by Ed Gray

Created on: February 05, 2009

Customer service is a process of forming and maintaining a relationship with your existing as well as potential customers. The way a business handles their customer service is a good insight into the business itself. If a business cares about their customers and it shows through excellent and dedicated customer service, than such business has a future and potential for growth ahead of them. On other hand if a customer service the business gives is bad this is a sure sign that there may be other areas this business is experiencing the problem with.

Therefore effectively managing the customer service and developing the excellent customer service policies is an important part of any business as there is more in the customer service than just happy customers. A customer service is the window into the overall state the particular business finds themselves.

LISTENING TO YOUR CUSTOMER A FUNDAMENTAL OF GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE.

Many businesses make a fundamental mistake of assuming what their customers say or want and basing their customer service policies based on such perceptions. When they discover that the customer is even further alienated and unhappy with the business the key people in charge of developing and maintaining the customer service relationship policies and strategies often scratch their heads and ask why?

CLARIFY ISSUE AND ENGAGE THE CUSTOMER

During the course of the conversation try to engage the customer to tell you what they see as being the source of the problem. Probe deeper to understand how the problem developed and what the customer would expect the satisfactory resolve to their issue be? If you understand what the customer is really asking for, you will be much closer to resolving the issue as well as avoid the issue to escalate further.

SET EXPECTATIONS

There may be situations where you may not be able to offer the customer what they are asking for. So do not promise what you cannot deliver. Be calm and be diplomatic. Explain to customer that you cannot deliver what they are asking and offer them the alternative that you can do. By setting expectations to what you can do for the customer you will be turning the issue towards the resolve rather than further alienating the customer by wrangling with details you are not capable to resolve.

STAND TO YOUR PROMISES

If you promise something to the customer make sure you follow up on your commitment. Take a note to follow up with the customer to make sure their issue had been resolved. Make sure that you or

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