5 Tips for How To Become A Good Customer Support

I was often frustrated by customer support representatives on the phone. Some of them say one thing then the company does something else. For example, the Sears repair. We had the electric stove top broken in less than two years. It was the smooth top model that you need to order special parts. When we called, they sent a repair man who said that he didn't know what the problem we had and he can not do nothing but charge us money for asking him to come over. We were upset and called Sears again. They took the model number and took information about our problem then sent us another man. Again, this man claimed that he was not informed anything about our problem and he can not do nothing until the parts are ordered. After the third man did the same thing, we just left the stove as it is. We have broken stove top, but can't do nothing about it.

Then, there are support representatives who can't solve customer's problems. It often happens to technical support staff. I had problem with Sony wireless mouse using up batteries in less than a month. I wasn't sure if this was a defect or if this was supposed to be like that, so I called the support. I asked the person if this was normal. He didn't have no knowledge about the product and couldn't answer anything and got upset at the end.

Another type of frustrating customer support is to sell you something else. Like Royal Bank or Bell Canada, when you call them to ask something, they start talking about other products and services that you didn't ask. It is OK to inform me something new, but they often push you and make you tired. They don't mind talking on the phone for one hour advertising their new products or services. It makes me really hesitant to call them because the problem I want to resolve won't take more than a few minutes, but I have to stay on the phone with them for at least half an hour to one hour listening to their advertisement.

So these are examples of bad customer support, but what is the good customer support? Here are list of things that make you are good customer support.

1. Listen what the customer is reporting. --- This is often crucial for technical support. This goes true with e-mail support. Support person often doesn't read or listen the problem carefully so that the customer has to repeat the same information a few times. Even if something reported by the particular customer was never reported by anyone else or you have never seen something like that happen, listen very carefully why the customer is reporting this. Always think why the customer is making an effort to contact you for this issue. Is there a way that explains what the customer is saying? Before you say something back to the customer without thinking carefully, listen and think.
2. Don't say something you don't know for sure. --- If the problem reported is beyond your knowledge, just ask someone who has more knowledge than you. If you don't know, don't say bull and just tell the customer that you will call back, or transfer to someone more knowledgeable, or hold the phone and ask someone else. If you can't answer and no one else can answer, it is better to tell the customer honestly and guide them to alternative places that they might find information.
3. Take customer's side. --- It is often true that customer support won't have pleasant conversations with customers because customers are calling them to complain. The customers are often upset with their products or services. However the first thing they should do is to understand the feelings of the customer. I called some customer support once because things stop working and I was really upset, but hearing "I'm sorry that it is not working" made me feel much better. After all, things are not working is not because of the support person and the customer will understand that if you understand their feelings and give them true sympathy.
4. Try not waste customer's time. --- To get to the support on the phone, the customer often stay on line for a while. When the issue is resolved, don't push too hard on selling something else. After you introduce a new product or services, ask the customer if he/she has more time to listen about it. If the customer is truly interested, they will stay on the phone and ask. It is unpleasant for your ear holding a phone for more than 15 minutes.
5. Own reported issues. --- Not sure how each company works, but owning the reported issue is important. Like Sears support, who took all the information and assured us that the repair person would be informed didn't own the issue. She says so but it was not followed up. This type of disconnect within the company will cause customer distrust.