I recently spoke about the 25 Things You SHOULD Do in Customer Service in a previous post. Since that was just a basic list, I thought over the next few days I’d go over everything in a little more detail so not only will you understand why these things are important, but how they can effect your business. Some of them are obviously common sense and speak for themselves, but it’s amazing how even the simplest things are overlooked or neglected in the customer service industry. For example; take the basic power of the smile.
“We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do”
Mother Teresa of Calcutta
A smile is a reflex as well as a conscious effort. And in customer service it can make the difference between a sale and a customer walking out the door. As an owner, manager, or employee, a smile given to your customers is a warm greeting; an invitation to come in, look around, and buy! It puts your customers at ease, makes them feel comfortable being in your store, and even want to stay awhile.
If your work with customers is on the phone, it’s still important to smile. A customer can “hear” a smile over the phone through your tone of voice. Call Center trainers even teach their employees to smile while on the phone because it elevates the voice and it’s difficult to sound unpleasant when you’re genuinely smiling.
Now that’s not to say you have to go through you’re entire day grinning from ear to ear. If you did that, you’d probably start to creep people out. But do make an effort when there are customers around.
Greet them warmly when they come in. Smile at them when you offer your assistance. If they come to you first, don’t frown as if they’re bothering you. Give them a smile and help them. Make sure your smile is genuine, even if you’re having a lousy day. A customer will know in a heartbeat if you’re faking it.
People simply respond well to friendly people. The best salespeople aren’t the ones that are smooth and slick. They’re the ones who emulate natural kindness, enthusiasm, and honesty. They gain trust and confidence. And they can do it all with a smile.
People want to like your products and your business. What they want even more is to be treated well. So give them one more reason to make buying from you a fantastic experience. And don’t forget to smile!
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