1. Listen carefully. This is probably the number one, which is why I’ve put it as number one! Really listen. Read that email three times and be sure you’ve understood it. If you don’t understand it, ask the customer to explain it again. Feed back to them on the phone “So what you are saying is, that pink elephant sprouted wings, but it was completely unable to jump over that tall building?” Use the same words and phrases the customer used, to ensure clear communication. Make sure you answer every point raised, even if the answer is “I don’t know” or “I can’t answer that”.
2. Believe the customer. Start from the standpoint that what they say they have observed really happened. Sometimes this is hard, because you know your software or your service or your staff and what they say happened just couldn’t have been that way… could it? But sometimes the weirdest stuff happens, inexplicably, so it’s best to be clear on your facts before you start telling someone they are an idiot or plain wrong. Which brings me to…
3. Try it yourself. You have a report in front of you that your software simply won’t download at all, using x browser on y platform. Try it. Does it work for you? Maybe some server admin has had a bit of a glitch when updating something and actually deleted that file this morning. It happens.
4. Consider how you would want this problem solved if it were you. Is it possible to do that for this customer? Of course, you are running a business, so you have to be fair to both sides. You cannot always give everything a customer wants, but you can look for a win-win situation. Usually, there is some compromise that will work for everyone.
5. Think laterally. Sometimes what your customer needs is not what he/she is asking for, but a solution to the actual problem. So for some reason, they are unable to download your software from the downloads page and you can’t figure out why? The immediate problem here is how to get the software into the hands of that customer, rather than why the download doesn’t work (you can deal with that later). Maybe you can email it to them if it’s small. Or upload it to another server. Or burn it to a CD and post it to them.
6. Don’t talk, act. If you promise something, make sure it happens. Follow up on actions. Don’t pass the buck. Yes, you may have to escalate an issue to actually get it solved by someone else, but you told that customer it would be solved, so you follow up until it is. And then confirm with the customer that it is now done.
7. Improve the product and documentation. If you get constant reports about the same problem, then the product or the documentation or the website or something needs fixing. Look for the root cause and get it sorted. If you can, Âyou’ll cut your support requests by an order of magnitude. One report could be customer error. Two reports should make you suspicious. Three reports means something is broken and it needs fixed.
8. Take nothing for granted. You may be sure that your service is the greatest in the world, but you should be checking that by asking your customers for feedback. An automated, anonymous, very short survey after every contact could prove an eyeÂ-opener. It may show you ways you can improve that you would not have thought of, and it gives you the opportunity to retrieve the situation if a customer has gone away less than happy with your service.
9. Under promise and over deliver. Set yourself up for success. Be realistic about what you can deliver and set your customers’ expectations accordingly. If you do not have the staffing levels to respond to every incident within an hour, or a day, make sure you communicate that clearly at first contact. Then, when you respond within 10 minutes, you look like a hero.
10. Treat your customers like gold because they are.
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