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5 Key Traits of a Great Customer Service Advisor

Category: Blog

Customer service can make or break any business, but how do we deliver the top-notch customer service we strive for? The key is the people! Your Customer Service Team are on the frontline of customer communication, and are your brand representatives. So, in this ever-increasing world of relationship marketing, how can you be sure you’re hiring the right people? We’ve picked out 5 key traits that make the best Customer Service Advisor…

 

1. Great Communication

It’s the number one skill for a Customer Service Advisor: communication!

Top Advisors know exactly how to respond to agitated customers; how to be clear and concise; how to build rapport with customers; and how to remain polite and professional, regardless of the situation. A great communicator is also more likely to enjoy speaking with customers, and this will shine through in their interactions! But communication isn’t just verbal… a great Customer Service Advisor understands how to communicate well in writing (email, social media, live chat etc.) and how to record data accurately (CRM/contact records).

Above all, a great Customer Service Advisor knows that the most important part of their job is to listen to the customer carefully, in order to begin the problem-solving process. By listening carefully, they’ll also receive bites of information- this will allow the Advisor to personalise the customer’s experience, resulting in a genuine, human interaction.

 

2. Empathy

There’s a difference between being sympathetic and being empathetic, and the best Customer Service Advisors understand this. Instead of just feeling sorry to hear that the customer has been experiencing issues, they’ll let the customer know that they understand and endeavour to resolve the issue with the customer’s situation in mind.

This puts your customer in a better frame of mind, straight away. They want to know that someone is taking them seriously and listening to them, as well as understanding them and taking the relevant steps to help.

 

3. Conscientiousness

Conscientious people make great Customer Service Advisors; they’re reliable, methodical and organised.

A conscientious Advisor will be better equipped, with the right knowledge, and will be able to solve customer queries/problems a lot more efficiently. Their methodical approach means they’ll stick to the correct processes and will ensure everything is recorded.

 

4. Commercial Awareness

Commercial awareness is a trait which is often overlooked. A great Advisor will understand the contribution they make to the organisation/campaign as a whole, instead of just within their team.

They’ll show natural flare towards sales/marketing; understanding which decisions/actions will benefit the business commercially and how they will fit in with the brand, values and company ethics. For this reason, the very best Advisors usually handle social media customer service particularly well- this commercial/brand awareness makes for a successful social media customer service campaign.

 

5. Willingness to Learn

With the ever-increasing professionalisation of the Customer Service Advisor role, comes the opportunity for progression and development. A great Customer Service Advisor will want to learn new skills and gain new responsibilities…You can’t beat a good attitude!

 

 

If you’d like to discuss your customer service requirements, then simply get in touch.