10 customer service values that you should remember

At the center of every company lies the core values that all customer service agents must adhere to.

These customer-centric values are the driving force behind everything representatives do and what guide them to giving the best service possible.

This article dives deeper into the different values to keep in mind to always provide excellent customer service.

What are customer service values?

Customer service values are ideals or principles that help guide your company in the right direction.

These abstract values define your company’s culture and how you interact with your customers. They lay a foundation for creating a positive and reliable customer service experience.

The list of values may differ depending on the company, but they must reflect the kind of business you want to be and that they are what motivates agents to perform at their best.

Why you must follow customer service values

Adhering to a set of customer service values brings many positive effects on both the company and the customer.

Satisfied customers

To customers, a company that sticks to its beliefs is very important as it shows that it values its work.

Sticking to your company’s customer service values ensures that your customers are happy with your service and that they will keep coming back.

Furthermore, these values prioritize your relationship with consumers, so staying true to them will show that you truly care about your patrons.

Enhanced brand reputation

Satisfied customers will lead to a good brand reputation. Your business will eventually generate referrals, improving growth and results.

Similarly, businesses like working with those who maintain their values as it builds trust between the two sides.

Following your values may even convert non-customers to your brand, meaning your following will be even larger than before.

Increased employee morale

Employees are motivated to do their jobs well as when they understand and internalize these values. It creates a positive and driven work environment where they are committed to their work. 

Reduced turnover rate

Having happier employees also leads to a decrease in turnover rate. Upholding these values and reaping the rewards afterward will entice employees to stay in the company longer.

By following these values, your staff will better understand their responsibilities and be guided toward career growth.

10 customer service values to keep in mind:

Listed below are some common customer service values businesses use. You can use the following as a guide to help you form yours:

1. Accountability

Accountability means taking responsibility for your actions. When you tell your customers something, they expect you to deliver on that. 

While companies do not always provide picture-perfect products or services, they must own up to their mistakes, regardless of whether it was directly or indirectly their fault.

When a brand is willing to make up for its mistakes, it redeems itself in the customers’ eyes, which may cause them to remain loyal.

2. Respect

Every customer deserves to be treated with respect, regardless of background or the kind of questions or concerns.

Showing politeness and support will positively end the call and leave the customer feeling satisfied with the experience.

Furthermore, showing respect for your employees and everyone in the workplace is also a great practice. Spreading positivity to others (not just your customers) will reflect in your calls.

3. Authenticity

Good customer service involves meaningful conversations. Customers do not want to engage with a robotic representative who only says generic things that are not even helpful.

Employees need to listen intently to what the customer has to say and respond as a human being would. Only then will they be able to form a connection and provide the support they need.

4. Empathy

Empathy means putting yourself in someone else’s position to understand how they feel and what they are going through.

By putting yourself in the customer’s shoes, you now have a clearer picture of what kind of service they need.

Establishing empathy also helps create customer rapport as you know how they feel. They will likely feel happier and satisfied as a result.

5. Trust

When consumers buy a product or service, they are essentially showing that they trust the company to do what it says it would.

Good customer service is all about establishing trust with people, which will make them return to your brand. Otherwise, you will end up losing customers. 

It is essential to show customers that your services are trustworthy and that you deliver on your promises.

Trust goes a long way. When customer service agents show they can be trusted to fulfill certain promises, they will attract more people to avail of their services, increasing sales along the way.

6. Customer-centeredness

Customer service is about helping people, which must be the company’s priority. Every action must be done in the best interest of the customer.

Putting your customers first and exceeding the bare minimum puts you ahead of your competitors. This means you have a loyal customer base that will always choose your brand.

7. Continuous improvement

Working in customer service is not just about helping one customer and moving on to the next. There are ways to improve and go beyond simply answering the customer’s questions.

One way to do this is by collecting customer feedback (satisfied and unsatisfied) and applying this to future calls.

8. Transparency

In relation to trust, companies must be open and transparent with their customers. Honesty on the part of businesses is more beneficial to them than not telling the whole truth.

Customers are more likely to forgive a company’s mistakes if it is upfront about them. It allows brands to fix the issue again, making them look like an honorable business to the customer.

9. Professionalism

No business wants hard-to-deal-with customers, but every service rep will encounter at least one. 

Like any business, customer service representatives must remain professional and level-headed, especially when faced with difficult customers.

While it may be tempting to answer back at an unreasonable customer, remaining calm in this situation is more commendable than trying to stoop to the customer’s level.

It will look impressive to everyone in the workplace and show other customers you are civil and capable of handling tricky situations.

10. Persistence

Some problems are more difficult to solve than others, and agents may want to give up and move on to another problem.

However, setting one problem aside may also lead to one less customer. It is the customer service rep’s responsibility to keep trying different solutions until the problem is resolved.

Persistence is very important in the eyes of customers as it shows them that the company is not willing to give up on them and will not stop until they are satisfied.

Tips for practicing customer service values

These values are key to successful customer service as they give agents a guide on how to provide the best service possible.

Here are some ways to help employees practice these values:

Training sessions

Comprehensive training sessions with managers and professionals are always helpful as they provide the basics on how to approach these values.

You can come up with creative ways to train your employees, such as role-playing with fellow workers, reviewing case studies, or reenacting scenarios.

The important thing is that your staff will leave with new knowledge that they can apply to future calls.

Lead by example

Employees are more inspired to follow these values if they see them being practiced by others. 

As a manager or supervisor, show your employees the ropes by demonstrating these values at work.

They will eventually pick up on the little nuances of these ideals and apply them to their own customer interactions.

Remember to give specific feedback on what areas they did well on and where they need improvement.

Practice them in your daily life

These values do not have to be limited to the office as they can even be practiced at home or anywhere else.

For example, you can practice authenticity and respect with the people in your daily lives or any new people you meet outside of the workplace.

You may even pick up new skills, such as active listening and communication, which will help you interact with strangers over the phone.

Taking customer service values to heart

These customer service values are stepping stones needed to foster meaningful relationships with customers. 

Companies that truly uphold and practice these principles daily when interacting with customers are the ones that thrive and achieve success. Outsourcing firms like OP360 understand this well.

Furthermore, people choose companies whose values reflect their own, so all businesses must strive to gain customers who share the same values as you.