Soft Skills and Customer Service
Soft skills are the behaviors which directly impact our guest’s impressions and feelings. These behaviors have the opportunity to cause positive, negative or even indifferent reactions from our customers. Some examples of behavior could include; our own communication styles, both verbal and non-verbal, tone, attitudes, teamwork, awareness, authenticity, empathy and even leadership. Soft skills take guests right to the brain’s emotional reflex center. They are the express train for our guests feeling they are receiving great service, especially exceptionally great service! The way employees greet and interact with guests, the manner in which they listen to their needs and requests, and the care they take in each touchpoint is a soft skill. It’s how they make them feel! Hard skills like knowing how to work the till, knowing your product or even how to sell to someone will get you through the day, but will not yield the rewards that the triggering of positive emotions of our customers will do.
Employees need to understand what soft skills are, and why they will lead to great emotional benefits for both them and their guests. Science supports these outcomes with more and more evidence of how our brains respond to the multiple points of contact in our lives. When we understand what those triggers are and how we are impacted ourselves or how we impact others, we can then be proactive about how we handle those points of contact. This is what our Service EdgeTM training in soft skills is all about and what will lead to exceptional service delivery and the most memorable guest experiences. It is understanding how you like to be treated, and showing he same care to guests.
Caring is a key component and a key soft skill in service delivery. There are many ways to show we care, even with complete strangers and guests with whom we may interact for only a few moments. Smiling is one of the soft skills that can instantly show interest. Smiling with both eyes and voice add even more impact. But how can we “smile from our voice?”
If you work in customer service, you likely already know that using the right tone of voice can make a big difference in making the customer feel comfortable and coming back time and again. Here are some tips on getting and keeping a better tone.
Smile:
It's always best to answer the phone or greet a customer with a pleasant tone of voice that is welcoming and gives the impression that you are ready to help the customer. Smiling while speaking is an ideal way to make sure that your voice sounds cheerful yet professional
Don’t Speak Too Softly:
Speaking in a soft tone of voice may prevent customers from hearing you correctly, which can lead to miscommunication. Be sure to turn the volume up if your voice is naturally soft, and try to project so that your words are heard clearly.
Don’t Speak Too Loudly:
While you do want to speak loud enough for the customer to hear you, it's important not to be too loud, as this can sound harsh and abrasive. Try to set a medium volume if you have a loud voice by nature, so that your tone is not too overwhelming.
Mastering Correct Tone:
Every customer deserves to get the best service from you each time the phone is answered or a customer walks in. If you've just ended a stressful meeting or are having a hard time completing a project, this should not be evident in your voice. If necessary, take a few deep breaths before answering the phone or offering to assist, and always keep a mirror next to the phone to remind yourself to smile while speaking.
Another powerful soft skill that goes hand in hand with tone is empathy. This is a habit employees can cultivate, especially once they understand what it is all about. Empathy is a critical soft skill for service excellence. Empathy is about being able to relate to someone else, to step into their shoes, to understand why they might be feeing the way they do or to anticipate why they might feel a certain way. Empathy is about discovering other people’s tastes and assembling the personal ingredients for service success. Getting better at service delivery and inspiring memorable guest experiences, even in the most simple, brief and ordinary moments, is directly connected to better understanding human nature.
How do your employees impact your guest’s impressions and feelings?
Alethea Porter
Regional Training Account Manager
a.porter@signaturecanada.ca
Phone: 403-461-6590
www.signaturecanada.ca
Employees need to understand what soft skills are, and why they will lead to great emotional benefits for both them and their guests. Science supports these outcomes with more and more evidence of how our brains respond to the multiple points of contact in our lives. When we understand what those triggers are and how we are impacted ourselves or how we impact others, we can then be proactive about how we handle those points of contact. This is what our Service EdgeTM training in soft skills is all about and what will lead to exceptional service delivery and the most memorable guest experiences. It is understanding how you like to be treated, and showing he same care to guests.
Caring is a key component and a key soft skill in service delivery. There are many ways to show we care, even with complete strangers and guests with whom we may interact for only a few moments. Smiling is one of the soft skills that can instantly show interest. Smiling with both eyes and voice add even more impact. But how can we “smile from our voice?”
If you work in customer service, you likely already know that using the right tone of voice can make a big difference in making the customer feel comfortable and coming back time and again. Here are some tips on getting and keeping a better tone.
Smile:
It's always best to answer the phone or greet a customer with a pleasant tone of voice that is welcoming and gives the impression that you are ready to help the customer. Smiling while speaking is an ideal way to make sure that your voice sounds cheerful yet professional
Don’t Speak Too Softly:
Speaking in a soft tone of voice may prevent customers from hearing you correctly, which can lead to miscommunication. Be sure to turn the volume up if your voice is naturally soft, and try to project so that your words are heard clearly.
Don’t Speak Too Loudly:
While you do want to speak loud enough for the customer to hear you, it's important not to be too loud, as this can sound harsh and abrasive. Try to set a medium volume if you have a loud voice by nature, so that your tone is not too overwhelming.
Mastering Correct Tone:
Every customer deserves to get the best service from you each time the phone is answered or a customer walks in. If you've just ended a stressful meeting or are having a hard time completing a project, this should not be evident in your voice. If necessary, take a few deep breaths before answering the phone or offering to assist, and always keep a mirror next to the phone to remind yourself to smile while speaking.
Another powerful soft skill that goes hand in hand with tone is empathy. This is a habit employees can cultivate, especially once they understand what it is all about. Empathy is a critical soft skill for service excellence. Empathy is about being able to relate to someone else, to step into their shoes, to understand why they might be feeing the way they do or to anticipate why they might feel a certain way. Empathy is about discovering other people’s tastes and assembling the personal ingredients for service success. Getting better at service delivery and inspiring memorable guest experiences, even in the most simple, brief and ordinary moments, is directly connected to better understanding human nature.
How do your employees impact your guest’s impressions and feelings?
Alethea Porter
Regional Training Account Manager
a.porter@signaturecanada.ca
Phone: 403-461-6590
www.signaturecanada.ca
Alethea Porter
Signature Canada is a leader in training employees to deliver legendary customer service while increasing sales. Since 1986, Signature’s unique training methodology has provided a measurable ROI for our customers, compelling them to return year after year. We offer Canadian companies, personalized, sustainable and measurable business and training solutions which contribute to optimize income by developing sales and service skills dedicated to create memorable experiences.