Effective work with clients is a strategic factor in the development of the company. How to work with clients? Efficient Service

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Customer service is one of the most important aspects of any business. It's not for nothing that they say: There is only one boss. Consumer. And he can fire anyone from the company, starting with management, just by spending money somewhere else.

Not so long ago I saw 10 rules for working with a client from Carl Sewell. I encourage you to read and discuss them.

1) Make customers come back
Karl considers not how much money one client brings to him at a time, but how much he brings to him in his entire life. At the core of Sewell's business is the mantra of asking customers what they want and giving it to them over and over again. Make your customers permanent. And you will win.

I think this is the best approach! It is very sad to see a business that aims to quickly cut the dough with a large number people and dump. But I am glad that there are fewer and fewer such "businesses" every year.

2) System, not smiles
It is very important to say “please” and “thank you” to your customers. But it's not worth anything if you're doing a bad job at the same time. System, not smiles. This is what should be at the heart of the business.

I will add a little to this point, it is very important to build scalable systems and processes. In no case should you use mechanisms that work only with the current volume of orders / production. After all, when you start to expand, all such "mechanisms" will turn against you.

3) Promise less, deliver more
Many entrepreneurs say that you need to exceed customer expectations. Unfortunately, in reality, this means almost nothing if the company already promises too much. But there is one trick. Promise less than you deliver. And then customers will be pleasantly surprised.

Exactly! Always do more than you are asked, I think you yourself have sometimes been in a situation where the company did more than what was required for you. It's nice, isn't it?

4) When a client asks for something, your answer is always “yes”
A simple rule in words, but not so obvious in practice.

No to the word no Always look for an opportunity to satisfy the needs of your customers, and if there is no such possibility, communicate it more gently, without using the word "no"

5) Fire your controllers and the entire customer service department
You don't need separate people to work with clients. Every employee should work with them.

I did not have such a department, but I will keep it in mind

6) No complaints? Something is wrong
Complaining is normal. This is very important feedback for any company that tells you what needs to be improved. If there are no complaints, then everything is not as good as you think.

grounded negative feedback is no less useful than positive! Studying criticism is a great way to improve the quality of your product or service.

7) Measure everything
Everything is measurable. And this must be done. You must know which of your actions are effective, and which do not justify themselves in the slightest.

Planning, planning, and more planning. You can’t count everything, but almost everything is possible.

Salaries are unfair
Pay employees as partners. The better he works, the more he gets. Everything is quite simple.

I support the "salary + bonus" methodology, a person should always be motivated to work better and better.

9) Be polite
It helps in difficult situations with clients. And gives you extra points when everything goes so well.

No comment, impolite customer service is a terrible trait.

10) Benchmarking
Steal best ideas from competitors, as well as companies from other fields of activity. Even if you sell cars, that doesn't mean you can't take the best hotel ideas and tailor them to your business.

Importing and adapting the experience of another industry in your project is a great way to leave the competition behind

Large companies operating in the mass segment are very worried about their image, trying in every possible way to maintain it on top. After all, it is unacceptable for existing and potential customers to be aware of its weaknesses.

But how to avoid the emergence and dissemination of impartial information? Of course, this possibility cannot be completely ruled out, but it is quite possible to reduce the percentage of dissatisfied customers to a minimum. This is possible thanks to quality products, sought-after services and attentive service.

Let us dwell in more detail on the service personnel of the company, because this is its face, and the requirements for it are appropriate.

Working with clients: 9 fundamental rules

These are not just made-up rules, but very real requirements that the management of most companies impose on their employees.:

Do not make the client wait for a long time, especially if you are distracted by personal matters and problems. Address by name, patronymic, say hello, smile. This will immediately relieve tension, after which many clients even change their faces, becoming noticeably more supportive.

Watch what and how you say, do not spare kind words, smiles and thanks. Words are your main working tool. They can both hit the company's image and raise it in the eyes of the client, and this is another small victory for the good of the common cause.

Appearance, facial expression, intonation and manners - everything should speak of your respect and attention to the client, because he communicates with you not just as a familiar person, but as part of the company and perceives you accordingly. In addition, it affects the perception of the information that you want to convey to him.

Listen carefully to the client, try to understand the essence of his problem, do not look for reasons for objections.

Dispute is one of worst options to which the conversation can be led. Do not allow yourself to be drawn into it, because if you win, you will also lose, pulling the case with you.

Remember, the client is the object of respectful attention. His argument should be heard by you, even if you fundamentally disagree with it. Think ahead, be ahead of possible criticism. If you realize that the company or you personally have made a mistake, admit it and apologize. Be decisive.

Do not get in the habit of sending the client through the authorities, try to help him on your own and answer all questions. If you are at a loss in something, contact a competent specialist yourself, but find a solution.

The ability to smooth sharp corners is your professional duty. Conflicts should be smoothed out even at the stage of occurrence.

When parting with a client, do not forget to smile and thank him for his attention to the company.

Working in the service industry is hard work, requiring resilience to stress and tremendous endurance. Only compliance with the rules of conduct with customers and an innate sense of tact can lead to the success of an employee and, as a result, the entire company.

April 30, 2015 hr-expert (15 years of experience in personnel assessment and development), business coach (over 15 years of experience), coach (8 years of experience). ACADEMY OF SERVICE TECHNOLOGIES

15 Essential Skills for Customer Service

There are several customer service skills that must be applied by an employee of any company when interacting with customers. Below are the 15 most important personal qualities that need to be developed in order to be able to provide high-quality customer service.

Most important features character for customer service:

1. Patience

If you work with clients on a daily basis, be patient when they come to you upset or confused. Customers expect to be listened to carefully and take action to address their questions and concerns.

Able to endure, able to achieve whatever he wants. (B. Franklin)

2. Attention

Attention is important in any situation: if a client turns to you for advice in the process of buying or providing a service, complaints and dissatisfaction. You must listen carefully and appreciate emotional condition client, and based on that, decide what next steps are required.

The most important thing is to be attentive. Pay attention to everything around you, to everything that you see, to everything that others do not notice - and you will know what others do not know. (with)

3. Empathy and compassion

If the client is upset, you should not only listen carefully, but express your sympathy. Thus, you will show that you care about his problem and you are ready to help him.

Compassion is there highest form human existence. (F.M. Dostoevsky)

4. Good communication skills

When communicating with a client, you need to convey the information of interest to the client in the simplest and most accessible language.

True eloquence is the ability to say all that is needed, and no more than is necessary. (F. La Rochefoucauld)

5. Stress resistance

As you know, the most hard work It's about working with people. All people express their emotions and feelings in different ways. You must not perceive negative emotions clients to your account.

The cure for stress is a smile. (V. Vinokur )

6. Ability to speak positively

The ability to speak positively makes the client feel happy, which means that he will return to your company more than once.

Standard speech: "We don't have this product in stock until next month; We ordered it but it's currently out of stock."

Positive speech: "We will have this product next month. I can now fix your application and will definitely inform you as soon as it goes on sale."

7. Acting

Sometimes, we come across clients who will be dissatisfied with your service, no matter what you do. These situations are out of your control. For example, they had a terrible day, didn't sleep well at night, etc. Such clients should not let you lose your temper no matter what they tell you. In such situations, you need to communicate politely and friendly both with indignant customers and not take out your frustration on other customers.

The earth is a huge theater in which the same tragedy is played under various titles. (Voltaire )

8. Time planning

Your work must be efficient. Despite the fact that some issues require more attention, you should have time to resolve other clients' issues. Don't waste time on difficult questions for which you don't have an answer. Forward this question to colleagues who can help you much faster and more competently.

Don't waste your time and your client's time!

To perform big and important work, two things are needed: a clear plan and limited time. (Hubbard Elbert)

9. Serenity

Remain calm in any situation. In the case of an emotional appeal, with your calmness you help the client to “cool down” and calmly convey the complaint to you. At the same time, the client does not have a residue that the company tried to piss him off.

The true strength of a person is not in impulses, but in indestructible calmness. (L. N. Tolstoy )

10. Purposefulness

This item may seem strange for a list of qualities required for customer service. But he is very important.

Business Goals + Customer Satisfaction are two related things. To achieve business goals, each employee needs to set goals and ensure that they are achieved.

People who succeed in this world are not lazy and look for the circumstances they need, and if they don’t find them, they create them. (J. Bernard Shaw )

11. Ability to manage force majeure situations

Sometimes there are non-standard situations that need to be quickly and efficiently resolved. You may not have instructions from the company. Perhaps the client's reaction is different from what you expected.

In this case, you have a chance to think over for yourself the actions that will help you solve a similar problem in the future.

For yourself, you can take a simple algorithm of actions:

Who? One important detail, which you must understand - you are the employee to whom the appeal was received. It is up to you to decide what to do in this or that situation and to whom you can turn on this issue. Maybe the CEO can help you, but you can't bother Director General on small issues. Identify for yourself contact persons in the company who can help you, and send them the necessary question.

What? When you have determined that you are unable to answer the question yourself, and you decide to forward the question to a competent person in this area, you must determine WHAT exactly should be communicated to this person. It may be necessary to address the full appeal. It may be necessary to send only the most important parts of the request, or highlight only one point for which you cannot find an answer.

How? When you have decided on the two points above, you should have a decision on how you can get your question across. For example, you can solve the problem with one phone call or write a letter by mail if the client is ready to wait for a response.

Life is full of surprises, and not only pleasant ones. (with)

12. Ability to convince

Most often, customers ask questions out of curiosity, and not because of problems with the product.

You must convince the client why your product is so necessary for the client. AT this case, this is not selling a product, but maintaining the company's image and demonstrating a high level of service that will make the client return to the company for a purchase.

Convince first, then convince. (K.S. Stanislavsky)

13. Stability

Ability to perform consistently well in the service industry the highest level so that customers talk about you - this is what you need to strive for. Remember that by putting extra effort into providing a service, you attract customers again and again.

Great deeds require tireless constancy. (Voltaire)

14. Ability to correctly end the dialogue

The ability to properly end a dialogue means to end the conversation with confidence that the client is satisfied and all issues are resolved. The last thing a client wants is to return to the company with the same unresolved issue.

Your ability to achieve this shows the client 3 important things:

• Are you worried about resolving his issue?
• You are ready to do everything to achieve the desired result
• You allow the client to determine which solution is "correct".

When you are sure that all issues are resolved, you can end the conversation.

15. Desire to learn

If you have read this page, then you probably have this desire :) and you already have this skill!

Those who see how and what can be improved will be one step ahead of those who are not ready or do not want to learn.

This is perhaps the most important skill on this list, perhaps not everything you need.

Learning without meditation is useless, but thinking without learning is dangerous. (Confucius)

Your turn...

Now I need to hear from you!

1. Which of the 15 customer service skills reviewed above do you feel are the most important and prioritized? Is there something I missed?

Thanks for reading this article, please share this article if you liked it.

How to work with clients: 10 commandments of Carl Sewell

Someone will ask: “Who is this Carl Sewell, and why should I listen to him?” To be honest, a couple of years ago I didn’t even know who Sewell was and what he did. But one day I got my hands on the book "Clients for Life", written by Karl. She impressed me, made me think and rethink my attitude to the client, to communication with him, to the service that is offered. It was then that I became interested in the personality of the author, and it was decided to study his biography in more detail. There is practically nothing about Karl in RuNet, then foreign sources had to be translated.

Of course, in this article I will not go into details. life path Carl Sewell, but I will say that this man is the owner of one of the best car dealerships in the United States. He went from zero to millions in profits thanks to the system of attracting and retaining customers, which he outlined in his book, and in his ten commandments of working with clients.
In the US, there is a customer satisfaction rating, which includes many factors in the interaction between the company and the buyer. Well, Carla's customer satisfaction rate is incredibly high. He not only leads many different ratings, but constantly sets a new bar for those who catch up, confirming the title of the best.

Do you want to learn how to work with clients? Then these commandments are for you.

1. Keep the customer coming back
It has long been known that most Loyal customers are the main source of income for many companies. Karl also adheres to this principle, and notes that it is not necessary to consider a one-time benefit from the purchase of a particular product to customers. It is better to make sure that a person constantly comes to you, thereby ensuring a stable and constant income.
Sewell's business is based on the principle that he prefers to give customers exactly what they expect in this moment. This will allow you to respond as accurately as possible to the local needs of a person, constantly guessing his desires and needs. Thus, the client will not need to search new company, but it's easier to come back to you, knowing that you will give him exactly what he is looking for.

2. System, not smiles
Very often in business books you can find advice on the fact that the staff of your company should smile at customers, be welcoming and friendly. In part, this is correct, but a certain system needs to be worked out. It is very important to thank customers, say “thank you” and “please”, use other words of politeness that set you up for good nature and a positive wave.
Take McDonald's as an example. All employees there speak using a well-defined system of words and phrases. Someone may say that this is banal, and has already become boring, but as long as the system works and gives results, it cannot be banal.

3. Promise less than you deliver.
It is often said that entrepreneurs must exceed the expectations of their potential customers. In practice, this is extremely difficult to implement. If you promise a lot, then even more will come to life from you. Here you need to use one trick - not to promise much, but in fact exceed all expectations at times.
For example, a customer orders a laptop from your store and expects nothing more. But along with a laptop, he gets a gift: small speakers, a mouse, a flash drive, or any other equipment. In fact, for a large company, these costs will be pennies, but the client will have an excellent impression of your store for a long time, because you have exceeded his expectations. There is a high degree of probability that he will tell friends and acquaintances about such an act, and more than once turn to you for shopping.

4. Always say yes.
Even if you disagree with the client in some way, you should not enter into an argument with him, prove something, condemn his point of view and opinion. You can do this outside of working hours, and not on behalf of the company. And so, if a contradiction arises, then keep it to yourself, and always say “Yes” to the client.
There is a wonderful saying: “The customer is always right”, and it is true. If you want a person to turn to you more than once for goods or services, then make it clear that his opinion is valued, it is important, they agree with him and will definitely listen. Otherwise, if you argue and defend yourself, then the person will never contact you again.

5. The customer service department is bullshit.
If your company has controllers, or a department that is responsible for working with clients, then you can safely fire them. Carl Sewell believes that the responsibility for dealing with all customers, be it a VIP, a regular customer, or someone who first contacted you, lies with each employee. Everyone should feel that it is he who is responsible for the mood of the client, for his desires, for his decisions to return to the store again or not.
If all responsibility is shifted to some department or certain persons, then nothing good will come of it. The seller and consultants, who are most in contact with customers, will simply cease to feel responsible, and it will no longer make sense for them to try to somehow influence the client’s opinion, because all powers have been transferred to others, so why do extra work?

6. No complaints - think about it
As the hero of one of the popular series "Theory of Lies" Kel Lightman said: "The absence of emotions is also a serious reason to think." The same is true in business. If there are no complaints, then something is going wrong. Many may think that the absence of complaints is an indicator of the ideal work of the company, but in reality everything can be completely different. Your company is not a brand new piece of gold that everyone likes, and there must be people who will notice something bad, want to complain, write their negative review. If there are none, then this can mean one thing - the company is completely uninteresting, and its popularity is at a very low level.
In fact, you should not be afraid of complaints, because this is feedback from your customers, an opportunity to see from the outside what is going wrong, what areas need to be improved, what to tighten up and what to pay extra attention to.
7. Measure everything
You must clearly understand which of your actions are effective and which are not. Where it is worth allocating more money, and which area should be stopped financing. Everything can be measured, and you need to do it as much as possible. Especially clear control and measurement is needed in the field of advertising. You need to understand what kind of advertising to bring maximum effect by attracting customers to your company. It often happens that companies spend thousands of dollars on advertising campaigns, while not understanding at all what kind of return from them, and whether there is any at all.
8. Fair salaries
Your employees are partners who should receive a salary commensurate with their performance. Move away from the system of naked rates, where a person receives a certain amount of money, regardless of how much work he performs. So the desire and motivation to work, to do something above the norm, to try, to develop disappear.
And if you pay part of the salary fixed, and part of the percentage of sales or in accordance with other work performed, then the employee will understand that everything is in his hands. The more and better you work, the more you get. Everything is logical, everything is clear.

In order to work with people, you need to have a certain set of personal and professional qualities. Such work should be aimed at a very specific goal - to attract customers to the company. To achieve maximum profit for the company, the account manager must be able to capture the mood of the client and offer him what he most needs.

To improve the professional skills of their managers, self-respecting companies send their employees to various trainings. And of course, in without fail, define the scope of responsibilities and key skills of managers, namely, describe in detail official duties client manager.

Who is a manager

The very name "account manager" already contains quite clear definition the range of duties of such an employee. This is a specialist whose main responsibility is to contact customers, explaining to him the essence of the products and services offered by the company with a view to the subsequent implementation of the latter.

The image of your company and its profits depend on how competent and savvy your managers are in direct contact with customers. It is quite obvious that this is the key figure in the structure of the company, which determines whether the client will be satisfied and whether he will contact you next time, and whether he will recommend you to his friends.

It is necessary to clearly define what the account manager does.

Duties and Rights

The scope of a manager's responsibilities can be very diverse and more depends on the direction of the company, its structure. Therefore, below will be given the general rights and obligations that are inherent in managers as a whole, and if necessary, you can add those functions that you need.

1. The incumbent is required to seek out clients through any available communication channels. To do this, he must conduct market analysis, identify the target audience and monitor competitors.
2. Attracting customers by generating interest in the company and its products sold.
3. Processing of incoming traffic of calls, e-mail, visits. Analyzes the needs of potential customers and tries to understand why customers called your firm.
4. Actually conducting the transaction itself. The sale of a good or service and the further control of the delivery of the good or the provision of the service. Preparation of the entire list of supporting documentation.
5. Customer focus, that is, the desire to create a desire among buyers to contact the company again.
6. The manager must qualitatively navigate the products and services offered by the company. In addition, he must represent services and products better than managers in competing firms.

Read also: Job description for a PTO engineer of a construction organization

Job description

The full breadth of requirements for the functionality of a customer manager is described in a document such as job description client manager.

This document is a detailed description of the duties and powers of the employee. In addition, this document must indicate the possible liability for improper performance of their duties.

General provisions

1. The manager is the leader of the company.
2. The manager must have knowledge in the field of economics, the basics of marketing, the full range of goods and services offered by the company.
3. Know how to write a business plan commercial offers and contracts.
4. Be able to establish business contacts.
5. Know the etiquette established for dealing with clients.
6. Understand the basics of psychology and communication theory.
7. Appointment and removal from office occurs by issuing an order by the head of the company.
8. During the absence of this employee, all his functions and duties are performed by a person appointed by the head.

Job Responsibilities

1. Implementation of the analysis target audience and identification of needs.
2. Development of methods for finding potential customers and drawing up communication schemes with them.
3. Finding clients in a variety of ways.
4. Forecast of business reliability of identified customers and their security.
5. Organization and conduct of preparatory negotiations, clarification of their needs and preparation of an offer.
6. Dealing with customer objections.
7. Conclusion of contracts on behalf of the company.
8. Maintaining contact with all current clients.
9. Development of individual offers for prospective customers.
10. Establishment feedback with buyers (accounting for complaints and suggestions).
11. Formation of the client base.
12. Analysis and accounting of competitors.