Communicating with Customers

Your customers are your bread and butter. You can have a fantastic product, an impressive
leadership team, and great employees, and you’ll still have nothing if you don’t have any
customers. Effective customer communication is the best way to ensure your future success.
Customer service is a vital skill for any business that wants to build trust, loyalty, and
satisfaction among its clients. However, it is not enough to simply answer questions or solve
problems. You also need to communicate effectively with your customers, using the right tone,
style, and tools. In this article, we will explore some of the essential communication skills for
customer service, and how you can apply them in your daily interactions.
1. Listen actively
One of the most important communication skills for customer service is active listening. This
means paying attention to what your customer is saying, showing interest, and asking clarifying
questions. Active listening helps you understand your customer's needs, expectations, and
emotions. It also helps you avoid misunderstandings, errors, and conflicts. To practice active
listening, you can use techniques such as paraphrasing, summarizing, reflecting, and
empathizing. Active listening plays a significant role in customer service as it is a fundamental
skill that allows customer service representatives to better understand. Being active in the
meeting and especially listening can help you understand the over expectations of the client.
2. First impressions
First impressions are essential when it comes to providing good customer service. A customer
might define their entire experience with an organization based on their first interaction with the
company. If a company wants to retain its customers, a great way to do so is by creating trust. A
good first impression will help to develop a strong sense of loyalty.
The best way to create an excellent first impression is by hiring empathetic workers who have
patience and know how to handle customers' questions and concerns effectively and promptly.
3. Personalize each interaction
Customers want to have a personal relationship with the organizations they do business with. It's
important when communicating with customers to have real conversations and don't offer
scripted responses. Always be empathetic to a situation or problem a customer may have and use
positive language to uplift your customer and leave them with a lasting positive impression of
your business.
 4. Relate to customers
Empathy is important for good communication with customers. Businesses that can relate to their
customers can find ways to solve problems and provide a good experience. Customers need to
understand what a business is trying to convey.
5. Have patience
Customers reach out to your team because they don’t know what they are doing. Similarly,
there’s usually an emotional component to the issue. When customers have a technical problem,
they may feel less capable or intelligent than the person who can give them the answer. Have
patience with your customers, and try to understand them.
6. Be clear and concise
Another key communication skill for customer service is clarity and conciseness. This means use
simple, direct, and polite language, and avoiding jargon, slang, and ambiguity. Clarity and
conciseness help you convey your message effectively. It also helps you save time, avoid
repetition, and maintain professionalism. To achieve clarity and conciseness, you can use
techniques such as using short sentences, bullet points, headings, and examples. In customer
service, clarity and conciseness are essential for creating positive interactions and building
customer trust and satisfaction.
7. Be available
Businesses must provide customers with options to be able to reach out to them. Technology
gives organizations a significant opportunity to reach customers in various ways in the digital
world. Technology also offers the ability to provide customers an easy way to connect with
businesses. Different communication options are easy for customers to use, like phone calls,
emails, a website instant chat feature or social media channels the business provides.
Customers may prefer a more traditional communication channel, like speaking on the phone,
because it allows them to speak to a real person. If a missed phone call happens, it's important to
return them promptly to ensure a positive experience.
Emails allow a business to connect and communicate with customers. It also allows a business to
promote any upcoming sales. Typically, businesses should take no longer than 24 hours to
respond to customers.
Social media is a common method for interacting with customers. It's an excellent opportunity
for connecting with people, answering questions and offering promotions. Prospective customers
also can read reviews to gauge if they want to give a company their business.
Businesses that have a chat function on their website provide the customer with the chance to ask
questions and receive an immediate response. Responses can be programmed based on the most
frequently asked questions for the industry, or the chat feature can have an employee interact
directly with the customer.
8. Adapt to the situation
This means adjusting your tone, style, and tools according to the situation, the customer, and the
channel. Adaptability helps you create rapport, respect, and trust with your customer, and meet
their preferences and needs. It also helps you avoid inappropriate or insensitive communication,
and handle different challenges. Adapting to situations is a crucial skill in customer service as it
allows representatives to respond effectively to the unique needs and circumstances of each
customer.
9. Use positive language
This means using words and phrases that express optimism, confidence, and appreciation, and
avoiding words and phrases that express negativity, doubt, or criticism. Positive language helps
you create a positive impression, motivate and reassure your customer, and resolve issues
constructively. To use positive language, you can use techniques such as highlighting benefits,
offering solutions, thanking, and apologizing. Using positive language in customer service is a
powerful tool that can significantly enhance the customer experience and build stronger
relationships.
10. Learn as much about your customer as you can
The more information your team has before they try to help the customer, the better. Store any
data you have about the customer, such as account credentials, previous support inquiries, and
anything uncovered during the sales process. Make all of that information readily available so
that anyone that interacts with customers can see it—the less information your team has to ask
your customers, the better.
11. Be honest if you don’t know the answer
Your team won’t know the answer to everything that your customers ask. Instead of answering "I
think…" or "I’m not sure, but…" encourage them to just go get the right answer. If they don’t
have the means to get the correct answer right at the moment, set the customer’s expectations
appropriately. When surveyed, 89% of customers said they’re more likely to support honest
brands.
If you don’t have the right answer for your customers, let them know that you aren’t sure. Don’t
forget to let them know what they can expect in terms of a timeline for resolution.
12. Use tools to make it easier for your customer
Lack of speed is one of the top three reasons for frustration with customer support. The longer it
takes for your customer to explain their problem, the longer it takes for your team to resolve it.
Every month some new technology comes out that makes it even easier to help your customers.
Using tools like co-browsing or live chat can make it much easier for your customers to explain
their trouble. It also makes getting to a resolution much quicker. If your customer can just show
you the problem rather than being forced to tell you (with language that they might not have),
you make it easier on both your team and the person reaching out.
13. Double-check your assumptions
Whenever you can, ask the customer to confirm that your assumptions are right. Some useful
phrases to use are:
 Let me know if that’s right!
 It sounds to me like…
 Can you confirm…
It doesn’t hurt to ask for more information before moving forward in a customer interaction.
14. End every interaction with an invitation
Finish every conversation with "Let me know if there’s anything else I can help with!" It lets the
customer know that you’re willing to help and go the extra mile as needed.
Instead of just ending it, maybe even consider what extra information you could provide. Offer
additional documentation, refer the customer to another resource, or, if escalating, state the next
steps for the customer. Your demonstrated willingness to go above and beyond will make a great
impression.
14. Provide feedback
This means giving and receiving constructive information that helps improve performance,
quality, and satisfaction. Feedback helps you measure your effectiveness, identify areas of
improvement, and recognize achievements. It also helps you understand your customer's
perspective, expectations, and satisfaction, and show them that you value their input. To provide
feedback, you can use techniques such as asking for feedback, giving specific and timely
feedback, using the sandwich method, and following up on feedback.
15. Be respectful and courteous
This means treating your customer with dignity, kindness, and honesty, and following the norms
and rules of etiquette. Respect and courtesy help you create a positive relationship, show
professionalism, and avoid offending or upsetting your customer. To show respect and courtesy,
you can use techniques such as using names and titles, greeting and closing properly, using
please and thank you, and apologizing for mistakes. Being respectful and courteous is essential
in customer service because it creates a positive and professional interaction that fosters trust,
satisfaction, and long-term customer relationships. It equally helps us in building trust ,positive
experience and encourages good rapport building , repeat business and customer satisfaction.
16. Finish a conversation in a helpful manner
Final impressions are as important as first impressions. Workflows can get hectic and customer
service representatives can be in a rush to finish a task, which can impact the experience for the
customer who's interacting with them.
It's important to make sure that even if a resolution occurs, ask what else can happen to ensure
that the conversation with the customer has concluded and that they leave happy and satisfied.

Eight Effective Ways to Communicate With Customers

Modern means of business communications give you more ways to find and retain customers.
Not so long ago, if you wanted to directly communicate with your customers, there were only
three ways to go about it: by phone, by mail, or face-to-face. But the explosion of new
technologies has dramatically expanded business communications. Now, you can reach your
customers—and your customers can reach you—on a variety of platforms. While some may
seem basic, each serves an important purpose in a company’s overall communication strategy.
Here are eight of the most effective ways to communicate with customers.
i. E-mail
These days, e-mail seems practically old-fashioned, but it remains one of the best ways to
connect with your customers. If you have a new product or offer, you can use e-mail to
send out newsletters and/or personalized messages. In addition, your customers can use e-
 mail to get in touch with you about everything from complaints to new orders. It’s an
essential component of any business communications platform.

ii. Website
A website is a business necessity. Customers rely on websites for information and, in
many cases, expect websites to allow them to order products and check on order delivery
schedules. If you don’t have a website, you are missing one of the key ways to
communicate with customers.
iii. Phone Technology
Modern phone technology allows you to use automated menus to provide answers to
customer questions and/or ensure customers reach the right person in your organization.
While some customers complain about such technology, it can help you connect with the
most customers in the least amount of time. New callback technology can even help you
save your customers from sitting on hold.
iv. Text Messaging
No matter the size of your business, text messaging can be a great way to connect with
customers. If you’re a smaller business, text messaging is a convenient way to quickly
communicate with clients about meetings, orders, delivery schedules, etc. If you’re a
larger business, you can allow customers to opt-in for text messaging about offers and
deals. You can also have a dedicated texting support number that allows customers to
text, rather than call, with issues.
v. Web Chat
Not every customer wants to pick up the phone to ask a question. That’s why it can be
effective to include a chat option on your website. With web chat, all a customer has to
do is type in a question to start a conversation. Web chat applications can allow you to
automate answers to common questions and bring in a representative for more complex
ones. It makes it easier for customers to reach you and for you to help them.
vi. Social Media
Social media has created a whole new way to interact with customers. On one level, you
can use your accounts to promote your products and brand. But you can also use your
accounts to engage in one-on-one communications. On Facebook, customers can interact
 directly with your representatives. On Twitter, you can use dedicated service so that
customers can tweet their issue and you can respond directly. If you want to take it
further, you can also monitor every mention your business receives, note the ones with
complaints or questions, and then respond with an offer to help. Social media allows you
to be more responsive than ever before.
vii. Video Messaging
Consider it the modern way to conduct a face-to-face meeting. Video messaging
platforms such as Skype allow you to connect with a customer via video, which can help
you build relationships and make certain transactions easier.
viii. Handwritten Notes
Technology has changed our lives and business communications. But a personal touch
can still go a long way. One of the most effective ways to reach out to your customers
personally is to occasionally send a handwritten note in the mail. Even if it’s just a simple
thank-you card, it can help you build stronger business relationships.