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Managing Your Time With Customers
Anyone who is involved in customer service has probably been amazed at some point by the customer’s assumption that we have all the time in the world to deal with them, that we are sitting at empty desks just waiting for the phone to ring! Providing good customer service will always be a balancing act between what the customer would ideally like and what you can provide, bearing in mind all the other pressures of your day. Here are some tips which might help you to manage your time better: Stand up when you answer the phone. For some reason you will come across as more business-like and will probably finish the conversation quicker than you would sitting down. Similarly, if you are meeting face-to-face, stand up as the customer enters the room. You will have greater difficulty in ending the exchange if they sit down. Open the conversation with “How can I help you?” rather than “How are you?” to direct them straight to the point. Don’t be afraid to tell them if you have a pressing deadline. Explain that you are just about to go into a meeting, take their contact details and agree a realistic time when you can ring back, remembering the ‘under-promise and over-deliver’ rule from last time! If they are rambling, simply say their name politely but assertively – this will make them pause so you can interject to summarise and wind-up the conversation, to avoid later misunderstandings. I’d be interested to hear if you make use of any of these techniques and what the results are. Your feedback on the usefulness of the newsletter and suggestions for topics are also very welcome. Contact me here. |
