20 Great Customer Service Skills and How to Improve Them

When it comes to retaining customers, the quality of your product or service alone does not guarantee their loyalty. What can make or break their entire perception of your brand, from the moment they consider it to the post-purchase period, comes down to how good the customer experience is.

You may have some questions; What abilities ought to be present in your support team so that they can deliver that level of experience and sustain it?

In this blog, we take a look at the essential customer service skills that turn ordinary customer interactions into extraordinary experiences, and how you can improve them.

What are customer service skills?

Customer service skills refer to the essential knowledge, abilities and qualities that enable customer facing teams to effectively engage with and support customers.

Think about that time you went into a café where the coffee was just okay, but the barista greeted you with a warm smile, remembered your name, and asked about your day.

Suddenly, that ‘just okay’ coffee became part of a pleasant experience that gave you a good reason to go back for a second round.

Without any doubt, it’s the customer service skills that this barista possesses that wins the customers over and keeps the coffee business going.

Types of customer service skills

There are generally two types of skills in customer service:

• Hard skills: These particularly refer to competencies that can be developed and assessed. They are frequently obtained through academic learning and training. Some hard skills that are related to customer service include skills like research, data entry, and taking notes.
• Soft skills: These are interpersonal abilities that enable people to interact professionally with others. Although some training can teach them, soft skills are largely learned by an individual over time. Soft skills in customer service include active listening, empathy, conflict resolution, and problem-solving.

Training your team to comprehend and apply both customer service skill sets can significantly enhance your overall customer experience strategy.

Importance of good customer service skills

Remember, providing the best customer service is not just about addressing issues or solving problems. It’s about fostering lasting customer relations and providing memorable experiences at all touchpoints.

Having the right set of skills in customer service is the first step in providing good customer service.

Equipping your team with the right customer service skills will:

• Improve customer retention: Good customer service skills make customers feel valued and understood. It creates memorable experiences that can make 94 percent of them continue buying from your brand.
• Increase sales and revenue: Positive interactions encourage customers to spend more, explore additional products or services, and recommend your business to others.
• Give you a competitive edge: Offering good customer service experiences makes businesses stand out from competitors who may have similar offerings but lack customer care.
• Yields valuable customer feedback: Customers are more likely to spare a minute or two to share honest feedback after a good customer service experience. You can use this information to find areas where you need to improve on.

Essential skills in customer service that teams should possess

Every customer service agent brings a unique set of values, experiences, and talents to the table. While individuality is a strength, there are certain core competencies that every team member should possess to optimize the customer experience.

The following essential skills in customer service lay the foundation for excellent customer experiences:

1. Active listening

It’s one thing to simply hear and another thing to truly listen and understand what someone is saying. Often, customers reach out for support feeling frustrated due to a problem they’ve encountered.

As they air out their complaints, take a genuine interest in clearly understanding their needs and concerns.

Good listening techniques can help with:

• Deescalating tension for unhappy customers
• Pinpointing the main cause of customer issues
• Fostering a conducive environment for customers to voice their concerns
• Getting the context of a customer’s issue

2. Good time management

When a customer reaches out, they expect fast response and issue resolution from the support team. Every second wasted by the support team to respond is a potential risk of customer churn.

According to Jay Baer’s The Time to Win study, two-thirds of customers say speed is as important as price.

Teams with proper time management are able to respond and resolve support issues before set periods.

Businesses can invest in a comprehensive help desk ticketing system with tools for ticket time tracking, ticket prioritization, and. This will ensure agents respond and resolve support issues before the set periods.

3. Problem-solving

A support agent’s main responsibility is to resolve customer pain points promptly and efficiently.

Good problem-solving entails handling a concern and suggesting solutions that prevent it from happening again.

4. Empathy

Customer empathy involves genuinely understanding and sharing the customer’s emotions, perspectives, and experiences.

Empathetic interactions demonstrate to customers that the company genuinely cares about their well-being and is not just after making sales.

Learn more on how to master this customer service skill: Empathy in Customer Service: Essential Tips & Key Importance

5. Clear communication

Clear communication is a major customer service skill that directly impacts the quality of customer interactions and overall customer satisfaction.

It involves passing information across clearly, concisely, and comprehensibly to the customer.

Good customer communication helps minimize misunderstandings, solves problems quickly, and creates a bond between the customer and the service provider.

6. Technical knowledge

Customer queries are getting more complex and technology driven. Technical competence is, therefore, important for teams seeking to deliver seamless customer experiences.

Data from Email Analytics shows that, 62 percent of customers indicated that it was the expertise and ingenuity of those employed in customer services that made them happy.

All these aspects, however, call for the customer service team to have a thorough knowledge of the company’s system of products and services, its tools, and its operations in order to help resolve clients’ issues very quickly and accurately.

Well-informed agents are better positioned to troubleshoot problems, provide detailed explanations, anticipate potential issues, and provide proactive customer service.

7. Good decision-making

Looking into a situation and consciously taking action even when all seems lost enhances decision making. It minimizes waiting or queuing time, hence fostering the processes and helping avoid any irritations.

Reps who are skilled in decision-making are able to assess situations and quickly determine the best plan of action.

This is a key skill when:

• Complicated customer service issues arise
• There are angry or difficult customers

8. Adaptability

Customers always contact support through different channels such as social media, SMS, email, and live chat. Agents need to be available on all these platforms and be aware of the evolving market trends and customer needs.

Adaptable agents are also flexible in their verbal and written communication to suit each customer’s situation.

9. Patience

Most clients who come for help may be feeling some level of disappointment, annoyance, or even confusion. This could prompt them to either engage in long-winded explanations or reiterate themselves several times so that the issues are addressed satisfactorily.

Dealing with upset customers requires an even higher level of patience, as these individuals may express their dissatisfaction through disrespectful language or behavior.

In such scenarios, a patient agent should be customer-focused and listen attentively without interrupting. This will allow the customer to express their issues completely.

This approach not only helps in accurately identifying the problem but also:

• Assures customers that their issues are being taken seriously
• Allows agents to manage the conversation effectively

10. Positivity

Customer-facing teams need to approach each interaction with optimism and enthusiasm to create a welcoming and supportive environment for customers- even in challenging situations.

Customers are more open and calmer when they sense a genuine willingness to help.

Positive language, on the other hand, comes off as respectful and professional, which sets the right tone for a successful interaction.

11. Creativity

Creative customer service skills allow reps to come up with unique solutions to customer issues.

Rather than following a script, creative agents can use new solutions tailored to individual customer needs.

Creativity can also fuel proactive problem-solving, foster innovation within the customer service team, and transform a potentially negative experience into a positive one

12. Persuasion

Persuasiveness is the ability to influence others’ thoughts or actions. As much as this is often practiced by sales reps, customer service reps should also have their way with words.

A sweet tongue can easily make customers see the benefits of a product or service. This special convincing skill often leads to sales conversions.

Beyond sales, persuasiveness is essential in de-escalating situations, negotiating compromises, or guiding customers toward mutually beneficial outcomes.

13. Collaboration

Effective teamwork requires the exchange of ideas and working with others in different functions to provide the most comprehensive solutions to customer problems.

It fosters a healthy workplace, promotes unity in facing any kind of challenge, and assists teams in providing uniform services to customers.

14. Professionalism

Professionalism is the foundation of a strong customer service reputation, encouraging repeat business and customer loyalty.

This customer service skill encompasses adherence and commitment to your support team’s policies, standards, and vision.

It is about maintaining a calm and respectful attitude even when confronted with harsh or abrasive customers.

Being composed and courteous helps agents manage difficult situations and learn how to say no to customers.

15. Honesty and transparency

Customers appreciate honesty, even when the truth isn’t exactly what they want to hear. It demonstrates respect and a commitment to ethical standards.

Be open and share every little detail with your customers. Send them notifications on any progress you make on their support issues, such as ticket escalations and changes in ticket status. You can also alert them of any scheduled maintenance or offer recommendations.

Honest customer service representatives help manage customer expectations, foster a sense of trust, and facilitate long-term customer loyalty.

16. Accountability

Accountability is the act of owning up to and explaining one’s actions and decisions.

It is an important customer service skill when it comes to winning over clients and showing them that you value their time and money.

17. Cultural sensitivity

With customer service agents interacting with people from diverse backgrounds, cultural sensitivity is a vital customer service skill to have.

It involves being aware of and respectful of different cultural norms, practices, and communication styles.

Culturally sensitive agents are able to customize their engagement in a more inclusive manner and circumvent language barriers and other aspects of culture.

18. Willingness to learn

Customer expectations and technologies are constantly evolving. Agents who are eager to learn and continuously improve their skills in customer service can quickly adapt to new tools, systems, and processes.

They can also easily take up and solve new challenges, enhancing their ability to serve customers effectively.

19. Confidence

Confident agents should convey information clearly and assertively. When customers sense that an agent is knowledgeable and self-assured, they are more likely to feel comfortable and assured that their issues are in safe hands.

This customer service skill also empowers agents to take initiative and make decisions independently, improving efficiency and customer satisfaction.

20. Ability to ask for and receive feedback

Being receptive to feedback is crucial for personal and professional development. Customer-facing agents who are open to feedback can learn from their experiences, identify areas for improvement, and make necessary adjustments.

This customer service skill involves not only accepting constructive criticism gracefully but also actively seeking out customer feedback to grow and enhance performance.

Moreover, embracing feedback helps:

• Build stronger relationships with colleagues and supervisors
• Foster a collaborative environment
• Create a more supportive workplace culture

How to improve your customer service skill set

Companies must make conscious efforts to consistently polish and elevate their skills in customer service.

Here are several customer service tips to help you level up:

• Provide regular training: Continued training will keep employees updated on the latest skills in customer service, tools, and industry trends.
• Foster a customer-centric culture: Empower your support team to go the extra mile to ensure the customer is satisfied.
• Encourage collaboration: Put in place information-sharing practices to improve problem-solving abilities.
• Leverage technology: Adopt advanced customer service tools like help desk software, and artificial intelligence to provide timely, personalized solutions and streamline customer service processes.
• Measure customer satisfaction: Regularly ask for customer feedback so you are able to track customer satisfaction metrics and identify which customer service skills to improve.

Upgrade your customer service skills

Any business that values its customers’ experience needs to carefully evaluate and invest in its support teams’ customer service skill set. This impacts their ability to effectively handle a wide range of customer issues and still ensure they exceed their expectations, foster loyalty, and build strong, lasting relationships.

To support these efforts, tools like BoldDesk have comprehensive features that help improve the support teams’ customer service skills and enhance clients’ experiences. Contact us to book a live demo and see how BoldDesk can complement your customer service team. Sign up for a 15-day free trial today to get started.

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