Are you fresh out of college? Or have you been working in your current career for more than a decade? It’s never the wrong time to reconsider your work life options. You might feel stuck in a rut, your job might not be satisfying you, or you might not know where to go to apply for your first entry-level position. Many roles nowadays have an element of customer service. This can range from the telephone receptionist in a law firm to a social media manager who is conversing with clients over online platforms for eight hours a day. Customer facing doesn’t necessarily mean seeing another human physically. It could simply mean having contact with people through a variety of means. Being a customer facing does require specific attributes. Have you got what it takes?
Patience
Often being in a customer facing role means being the first point of contact for those people who are eager to make a complaint. It could be as simple as not having had their item arrive on time or more serious issues of misconduct and negligence. You need to be able to maintain a calm facade no matter what thoughts are racing through your head. Try to empathize with the customer and put yourself in their shoes. Imagine ordering a present for a significant birthday with plenty of time to spare only for it not to turn up. Be patient and allow the customer to rant if they have to. When there is a gap, interject and sympathize. Make it clear that you will take their complaint seriously. Detail how you will escalate the complaint and make sure you keep them informed of any progress and developments.
Sales
Customer facing roles often mean being motivated by sales and money making initiatives. If someone telephones your company enquiring about an offer they have seen on a social media platform, it might be up to you to secure the sale. If you streamline your sales process and ensure that every member of the company follows the same approach, the brand can gain a reputation for exceptional customer care rather than pushy sales tactics. Cold calling is no longer thought of as a suitable approach to earning revenue. However enticing customers to be more active in the sales process to make the first move has proven profitable.
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Communication Skills
Sometimes you will be talking to people over the telephone, at other times you might be emailing to respond to an inquiry, and at other points, you might be responding to a Twitter post or Instagram comment. Adapting your tone and voice for each method of communicationand for each customer type is a skill. Get this right, and you could find yourself with an exceptional reputation for customer service, find yourself with positive reviews online and with more traffic to your company’s website to convert to sales.
Customer facing roles are no longer lesser qualified jobs. They encompass every tier of a firm and every sector of the industry. If you have what it takes, consider applying your skills to a customer facing role.
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