According to some psychological studies, there are certain attitudes, qualities and common psychological factors to customer service professionals good at what they do.
And in that chat we talk about the main features proposed by Renata Paz Couso in her book ‘Atención al cliente. Guía práctica Techniques and Strategies’. Ideaspropias Editorial, Vigo, 2007.
The justification for using the classification of this particular author is due to the use of a simple terminology that avoids the psychologisms and summarizes brilliantly, the characteristics of those whose work is the direct contact with customers / users, to help or serve them to solve their problems or satisfy their wants and needs, whether in person or by phone.
If you are a support professional make a self-analysis exercise to strengthen how good professional you are or have as a starting point for your weaknesses.
Formal and honest:
There is honesty in his way of acting and ability to engage on business with seriousness and integrity. Before your customers always deliver what they promise and if you cannot explain in a sincere and honest manner without ado.
Never forget to answer customers.
Initiative
Having initiative means to be active and dynamic, with a tendency to act in different situations and respond quickly to problems.
The professional initiative is in itself taking the reins of care (inside the incumbent), makes the proposals/resolutions, search who really can resolve, does not remain passive in the incidents.
Requests or complaints from its customers motivate to take the steps necessary, you know that things are not done by themselves and not expect others to solve and it is up to others to solve, you know how to collect, track.
Ambition.
Be ambitious on positive sense of the word, have a great desire to improve and grow, will have to overcome more and more. The ambitious professionals has clear goals and strive to improve their results, their work seeks to make the most effective way possible.
It is the professional who seeks to overcome customer expectations, always efficient even when the result does not depend directly on you …
Willingness to serve.
It is a natural disposition, not forced, to serve, to help solve the problems brought by users with ease and dignity.
It means not feel slighted (a) to answer the petitions, customer requirements. Not in any way imply servility, but a strictly professional motivation with clear objectives: customer satisfaction, benefit of the company and job satisfaction for the accomplishment and learning.
Like dealing with people.
Not only has a magnificent ability to establish good relationships with others, but also enjoy them, because they love to deal with people!
You feel comfortable listening, making an effort to understand the user’s point of view and spontaneously is friendly and kind.
This ability to “connect” with customers is priceless and arouses great confidence.
Collaboration
It means to be a person who likes to work in a team, like to work with others to achieve a common goal.
It is a essential quality in customer service, because they can respond with success to customer depends not only of the first-level personnel, but is the result of the work of many people of the company.
Your goal is that each customer is satisfied and you prefer your business to competition and to get it know that often have to leave the ego aside and ask for help and effort of other co-workers.
And when necessary also be willing to help fellow workers. Simple like that.
Positive approach.
It has the ability to see things with optimism. Has the constructive approach directed to the solution, not the problem.
It is a vital attitude toward setbacks, seen as an opportunity for learning and personal enrichment, positivity motivates own conduct and propels the action before the others.
Make a mistake with a client serves as learning not to repeat and stimulus to earn their loyalty and compensating for it in a timely manner.
It’s Observer.
It is the ability to capture small details not always obvious to everyone, it is the ability to see or hear what the lines permit.
Especially useful in customer support is to be responsive to the client’s verbal language: a sigh, a pout or the possibility of being face to face with the customer to approach this, your facial expression, anyway.
These aspects help to know what the tone of the conversation and what strategies to use.
Analytical ability.
In interaction with people receive a lot of information and messages, the analytics can extract the important secondary, unfolding a speech or problem in parts, in order to analyze each of the main ideas and according to this analysis, offer the long-awaited solution.
You’ve got to Be Flexible.
Knowing avoiding difficult situations, it is a sum of personal qualities, ingenuity, problem solving skills, self-control, positive approach, all in favor of solving.
It is related to the ability to be effective even under pressure, is strongly associated with factors such as experience, training and emotional maturity. Maybe it’s the ability that leads to surprise the customer, responsible for offering excellent service.
What other personal characteristics do you think good support professionals must have?