When it comes to building any business with longevity it is essential that we master customer service skills.

Here are some of the skills that we must master.

1. Patience

If you deal with customers on a daily basis, you must learn to operate in patience. When they come to you frustrated because something didn’t go as planned or said, you must be sure to take the time to truly figure out what they want or need to be satisfied.  Remember your customer would rather get competent service than be rushed out the door!

2. Clear Communication Skills

As a competent business consultant or manager we need to be cautious about how some of our communication habits translate to customers, and it’s best to stay on the side of caution whenever we find our-self questioning a situation. Also when it comes to important points that you want to get clearly to customers, keep it simple and leave nothing to doubt.

3. Knowledge of the Product

We know that facts tell and stories sell although a clear knowledge of your product will always prove to be a customer service skill that some will fall short on. Without understanding your product from a knowledgeable prospective it could  be fatal to build a quick trust with your client. You could use one of my favorite P.A.T. concepts.  This will help customers when they run into problems. Point At Tools

4. Ability to “Read” Customers

This is an important part of a personally building relationships with your customer/client as well, knowing how to read personalities is essential. Grab the Personalities PDF here… Remember it takes knowing your customers to create a personal experience for them.

More importantly though, this skill is essential because you don’t want to mis-read a customer and end up losing them all together due to confusion and miscommunication.

5. Goal Oriented Focus

This is something that many overlook as a customer service skill, but I assure you that it is vitally important. When you have a goal written as to your core expectation for your customer this will create a heart felt initiative to achieve customer satisfaction first hand.

6. Ability to Handle Surprises

Sometimes the customer support arena will throw you off you guard.

With problems that you encounter that’s not covered in the company’s guidelines, it can get tricky. Your customers may not react how you thought they would. You must be trained how to solve small dilemmas as they arise with little or no stress.

7. Closing skills

You must have a genuine interest to serve your customer, therefore having in mind that if you give them what they wanted you complete the process. Being able to close with a customer means being able to end the conversation with confirmed satisfaction and with the customer feeling that everything has been taken care of (or will be).

8. Willing to learn

This may be missed as a customer care issue, although if you don’t seek to improve, whether it’s building products, marketing businesses, or helping customers, you will get left behind by the people willing to invest in their skills.