So You’re Stuck in a Customer Service Mishap...

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If you've been following social media, you might have heard about the grueling back & forth between Comcast customer Ryan Block and a customer service rep that went viral. It only reminds us about how great customer service should always be top priority for your company. However, despite your best efforts to avoid a disaster, sometimes you can find yourself in a mess. What are the best ways to respond to an inadvertent customer service faux pas?

Admit it!
Acknowledge that there is a problem. Work with the client to find out exactly what went wrong and commit to work together jointly to seek resolution. What is the scope of the problem? If someone was rude, this could be a disciplinary training issue. If the rep provided incorrect facts about a product, there could be a general training problem. If you are still investigating the impact of the data breach, let your clients know right away so they could take some steps to reduce the impact, even if you are still working on it. Transparency about an issue is the first step in messaging to your customers that you are going to be on top of it.

What if customer is the problem? Just about every one of us had been witness to rude and aggressive customer taking it out on the stewardess, waiter, or customer support rep. With proper training, your customer service team should have a detailed plan when dealing with such customers. However in an extreme case of mistreatment, harassment, or inappropriate behavior remember to always stand behind your people first and foremost. 

Come up with a Game Plan 
Now that you pinpointed your problem, come up with a resolution to deal with it. Communicate your plan to the affected customer and work jointly to agree on a solution. Sometimes there are issues that simply cannot be resolved. In this case, be honest, apologize, and, if it's possible, try to offer alternatives. Staying clear, open, and calm will keep the customer as ease even if the problem may not be fixed.

Fix the problem! For good
Execute your game plan. Whether it is an immediate fix or one more rooted in your company, work with your team. Debrief on what needs to be done, and how best to do it. Come up with a better training strategy for your customer service reps. Re-vamp your product training program. Consult IT to clear out a reoccurring client data issue. Whatever the issue is, being proactive about the execution is a vital part of the resolution. Equally important is figuring out what has to be done to prevent the issue from re-occurring.

Get Closure
With a proper strategy & effort you will be able put your mishap behind you. After you have come to terms with your customer service faux pas, ask the client for feedback. According to, Adam Toporek, a Customer Experience Strategist, considering the customers feelings is one of the most important aspects of customer service that often gets overlooked. Ask the client if the issue was addressed to their liking. Can you be of further assistance? Do they have any other suggestions? Even though this may seem counterintuitive you may consider asking if they would be willing to share their news of the positive experience with your company.

Sometimes even the best planning cannot protect you from a "disaster." However your response in the time of the crisis can provide a better measure and appreciation of your offering and for working with your organization.

Got a horrific customer service disaster or experience? Let us know by commenting below!

Rachel & the team

Keys to Avoiding Customer Service Disasters

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Amazing business offering can only go so far without the customer service behind it. Virtually every person has experienced poor customer service at one point or another in their lives whether it was from a bank teller, cable company phone representative, or at their neighborhood bagel shop. Some customers will shrug & keep going while others will choose to take their business elsewhere.

When a large company is at risk of losing a customer, it has ample resources to try to cajole that customer back or to get more clients. Smaller firms may not have the luxury to take either approach. Without consistent quality of service, no matter how good the offering, customers will leave and competitors will capitalize on this opportunity.

Of course the best thing to do as a product or service provider is to avoid being in such a situation in the first place. How can you go about it?

Build Your Team Wisely
Not everyone can become a star customer service rep. In addition to having the solid product and/or service knowledge, that person has to have a pleasant demeanor, patience, professionalism, effective communication, and a problem-solving personality. Clients call to get answers to their questions and having someone on the other side that can empathize and wants to genuinely provide help will go a long way.

The job does not stop once you have the right people on board. It is vital to build a strong organization where team members can openly communicate with each other to leverage each other's expertise & help each other grow. Company culture plays a key role. Communico Ltd.,  a customer service training and consulting company encourages to "identify the behaviors aligned with your [company's] values" & use them to create a standard training program that highlights your identity as a customer service team.

Train & Empower your Team 
Without a solid understanding of the business offering your customer service reps are powerless when it comes to solving client problems. They need to be trained & highly experienced with the product. In today's rapidly evolving marketplace, in some industries it can mean staying on top of the latest developments in the industry as well. Creating certification programs, encouraging, and properly incentifying development opportunities helps ensure that your support team is engaged and finely attuned to helping address your client needs.

Put Metrics in Place
Track effectiveness of your customer support activity both internally and externally. Who are your leading knowledge experts? Who is struggling? What is the typical throughput? Implement call quality programs to gain deeper insights into your customer service trends. According to a 2006 Ascent Group Study, companies that implemented call quality programs saw a 4-10% rise in customer satisfaction.

Bring customers into equation by conducting interviews to get in-depth feedback and running periodic surveys to assess the trends. What suggestions do your customers have for you to provide better service for them? Using social media can be another great tool to track the success of your team's customer service efforts. Employ a public relations point person to track feedback in the social media and report back key findings.

Customer support is often treated as the necessary "evil," a cost driver that does not always bring back incremental revenues. However, without it, your commitment to stand behind the best products and services for your customers is in question.

What are some of your effective methods used in your company to keep your support team engaged and delivering the best results?

Rachel & the team