A brand may offer its customers the best products and services, but quality alone does not ensure customer satisfaction. A substantial aspect of long-term customer satisfaction and loyalty is good customer service, which reflects the brand’s genuineness and credibility. While customer service representatives usually put in their dedicated efforts to resolve their customers’ queries and take on suggestions, avoiding some common mistakes can help businesses, call centers, etc., elevate their customer service:

Passing the customer’s query to multiple departments
There’s nothing customers despise more than having to listen to pre-recorded messages such as “Please be on the line; your call is important to us” while they are being connected to yet another representative. The more times a customer has to connect with different representatives, the longer it takes for their query to be resolved. To avoid such issues, businesses should streamline their customer service processes. While it is acceptable for the main point of contact to connect the customer to a representative from a particular team who can best answer the query, passing their query on to more than two representatives should be avoided.

Not listening to customer queries carefully
One of the most important skills for customer service representatives is listening because practically their entire job depends on this virtue. Thus, customer care representatives should cultivate the habit of listening closely to customer queries, complaints, feedback, etc. and understanding them actively to provide the best solutions. Interrupting customers frequently while they talk or not paying attention can annoy them and make them stop engaging with the brand.

Not offering multiple channels for customers to connect from
Gone are the days when customers had only a telephone and fax number to connect with companies. With the internet having spread its wings globally, brands have multiple options to have their customers engage with them – emails, chat, and websites being some of the most common channels. So, brands should have a dedicated email address to which consumers can send their queries, suggestions, feedback, etc. This email’s inbox should be checked regularly, and queries answered promptly. Businesses should also offer chat messaging services, through which a representative can directly chat with the customer and resolve queries. Finally, there should be a contact form on the business’s official website through which customers can reach out.

Not maintaining a record of customer information
When customer service representatives already have customer details and a record of the customer’s previous queries and other communications with the business handy, it makes the customer feel acknowledged and valued. Also, it helps representatives connect any previous issues the customer may have had with the one they are currently facing. Thus, the CRM database should be diligently filled in with all the essential customer records.

Arguing with customers or raising one’s voice
One of the gravest mistakes a customer care representative can make is to raise their voice or argue with a customer. Even if one believes that the customer query is not justified or the customer is rude on the call, the best way to handle the situation is to stay calm and composed and explain the matter to the person at the other end. Arguing only worsens the situation and might cause the company to lose customers. When there has been an error at the company’s end, representatives should speak on behalf of the business to take full accountability for what has happened, apologize to the customer for the issue, and try to fix it as soon as possible.

Completely automating all customer care processes
Automation has been pivotal in making customer service more efficient and streamlined. But the problem arises when it completely eliminates the human touch. Certain aspects of customer care always have to be handled by humans because when customers perceive the human side of businesses, their loyalty toward the brand increases. For example, while the initial part of customer service calls (such as “Press 1 for purchase-related queries”) may be automated, there always has to be an option for customers to speak to a representative directly and have their questions answered by a human. Thus, businesses should use automation for customer care only for the relevant tasks.

Not going all out to resolve the customer’s problem
If a representative works half-heartedly to answer queries or solve customer problems, customers are bound to feel disappointed and rate the representative low at the end of the call. If there is a way to solve the customer’s problem, but it involves an additional step, one should leave no stone unturned, even if it means investing more time and effort in the process. The more diligent the customer service department is, the more satisfied the customer is.

Not training the staff adequately
All of the points mentioned above may be followed through by call center or customer-care staff members only if they are well-trained in their jobs. Training is an integral aspect of customer care, and all employees in this department—whether or not they directly face customers—should be trained in terms of services offered, departments in charge, quick query resolution, polite and courteous demeanor, listening skills, and other such prerequisites. Also, they need to be trained to utilize technology and software systems optimally.