Satisfied customers are a great asset for any company. They tend to remain loyal and make repeated purchases. That’s why any effort towards resolving customer problems, will pay dividends to the company across the entire customer lifecycle.
The surest way to make satisfied customers is through resolving their queries and concerns. Here we have listed some tips that can help customer service representatives to effectively respond to the concerns of the customers via live chat, and turn an irate and disgruntled customer into a happy customer.
1. Look Beyond the Anger
Just because a customer is irate does not mean that he or she holds a personal grudge against the company. Customers get angry due to a valid reason. It’s the job of the customer service to find out why the person is behaving that way.
Consider looking beyond the answer through Socratic questioning. It is a great way to get to the root of the anger. Is the customer angry with the product or service? Can the problem be resolved? Is the problem the fault of the company? Should the customer be refunded? Asking such questions during a web chat session can help in knowing about the real complaint of the customer and also receive genuine feedback that can help improve customer service.
2. Remain Empathic when resolving customer problems
Empathy is important when dealing with a customer. The customer service representatives should learn to put themselves in the shoes of the customer. Listen attentively to the concern of the customer while in a web chat. This can help in understanding the pain felt by the customer.
3. Exceed Expectations of the Customers
Usually, customers feel frustrated due to not receiving what they deserve. It’s important for a company to treat every customer as if they are the most valuable customer. The customer service representative should do everything that is required to not just satisfy, but exceeds the expectations of the customer. This will create a positive resonance making a disgruntled customer into a loyal customer. It’s important to always look for a long-term customer engagement instead of the one-time customer using web chat. This will result in greater dividends for the company in the long run.
4. Go Above and Beyond the Call of Duty
Lastly, the customer service representatives should not be afraid to go the extra mile to satisfy the customer during live chat sessions. Customers generally hate it when something is ‘against the policy’. Customer service reps should try to proactively help the customer by providing an alternative solution.
For instance, suppose that the customer tells the web chat customer service representative that he or she wants to bring a pet in the hotel. Instead of saying no, the customer service rep should provide an alternative solution regarding where to keep the pet while staying at the hotel. The extra effort in resolving the problem of the customer will go a long way in keeping the customer satisfying and committed to the company.
