Self-Control

To piggyback on a well-known truism, working in customer service is like a box of chocolates: You never know what you’re going to get. It could be an irate customer one minute, a completely confused person the next, or a perfectly patient customer who turns around and criticizes your company on Facebook. In a world where a single negative social media post about your company has as much impact on buyer decisions as five positive ones, that’s a pretty big deal. As stressful and anxiety-inducing as customer service can be, your reps need to have self-control — even when your customers don’t. They need to remain calm even when attacked, positive when faced with pessimism, and professional when a customer gets personal. There are very few consequences for a customer when they blow up at a rep. The consequences of not having self-control when interacting with a customer, however, are often irreparable.

. Taking Responsibility

Just because you solve a customer’s issue doesn’t mean they’ll stick around, but how you solve an issue is just as important as providing a solution. The key is to take responsibility for the customer’s care. Your customer service reps are on the front lines of satisfaction, but how many of your reps are actually the cause of the issue at hand? Very few. They can take responsibility for how the solution occurs, however, and 29% of customers say the ability to handle requests without transfers or escalations is one of the most important skills fDescribe service in detail and help Employers understand your capabilities.Chances are the answer is yes. Persuasion has long been recognized as an important sales skill, but it can also be invaluable for your customer service. Every day, your reps turn problems into solutions and fair-weather customers into loyal brand evangelists. Think they don’t need to be persuasive to get the job done? Believe it or not, 74% of consumers say they’ve spent more with a company because of positive service experiences — up to 14% more. It’s that effective. So make sure your reps can speak confidently, stay positive, and offer the kind of compelling arguments that lead to conversions.

2. Empathy

No list of good customer service skills is complete without empathy. Empathy is the ability to understand another person’s emotions and to understand their point of view. How is empathy an important service skill? Consider that 70% of buying experiences are based on how the customer feels they are being treated. It’s not about whether the problem was solved, if there was a refund, or how much time was spent — at least, it’s not entirely, or even mostly, about those issues. Business people are so used to thinking about the bottom line, but the bottom line in most customers’ minds isn’t financial; it’s emotional. Emotions are more important than facts, plain and simple.

3. Adaptability

When you work directly with the public, your days are never exactly the same. People aren’t the same. Did you know that 60% of customers change how they contact you depending on where they areGreat customer service is the holy grail of business. Once you have it, it seems like it has the power to reveal all the secrets of success. Providing flawless service, however, is not always easy. And while the search for great customer service skills and abilities is a more recent endeavor, many CEOs would argue it’s just as elusive as the mythical grail that prompted the Crusades. No matter how many customer service skill assessment surveys you send out, much of the customer psyche will remain a mystery. Thankfully, researchers have been gathering data on customer service satisfaction for years, and unlike the search for the Holy Grail, the search for good customer service comes with a far more detailed road map, and it all starts with the people you hire. Here are the top customer service skills your representatives need, according to data