Effectively Respond to Customers’ Complaints with Technical Support

When your customers call, email, open chats, or otherwise request customer service technical support, you have a unique opportunity to win a loyal customer or lose a loyal customer, all by the way you handle their issue.

Your CSAT scores, Customer Effort Scores, and other metrics are all related to your ability to handle customer service technical support effectively. As we talked about before, it’s a matter of remembering the basics.

The Basics of Customer Service Technical Support

Sometimes, it’s easy to get caught up in the latest buzz phrase or popular philosophy about customer service. Just as in sports, music, coding, or any other endeavor, you’ve got to take care of the basics before you do anything else. In customer service technical support, the basics are competence, a single contact, speed, courtesy, and professionalism.

Competence

Competence means you know the products and services you support. You strive to be the best in the world at understanding them. You may not achieve being the best in the world, but in striving for that level of quality you will achieve excellence. Set up test labs (either real or virtual), pursue certifications, attend vendor demonstrations, and do whatever you can to increase your knowledge.

Single Contact Customer Service

The most important factor in earning good Customer Effort Scores (CES) is to resolve their issues with a single contact. Of course, there are times when that’s not possible, but the biggest complaint customers have with technical support involves a need for repeated contacts on the same issue. Do your best to resolve issues during the first contact.

Speed

All customers want speed. They want you to resolve their issue as quickly as possible. Sometimes, as you know, that’s not possible. When an issue is taking longer than you expect, be sure to communicate with the customer or coworker so they can plan accordingly. Offer an apology that it’s taking longer than expected, along with an assurance that it’s a top priority. Depending on the particular type of issue and the length of delay, consider providing status updates.

Courtesy

Manners go a long way in helping create satisfied and loyal customers. Say please, thank you, and you’re welcome. Be sensitive to cues that your customer or coworker gives about whether they’re in a time crunch or want to engage in small talk.

Professionalism

Being professional involves competence, being well-groomed, conducting yourself with confidence, not complaining, treating others with dignity and respect, carrying yourself with dignity and respect, and being approachable by customers and coworkers.

No Guarantees in Customer Service Technical Support

Use these five factors in your relationships with customers and coworkers and you’ll increase your odds of avoiding common complaints with technical support. Of course, there are no guarantees, but use these five practices and you’ll be well on your way to better CSAT and Customer Effort Scores.

Next Level IT Customer Service Training

Enroll your team now in Compassionate Geek IT online customer service training so they can work together, get things done, and take care of customers.