The Six Pillars of Customer Service

According to Belding, global leaders in Customer Service Training and Workplace Performance, the behaviour that creates outstanding Customer Service fall into six categories, referred to as the Six Pillars of Customer Service.
  
Attitude
Being caring; solution-driven; having empathy; being positive; being friendly and cheerful; having energy; being on-stage are parts of the hallmark of attitude. Attitude is the cornerstone of outstanding customer service, and contrary to popular belief, you can influence it.

Interest
Being 100% customer-focused; asking questions; listening; and personalizing the relationship exhibit interest.  All of our actions need to convey to a customer that they are important to us. The research tells us that over 80% of service failures come from the perception that ‘you just don't care’.

Action
Action is about taking ownership, solving problems, being creative, following through, and following up. When customers see you being proactive, or taking immediate action to ensure their satisfaction, they consider this a positive experience. The research shows that over 90% of customers consider "taking ownership" as the primary factor in "WOW" customer experience.

Verbal Language
Using positive words and phrases, avoiding negative language, communicating accurately, communicating appropriately, and managing expectations all contribute to Verbal Language.  Our language skills play a key role in delivering Outstanding Customer Service.

Body Language
Body Language constitutes the face, smile, eyes, posture, movement, and attire. Even when our mouths aren't speaking, our body is. 

Tone of Voice
Persuasion, influence, empathy, energy - these are conveyed through the five controllable attributes of voice:  Speed, Pitch, Loudness, Intonation and Timbre.  It's not what you say, but how you say it!


Belding helps companies and teams with the experiences they deliver to their customers.  Their powerful, globally-acclaimed learning programs help enhance service cultures and create passionate customer-focused workplaces.
Edited by ‘Dele Dele-Olukoju, Marketing Communication consultant and publisher of the online Marketing Communication Digest. He writes from Lagos, Nigeria.

Comments

  1. VA9 November 2023 at 03:18

    Great insights on the Six Pillars of Customer Service! AI tools like Voicesphere.co, can significantly enhance these pillars, particularly in understanding and responding to customer needs. AI tools ability to facilitate interactive conversations with documents for smart, context-aware responses could be a game-changer in customer service. It can improve the efficiency of addressing customer queries while maintaining a personalized touch.

    ReplyDelete
  2. johnnysdigital29 April 2024 at 23:09

    Nice article and thanks for sharing with us.
    Best Digital Marketing Agency

    ReplyDelete

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