Its Not The Mistake, Its How You Fix The Mistake

There are so many customer service mistakes everyday, that you would think they are impossible to avoid. Mistakes will happen, so the key will  be to correctly detect mistakes as soon as possible, so that they can be corrected right away. I will go over a couple of common mistakes and how to correct them. If customer service mistakes are corrected quickly, you actually have the chance to build strong customer loyalty.


I am going to begin with a very common mistake, failure to get the service request correct. How often have you gone to the restaurant and had the staff get the order completely wrong, and then the staff do not seem too concerned about this mistake. The mistake may have happened due to the staff not listening or miscommunication, either way it needs to be corrected right away so that the business keeps the customer happy. Staff need to apologize right away and then proceed to correct the issue, and then followup with the customer to ensure they are happy.


One other common error is how companies resolve customer complaints. Customers want fast action when it comes to resolving issues, but often are left very frustrated by the staff, who sometimes are not very helpful. First off, the staff need to listen closely, so the customer knows they are being heard and that the staff fully understand the nature of the complaint. Then resolve the complaint and follow up with the customer to ensure the issue is resolved.


When it comes to customer service mistakes, it is not the mistake, it is how you correct the mistake, that will make the difference as to whether or not the customer will remain loyal to your company. Make sure your company excels at solving customer complaints, as this will be a key factor in building your loyal customer base.

Build An Emotional Connection With Customers

Great customer service is a powerful marketing tool, that when delivered can be used to build an emotional connection with customers. Customers need to be treated as much more than just numbers because when they are treated like just a number, it comes across as a very impersonal approach that does not build customer loyalty. When a business builds that emotional connection to a customer, they will enjoy coming to the business and be much more likely to recommend this company to their friends. 


Since referrals are a powerful way to build a business, they should be encouraged by delivering superior customer service, that amazes people. Once people realize how great your customer service is, they will keep coming back. The emotional connection that is built through great customer service, is hard for the competition to defeat, because it takes a lot of work to build up a great customer service program. Most companies will simply try to compete on price or features, but that is not enough to keep loyal customers. Companies need to be committed to putting in place a quality customer service training program, that will train staff and encourage an atmosphere of delivering amazing customer service.


Now building this emotional connection will not be easy, as it takes time to train staff and become known for great customer service, but over time it will prove to be very valuable to your business.

Greatest Customer Service Skill: Listening

There are many skills required to be great in the field of customer service, but one seems to rise above all others, the skill of listening. You can have staff who are friendly and smiling, but if they do not listen, they will annoy customers. When the staff are not listening, it causes all sorts of issues that create unhappy customers.


Not listening causes the customers to have to repeat their requests several times, and even then the staff could get the order wrong. Having customers repeat their requests, causes a lot of frustration for customers and shows them the staff do not care enough to just listen. 


Staff need to show respect to customers and listen clearly so that the customer feels they are being taken care of properly. Listening is a skill which takes time to learn to do well, but over time, proper listening will become much easier. Also, the staff need to keep in mind that customers are the reason they have jobs, which basically means customers are their bosses. Most staff listen to their boss, so they should listen just as much to the customers. 


Listening is such an important skill that shows customers the proper respect and ensures customer requests are done properly. When customers feel the staff are listening properly, it helps to create great customer service and helps to create loyal customers.