In an era where technology is king and people-to-people interactions are becoming less relevant, what happens to those of us who still want to talk to a person and not a machine? The answer is  usually a less than friendly customer service representative who can’t wait to get off the Phone.

At Distributor Wire & Cable, we believe that great customer service is still a valuable part of business. Below we have listed five things that can lead to superior customer service and will help you wow any customer.

Answer the Phone Promptly and Politely:

The phone should never ring more than once, maybe twice. The reason being someone on the other end needs your help. They called for a reason and have just as busy of a day as you. Don’t keep them waiting.

Listen to What is Being Said:

Now you are on the phone with your customer but what are you really doing? Thinking about lunch? Nope! You should be taking notes, asking follow up or clarification questions. The person on the phone is the only person that matters right now.

Apologize for Mistakes:

Making a Mistake is not a bad thing. Everyone is human and it happens. The important thing is to learn from your mistakes. Apologize for the error. Agree on a way to fix the error, then do your best to never let it happen again. Don’t place blame on someone else, own up to it. Your customer will appreciate your honesty and know that if something does go wrong, you are going to make it right.

Manage Expectations:

This one is all about being realistic when it comes to your time and your customers’. Don’t tell someone you can have the job done in two hours when you know you have an hour long meeting coming up and five other things on your to-do-list for that day. If problems arise and the project starts to fall behind, it is your job as the customer service representative to be transparent about the delay. This may not always be an easy conversation but it is a necessary one.

Go Above and Beyond:

This doesn’t mean on every order or interaction you have to go above and beyond. It simply means, be on the lookout for opportunities that it would be appreciated or appropriate. These small gestures will help you wow your customers when they least expect it.

Great customer service is not rocket science. The truth is, we all need to slow down and focus on the person in front of us. If you have any further questions about how to wow your customers, shoot us an email at [email protected]. We are more than happy to help.