7 Pillars of Customer Service: Elevate Your Business

Great customer service doesn’t just happen overnight. It builds from a company culture. It is essential therefore for various companies to implement the following seven ideas when providing good customer service. These ideas are known as the 7 keys of customer care or the 7 Pillars of Customer Service. It indicates what is important for the companies to ensure that their customers are satisfied by identifying the 7 pillars. Happy customers will mean more profits for these firms and thus, enhanced success. What are the 7 key pillars which make much effort to guarantee the best service to customers? Let’s start:

How Do You Define Good Customer Service?

Customer service involves supporting customers through voice, chat, SMS, email, and social channels. It means helping them troubleshoot issues, providing information, and keeping them engaged with your company. This support is essential for improving the customer experience, reducing obstacles in their journey, and boosting satisfaction and retention rates.

Typically, customers reach out when they have problems with your products or services, need help finding information, struggle with self-service options, or face delays in receiving promised value or refunds. They seek swift and effective solutions.

How Does Customer Service Affect the Customer? 

Good customer service revolves around three key elements: timeliness, convenience, and resolving issues on the first contact. In essence, it’s about addressing customer problems promptly and effectively, ensuring they are satisfied and willing to return to your business.

When it’s good, it can leave your customers feeling valued, understood, and willing to come back. They may even tell others how wonderful their experience was. It’s like receiving a warm greeting when you walk into a coffee shop, where the friendly and attractive barista welcomes you and asks about your day. It just feels great! When customers have positive interactions with your brand, they feel valued and appreciated. 

With 7 pillars of customer service their satisfaction increases, which makes them more likely to stay with you. What’s more, providing timely and effective solutions to problems can significantly enhance customer satisfaction. Customers love quick solutions to their problems. Good customer service helps build trust, too. However, poor customer service can have the opposite effect. Customers may become dissatisfied or feel unimportant as a result, leaving them with a negative impression. They might leave a bad review online, and probably tell their friends and family about the bad time they had. It’s like getting a cold shoulder when you ask for help – nobody likes that. 

Moreover, customer service can often solve problems quickly and efficiently, keeping customers happy and loyal. Bad customer service, however, can lead to complaints, returns, stress, and a lot of wasted time and energy for everyone involved. 

7 pillars of customer service

Today, everyone is selling something on the Internet. Each of us has goods or services to offer customers. The main pillar behind effective customer service is trust, even though the word itself might not always be mentioned. Trust is woven into all aspects of good customer service and forms its foundation. Without trust, customer relationships falter, and business success becomes elusive. Building and maintaining trust ensures that customers feel confident in their interactions, leading to loyalty and repeat business. Here are 7 pillars of customer service let’s explore them:

Sincerity

Sincerity is one of the most important hallmarks of customer service. It builds trust and confidence in your dealings with customers. This first pillar helps to build repeat customer sales for your goods and services. Sincerity fosters loyalty, ensuring customers feel valued and respected. It encourages open communication, making it easier to address and resolve issues. By being sincere, you create a foundation of trust that not only brings customers back but also inspires them to recommend your business to others, building lasting business relationships.

Value

Your customers need to see value not only in the product you are selling but also in the service you provide. Value goes beyond just the transaction; it involves creating a meaningful experience. Treat every customer as if they are your top priority. Give each one your full attention. If you run an online business, ensure you have the right tools to make customers feel appreciated and important during their visit to your website.

• Personal Attention: Make every customer feel unique and important. Listen actively and address their specific needs. 
• High-Quality Service: Provide exceptional service that matches the quality of your products. Always aim to exceed expectations. 
• Customer-Centric Tools: For online businesses, use tools like live chat and easy navigation to enhance the customer experience.
• Timely Assistance: Respond quickly to inquiries and issues to show that their time matters. 
• Follow-Up: Check in after a purchase to ensure satisfaction and address any further needs.

Courtesy

Courtesy is the topping on the cake! Connect with your customers in a personal way through pleasant interactions. Businesses prosper when people feel good about spending their money. A negative attitude will always hurt your business. Smile and greet each customer warmly.

• Warm Greetings: The first thing to be done is to greet the patient with a word of greeting and a courteous smile.
• Polite Language: Use polite language whenever possible, and do not forget to add “please” and “thank you” to your language.
• Active Listening: That is why it is important not to interrupt them when listening to what the customers have to say.
• Positive Attitude: People should always remain positive even when facing adversity at the workplace.
• Respect: Be polite to all the customers, always.
• Patience: Do not rush when responding to inquiries from customers, especially those who seem to have many questions and issues to address.
• Personal Touch: Try to recall the ordinary clients and their orders or what kind of products they mostly buy.

Professionalism

Always appear professional in your speech, manner of dress, and how you relate to customers and fellow workers. Show respect to everyone, and if you don't know how to do a certain task, always ask your supervisor or those in authority.

• Dress Appropriately: Wear suitable attire that reflects your business's standards.
• Clear Speech: Communicate clearly and politely.
• Respect: Treat everyone with dignity and courtesy.
• Ask for Help: When unsure, seek guidance from supervisors or experienced colleagues.
• Stay Composed: Keep calm and professional, even in challenging situations.

Helpfulness

Helpfulness is a crucial part of customer service. Your customers need to know that you are there to assist them until they get it right.

• Be Available: Be ready to help when needed.
• Clear Instructions: Provide easy-to-follow guidance.
• Follow Through: Make sure the issue is fully resolved.
• Extra Support: Offer additional help if needed.
• Patience: Take the time to assist customers thoroughly.

Knowledge of Product

Perhaps one of the biggest sins you can ever commit in the field of customer service is when you lack understanding of what you are offering to clients. Some people have the desire to sell certain products but possess no information, knowledge, or awareness about them. This means that you need to understand your products very well so that you can sell them repeatedly in the future.

• Know Your Products: Give yourself knowledge of everything about what you are selling.
• Stay Updated: Update yourself on new features and modifications.
• Answer Questions: Be ready to answer any customer inquiries confidently.
• Demonstrate Use: Show customers how to use the product effectively.
• Build Trust: Knowledgeable service builds customer trust and loyalty.

The Customer is the Boss!

Whether you run a brick-and-mortar store or an online business, every customer is the boss. Attracting and retaining customers is key to profitability.

• Respect Each Customer: Treat every customer with importance.
• Focus on Needs: Understand and meet their needs.
• Stay Positive: Always maintain a welcoming attitude.
• Value Feedback: Listen to and use customer feedback.
• Ensure Satisfaction: Aim to keep customers happy to encourage repeat business.

Conclusion

Understanding and implementing the seven pillars of customer service is crucial for any business aiming to thrive. These 7 pillars of customer service form the backbone of customer interactions, turning routine exchanges into opportunities for creating loyal, satisfied customers. That is why, using the following seven concepts, it is possible to create customer service that would be appealing to customers. This ensures that they have a good reputation hence allowing them to be more successful in the future. Out of all the pillars that you have discussed, which one do you think is the most critical for companies to pay attention to when catering to their customers? Are you ready to elevate customer service to the next level by embracing these essential pillars?

FAQs

Can these 7 pillars of customer service be used for all the forms of businesses and in all industries?

Yes, the pillars mentioned above of business can be effectively applied to different types of businesses like trading businesses, technology-related businesses, manufacturing businesses, and so on.

Why is product and service knowledge a fundamental pillar in customer service?

Product and service knowledge is fundamental in customer service as it ensures accurate and informed assistance. A thorough understanding of offerings instills trust in customers, enabling service representatives to provide relevant and reliable solutions, ultimately contributing to customer satisfaction and loyalty. 

References:

https://customerservicetrainingcenter.com/customer_service_training_The-Seven-Pillars-of-Customer-Service-Workshop.htm

https://www.sprinklr.com/blog/pillars-of-customer-service/#toc-0