy and patience) alongside hard skills (such as product knowledge and efficiency). When hiring or training customer service representatives—or just improving and upskilling your current team—it’s important to keep in mind both the soft and hard skills required, and train on both. 

The best skills for customer service—which we’ll outline below—will help you or your customer service team: 

• work and communicate more effectively
• employ creative problem solving to find more satisfactory solutions 
• interact with difficult customers with empathy and patience

The result of all of this? Customer service that goes above and beyond to help customers feel valued, stay loyal to your brand and enjoy a standout experience. 

Why Good Customer Service Skills Are So Important

Good customer service can make or break your business. Don’t believe us? Just look at the data: 

• 68% of customers would be willing to pay more for products or services from a company that offered great customer service.
• 92% of customers would stop doing service with a company after three (or fewer!) negative interactions.
• Companies that offer excellent customer service drive revenues 4-8% higher than that of their competitors. 

More effective customer service and excellent customer experiences improve brand loyalty, reputation and drive sales. 

And obviously, good customer service starts with good customer service skills. With skilled customer service representatives , your support for customers is more effective, personalized, valuable and simply easier. 

Customer expectations for service and experiences are also rising—and specialized skills can help you and your team deliver. Customers want employees who can answer their questions quickly and are knowledgeable enough to provide accurate answers, but they also want to interact with friendly representatives who know what customers want. 

Customer Service Skills Your Organization Must Master

So, what customer service skills are most important? Here are six customer service skills that your organization must master to take your customer service to the next level. Remember: while these skills are essential for anyone with direct customer contact—namely, customer service and support representatives—they should be mastered by anyone who interacts with the customer in even small ways—that includes sales, product, marketing teams and more. 

Effective Listening Skills

Effective listening skills are one of the most important customer service skills agents need to master. Successful customer service involves accurately understanding the customer concern or complaint, and following active listening techniques to ensure the customer feels heard and understood. 

Customer service agents who are skilled listeners will be attentive to the situation at hand and able to understand what the customer both is and isn’t saying. Non-verbal communication such as body language (if applicable), tone, vocal cues, attitude, choice of words and more all contribute to what the customer is communicating. 

Active listening—being present in the conversation, listening to verbal and non-verbal cues, seeking to understand, and reflecting back what the customer is saying—can all help increase effectiveness of your customer service and improve customer satisfaction. 

Clear communication

Along with effective listening skills, customer service agents must be clear communicators across any channels they operate. This can include both written and verbal communication, whether it’s over the phone, on live chat or via Twitter. 

Of course, there are different standards and conventions for different channels—how agents talk to customers on Twitter is necessarily different than how they should talk to them via email. As a result, customer service reps need to be skilled in both understanding the conventions and expectations of each channel, and be able to master how to communicate clearly and concisely within each. 

Soft skills such as empathy and listening are essential for customer service. While it may be difficult to teach empathy to agents, it’s still an essential customer service skill to master. 

When customer service agents are empathetic, problems are solved more quickly and satisfactorily, because the customer feels heard and understood. As a result, they’re likely to be more satisfied with the solution and the interaction overall. 

It’s not just that customers feel more understood though—empathetic customer service agents are more likely to understand the heart of the issue, therefore providing more creative and satisfactory solutions faster. This can lead to faster handle times, improved first call resolutions, and of course, more satisfied customers. 

In addition, when customers feel heard and supported, it leads to increased brand loyalty and affinity—which means better relationships with customers and more valuable customers for your brand. 

Communicative control

While agents need to ensure that the content of their messages is clear, concise and accurate, it’s equally important for agents to be skilled in controlling the emotion and mood of their message. For example, customer service agents must be able to keep their cool, even when the customer is frustrated, angry or gets impatient. It’s essential that agents are able to maintain communicative control rather than matching the mood or tone of the customer. 

After all, customer service is often an intense job—many customers who call are already frustrated with the solutions they’ve tried, and bring that frustration into the call. Good customer service agents know how to diffuse the situation and tension, and find a favorable solution, all while staying calm and composed. 

In addition, agents should be able to be polite but assertive—staying friendly and positive while still maintaining control of the conversation. Many customers can be pushy or demanding. Good customer skills ensure that you can negotiate a favorable solution while still staying within company policy and being polite. This is no easy task! But it’s an essential skill for customer service representatives to master. 

Ready to perfect your CX?

Patience & a positive attitude.

These soft skills may often be overlooked, but their importance shouldn’t be understated! Customer service agents must have a positive attitude and plenty of patience for handling all of their customer interactions. 

While your customer service representatives may answer the same question hundreds of times each day, it’s essential for them to remember that, for the person calling, it is their first interaction. As a result, agents must be patient and understanding, providing a good experience for both their first and their hundredth call of the day. 

Customer service agents also need to practice patience when it comes to listening to customer queries and finding solutions. Impatient agents may jump to trying to find a solution and wrap up the call before the customer has really described the nature of their concern, leading to frustrated customers who feel they’re not being heard and inadequate solutions. 

Beyond patience in problem-solving and empathy, attitude during the customer service process is important. Of course, customers value friendliness and a positive attitude—don’t we all?—but your agents’ friendliness and positivity can make an impact on your bottom line too. 

How? Almost three-quarters of customers said friendly customer service agents increase their loyalty to a brand. Friendly agents improve customer service and satisfaction, and more satisfied customers tend to spend more , remain loyal to your brand for longer, and refer more customers . 

In addition, framing solutions in positive language during customer interactions can go a long way in making sure customers feel understood and valued. For example, if a customer isn’t satisfied with their item and wants a refund, but your company only offers exchanges or store credit, there’s two ways to frame the solution:

With negative language : “Sorry, we don’t offer refunds.” 

With positive language: “We’re sorry it wasn’t the right fit for you! We can send you a prepaid shipping label to send that back to us and we’d be glad to exchange it for something else or give you store credit to find something you’d like instead.” 

Training customer service agents to use positive language helps to spin negative situations into a win for customers, improving overall customer satisfaction.

Problem-solving skills

Almost all of customer service is problem-solving: a customer calls in with a question, a concern or a problem of some sort, and the customer service agent steps in to provide a solution. 

With self-service and live chat options becoming more prevalent for easy questions such as store hours, beginning a return or exchanging an item, customer service agents are now more than ever handling a higher volume of complex calls. After all, when customers can easily access most information and solutions on their own, it leaves customer service agents to deal with the truly difficult problems. 

As a result, customer service agents need to have exceptional problem-solving skills. Not only do they need to know where and how to find answers for customer queries, but they should also be empowered to find solutions and create solutions when they don’t yet exist. 

Creativity is a big part of problem-solving: being able to think outside of the box, find novel solutions, put information together in new ways, and so on. At the same time, customer service representatives need to know how to be creative within set boundaries, that is, while still adhering to rules and service guidelines. 

To improve these skills, it can help to have agents engage in regular team training involving problem solving games or riddles, creativity exercises, or role-playing exercises where they can take turns responding to invented customer inquiries and providing feedback for each other on the solutions provided. 

How To Master Your Customer Service Skills

Of course, mastering all of these skills won’t come overnight. Whether you are seeking to improve soft skills in customer service like patience or empathy, or hard skills such as better written communication, mastering these takes time and practice. 

For business leaders who are overseeing a team of customer service representatives, the key is to provide plenty of practice and training . While most agents receive training during the onboarding process, training after that can be lacking. According to a report from Salesforce , 55% of agents say they need better training to do their jobs well. 

Ongoing training for agents can include self-service training modules that can be accessed at any time, regular skill refreshes, individual and group training and other options to ensure agents skills are consistently being practiced and improved. 

In addition, regular Quality Assurance and feedback processes ensure that agents know which skills and areas of customer service they need to improve, and have a clear roadmap to improve them. Implementing a clear Quality Assurance process typically involves recording calls or other customer service interactions, reviewing them regularly against a standard rubric, and assigning agents feedback on how to improve based on clear KPIs or quality rubrics. 

Feedback for agents to master their customer service skills should come from a variety of sources—QA results, supervisors and managers, and customers themselves. Engaging customers in post-call or post-interaction satisfaction surveys (often used to measure CSAT) can be helpful feedback for agents. However, direct feedback from managers or supervisors on their specific skills that could be improved is helpful as well. 

For customer service agents, practicing small, actionable steps over time is the best way to improve your skills. For example: 

• To improve your patience , be aware of what triggers you and what situations you feel most impatient in. Find a specific phrase or action you can silently repeat to yourself or do to regain your patience and calm attitude when you find yourself growing frustrated. 
• To improve your communication skills , practice communicating your message via different channels: say it out loud, write it down, make it a long message, then make it as short as possible. Get feedback on your communication, and aim for clarity and transparency. 
• To improve your empathy , practice putting yourself in another person’s shoes. You can do this with friends, relatives, strangers or even fictional characters. Practice seeing the world through their eyes and relating to their problems—and then put those skills to use when listening to a customer. 

If you’re looking to improve your customer service, consider working with a customer experience partner like Global Response. Our team of CX experts will provide you with a team of brand ambassadors who have expertise in the most important customer service skills. Working with a partner like Global Response also ensures your customer service team receives regular training, feedback, QA checks and everything they need to deliver exceptional customer experiences on behalf of your brand. 

Connect with a Global Response expert today and start delivering exceptional experiences.

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Problem Solving Skills for Effective Customer Service

“Well, if it can be thought, it can be done, a problem can be overcome” – E A Bucchianeri

Problem solving is the very premise on which customer service rests. More often than not customers approach the customer service team / desk with what they perceive as a problem. However, despite this skill being so crucial, it does not come naturally to a lot of people. There is no option for Customer service staff to develop this skill since without this aptitude, the customer service department would lead themselves and the company hurtling uncontrollably towards irrecoverable failure. Being able to solve problems and make the appropriate decision for which solution to choose are interconnected. A customer service employee well equipped with problem solving skills may not necessarily have the required speed of decision making. There is little advantage in knowing what can be done but not having the expertise in implementing a quick resolution. The process of arriving at a solution is less important than providing an effective timely solution.

Related Article: How decision tree driven interactive guides help provide training on Problem Solving Skills for customer service?

Regularly enhancing problem solving skills for customer service staff is imperative since they face the constant challenge of providing speedy decisions. A customer who calls with a problem is by no measure patient or willing to tolerate incompetence. They require an answer within a matter of a few minutes or even seconds leaving the customer service time with precious little time to consider the many possible solutions. Customers want solutions and they want them fast. They are not inclined to wait or accept reasons for why something cannot be done. Through focused and continual training in problem solving skills, customer service staff becomes increasingly proficient in listening attentively to the customer interpretation of the ‘problem’. They are able to ask the right open ended questions that would elicit an appropriate reply from the customer leading to faster resolution of the problem. This level of competence is what customers define as effective customer service and keeps them happy and loyal to a company.

Problem solving skills encompass much more than ‘problem solving’. It is a skill that requires the customer service representative to know how to deal with conflict, being able to pacify the irate customer through tone of voice and genuine empathy, listening and communication skills and a good old on problem solving strategies. A clear understanding of a quick and effective resolution with appropriate follow up is a key component of problem solving. While hiring, it is important that the person’s responsible for this activity must hire people with proven problem solving ability and who are characteristically calm and considerate. They must be able to follow standard procedures and also have the ability to think pro-actively and creatively if a situation so demands. How can someone who flays under pressure and is unable to think coherently, be able to deal with the impatient and vexed customer?

Related Article: How call center agents use interactive guides instead of call scripts to provide training on Problem Solving Skills for customer service?

Given that customer service representatives are constantly maneuvering through unfamiliar queries and the ire of customers for something they are not directly responsible, it would be fair to say that the most skilled representatives would be the ones who have problem solving skills. While there is a back-up and support system – supervisors and managers – it is not practical or possible to keep referring everything to them, especially mid-conversation with an irritated customer. At contact centres especially, it cannot be predicted as to the nature of a customer’s problem. One minute you could be speaking with a polite customer with a query and the next call would probably be from highly impatient and frustrated customer. Having in-depth problem solving skills will help you in ‘reaching out’ to the customer before they get to a stage where they decide to leave and want to get back at the company. Listening effectively, being able to manage stressful situations, reach a resolution and take the customer back to being satisfied and happy – are all part of successful problem solving. Problem solving skills for effective customer service must therefore be a key topic in the training module. This can be managed in-house or by eliciting the services of a professional training company to customize this training for your company. Such training would normally encompass:

– Understanding the reason the customer is making a connection which means putting together all the points made by the customer. Whether the customer is making a complaint or simply enquiring, they expect to be heard and listened to attentively. Customers must not be interrupted so as to allow a complete assessment of what the actual issue is. Effective problem solving can only happen when an accurate assessment of the issue is made. It is possible that all the customer needs to understand is how to better use the product

– Using the troubleshooting technique of asking open ended questions, leads the customer to provide answers that help in the problem solving process. It also helps the customer service representative to narrow down the possible problems and finally isolate the actual problem. This is a specialized technique which customer’s may not be aware of and so tend to miss some vital facts or points leading to a problem. A systematic, slow and patient process walk-through would help the customer to be more at ease and be prepared to answer the questions. Having been able to ascertain the problem, the representative must ask closed questions when repeating and clarifying their understanding of the problem to the customer. Fast resolution does not mean rushing through this vital stage of understanding the root cause. It avoids confusion, ambiguity and a possibility of a secondary issue happening.

– Explain patiently to the customer to ensure they remain calm and open to a discussion and or suggestions. Provide the possible solutions and recommend what you know to be the best. The customer would be able to trust you more when they see that you are well-informed and are committed to providing the best solutions. Problem solving skills equip you with the ability to present a number of suggestions based on the nature of the problem rather than agents that use the ‘umbrella’ approach to resolve every kind of query / complaint. A customer that has their problem resolved thus, is most likely to spread the word about how great your customer service is.

– Once a possible solution is identified, implement it immediately if that is possible. If not, inform your customer and provide them with a timeline by when your will revert and keep to it. Customers don’t mind waiting but move towards anger when customer service representatives fail to do what they said in the time they said. You will have for yourself a larger problem should you fail to keep commitments. All proficient customer service staff know that following up with a customer for some time after a solution has been provided, leads to customer loyalty. This action tells the customer that the company is responsible and takes onus for their actions.

Problem solving and troubleshooting skills need to be constantly upgraded as these lead to a dramatic increase in first call resolutions and a massive leap in customer satisfaction indexes. These skills increase the customer service staff efficiency and allow them to consistently resolve queries before they become full-blown complaints with possible drastic effects. Thinking clearly and communicating articulately can only happen when the customer service staff is able to decipher the problem and know what action to take in which scenario. These are direct results of inculcating problem solving skills through focused and consistent training. Understanding each customer individually, irrespective of whether the nature of the problem is same or similar to what you have dealt with, will take your company to the ultimate goal of customer loyalty and satisfaction.

“To launch a business means successfully solving problems. Solving problems means listening.”- Richard Branson

Develop interactive decision trees for troubleshooting, cold calling scripts, medical appointments, or process automation. Enhance sales performance and customer retention across your call centers. Lower costs with customer self-service.

How to improve problem-solving skills with customer service training

This post was originally published on lessonly.com.

Customer service is a jigsaw puzzle.

In order to put together a picture of excellent customer service, customer service reps have to piece together customer information, product or service knowledge, and personal skills. But, even with all of the necessary pieces, a customer service team member can’t provide valuable customer service without being a great problem solver.

As companies put a larger emphasis on high-quality service, reps and agents need customer service training programs that focus on problem-solving. As self-service channels grow in popularity for simple, transactional interactions, when it comes time for a customer to reach out to a rep, it’s likely because they couldn’t find the answer via self-service. These interactions tend to be unique, more complex, and unpredictable. In fact, according to one report, as many as 83% of people say that humans better understand their problems and needs and want to bypass self-service options to talk directly to a human. This means that reps should be well equipped to deal with customers, understand their issues, effectively provide a resolution, and anticipate their future wants and needs.

So, how can customer service leaders deliver training courses that feature effective problem-solving techniques? First and foremost, employees should learn the fundamental knowledge and skills that they’ll need for any interaction. Then, leaders can begin working with their customer service team to develop their problem-solving skills.

Introduce reps to problem-solving methods

The best way to ensure reps address a customer’s issue and do it with a high quality of service is to provide training on a structured problem-solving process. To start, here are five steps that every rep should know how to work through.

• Identify and define the problem:  While this may seem simple and straightforward, customers don’t always describe their issues clearly. Training should offer reps examples of open-ended questions that they can use to effectively gather information and isolate the actual problem. This will make the rest of the interaction much more efficient.
• Brainstorm solutions:  Now it’s time to brainstorm and share possible solutions with the customer. Consider providing reps with guidelines that encourage autonomy so they can create solutions at their own discretion.
• Evaluate and choose the best solution:  During this time, it’s key for reps to clearly and effectively communicate the solutions (and their implications) of each with the customer. By having an open and friendly discussion, reps will be able to choose the solution that best addresses the customer’s specific wants and needs.
• Implement the solution:  Once a customer and rep are on the same page about a solution, it’s important to execute as soon as possible. Training must ensure that reps are empowered to build a plan, work with the appropriate team members to ensure it happens, and make a solution become a reality.
• Analyze the results:  After a solution is implemented, successful support teams also measure the results. By asking the customer for feedback and analyzing metrics, teams can better determine if the right process was followed and what they could improve in the future for increased customer loyalty.

Provide opportunities for practice and feedback

Once customer service reps have a good grasp of problem-solving techniques, it’s important to give them opportunities to apply and practice their problem-solving skills. World-class customer service teams take real-life scenarios and support tickets and apply them to a test environment. This gives both new and veteran reps the chance to hone their problem-solving skills in a safe space—without negatively impacting the relationship with a customer. They then have the chance to work through prioritization and resolution steps while practicing effective communication skills.

Additionally, offering reps the chance to practice thoughtful problem solving allows leaders to give clear and effective feedback. Customer service leaders and training managers can evaluate practice scenarios with predetermined criteria to ensure their team focuses on the right  customer service skills  and gets the helpful feedback they need to improve their level of service. This also helps leaders identify reps who may need additional coaching.

When reps are properly trained in fundamental customer service skills and effective problem solving, they’re more prepared to address a customer’s issue. With intentional practice and continuous feedback loops from management, reps will be able to implement these steps with expertise and become customer service puzzle masters. The result is higher first-contact resolution rates, improved net promoter scores, and better overall business performance. That’s a puzzle worth solving.

World-class customer service teams use Lessonly by Seismic

Lessonly is powerfully simple training software that helps customer service teams learn, practice, and perform like never before. Managers and trainers deliver effective onboarding, proving ongoing training, and share best practices. The results? Effective team learning, happier employees, and extraordinary experiences. Learn more, and  demo Lessonly today .

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The 21 Essential Customer Service Skills for Every Employee

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21 essential customer service skills

It’s easy to fall down the rabbit hole of customer-acquisition. 

This is especially true when it comes to marketers, financial teams, and other c-suite leaders who want to show business growth.

We want new customers, and that’s okay. In fact, that’s a good thing.

However, in your request to reach new markets and acquire new clients, it is imperative you don’t ignore the ones you already have.

Customer acquisition costs are high; it is six-to-seven times more costly to acquire a new customer than retain the ones you already have.

The benefits of these 21 critical customer service skills include increased:

• Customer retention rates
• Customer lifetime value
• Referrals and word of mouth marketing
• Net Promoter Score (NPS)
• Customer reviews
• Upsells and renewals
• Brand advocates

And guess what? All of these have a positive impact on your bottom line.

Executing your customer service philosophy requires a mindset of dedication by both B2B and B2C businesses. Some of the most common roles that require these skills include customer service agents, customer support representatives, customer relationship managers, and implementation specialists.

However, the need for these skills go past your typical “customer service” roles. Every employee at your company needs a mindset that puts customers first. Even if an individual isn’t having a face-to-face conversation with clients, every team, from product to marketing to finance, makes decisions that affect the customer.

Once you find employees who have these customer service skills , make sure they feel enabled to use them. This applies to both B2C and B2B marketing and customer success teams.

No matter your business size or industry, your customers have one thing in common: their humanity.

Every customer is a person who has taken the time out of the hustle and bustle of their hectic day to interact with your brand. And, each person wants to feel respected and appreciated.

Employees with these customer service skills do more than create transactions, they create positive customer experiences. Alternatively, companies who don’t value and empower these skills can find themselves sliding down a slippery slope.

Here, we’ll look at the following customer service skills critical to maintaining and growing your company’s bottom line.  

The 21 most important customer service skills

• Communication skills
• Product knowledge
• Problem-solving skills
• Positive attitude
• Positive language
• Listening skills
• A willingness to go the extra mile
• Personal responsibility
• Authenticity
• Adaptability
• Attentiveness
• Desire to learn
• Professionalism
• Acting ability
• The ability to respond quickly
• Time management skills
• The ability to let it go

  As we go through the list, you’ll notice how many of these skills tie together.

Think of each skill as a thread – once weaved together, they create a support network every client can reach with the confidence they’ll find what they need.

With that, let’s get started with the very first important customer service skill: empathy.

Understanding the customer and the problem is key for anyone in a customer facing role. (Plus, it helps when collaborating with your co-workers!)

In a recent MarketingProfs podcast with speaker and author Jay Baer, he shared why empathy has an impact on a business’ bottom line:

"At one point, empathy was the default. When we interacted with customers and prospects, we did so almost reflexively with a degree of humanity, a degree of warmth, a degree of caring. It's safe to say now that we are operating in an era of empathy deficit, not only in business, but [also] in politics and in life. The default state is no longer warmth and caring, it is knives out. Consequently, if you can be disproportionately empathetic in your business, it is noticeable in a way that it wouldn't have been in the past and can create customer conversations accordingly."

One-to-one customer interactions with your customer success team are the biggest place you can show empathy. Anyone on the phone, live chat, or social media customer support must understand that they are talking to a real live person.

It can’t be stated enough that customers are human beings, not another stat for your spreadsheets.

Sometimes, empathy will mean you have to break the rules or make an exception. If someone needs you to bend the rules due to a family emergency or extenuating circumstances, and you do so, you could develop a lifelong brand advocate.

2. Clear communication skills

Service reps must be able to explain the potential solutions to customers’ problems, and do so in a clear, concise manner. As a communication studies major, I have extra excitement for this customer centric skill.

Clear communication skills mean speaking without jargon, especially if it’s terminology specific to your company. Those who communicate well also understand when their point isn’t getting across and know how to offer alternative explanations if the original doesn’t make sense.

On the technical side, when it comes to verbal communication, those speaking to customers in person or on the phone must also speak clearly – no mumbling allowed!

Non-verbal communications also come into play during these conversations, even when they’re on the phone.

Take a look at the studies done by Dr. Albert Mehrabian in the 1970’s. According to his extensive research, only 7 percent of his communication is the words we say.

The remaining elements of communication come down to non-verbals signals you give people. 38 percent of these include voice and tone. In order words, “It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.” The remaining 55 percent depends on body language.

Think of the employees at a retail shop or those who work trade shows as part of an event marketing strategy. Those with exceptional communication skills will have a confident, open stance and make eye-contact with ease. No slouching or crossed arms – this makes employees much more approachable.

Why do these non-verbal skills matter so much?

As described by Dr. Mehrabian, “The non-verbal elements are particularly important for communicating feelings and attitude, especially when they are incongruent: if words and body language disagree, one tends to believe the body language.”

So, if the words you’re saying don’t match up to how you’re saying them, people trust your tone more.

And yes, in case you were wondering, the lack of non-verbals can be the cause of communication issues in text messages, especially for the easily offended. If you are using chatbots and email for customer support, ensure employees have a history of excellent written communication, including grammar.

It’s no surprise these 93 percent of non-verbal communication skills apply to those in an in-person customer facing role. However, don’t forget their importance in phone support, too. For example, posture has a huge impact on a person’s tone and vocal quality. (I’m an actor, trust me on this one!)

Communication skills are interlinked with the ability to listen, which we’ll discuss in point No. 8, and being attentive, point No. 15.

3. Product knowledge

While it may seem like a given, product knowledge is a crucial element that can’t be ignored. Regular training and product updates to give your reps a true understanding of your product, as well as any product changes that will affect customers, is key to the success for your company.

In order to truly help people, your reps must be able to give accurate and up-to-date information about your product or service.

If not, you’ll upset your customers even more!

According to a survey of more than 1,000 adults by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, 70 percent of people are highly annoyed when they are transferred to a representative who can’t help or is wrong.

In-depth product knowledge does more than enable service agents to troubleshoot customer problems it allows reps to help customers get the most out of your product, ensuring your product or service provides the maximum value.

When they do face a question they can’t answer, make sure that customer service professionals know who to turn to when they need additional information.

4. Problem-solving skills

In essence, problem-solving is what customer service is all about.

While there are many problem-solving models, those interacting with customers need to be quick on their feet. There’s no time for group brainstorming. Your clients want their problems fixed and they want them fixed now .

Here is an example of the problem-solving process that applies to customer service situations:

Great customer service means getting to the heart of problems immediately, then coming up with solutions. It’s important to note step No. 5 in relation to the customer experience.

You may have come up with a solution to the problem, but did it actually work for the customer? If not, it’s time to go back to the beginning and identify new potential solutions.

The circle doesn’t stop until your customer’s issue is solved.

5. Patience

Customer service reps will often find themselves on the front line against unhappy customers. Depending on the situation, people may have worked themselves up into quite a state before speaking with a customer service representative. The ability to stay calm and keep from taking things personally will help diffuse tense situations with angry customers.

A customer service representative may find themselves with a customer who doesn’t know how to describe the problem or struggles to accurately answer the reps questions.

Service reps who maintain their patience are less likely to get irked (making a negative situation even worse) when interacting with a frustrating customer.

Let’s face it: No one is perfect, but there are, no doubt, some frustrating people out there. And, as anyone who works in customer support will tell you, sometimes it seems as if these are the ones who call the most!

Knowing when to take a big (silent!) breath in, then out can come in quite handy.

6. Positive attitude

According to Winston Churchill, “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.”

Do you know what? He’s right.

It’s a lesson I learned from my Dad at a young age. While I love all of his life lessons, thanks to his career in sales, this one is applicable when discussing customer service skills. Growing up, my Dad not only pointed out poor customer service, but he also made a point of letting managers know when employees showed exemplary customer service.

There’s no doubt each one of these people displayed a positive attitude.

I remember reading the following poem by Charles Swindoll on my Dad’s desk when I was at that susceptible middle-school age when motivational skills have the strongest impact.

Image source: The Little Rebellion

Notice those words towards the end, “I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.”

Even if a customer service agent is having a bad day, the calls are going to keep happening. The important part is how that agent reacts, even if a particularly feisty customer happens to be pushing their buttons.

Image source: Randy Glasbergen via Hamilton Writing

Having a positive attitude is one of those customer service skills that is essential for all employees. These people are more enjoyable to be around. Plus, they’re more ready to solve problems and able to execute the next skill: Positive language.

7. Positive language

Those with positive attitudes are able to focus on solutions. Building on that, those who speak positive language also speak in positive terms – they don’t mention the negatives.

I know what you’re thinking: “Isn’t that the definition of an optimist?”

While it’s likely an optimist has a positive attitude, positive language is a more technical skill. Positive language is how a customer service rep uses their communication skills to share information.

Imagine you receive a catalogue sent using direct mail marketing . You call to order a sweater (old-school, I know!), only to find it’s out of stock.

Many times, this is what you’ll hear: “I’m sorry we don’t have that in stock, it’s backordered and you can’t get it for two weeks.”

Now, image you instead hear, “That product will be available in two weeks. I can place your order now, and you will receive it on approximately November 15th.”

Notice the difference?

By using positive language, customer service managers can overcome a customer’s problem before they even knew they had one.

8. Listening skills

Even though a rep might face the same problem 15-to-20 times a day, it is imperative they still listen to each person and each call.

Customer experiences vary from person to person. A problem may be common, but that doesn’t mean that’s this customer’s problem.

If your customer service representatives are making assumptions, you’ll find yourself with customers who are increasingly agitated.

In addition to not assuming, consider the following ways to improve listening skills:

Six ways to improve listening skills 

• Stay focused 
• Ask questions
• Don't interrupt
• Don't assume
• Repeat key facts
• Write down important points

Asking questions, taking notes, and avoiding interruptions are all excellent tactics to improve listening.

Encourage all employees to take these actions as a way to increase productivity through heightened communication skills.

9. A willingness to go the extra mile

A willingness to go the extra mile can also be thought of as “wow” customer service. Forbes author Micah Solomon describes wow customer service as “service that goes beyond fulfilling basic customer expectations and does so in a creative, unexpected way.”

Put simply, it makes people go, “Wow.” (Who would have guessed?)

Some companies, such as fashion brand Zappos and petcare company Chewy, have built their brands on this type of customer service. I can say for a fact they’ve both made a fan of me.

How exactly does Chewy make customers say wow? Its customer service agents’ skills extend across all channels. The brand has a dedicated Twitter account, complete with a Twitter banner showing off the smiling faces of these stellar employees. When it comes to phone calls, there is absolutely zero automation, and service reps aim to answer the phone within a mere five seconds .

Kelli Durkin, Chewy’s VP of Customer Service, shares that it comes down to the dedication of her customer service team: “Our customer service reps have good energy and the staff is excited to delight the customer...We want customers to be so wowed by the interaction they can’t help but share their experiences.”

Other examples of wow customer service include the condolence gifts given to those who lose a pet, and the randomly selected customers who receive hand-painted portraits of their pets.

Image source: Bloomberg

Many believe that Chewy’s commitment to the extra mile is what led to PetSmart buying Chewy for a reported $3.5 billion , the largest e-commerce acquisition ever as of April 2017.

While the dedication to a customer-centric approach comes from management, it is the customer service representatives interacting with customers day in and day out, listening to customers’ stories and needs for their furry family members, who make that wow factor happen.

Tip: Empower your customers and grow your brand with reviews Going the extra mile creates experiences customers love to share. Give brand advocates the opportunity to tell their stories by utilizing customer reviews

If you're a B2B software or service company, after claiming your free G2 profile , you'll discover how reviews deliver increased credibility, brand exposure, and customer insights.

10. Personal responsibility

Personal responsibility is critical in all decisions and relationships, be it in or out of the office.

While it’s quite understandable for mistakes to be made in customer service roles, authentic customer support employees know when they have made a misstep. We’re all human, and we make mistakes. Accepting responsibility for those mistakes and looking for ways to fix them is how you turn a negative to a positive.

And, just like responding to negative customer reviews can turn the tides, acknowledging the mistake and fixing it is how you can turn a frustrated client into a brand advocate.

11. Confidence

Customers will have faith they are getting the right answer (and one that will work!) when they talk to someone with confidence. And, when you go back to the third skill – training service reps on your product and service – this should come naturally!

Confident employees are a positive reflection on your brand, increasing your company’s trust and credibility. Proper training and internal communication channels to troubleshoot new customer issues as they arise will naturally give reps the confidence to excel.

If you have a customer service agent with great empathy, listening, and problem-solving skills, but who’s lacking just a bit in their self-confidence, consider doing what you can to give them a confidence boost.

Provide employees with positive feedback and some physical tips on how to be confident. Just like those who need some help with easy networking tips , smiling and maintaining a confident posture will go a long way. (Plus it helps those communication skills!)

12. Tenacity and resilience

Let’s face it – most people only call customer service when they have a problem. This means that your customer service reps are often faced with unhappy people non-stop throughout the day. Sometimes, it’s a simple problem to fix. Other times, not so much.

Customer Service reps need the ability to deal with other people’s frustrations day in and day out, while still maintaining that positive attitude. Tenacity is also required when support agents are facing problems that aren’t easy to solve. Sometimes, it may be an usual technical difficulty. Alternatively, service reps could find themselves working with the un-tech savvy who need some extra time to get through the basics.

Other times, employees might be helping a customer with extenuating circumstances. Customer service reps will have to spend extra time, or take measures not usually taken, to ensure the issue is resolved.

Think of tenacity as resilience: the dogged determination not to stop until the problem is solved.

13. Authenticity

Authenticity will go a long way when it comes to customer service. As a midwestern girl (I grew up surrounded by cows and cornfields), I grew accustomed to people who care about each other.

This goes back to empathy and listening – you’re not just reading a script, you’re not pretending to listen, you are giving your best solution to each and every customer.

It means that you’re not trying to help a customer to fulfill your own goals (whether it’s making a renewal, hitting your target, or avoiding looking bad to your boss). You want to help every individual you cross paths with.

14. Adaptability

While you may have a standard customer service script, customers are not made from cookie cutters. Each individual’s situation is unique, and you need to be ready to adapt to each one.

Finding employees with strong adaptability skills will not only help your customer success rate, it will also help you find strong leaders. In fact, according to the Center for Creative Leadership , the ability to adapt or develop was cited as the No. 1 most cited success factor for North American managers.

The good news is, according to a 2017 global study by PricewaterhouseCoopers, 86 percent of those in the workforce believe they have this skill.

Image source: Job Market Monitor

As you’ll notice in the image, adaptability is closely followed by problem-solving as the top two skills members of the workforce believe they have.

Assuming people responded with an accurate self-assessment, there’s a good chance most employees will have these two critical customer service skills.

15. Attentiveness

Think of your standard romantic comedy with the dreamy leading man. What do all the girls say? “He made me feel like I was the only one in the room.”

Be attentive to your customers and make them feel like they matter.

Instead of movie scripts, think of applying a small business strategy. Coming from a small town, I grew up witnessing businesses that showed appreciation to all customers by spending time with them.

Sometimes, small businesses are the ones that understand their clients the most; they have lifelong customers because of the time they spend building relationships.

Putting quality over quantity (rather than speed and moving on to the next customer), gives each customer all the time they need. This is one of the reasons online fashion retailer Zappos has seen such success.

Its longest customer service call? Take a guess.

20 minutes? 30 minutes? An hour? Try over 10 . Ten hours and 43 minutes, to be precise.

Here, you can watch the Steven Weinstein, the Zappos employee with the record for the longest customer-service call, tell the story in his own words:  

Listen to those words, “An obsession with making sure our customers are perfectly happy.”

Not only did he make a very happy customer, Zappos found itself with a story to tell and journalists wanting to tell it. Publications sharing the story include Huffington Post, Business Insider, and The Today Show. The story even made Jimmy Fallon’s opening monologue, where he helped Steven meet his customer in person.

In addition to reaping the return on investment (ROI) rewards of lifelong customers, who knows, you could find yourself getting press coverage, just like Zappos!

16. Desire to learn

Over time, your product, service, and procedures will continue to change. You need customer service employees who are both ready and willing to learn. Support reps are the front line, educating customers about changes.

Like the other customer service skills that apply to all employees, those eager to learn show that positive attitude we discussed in point No. 6. In addition, this trait shows a commitment to the investment you have made in an employee and the sincere desire to advance their career.

Plus, when you provide employees with opportunities to learn, their appreciation will show in the high levels of customer service they provide.

Earlier, I mentioned Chewy. According to UJET , this concept is a direct reflection on the high levels of customer support its team gives: “Chewy makes a commitment to training its agents when they join the company and on a continuing basis, contributing to high morale, low turnover, and a great work environment that facilitates friendly, thoughtful customer service interactions.”

17. Professionalism

When a customer has a problem, they don’t care about the fact that your customer service agent didn’t sleep last night, broke up with their boyfriend, or had a fight with their mom.

As soon as that phone is picked up, all personal problems are left behind. It’s time to put on a smile (even over the phone!) and focus on the needs of the customer first.

It’s worth noting that this doesn’t just apply to your customer relationship team. We can all have a bad day now and then, but your co-workers may get fatigued when every day is full of complaints. Both clients and co-workers appreciate when you can set aside complaints to get the job done – which is the perfect tie-in to our next customer service skill of acting ability.

18. Acting ability

Fake it till you make it – it doesn’t just apply to actors. All service agents need to know how to put on a happy face.

No one wants to talk to a robot. Whether or not you have a script, showing some personality will go a long way to help customers make a connection with your customer service rep. That connection is what gives them a positive experience.

Even if you’re having the same conversation for the 100th time, it’s the first time this customer is having it with you. Every time a customer service professional hears, “I can’t get your website page to work,” they need to act like they’re hearing it for the first time.

This means that those in a customer facing role need to show their energetic side in every interaction. Whether they’re bored, tired, or stressed, reps can’t let it show.

19. The ability to respond quickly

No customer wants to be kept waiting. This is true for in-person interactions, as well as chatbox software and phone calls. Good customer service skills require being able to not only adapt, but do so quickly.

If you leave someone waiting too long for a response on that chat box, there’s a good chance their frustration levels will increase, making it even harder to get their satisfaction levels up. (This is especially true with awful on-hold music. Let’s not get into how much of that I’ve listened to waiting to speak to an airline representative. Ahem, United Airlines.)

Help your employees show off their ability to respond quickly by ensuring you have enough staff. This skill is intertwined with product knowledge and confidence. Arm your customer service representatives with everything they need and help them help customers avoid that dreaded elevator music!

20. Time management skills

Time management skills are especially applicable to serving customers while working for a B2B company. Customer service software can play a part in giving customers quick response time. At the same time, each employee must take personal responsibility as well.

Customer relationship managers and implementation specialists have many customers to take care of, and no one can feel forgotten.

This is where time management skills are crucial.

Customer support teams have a variety of responsibilities to juggle each day when it comes to strategizing time management, including:

• Which customers will need a little extra love, costing the service rep more of their time
• How long onboarding calls will take
• How much time to budget for responding to emails
• When preparation is needed before meeting with a customer
• How to prioritize time spent researching answers to unusual customer questions

Customer service representatives can maximize their productivity by using The Action Matrix (shown below) for prioritizing their tasks.

21. The ability to let it go

Knowing how to let it go is a skill that I often advocate.

Those in customer support roles, such as call centers , are often the brunt of verbal abuse. People call up wanting to vent and have a source to dispel their anger.

If this is you, understand when it’s not your fault. Just like the path to productivity, you may need to take a break or step back. And, if all else fails, create a music playlist that helps you move on, with “Shake it Off” by Taylor Swift as the first song.

Customer service comes down to caring

In the end, the skills of a customer service employee come down to caring.

Having empathy to understand the situation of each person a rep interacts with and the authentic desire to help them will go a long way.

Consider this marketing quote by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos: “We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts. It’s our job every day to make every important aspect of the customer experience a little bit better.”

The best way to build a positive customer experience is by hiring employees with these 21 customer service skills, then giving them the ability to put those skills to work.

Ready to learn more about customer service? Learn how Facebook chatbots are helping customer support professionals through Facebook messenger.

Want to learn more about Customer Service Software? Explore Customer Service products.

Kristen mccabe.

Kristen’s is a former senior content marketing specialist at G2. Her global marketing experience extends from Australia to Chicago, with expertise in B2B and B2C industries. Specializing in content, conversions, and events, Kristen spends her time outside of work time acting, learning nature photography, and joining in the #instadog fun with her Pug/Jack Russell, Bella. (she/her/hers)

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The Most Important Customer Service Skills (With Examples)

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Customer service skills are a critical component of any business. But working in customer service is not for the faint of heart. Whether these employees are stationed in an office or servicing customers remotely from their homes , they are on the front lines taking fire on any and all issues upset customers are experiencing. So, if you’re a salesperson and negotiator who wants to hone your customer service skills, you’re in luck. This article will cover a variety of customer service skills, including soft skills and how you can improve them. Key Takeaways: Important customer service skills include: empathy, communication, problem-solving, attentiveness, and a desire to learn. Customer service skills can make or break an organization, good customer service can lead to customer retention and increased revenue. Most customer service skills are soft skills. Improve your customer service skills through practice and feedback. In This Article    Skip to section 21 essential customer service skills How to improve your customer service skills The benefits of good customer service skills What are customer service soft skills? Customer service skills FAQ Final thoughts References Sign Up For More Advice and Jobs Show More 21 essential customer service skills

Skilled customer service employees should have mastery over basic clerical skills as well as these transferable soft skills :

Empathy. The ability to understand and relate to customers and coworkers and to form an emotional bond. Empathetic people genuinely care about those around them, even strangers, and this allows them to create a good rapport with customers.

Clear communication. To explain a solution in an easy, concise way that isn’t filled with confusing technical jargon or irrelevant side notes. Clear communicators don’t mumble; they speak loudly enough and slowly enough while enunciating their words to ensure their message is conveyed.

Product knowledge. A thorough and up-to-date understanding of the product, its function, its limits, how it works, what kinds of issues it’s prone to having and how to fix them, which models have been discontinued or on sale, which models are new, construction materials, safety precautions, and any other pertinent information depending on the product.

Customers are quick to become annoyed when speaking to a representative who can’t help because he or she either isn’t familiar with the product or, even worse, provides incorrect information about it.

Problem-solving skills. The process of identifying the problem, considering the potential solutions, selecting the best solution and implementing it, then analyzing to determine if the solution resolved the issue.

Patience. The ability to remain calm and composed in any tense situation, whether a customer is screaming into the phone or hopelessly confused trying to troubleshoot an issue.

Positive attitude. The trait of maintaining an optimistic mindset even in the face of adversity. This can be incredibly difficult for some people when they’re bombarded nonstop with negativity from unhappy customers, but the customer service agents who are able to keep smiling and stay positive will see much more success at their work.

Positive language. The practice of focusing on a positive outcome without mentioning the negative. For example, if a customer calls wanting to order an out-of-stock item, a normal reply would be, “I’m so sorry, but we don’t have any in stock. You won’t be able to order it for at least another three weeks.”

In contrast, a customer service representative using positive language might say, “That product is expected to arrive within the next three weeks. I can add your email address to receive an automatic notification as soon as it’s in stock, and then you can either place your order online or give us a call back and we’ll be happy to place it over the phone for you.”

Listening skills. The ability to stay focused , be attentive, ask questions, refrain from interrupting, repeat key facts, write down important facts, and never make assumptions when listening to someone describe an issue.

Willingness to go the extra mile. The step above and beyond what is expected in order to provide the wow factor. That is, the customer is so well cared for that he or she can’t help but say, “wow.” This level of dedication can turn a one-time customer into a lifetime customer.

Personal responsibility. A critical trait in any capacity, but especially important in customer service to show accountability. Owning up to a mistake and then searching for ways to resolve the problem and turn it into a positive can be powerful enough to convert a dissatisfied customer into a brand ambassador .

Confidence. The demonstration of knowledge and credibility that makes a customer feel a sense of trust . Employees who exude confidence have an authoritative demeanor that gives the impression they’re experts, even if they aren’t.

Tenacity. The resilience to not only stick with a problem until it’s resolved, no matter how long or how many extra measures that takes, but also to maintain a calm, positive demeanor despite the endless problems, complications, and angry customers throughout the day.

Authenticity. The desire to make an empathetic connection and help someone solve a problem, not just fill a quota or waste time until the 5 o’clock punch-out. An authentic employee genuinely enjoys their job and wants to help other people .

Adaptability. The ability to go off-script and tailor solutions to individual problems. This trait is closely tied to problem-solving, and it’s one that most good leaders possess. Adapting to various situations is a key quality for success in just about any field.

Attentiveness. A dedication to quality over quantity and giving customers undivided attention so they feel like they matter.

You no doubt have experienced the frustration of trying to talk to someone while they were texting; no eye contact, only occasional head nods and grunts, the tapping sounds of the digital keyboard only adding to your irritation. You felt second-rate, as if your conversation was less important than the person’s on the other end of the text message.

Desire to learn. An appetite and willingness to undergo continual training and keep expanding one’s knowledge both in and out of the workplace. Lifelong learners do well in many different capacities.

Lessons can range to just about anything, whether it’s a refresher on the company’s products, a self-improvement class under the guidance of a personal coach , a course to learn a new computer program, a class to learn a new language, etc.

Professionalism. The ability to push all personal problems aside and adopt a demeanor suited for work. Professionals are able to focus on the task at hand and leave everything else — money troubles, bad breakups, fights with loved ones, whatever else may be going on in one’s personal life — at the door.

Acting ability. The practice of adopting a cheerful, energetic, and compassionate attitude when dealing with customers (and, although to a less extreme extent, fellow colleagues) no matter how tired, bored, or irritated the employee actually is.

Quick response time. The ability to respond and adapt to changing situations quickly. Nobody likes to be kept waiting, especially a customer who has already been on hold for a long time. Once they’re finally connected to a representative, a customer expects a speedy resolution.

Time management. A crucial skill to ensure that every customer is taken care of in a timely and efficient manner, whether by phone, email, live chat , or in-person visits. No one can be forgotten.

Successfully juggling various tasks, projects, and deadlines is an important life skill that is crucial in just about any role in any field, as well as in one’s personal life.

Letting go. The ability to brush off criticism and not hold onto a grudge. Customer service agents on the front lines take a lot of fire on a day-to-day basis, including more than their fair share of anger and insults. Customers need to vent, and the representative on the other end of the line is a prime target.

How to improve your customer service skills

Customer service skills can always be improved. Whether you already feel confident in your skills or if you are unsure how to handle customers, there are many ways to set yourself up for success. The best ways to improve your customer service skills include:

Practice. There really is no other way around it. Customer service skills are actions that require practice and repetition to improve. Some ways to practice include working on whatever speeches you might give at your job, researching the products and services your company provides, preparing for issues ahead of time, or work with someone in fake scenarios to roleplay.

Ask for feedback. Feedback is a great way to develop your customer service skills. With feedback you can gauge your progress. Feedback can come from coworkers, supervisors, or even customers themselves. Just make sure in any case that you set up a system of feedback that is healthy and constructive.

Observe and ask others. Watch those who you think are great at customer service. Notice how they handle different types of customers and questions. If possible, ask if you can shadow someone to get an up close view of the action and ask questions to see how these people inform their decision making.

The benefits of good customer service skills

Adept customer service skills come with many benefits. When a company takes the time, effort, and investment to ensure its customer service department is an all-star team, here are some of the benefits they might expect:

Higher customer retention rates

Improved customer lifetime value

Word-of-mouth marketing and referrals

More positive customer reviews and fewer negative reviews

Upsells to increase total order value

Confident and enthusiastic brand advocates

These benefits aren’t just good for the company’s image; they’re also going to affect profits.

A smart employer recognizes that developing the right skills goes even further beyond equipping a CX team, which includes customer service agents, customer service representatives, implementation specialists, customer relationship managers, etc.

When these soft skills are applied across all departments, the benefits can mean extraordinary growth and development.

What are customer service soft skills?

Customer service Soft skills are non-technical interpersonal skills. They’re a variable blend of personality, work ethics, morals, people skills, social skills, character traits, attitudes, social and emotional intelligence, empathy, communication skills , and temperaments, among others.

Soft skills affect everything from performance, drive, and engagement to teammate compatibility and the ability to work well with others. Without good soft skills, an employee isn’t going to be successful at a job.

Hard skills, on the other hand, are the technical expertise you’ve learned through courses, training, and direct experience. Examples include knowledge of specific software and programs, web design, social media marketing, SEO analysis, and the list goes on and on.

While many job seekers don’t hesitate to add every hard skill they can think of to the resume , soft skills are often overlooked even though they can be equally important. There’s room for both on your resume , and you may even discover that your greatest strengths may actually be soft skills that enable you to work well with other people.

Customer service skills FAQ

What is the main role of customer service?

The main role of customer service is to resolve complaints and issues. For example, a customer service representative might receive a call from a customer who’s reporting a missing or damaged product. The representative would then inform the customer that they can return the product for a refund or exchange at the nearest store.

What are good customer service soft skills?

There are many good customer service soft skills, with one of the most important being good communication. Here are some other examples of important customer service soft skills:

Positive attitude

Active listening

Problem-solving

Adaptability

Final thoughts

At their core, all of these various traits and skills that make up a strong customer service employee sum up to one common denominator — people. The job is all about connecting with people, understanding their problems, caring about helping them, and dedicating as much time and resources to resolve their issues and make them happy.

For introverts, a job centered around working with people is not the ideal career , but these people skills have a wide application. Working to develop these skills will aid you in your personal life and your professional life as you improve your relationships with family, friends, colleagues, and even the strangers you encounter and interact with in your daily life.

Rasmussen University – Beyond Retail: Why Customer Service Skills Matter in Practically Any Career

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Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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Key skills needed in a Customer Service Team

• Learning and Development

Good customer service is such a big factor in customer retention. It makes our Customer Service Team a very important and vital part of our business. On average, 65% of customers have reported changing to another brand due to a poor customer service experience.

Providing customer service isn’t just about answering questions; it’s about making a real difference, solving problems and supporting our customers, no matter the nature or complexity of their contact. Our Customer Service Teams are the heartbeat of our business, making sure our customers are supported throughout their time with us.

So, what does it take to do well and grow in this team? Let’s explore the key customer service skills and strengths needed to be successful at Legal & General.

The core of excellent customer service is communication

Effective communication is the cornerstone of excellent customer service. Whether it’s through phone, email, or chat, clear and concise communication helps customers feel heard and valued. 

Our financial services products can be complex in nature so the ability to break this information down into easy-to-understand terms is essential. When we’re hiring, we’re looking for the following skills:

• Verbal communication: clear and concise speaking abilities to effectively convey information.
• Written communication: the ability to write clearly and professionally, particularly in emails and chat.
• Active listening: skilled at attentively listening to customers to fully understand their needs and concerns.

Great communication isn’t just about saying the right words but also being able to listen and respond appropriately and when required, empathetically. This is what makes good customer service to be great . Strong communication skills are essential to a variety of roles. That’s why we are open to applications from candidates from many industries; our teams are made up of professionals from retail, hospitality, contact centres, banking, care, nursing and teaching to name a few!

Gemma went from fashion to finance when she joined our Customer Service Team working in pensions. She is one of our many success stories that highlight new opportunities that are open with us and how we will invest in your success.

Strong problem-solving skills are essential

Our customers reach out to our Customer Service Teams with a variety of issues and queries. Customers expect fast and effective resolutions. An experienced and trained L&G customer service colleague e can quickly assess a situation, figure out the root cause of the issue and support t the customer with the appropriate solution. At the same moment, making sure the customer leaves happy and informed. 

The key to enhancing this skill is to practise staying calm under pressure as well as reflecting and learning from previous customer interactions.

Interpersonal skills help you build customer relationships

At Legal & General, we believe in building lasting relationships with people. Personable skills help create rapport with customers, which builds loyalty and customer satisfaction. Interpersonal skills can be broken down into these key sets of soft skills: 

• Empathy: effectively understanding and sharing the feelings of others, ensuring customers feel heard and valued.
• Patience: maintain calm and composure, especially with frustrated or difficult customers.
• Positive Attitude: Consistently exhibit a friendly and optimistic demeanour to enhance customer satisfaction.
• Resilience : It’s important to not let small setbacks or complaints affect you personally by professionally responding to them with solutions.

You can improve and develop your interpersonal skills by being mindful of your language use, showing genuine interest in the customers' needs and being patient and understanding during the conversation.

Join our Customer Service Team at Legal & General

We are looking for passionate professionals to join our team. If you are ready to make a positive impact on people's lives and grow your career, then we want to hear from you. We offer a diverse and inclusive environment where you can make an impact and learn.

Start your customer service career with us today, where your skills are valued and your career development is our priority. 

Explore our recent Customer Service Jobs and apply today.

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