Bad transactions happen sometimes. But they get even worse when customer service doesn’t get them sorted and the customer feels like no one is listening. Instead, the customer encounters with robotic responses and many lingering questions. Talk about frustrating.
So what’s the point? If customers had been treated like humans instead of a nuisance, they may still be customers. We put together an overview of how beneficial adding a human touch to your service can be and a few simple things you can implement.
No Trust, No Transactions
People want to trust you and feel understood – especially when there’s money involved. Which is why humanizing customer service is crucial. It helps show customers you value them and that can make all the difference in cultivating trust and loyalty. An American Express survey found 7 out of 10 people said they’re more likely to spend money with companies who provide quality customer service. And another stated 70% of buying experiences are based on how the customer feels they are being treated.
Make Your Customers Feel Acknowledged
As Gary Vaynerchuk put it: Make your customers feel special and ‘’people who aren’t your customers wish they were.’’ Acknowledging your customers is about making them feel like they’re doing business with an actual human. They want to know they aren’t just a transaction.
One of the best ways to do it is to teach your team how to add a touch of personalization to their customer interactions, e.g.:
– Calling a customer by their name
– Offering personalized recommendations
– Rewarding them for their business
These simple acts help to strengthen trust and loyalty by creating a sense of familiarity and comfort with your company. That could mean whether a customer returns or not.
Get Rid of the Scripts
Personalization is a great start of humanizing customer service, but listening to each customer as an individual will put you ahead of the game. According to a report by Harris Interactive, consumers said customer service agents failed to answer their questions 50% of the time.
On the other hand, there are the experiences that stand out. Nothing crazy, just assurance that customers matter in the simplest ways. The bottom line here is that there’s really no substitute for basic human connection. Script guidelines can be helpful when training, but shouldn’t be used to solve all of your customer’s issues.
Treat Your Employees as You Would Your Customers
It might sound obvious but apparently, only 61% of employees worldwide said they feel engaged and satisfied at their jobs. Your employees are the frontline of your customer service and their well-being matters just as much as your customers.
Take the time to listen to them and find out how your employees feel about your business. Using Net Promoter Score to measure employee happiness is a great way to dig deeper into your team’s thoughts. Engaged, satisfied employees work harder and are better at interacting with customers. Additionally, offer them a professional development and mentoring. It strengthens the team and shines through into customer interactions. And there’s nothing better than happy customers and employees.
Humanizing Customer Service Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated
At the end of the day, humanizing customer service isn’t rocket science. Simple gestures go a long way and the more appreciated a customer feels the more likely they’ll be back again and maybe even tell a friend or two. A win-win for everyone!
