The power of adopting a positive attitude in customer service

In this week’s blog, we’re going to be taking a look at adopting a positive attitude in customer service.

We’ve all been there at some point – being served by someone jaded and indifferent. It profoundly alters your perception of the whole brand because, at that point, that customer representative is the face of the brand to you. Companies don’t want to be seen in a bad light and definitely doesn’t want to lose one or more customers to a bitter customer service experience.

What could happen in a bad customer service experience scenario?

Let’s imagine what happens in a positive customer service experience for a second here. The customer has a question or a problem, and she reaches out to a customer service agent. She is welcomed by a friendly, attentive, and professional agent that listens to her complaints. Even if she is a bit on the angry side, the agent takes the time to calm her down, assesses the situation, and helps her with the problem she’s having with the product. Even if the agent isn’t in a position to solve a specific issue at that moment, the agent’s friendly attitude is enough for her to give the brand a second chance.

Because at that point, the customer knows she’ll be well taken care of in the future. This is every customer service department’s dream. This is the power of a positive attitude in customer service.

So, how do you make a difference by adopting a positive attitude in customer service? What are the core tenets of a positive attitude in customer service?

• Starting with a warm welcome: Opening up the conversation in a friendly manner goes a long way. Making the customer feel in good hands is always a good idea as it makes them feel like they are in good hands and their problems are going to be resolved professionally and as fast as possible. Additionally, if things are about to turn sour, it’s hard to be angry at a friendly and attentive person whose job is helping you out.

• Putting yourself in the customer’s shoes: If the customer is contacting your customer service department, that means there’s something wrong with the product they paid good money for. The issue at hand could even be time-sensitive, meaning it requires immediate attention. There is a multitude of situations that can affect the customer’s mood and his/her attitude towards you. Showing a little empathy in these situations is always a good idea. And remember: a dissatisfied customer will share the bad experience with family and friends, and bad news travels fast. You would do the same.

• Dealing with difficult situations: You can’t please everyone, and sometimes the customers get a little belligerent. The agent should always try to deescalate the situation and never lose his/her calm. The last thing anyone needs is an argument. The best way to deal with a rude customer is to acknowledge the difficulty of the situation and involving them in the solution of the problem. Having something to work towards together as a team usually prevents this behavior and leads to better results and better customer experiences.

• Positive attitudes reciprocate: In the customer service context, annoyance and frustration is a part of the conversation. A positive can-do attitude goes a long way to alleviate the bad vibes. It helps agents find common ground with the customers. This includes being upfront with your faults, admitting mistakes, and apologizing for any defects in the product.

At the end of the day, customer experience is a function of customer service, among other things. In an age where customer service is a part of marketing efforts for the most part, it’s impossible to reach every single complaint if you wait for the customers to reach out to you. You need to reach out to them. Leveraging social media is the perfect way to do it, as customers post their grievances online all the time. We’ve touched on this in our blog before, which you can find here. It’s time to start converting every social media post into a support ticket to help you with your customer service/marketing efforts with an omnichannel support system, and Desk360 does just that.

Check Desk360 features out today and start taking care of your customers with more care and spread the positivity.