What a customer wants, what a customer needs

I gained my experience in different countries and companies – hospitality, retail, private education, marketing, you name it. I wouldn’t call myself a customer support veteran, but customer-centricity and satisfaction were at the bulls-eye throughout every career step I took. I can strongly say that no matter the field, there are a few main expectations and trends every client requires.

Cybercare is the first technology product support company I had the pleasure of working at. In my time here, I’ve learned the ins-and-outs of products, but most importantly – the significance of the positive client journey. I will not be talking about technical parts of the job as it may seem not as productive or, let’s be honest, attractive to our readers, though I will share a list of my work-secrets with you:

• When customers contact us first, the expectation is straightforward – hearing them out! We must take our time to really listen and understand what troubles they’re having, what they are trying to achieve and what they have tried already and struggled with. Only then it’s our time to start suggesting different ways to troubleshoot their problems and finally – solve them!
• My second point naturally comes to empathy. Every client is a unique client. Their feedback always needs to be heard, appreciated, valued and reacted to. Every issue must be treated as a serious one and the best solution must be presented to our clients at all times. If you’re trying to be the best at customer care, there is no way to do so without EMPATHY!
• Being professional but not robotic, I believe, is one of our success factors, too! We often encounter the same old apologies and
  excuses to things not being up to par or fulfilling the client’s expectation. In these situations, I, of course, suggest staying
  professional but using a human language to explain what’s happened and how we’re SO SO keen to fix it and attend to our client’s needs as we promised. It is important not to fear showing we’re people here too and adjust to the tone of the conversation the
  client is dictating. This balance is not so easy to learn, yet comes with experience.
• Speed of the service doesn’t necessarily mean good quality. However, fast response and reaction to customer’s struggles are
  critical in customer experience. Showing the client they’re a priority is crucial in establishing trust and responsibility. If you can help now rather than later – it’s the right thing to do!
• Finally, to reach the superior standard of customer experience is not just to provide the solution. It’s that little extra we’re willing
  to do. The surprise factor is what makes us stand out! Customers expect one thing that we’re here to provide but on top of that, why
  not add a little service time for the trouble they’re experiencing? Or suggest the most exclusive deals and hacks to use features of
  products fully? If you give yourself a positive answer to the question ‘can I do more?’ then walking that extra mile is what you should be doing.

To sum it all up, there are many techniques on how client support could be performed and/or perceived. However, I feel like the most important thing is to treat every customer with the high standard you’d expect if you were in their shoes. This is where your skill, experience and emotional intelligence come in handy. And whatever you do, do not forget to show some human-care and willingness to go above and beyond!