Entry Software Corporation

Entry

Client Management

Improving Customer Service

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How to keep customers coming back
Improve customer service because customers are everything for growing your business.

Consistently improving customer service skills is important for the whole team to succeed and ensure customers keep coming back. Customers are the core of every business and should always be the number one priority. If your company is selling a product or service this is the reason your business is growing. A single poor experience with a customer service representative can result in a lost customer forever. This is why keeping customers satisfied is so important for bringing in more business. Here are five strategies that will help you improve your customer service!

1. Know your Products and Services

To help the customer, your team members must have a deep knowledge of how your products and services work. Customers may come to you with all types of questions so it’s important your team members can answer these questions effectively. Ultimately your customers rely on you for your knowledge of your product and how quickly you can resolve their issues. 

2. Be Goal Oriented 

Setting a goal to improve customer satisfaction puts your team’s focus on providing consistent customer service experience. To be goal oriented focuses attention on desired outcomes and provides team members with motivation to accomplish tasks. In order to meet goals, employees must demonstrate certain skills such as effective time management, planning, and organization. 

3. Efficient Response Time

When customers have to wait lengthy periods for a response from the support team they can get agitated very quickly and left unsatisfied with your company. In turn they might seek out your competition. By providing customers with prompt responses they are much more likely to continue using your products and recommend your company to their peers.

4. Be Personable

Personalized interactions greatly improve customer service and let customers know that your company cares about them and their problems. When interacting with customers it’s important to have more meaningful conversations rather than your typical automated responses. This will help make their overall experience with your company more enjoyable. 

5. Be Engaging 

The simplest way to improve your customer service is to ask your customer for their feedback. Encourage your customers to share their experiences and pain points. This ensures that your customers feel valued and that their opinions are acknowledged.

What does it take to be an IT Manager?

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A further look into an IT managers daily responsibilities 

Information technology managers (IT managers) are tasked every day with managing multiple functions of a business. Businesses are becoming more reliant on IT managers as technology continues to increase its role in modern businesses. IT managers are essential to a successful organization through their experience and expertise in the field. There are multiple skills important to living up to the roles and responsibilities of being an IT manager. Here are a few of the many responsibilities of an IT manager:

Project Management and Planning

Change is inevitable as businesses grow with the times. It is important for organizations to stay on top of change and adjust their resources accordingly. IT managers must modernize existing systems to optimize company productivity. This may include a software that functions to effectively distribute tasks, organize the workforce, determine costs, and set timeframes. All are essential functions to project management and planning which regularly cost an IT manager valuable time. 

Leading IT Staff

IT managers are responsible for leading a team of employees. This includes scheduling, assigning tasks, implementing project milestones, and more to help employees reach their fullest potential. It is important for employees to remain engaged and feel trusted within the workplace. IT managers must operate with an open communication network allowing employees to come to them with questions or concerns.

Meeting Client and Business’ Needs

IT managers are tasked with the responsibility of meeting customer and business needs using online functions. This means when a customer is experiencing issues with usability the IT manager must fix the problem without changing the original function of that feature. As well, IT managers must create new features when businesses are looking to update their websites or applications. This again must be done in a manner that does not disrupt the original functions and current customers experience. Balancing these two aspects are part of the everyday job of an IT manager.

Creating and Refining Technology Systems

IT managers are important to maintaining a functional and secure computerized system. When problems arise within the computer system the IT leader is tasked with finding technical solutions. IT managers need extensive knowledge in their field as well as on the computer system in place. 

Many IT managers have already adopted a computerized system or additional software to reduce the stress of their multiple responsibilities. This will help you with the day-to -day organization of resources, tasks, scheduling, and more. Taking this step allows you to operate efficiently in your integral role within the company.

Learn how you can organize your IT department.

 

Key Agreements to Include In Your SLA

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SLA Agreements

A service level agreement (SLA) is an official agreement between a service provider and their customers that specify what level of service will be delivered as it relates to response and resolution times. It is important for companies to have SLA’s since these agreements set well-defined boundaries and expectations for the service provider to meet. Imagine you run a business and you work with a service provider in which expectations you have are not being reached. The problem here is a miscommunication between the client and service provider, where the expectations were not clearly made. An SLA allows for limited confusion on either the service provider or endpoint client’s part, as long as all the requirements are met throughout the contract. Also, if any conflicts arise during the service period, both companies can turn to the SLA to determine the outcome of their feud. An SLA can range from having simple to complex agreements. However, there are key agreements to include in your SLA.

Description of Services

The first necessary agreement is created by the service provider, pinpointing exactly what services and products the business offers; alongside a very detailed description of each one. The description must be honest, including the companies weaknesses and strengths, that highlights to the client what you are capable of, so that no unexpected surprises come up in the future. Having this aspect of writing clearly defines to the client what products you do and do not offer. These descriptions must be as specific as they can be, no assumptions are to be made and clients remain happy.

Context Setting Information

This can be seen as the original “purpose” of the SLA. Identifying the overall purpose for signing with your clients sets the bar for the service provider and highlights the criteria that should be met for the agreement.

Service Standards

It is very easy for either party involved, to become confused about what is required from the service provider. Having both parties acknowledge the conditions under which the service will be provided assists in keeping the agreement clear and successful. Agreeing upon unique service standards, between both the service provider and client, will help clear up any confusion regarding duties.

Service Reports

As the service provider, it is on you to make sure you are pinpointing to your clients the progress and impact the service has. Service reports should include the main aspects made above, that clearly show the effectiveness of your service to the client. This should include metrics that distinctively demonstrate your performance.

Regular Reviews

It is very important for both parties to meet regularly to communicate and review the performance of the service that the agreement made was built on. Service reports are good representations of progress to present during these reviews to show the overall effect made so far. If the relationship is going well between the provider and client, continue keeping good communication, no matter how well the performance is, to continue executing the standards.

Being specific on the key requirements and standards is the most important aspect when forming an SLA. When all aspects and service descriptions are made clear early on, it can reduce confusion and future conflicts between both parties. Incorporating the key aspects referenced earlier can help set goals and expectations early on, clarifying the caliber of the service being offered and the standards that should be met. SLA’s are not set in stone and can be modified throughout the time period if expectations or services want to be changed. In order to be a successful service provider, SLA’s are a very important key. With this, your service will be delivered to its greatest potential to the client while keeping your customers or clients happy.

Contact Entry Software to get a demo of an SLA tool.

What Customers Expect from Customer Service

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Your customers are the reason your business is still standing. They are generating your company revenue by purchasing your products and services. The difference between a satisfied customer and dissatisfied customer are often determined by the type and quality of customer services you offer. When it comes to customer service, customers have high expectations. They want to feel valued and appreciated while having great service from you and your company. Here are five things customers expect from customer service.

1. Multiple Contact Methods

Customers love to feel connected to you and your business. When it comes to customer satisfaction, they love to have options for maintaining contact with your company. Stay connected with your customer base via email, live chat, telephone, or social media. For example, when a customer is doing a simple interaction such as changing a password, they would rather have a simple method of communication such as email or customer self-serve when verifying ownership. However, when a customer is doing a more complex task, they prefer to have a more personalized method of communication such as talking on the phone or in person. In the end, customers want the freedom of choice regarding contact methods.

2. Shorter Wait Times

Nowadays, everyone is busy and we no longer have time to wait around. When a customer has a question, they want it to be answered within minutes, not business days. The waiting time should be based on what communication method a customer is using. For example, if a customer has a question and they call the company, an immediate response is expected. However, if a customer is emailing the company about a question or concern, a reply within 20 minutes to an hour is reasonable. All customers are looking for a reasonable response time for their questions!

3. Personal Interactions

Almost three-quarters of customers prefer a personalized customer service experience; not only does a personal experience allow the customer to feel valued, it also allows customers’ needs to be met more efficiently. An example of a positive personal experience with a customer service agent would be a conversation where the customer is not having to repeat themselves in order to get their concern addressed. The opposite of a personal experience would be when the service agent is answering questions in an unfriendly and uninterested voice.

4. Customers Want Their Voices to be Heard

In the customer service industry, customers want to feel as if their voices are being heard. This means that their feedback is being considered and used in the company. Many customers feel as if their feedback is not being heard. From a company standpoint, make sure you act on customer feedback. When you do, ensure you give credit to the customers for having the idea. For example, you could say “We listened to what you had to say and we came up with ‘x’ to fix your problems” This makes customers understand that you’re listening to them and value their input.

5. Customers Want Their Expectations to be Met

This may sound like a no-brainer, however many companies fail to do so when is comes to customer service. Customers get frustrated easily when their expectations are not met. When a customer has a question about a product, they expect the conversation with the service agent to run smoothly. If these expectations are not met, the customer becomes frustrated. In order to keep customers satisfied, the business first needs to know the expectations of the customer and understand how to meet them. In order to find out what a customer’s expectations are, they can either have customers file a survey or a follow-up questionnaire at the end of their experience.

Your customers are the backbone of your company. Keeping them happy means they’re more likely to come back and use your services or products again. By considering the customers’ expectations and ensuring they are met, you are improving their lives as well as the health of your company.

Everything You Need To Know About Customer Service

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“Hello! Welcome to our company, what can I do for you?” These few words of introduction, depending on how they are spoken, will either make a great first impression or a worst on the customer. Customer service is crucial if you want any business to thrive. It does not matter whether you are located online or in a store, the way you deal with customers will greatly impact your business. The only difference is for online, you’ll find yourself dealing with customers virtually, through email, or calling; as to the store where you’ll be face to face with a customer. No matter how you run your business, the same tactics for great customer service will apply!

In order to have solid customer service, you will need to acquire a few skills. Firstly, patience. There is nothing worse than talking to customers and not giving them the time and patience they deserve. There will always be the customers that are not always kind when dealing with employees. In some cases, customers may talk for a long period of time complaining or explaining their issue, which may become irritating to the employee. Now, taking the time to think about how to analyze the problem, can not only give the customer the feeling of being valued but also allows the employee to respond in a way that is beneficial to the business.

Another quality of good customer service is knowing your business. When a customer asks about a product or service that your company offers, there should not be any “I’m not sure” or clueless looks or silent air time. When talking about a big company that has multiple departments, transferring the customer to someone with the extensive knowledge will assure the customer is informed.

One of the most important skills is communication and positivity. A customer service team that shows great communication skills such as eye contact, gestures, good tone of voice and confidence, shows that you care about what the customer has and want to help. When speaking face to face, 55% of what you mean is in your body posture, 38% of what you mean is in your tone of voice and only 7% of what you mean is contained in words. Talking on the phone or in person; no matter which one it is, using different tones of voice shows you are interested in the conversation and shows value to the customer. Staying positive, even in tough situations, can relax the customer and settle them down. If you are in a situation where a customer is yelling or upset, keeping the conversation positive will help bring the issue down.

These skills come naturally to some people! Although, there is always room for improvement especially with customer service, which is why training and workshops can help boost your customer service at your company. Training sessions can help your employees learn what to do in difficult situations. As well teach/refresh them on the skills required to keep a high customer service. Workshops can set up real-life scenarios and help the employees feel and learn what it is like to be in very different situations. Investing in customer service training allows for better success in the future!

Lastly, companies can be overwhelmed by the number of customers. In these cases it usually takes more time to respond to customers, making them unhappy. Using customer service software can help dramatically organize the wave of customers. There are many software products now created to help companies manage customer service. Ticketing systems are one way that this software helps, by highlighting the key issues in an easily organized list. This helps employees and managers categorize issues and their significance for the business. These software applications can also provide calendars showing assigned tasks, and tasks needed to be completed; helping managers see who is dealing with what, and what other issues need to taken care of. Customers do not like to be kept waiting. Using ticketing software can help your employees stay on top of issues, and get to all their customers in an organized and quick manner.

Customer service is crucial from a business standpoint. Employees need to know how to engage properly and solve issues that may arise with customers. Training programs and workshops can help achieve this! Software apps are also offered that can assist the company with staying on top of issues, with an organized and less chaotic way. Treating your customers like gold will help keep your existing customers, but also bring in new ones. If a customer is satisfied with the way they were treated, they will talk about it and spread the word. Although, it can go the other way too as well. Let the word get around positively…and that can be done with the help of the assets mentioned throughout this article!

Inexpensive Acts Your Customers Will Appreciate

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Customers come in all shapes and sizes, and that includes different personalities. Despite some of the hassles they may cause, they are a reason your business has become what it is. Many companies show appreciation to their customers, by offering free gifts on their next purchase. From a customer perspective, this is amazing! However, there are also inexpensive acts that make your customer feel special, without draining your budget.

Solid, Consistent, Customer Service

Customers want to feel appreciated and valued while doing business with you, and this can start with just having great customer service. Simple things like having the right people answering the phone, positively acting as the face of your company can boost your customer service dramatically. Training your employees to comprise the needed customer service skills will show a huge difference in your customer relationships. Positive and attentive attitudes are very important and will show that your employees care about your customers. Perfecting this area of service can quickly show positive relationships with customers, costing you little to nothing extra.

Start a VIP or Affiliate Club

VIP or affiliate clubs can not only give the customer exclusive deals or discounts, but it also motivates them to continue to purchase or direct new business to your company. They can be designed however you see fit; although they usually include a points system, depending on how much customers have purchased, or how long they have been a customer. Customers can gain points they can redeem on items such as purchase discounts. This way the customer has to be invested in your company before they begin to get discounts.

Personal Emails

The little things people do sometimes have the biggest impact on someone’s perception. Sending emails designed uniquely to customers let them know how much their service means to the company. Other email subjects such as wishing them a happy holiday can add a personal relationship with your customer. Allowing this, makes the customer feel special because it’s not just a spam email that’s sent to everyone. It shows that the company took time to that specific customer and show you care.

Social Media Callouts or “Shoutouts”

Social media has grown over the past decade and is now the main way the world communicates to one another. Some including Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, or Instagram. Companies take to these social media to advertise their product or service and connect with their customers. Another inexpensive way to appreciate a customer is to directly communicate with them on a social media page. This can be done by writing a sincere tweet, Instagram or Facebook post including a little about them, a picture and why they are valued.

The little things that are done can sometimes be the most impactful. Customers are very important to your company and should be shown appreciation for their time invested. Beginning with overall customer service, having the trained employees deal with customers with the correct skills such as respect, listening, and patience can display extreme value towards the customer. Once the company has customer service down, they can start reaching out to new ways to appreciate their customers. Maintaining good relationships with customers, by making them feel valued, will get your company name noticed in a positive way, benefiting the company dramatically.