Guest Blog: The Importance of First Impressions in Customer Service

This week we feature an article by Ujebardha Bekolli who writes about the importance of the first impression. Whether on the phone or in person, it’s important to train your employees the right way to interact with your customers.

The importance of first impressions

Customer service is one of the most important parts of doing business. The relationships you create with your customers reflect directly on the success of your business. One very important goal of customer service is to keep to consumer coming back.

Something that a lot of people ignore is the fact that your customers associate your company with the kind of treatment they get from the customer support employees. The people you have working in that particular department will undoubtedly set an image for your business.

On the Telephone

One way you could be contacting your customers is by phone. These kinds of customer support groups are there to assist when people have problems using their products or services. On the phone, contact is easier to manage due to the fact that you can get away with your body language and facial expressions. Still, an immediate response is necessary so your customers don’t feel ignored and don’t get frustrated.

Face to Face

In the case when you have direct contact with the people who buy your products or services you must be extra careful. The way you look, your body language, your facial expressions, the tone of your voice and many other small elements speak for you. This is one of the reasons why companies train their employees thoroughly.

Tips on leaving a good impression

Be professional

A professional attitude and appearance is a very important element to a good first impression. That is usually distinguished by being appropriate in language and behavior, being credible and honest, and caring to help your customers. An appropriate language will get you a long way. Credibility and honesty are also signs of a professional individual. All of these show that you really care that your customers have the best experience with your product or service.

A professional attitude will also establish you as a serious company. No matter the significance of your job and the size of your business, professionalism is always a positive thing.

Know your stuff

Knowing what you are selling is the first step to a successful first experience with a customer. It is crucial that you have all the answers about the way your product works, what your service provides, or what that person will gain from buying from you. This is why companies should pay great attention to training their employees on their own products and services.

Be respectful

Finally, be respectful to your customers. This might seem like common sense, but many people ignore brands with rude employees. Having basic manners can help you keep your existing customers and gain new ones. Having a positive attitude and trying to solve problems makes a big difference. Negativity drives people away, in life and in business.

To sum up

The way your employees behave when they have direct contact with your customers is one of the most important things to work on. Teaching your employees the right manners is an investment that pays off. That’s why employee training methods are so popular.

A bad first impression is hard to fix but not impossible. A good first impression will keep people coming to you for more. This shows the importance of customer service employees and the direct role they have on the success of the organization. When a business is doing great it reflects on the size of it, the employee satisfaction, and ultimately the salaries. These are the reasons why all people inside should work towards a good reputation.

Ujebardha Bekolli is passionate about ongoing, self-motivated and self-paced learning. She writes for Kiwi LMS, which is a Learning Management Platform that aims to help restaurant owners train their staff in an easier and more effective way. Moreover, they offer online training courses for different Restaurant services.

For more articles from Shep Hyken and his guest contributors go to customerserviceblog.com.

Read Shep’s latest Forbes article: Minimalist Simplicity: A New Recipe For Convenience