Providing a meaningful customer support experience can be an underrated skill that you may not think about when starting a business, because you are effectively acting as the voice of your company, while also offering you an opportunity to showcase your values. It’s something that we especially pride ourselves on here at Order Desk, with our stellar Support team going above and beyond on a daily basis to assist our customers.
So with that in mind, we wanted to go the extra mile and offer you some guidance on how you can navigate your own support needs.
Baby steps
No one was born with the perfect support skills. They’re honed over time, and you gradually level up with each interaction, helping to develop your own routines and shortcuts to resolve any emails that come your way.
But let’s get you there a little faster. Here’s some advice from the Order Desk Support team, covering some of the things that helped them when they were first starting out:
- Take notes! Make a log of everything you’re doing, and include any relevant information like links and screenshots. Not only does this help you as you work on the issue at hand, you can also use it as a reference in the future if you come across any similar cases.
- Once, twice, thrice! Don’t jump into problem-solving mode right away. Make sure you really take the time to read over the question a few times, because you may find that there is something you may have missed or misunderstood.
- Read the room! Try to match your customer’s tone when communicating with them. If they’re short and to the point, be polite and simplify your response as much as possible. Or if you receive an email that is more casual, keep it lighthearted and maybe even throw in a joke.
- Ask questions! While it’s very tempting to try and close out a case in your initial interaction with a customer, it’s important that you set the right expectations for yourself. Sure, some emails can be answered quickly, but you can avoid going down the wrong path and save yourself any added frustration by simply asking follow up questions if you’re ever uncertain. Getting clarification can help paint a clearer picture of the situation, and help you cut down on the amount of interactions you’ll have with that customer.
Show your values
Many companies like to talk about their values and give it a pretty section on their website with flowery descriptions, but if you don’t actually back it up with your actions then it might as well be decor. We thought long and hard about **our values** when we were building our brand identity, and now it’s a system that we uphold in our work every day, so here’s how our Support team incorporates it into their interactions:
- Put yourself in their shoes! Maybe your customer isn’t having the best day, whether it’s related to their inquiry or it’s due to some external pressures. If they’re having a hard time, work toward having their mental association with your company be a positive one by being sympathetic and generous. And even if they don’t become a returning customer, a positive experience can still lead to positive word of mouth.
- Open your heart! Don’t be afraid to be generous, whether it’s with your time or your product. A little empathy can go a long way when a situation becomes less than ideal or a customer bumps into a problem, so don’t be so hesitant to offer some type of compensation, whether it comes in the form of a refund, discount, or some other service. Don’t be afraid to step outside the boundaries of your company, either. Maybe your customer needs an external resource to help resolve an issue, like a blog post, guide, or video, in which case you could take that extra step to locate it and point them in the right direction.
De-escalation
It’s gonna happen. One day you’ll open your inbox and find a message from a particularly frustrated customer because they’re experiencing a very unsatisfactory situation that is related to your company…whether you’re at fault or not. But don’t let their state of mind discourage you from offering a quality support experience. Here’s how some members of our Support team approach these cases:
- Don’t take it personally! If you read a message that leaves you feeling uneasy, take a break. Assuming the situation isn’t an emergency, maybe go for a short walk to clear your head, or maybe build yourself up to it by taking care of a different ticket first. Just try to stay calm, communicate clearly without any fluff, and work with them in earnest to try and find the right solution.
- Why are they really upset? Take the time to read what they wrote carefully, even if it can be a little hard to swallow. Is this something that you actually have any control over, or are they just having a bad day?
- Set the right expectations! If your customer is misinformed about something, be honest with them up front and try to offer them some clarity. Give them some leeway or make exceptions when it’s reasonable to, but ultimately you want to make sure the interaction ends with them gaining some insight into why they may have misunderstood something.
- You can’t save everyone! Sometimes things just aren’t going to work out, no matter how hard you try. And that’s okay, it’s something that happens to literally every company ever. Extend a helping hand, help your customer become informed, and hope for the best. Maybe it won’t have an immediate impact, but once your customer has had a chance to cool off, they may reflect on the situation and walk away feeling appreciative for your assistance.
What else?
To close things out, here are some additional tips our team has to offer:
- Your customers are special! Remember that they came to you because they saw value in what you had to offer, so use this as an opportunity to display your gratitude. Make sure they feel seen, and truly listen to what they have to say.
- You’re not a robot! So don’t talk to them like a robot. Let your personality shine through when you can, don’t pander, and be sure to tailor your responses to their specific inquiry instead of relying on canned/pre-written messages.
If you take nothing else away from this article, just remember to be honest, kind, and thoughtful. Your words and actions can impact the way your customers view your company, so try to work toward the most positive outcome in every situation, even in the worst cases.
Special thanks to our Support team superstars, Adam, Cheryl, Kael, Paul, Yambo, and Zain, for their contribution to this article.
