4 Indicators of Bad Customer Service

Is your business having trouble retaining customers? Are they moving away towards your competitors?  With so many available options, it has become harder to keep clients loyal. Offering excellent customer service is a fundamental factor to success in business. Constantly evaluating the service experience you offer at different customer touch points is important. No matter how hard you have worked on providing the finest products, you will not be able to make a good impression if your customer service is not up to the mark. Here’s a look at some of the indicators of bad service, analyze if your business is making these mistakes.  

Your Representatives Are Hard to Get in Touch with

You must have heard or at some point used the phrase ‘Please wait.’  Long hold time and being unable to speak to a representative can be frustrating for customers. Nobody likes to wait when faced with a problem and want to immediately talk to a representative to get the issue sorted.  Not being available for your customers, not listening to their problems and being incapable of showing empathy will frustrate them and they will eventually abandon your organization. With the rapid advancement in technology and the growing use of digital devices in everyday transactions, people expect instant responses and round the clock availability of support representatives. Make sure your business implements customer service training programs for representatives to meet all client needs.

You Rely Entirely on Scripts

If your business is relying too much on scripted responses when dealing with customers, it’s time to change that. Each customer is an individual with different needs and expectations from your business. What works for customer A might be completely irrelevant for customer B. Not paying attention and answering in a scripted, robotic manner will annoy customers and make them think you don’t really care or consider them important. Train representatives on how to effectively communicate and respond to customers by listening with patience.  While scripts can be used as a basic guideline, each conversation needs to be tailored to offer a unique and personalized experience to every client coming in contact with your company.

Your Technology is Outdated

Not keeping up with technology and not using it to offer customer service excellence can be a problem. Using outdated methods will not only increase your cost but will also hinder workplace performance. Almost everything around us is tied to technology. Therefore, equip your employees with the right tools, and upgrade your workflow processes by smartly investing in the right technological tools. Depending on the nature of your business, have self-service kiosks at your retail outlet to cater to an audience who prefer a DIY outlook. Similarly, the integration of live chat support within your business app, along with your website and all social media platforms is pivotal to ensuring good service.

Your Processes are not Streamlined

If your business processes and the functions of your customer service department are not streamlined, your business will not be able to deliver effective service.  This will impact employee productivity and performance as well. When a customer query or complaint comes in, make sure there is a clear process on how to handle and respond to the scenario. There should be a clear guideline and steps to follow. Ensure a simpler and faster working methodology for better service delivery.  Similarly, it is important to frequently track areas that require your attention and improvement. Ask for customer feedback and work on areas that need to be improved.