Part 2; Attentiveness!

 

Last week, I introduced the series ''PACK'', and I promised to break down each letter of the acronym to essentially communicate the essential customer care service skills that every organisation needs. We successfully interpreted the ''P'' which represented 'Patience', and now we are moving on to edition two of the series.

''A'' represents  ''Attentiveness''.  Now let us define the word according to the 'Merriam Webster dictionary'. ''Thinking about or watching something carefully : paying careful attention to something'', ''very concerned about the need of others''. This definition fully embodies the character EVERY customer service organisation should instill in every member of her staff. This definition commands a selfless attitude in serving your customers.The ability to really listen to customers is so crucial for providing great service for a number of reasons. The word 'really' is the operative word in that sentence, as most people tend to listen with the intent to respond and not to actually hear and understand what is being said. When dealing with a customer, it is imperative to understand that every word from the customers mouth matters, and you need to get the question or complaint the FIRST time, and not make the customer repeat themselves. If a customer finds that you continuously ask them to repeat their inquiry/complaint, they could get very offended, and we know what 'dissatisfied customers' do. ( Refer to my post on '' Goals of Customer Service'').

In being Attentive to customers, it is NOT just what the customer says that should get your attention, but also the message conveyed by their body language. The body language sometimes conveys more than words, and it is essential that in serving your customer, your attentive antenna is pivoted to receive ALL signals coming through. For instance, customers may not be saying it outright, but perhaps there is a pervasive feeling that your software's dashboard isn't laid out correctly. Customers aren't likely to say, "Please improve your UX!", but they may say things like, "I can never find the search feature," or, "Where is the _____ function at again?"( Gregory Ciotti). What are your customers telling you without saying it? Sometimes, customers communicate by having a frown on their face, grumblings, or just acting uneasy the whole time they are at your office. It is the job of every organisation with a vision of achieving optimum customer service, to pick out these signals of customer dissatisfaction, and attend to them with tactful empathy and a timely resolution.

Being attentive is the fundamental essential for achieving customer service, because a problem can only be resolved when it is understood. And understanding a situation comes from a good listen, observation and an analysis of both!