1. Respond immediately, even if you don't yet have a solution.

As soon as you receive a support request and you know you can't provide a customer service solution immediately, write a quick and personalized response to show that you understand the request and are working to resolve it. An automated response from the system won't suffice because we all understand: "Great, I'm on a long waiting list!"

Automated responses can diminish the trust that someone is actually helping them solve their problems. In contrast, a quick response that only takes you 20 seconds to write will simultaneously earn the customer's trust.

2. You are human, and so are your customers. Speak with humanity.

Try to speak in a friendly, natural, and personal way. This means calling your customers by name, asking how they are, or even commenting on something unrelated like the weather. The great thing is that your customers will tend to mimic your tone of voice.

If you are friendly and reasonable, your customers will be too. If you maintain that tone throughout the conversation, even after the issue is resolved, customers will feel more comfortable asking for help and providing feedback afterward. Speaking in a friendly manner will also help you retain customers.

3. Personalize your responses.

Each situation is different, so each customer needs a personalized message tailored specifically to them. Stale answers, on the other hand, are easily pointed out and will make you look bad. And using pre-written answers only works if you understand that you're answering the same questions repeatedly.

Instead, always personalize your responses, even if only slightly, for each individual customer and situation.

4. Explain things in multiple ways.

Different things will affect different people. Therefore, be prepared to explain something in multiple ways, for example, with a list, a picture, references from documents, or even via Skype chat or phone call.

Then, keep trying until you solve the problem. As we said before, "Don't waste time telling people where to click and then only then starting to show them."

5. Communicate using emojis.

Connecting using emojis and stickers is faster, more expressive, and more meaningful than just texting. Use emojis in supportive activities whenever you feel it's appropriate.

Your customers will get used to it and appreciate that the conversation doesn't become too serious.

6. Don't assume anything.

One of the main challenges of modern support is talking technology to people who don't understand it. When responding to customers, don't assume they are technology experts.

Similarly, don't assume they know absolutely nothing. Any assumption can lead to disrespect or arrogance on our part. You should strike the right balance and phrase your answer appropriately.

7. Be realistic. Don't make too many promises.

Always be honest about what you can and cannot do. Making too many promises you can't deliver will only make you look bad and leave your customers unhappy. If a feature or product is faulty, be understanding and apologize first.

If you make a mistake, admit it and do everything you can to resolve it properly. This transparency will be truly honest. And over time, it will build trust with your customers – which is invaluable.

This also gives you the opportunity to surprise and delight your customers when you share something.

8. The customer is never at fault.

If a customer can't use the product you've created, it's always your fault. That's the attitude you need to have when someone is having trouble using a feature. You need to apologize for the inconvenience, explain what you think might help, and ask for their perspective on how things could be improved.

9. Think like the customer – proactively address your responses.

When customers ask you questions like, “Where do I go to set up an email for my clients?”, you need to evaluate that question as part of a series of questions. Such a question will lead to other questions like, “Can I use my own template?”, “Can I change my name in the From field?”, “How do I see the results?”, and many more.

Therefore, when you answer the first question, don't just answer that question. Add answers to subsequent questions that you know the customer will definitely ask.

10. End in an "inviting" way.

Always end your support message by inviting customers to ask further questions and also letting you know if they feel their issue has been resolved. Only as a last resort should you make them feel like it's time to end the conversation when you no longer have time for them.

Hopefully, these tips will help you become more professional when interacting with customers and develop long-term customer relationships. Good luck!

Source: Halozend