Building a Strong Customer Service Team: The Six Attitudes That Create Exceptional Service

In the final analysis, great service teams are the direct result of projecting the right attitudes toward the customer. All management teams that understand this will consistently provide an exceptional service experience to their customers. This is because when all is said and done, the only real memory customers will take away is how they were treated by the people who served them. Let’s briefly look at the six essential attitudes and how they affect the perception that others will have of our service:

1. the attitude of friendship

Customers, above all, measure our service by the kindness shown.

As a customer service representative, we have the perfect opportunity to show goodwill to those who contact us. It gives us a great opportunity to be friendly. I believe this attitude alone can change an entire organization if people simply understand the powerful pull of kindness. I am convinced that if more customer service representatives projected a little more kindness to each customer, the customer would walk away feeling that the service was excellent. Why am I saying this? Because customers as a whole don’t expect it!

I am always baffled when doing business with a company that lacks in this area. The first thought that comes to mind is why any organization would put in front employees who project a hostile attitude towards others. This not only makes customers uncomfortable, but also gives them a legitimate reason not to return in the future.

It’s important to remember that the first guiding principle in providing great service is to understand that our job is simply to satisfy customer requests in the friendliest way. We take care of meeting any need that the client may have at this time. This being the first commandment of customer service, it seems logical that we want the service to be as pleasant as possible.

2. The attitude of enthusiasm

Serving with enthusiasm adds to the overall customer experience.

When we’re excited to serve, we’ll not only excel as customer service representatives, but we’ll also get people talking about our great service. I am convinced that without enthusiasm, customer service becomes more of a duty to fulfill. No other attitude can make us more passionate about service. When we are not enthusiastic about serving others, we somehow start to lose our footing in providing our customers with excellent service.

Being enthusiastic gets others noticed and will always serve our customers better. They walk away feeling that the service was outstanding simply because of our enthusiasm to serve them.

When customers decide to make a purchase of a product or service, they are generally excited about the prospects of purchasing it. We, as customer service representatives, must realize that our enthusiasm will also increase their enthusiasm. When we get excited about them, they in turn get more excited about the purchase.

3. The attitude of caring

Loyalty happens when customers feel that we really care.

Of all the attitudes that exist, none is more powerful than the attitude of caring for others. Only this attitude will determine the outcome of every relationship in life. It carries far more weight than any other attitude simply because it is the cornerstone through which any other attitude will manifest. No other attitude will determine our destiny like how much we care about others.

Customers will also quickly realize our sincere desire to serve them when we care about their needs. Loyalty also begins when our customers feel that meeting their needs is more important than simply making a sale. They will also be more attracted to us because they will feel that we genuinely care about their service experience. Without having to say anything, they will quickly sense from our actions that we can be trusted and will do whatever it takes to meet their immediate needs.

On the other hand, customers will perceive when we do not care about satisfying their needs. Whether we care or not, it will be projected to them in various ways. This attitude is hard to hide because of the many signs that eventually show up.

4. The attitude of respect

Giving respect shows our willingness to serve others.

There is no attitude as attractive as when we genuinely communicate our respect. It not only validates others, but also gives them a sense of dignity. When we meet a person who is respectful of us, we tend to straighten up and present the best of ourselves to them. This is the beauty and benefit of showing respect. It allows us to bring out the best in people.

As service representatives, when we show respect to our customers, we are conveying a willingness to serve them. This attitude also gives our clients a sense of honor because of the high esteem that is communicated through respect. It gives our customers the feeling that we admire and appreciate that they have decided to do business with us.

The mindset that every service representative should have is one in which they see the customer as essential to the overall success of the business. When we see customers as the ones who will help make our business successful, our attitude toward them will begin to change in a more positive way. The key to earning loyalty starts with respect.

5. breath attitude

Encouragement creates a positive environment for both the customer and the company.

When we really start to appreciate what encouragement can do for people, we’ll want to do it more often. A positive word can lift people up and help them do their best. When we serve customers, our words (along with the tone of our voice) they can make a difference in how they perceive our service.

Service superstars have a way of communicating in a pleasant tone of voice. Your encouraging demeanor and kind words instantly give clients confidence that you are looking out for their best interests.

But what about those experiences where service was flagged with a customer service representative who showed no signs of encouragement? I can remember experiences where I was not offered a friendly hello or a welcoming smile. If anything, it felt like I was intruding on his time. There would be no positive sign of encouragement from him. As a customer I wanted to leave as soon as possible. Looking back, I can see that these not-so-pleasant customer service experiences were caused by one person who simply lacked a supportive attitude.

6. The attitude of gratitude

Customers who feel appreciated will rate our service higher.

I remember coming across a story about a young man who had been fired from an ice cream parlor. One of his duties was to say thank you every time he delivered an ice cream cone to a customer. The parlor owner understood the power of appreciation and made it part of every ice cream clerk’s job description. The owner finally had to let the young man go by forgetting him to thank him.

I tell this story because I am convinced that customers will always rate our service higher if we show our appreciation for doing business with us. I am also convinced that the organization that consistently shows appreciation will have an advantage over other similar businesses.

We must remember that in today’s economy, one company can practically match the product of another company. What can separate us from the rest is the service and appreciation we show. The power of appreciation can never be underestimated. We have to understand that everyone enjoys being appreciated. That’s why having an attitude of appreciation is so beneficial if we want to become customer service superstars and project a strong service team.

By learning how to implement these six attitudes into our customer service training, we’ll soon find that our customers tell others about the great service we provide!