Sorry to say, but you’re not as smart as you thought you were. At least, that’s what customers think.
Turns out, companies – and their service pros – do some stupid things from time to time in the eyes of their customers, according to customer service experts Bruce Kasanoff and Michael Hinshaw.
In their book, Smart Customers (Stupid Companies): Why Only Intelligent Companies Will Thrive, and How to Be One of Them, the experts found seven things companies do that turn off customers.
Here’s what to avoid:
- Asking for account numbers more than once. If people in a company can’t pass along that small, important detail, customers can’t trust the level of their service.
- Asking customers to repeat themselves. Record what customers say – either electronically or in notes. Verify you have details correct, rather than ask for them again.
- Advertising too much. Ever see an ad for Amazon? Ask customers to spread the word about your great service when they receive it.
- Over-instructing. If you have to give customers heavy explanations to navigate your customer service, it’s too complicated. Find ways to streamline and simplify.
- Closing. Customers expect help 24-hours a day. If you can’t staff for that, have a different agent take a phone home each night and direct overnight calls to that number.
- Scripting. Customers want and need a personalized experience to feel welcomed.
