Customer Service Career Guide and Counseling

Question: Customer service? I work at a fast food restaurant and I seriously lack customer service. I sometimes do a cashier but I get awkward with almost every customer, and they become awkward with me too. It's really stressful and embarrassing. Many customers also have a little hard time hearing what I'm saying, because my voice quality is what's not easy to hear. I feel like I'm an amateur staff at this restaurant. What's worse is that English is my second language. I usually pronounce some words weirdly, or mix up sentences. Sometimes I can't think right away what would be appropriate/professional things to say to a customer. My question is, how can you transform from an amateur to a professional?

Answer: Two easy steps! One ~ Smile! A pleasant smile and a friendly manner makes up for many things. If you smile and treat people in a friendly way, they will be more patient with you and also respond in a friendly way to you. Remember ~ others also pronounce words 'weirdly' and not everyone speaks perfect english, even if they have been born and raised to speak only english! Two ~ Concentrate on what you are doing. Customers resent it when the staff member who is serving them makes repeated mistakes or appears flustered and nervous. Take your time (not too slow), and get it right. Then thank the customer for their patience. If there are some customers who come in regularly, and look friendly, make a point of saying to them, "Thanks for always being so patient, it is hard to learn a new skill at my age". This will let them know you are a beginner and they will not be so tough on you. Even if someone is rude, put it immediately to the back of your mind until later (then say a few nasty things about them under your breath). Do NOT complain or ask for mercy ~ simply go on with your work. If you say nothing, but simply go on to the next person and do the best job you can, others will respect that you are making an effort. If you concentrate on your work, and put on a happy face, you will find the days pass more quickly and soon you will have gained the skills you lack. In six months you will wonder why you found it so tough :-) Everyone had to start somewhere and one thing you do NOT lack is customer service ~ because you have shown you do wish to serve your customers well. You may not yet have the skills, but you certainly have the right attitude! Good luck and best wishes ! :-)

Question: What is the best Customer Service Tip you'd give an employee to give your customers great service? I'm the manager of a hotel, and I have a program where we have a Customer Service Tip of the Week, and I'm running out! I need more ideas! Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.

Answer: Treat the customer well. They provide you your salary

Question: How important is customer service to you? Does good customer service make you a customer? What makes you return to a certain store or business?

Answer: Customer service is a biggie in my book. I will go someplace further away or someplace that costs a little bit more if I get better customer service. I think it has to do partially with the fact that I've been there. I've worked those kind of jobs. Just like Shannon J, I worked at a Kroger company (I worked at Dillon's, but it's the same company) and customer service was a HUGE issue there, especially in my department, I worked in the "Customer Service" desk. I also worked tech support for an internet service provider, and again, customer service was a huge focus there as well. I also try to go out of my way and tell the manager about someone who does an excellent job providing customer service. I know a lot of times the managers only hear the bad things, so I want to let them know about something good for once.

Question: Does Verizon have the worst customer service or what? I just switched all my cable, internet and phone to Verizon FIOS. The technology is great, but I've had nothing but headaches from their customer service. They screwed up switching my phone number, so I have a temporary phone number for 3 weeks until they can straighten it out. I've had to call the customer service line for other issues and have had extremely long wait times, got transfered to other reps all over the place, and just plain attitudes from them. Anyone else have bad service from Verizon? I used to think AT&T had the worst customer service but now Verizon has taken the number one spot!

Answer: Verizon is pretty bad but AT&T is still the worst. By far!!

Question: What's the best option for customer service for small online shop? I am building an e-commerce site and I have most aspects set. But a big problem is customer service. I have a day job and can't take calls regarding my own business at work. What service or solution can I use to address this. I need customer service and order taking but really only need one person since it will be slow at first. I thought maybe a virtual assistant or indian call center. But those are expensive. Any suggestions? Thank you.

Answer: If your schedule is reliable, then you could have inquiries made via e-mail with a promise that someone will get back to them within a few hours to answer questions or confirm an order. With a small online shop, visitors obviously prefer but aren't actually expecting a number to call for assistance and e-mail is sufficient. Putting an app on the site that lets them fill in a form is even better, because they don't feel like their communication has disappeared into the ether. Depending on the nature of your business, you might not find a virtual assistant very helpful beyond taking messages -- customer queries typically fall on technical problems with the site or fit and colour if it's clothing, etc. I'm not sure what the capabilities are of a V.A. service, but they could end up a little lost if the questions asked require a certain intimacy with your product. Until you've been live for a few weeks or months and you know what kind of service queries are coming in, you can probably handle your own customer service with a Blackberry or just regular access to a computer.

Question: What does a customer service rep in the insurance industry do? I have quite a bit of customer service experience in my background - and I have just applied for a customer service position for an ins. co. The ad said no experience was required, just a strong cust service background. I am trying to prepare for a possible interview, and wondered if anyone could fill me in on what could be some of the resp. of the position. Thanks!

Answer: More than anything you will probably will be answering the phone and transferring calls to a license agent. In most states you are not able to collect money, or quote policies unless you are license. You may have to help with by distributing mail and marketing.

Question: Who has the best customer service and rated as best for cellphone companies? I just got Tmobile and they were not very customer oriented, so I know they are not the best. Customer Service is just as if not as important as the phone.

Answer: Wish I could dig the article up but Verizon was rated the best service provider by consumers in 2008. I started out with T-Mobile years ago but the coverage sucked so I switched to Verizon. The coverage is better and I'm rocking an enV but I still don't like some limitations (video file size caps, voicemail interface, etc). I'm happy but I'll probably switch unless Verizon picks up the next gen Android .

Question: What is the worst customer service you have ever had? I am in the customer service business and I get amazed at some of the stuff other people do and get away with. Just curious what was the worst customer experience you have ever had?

Answer: With Washington Mutual Bank, there was a error, next thing I know my house is in foreclosure. Tried to access the web site, was blocked, Tried calling the 800 # after 2 times was blocked, called from my cell phone 2 times was blocked. The moment my account # was spoken, so sorry screw you. Went to the Washington Mutual Bank, took the lady 1 and half hours to get through to somebody, was hung up on twice. Who knows where to call? The 800 # is the only available # given. Work with you, don't want to foreclose,, ya right,,, Went around and around with an operator that yelled so loudly at me the lady at the next desk heard her. Ask to speak to a supervisor, God forbid, Must of given lessons to the other one. Bank statements in my hand showing all payments, didn't have a thing to discuss with me, nothing further, Enjoy my last night in my house, get packing... Then hung up the phone on me. Did get her name....haha made her repeat it and spell it for me 9 times. 5 minutes to 5:00 now what learned 10 days before hand my house was being auctioned off in two days. I work a forty hour week. This was my day off spent all day on not my phone, just to be nowhere, 7,800 dollars was expected no ifs, ands, or buts. Paid housepayments for 8 years never even late. Oh, was asked why it took me four days to lie around and do nothing about my situation, forget the arguing or should I say screaming..... They yelled louder and was ruder than I had been taught. Saved my house, why? twice the amount of money on a 38,000$ loan is so much nicer than just paying it once with 10% interest. Clerical error.... 2 months ago, seemed to be a clitch. Still waiting for itemized list of funds paid to them. Never have received a statement telling me when my next housepayment was due, I think I paid up to July. 2 months ahead???? mmmmph !!sTILL am waiting for an acknowledgement of received funds, can't call them still blocked on phone and internet, have to go back to work now, maybe my bank will refund me the six dollars it cost to get copies of bank statements, ya think? Did turn her into the Better B.B. an operator on a different coast seemed to be in disbelief, why? Did she really say that to you? Recorded not on my end....... operator floor supervisor I've got your #...........

Question: How does the outsourced telephone customer service work? I just realized I have been talking to the same customer service representative for different products (different companies). This can only mean my number is part of some database that belongs to some company that provides this service wholesale, where my number automatically goes to the same rep.. Am I right on my assumption? I am extremely sure the voice is the same (with good clear connection) . Just curious.

Answer: Not quite. Chances are that the outsourced corp has very few employees. Therefore, you seem to be speaking with the same person.

Question: Answering customer service enquiries in the freight and logistics industry? I do customer services in the freight and logistics industry and sometimes customers ring up and ask (and sometimes not politely) where their shipment is. What do I say to them that will a) keep them satified and b) keep me happy at the end of the day? Any websites to overcome this problem?? What rights as a customer service representative do I have?

Answer: I don't know of any website to help you on this matter, but as a truck driver myself and have worked in many warehouses. I would tell them the truth. Maybe you don't know where the drive is. Or tell them that the drive had some problems with the truck, but if you pick this one at least let the truck drive what kind of story you told the customer. This way he will know what to tell the customer what happened. I had a customer service rep tell a store that I broke down, but I would still make the delivery on time. When in fact I was stuck in the snow and was running about 3 hours late. As you can imagine there was a big fight between the store, myself, and the customer service rep.