6 principles of customer service etiquette

Customer service etiquette principles should be embedded in every facet of your organization because providing superior customer service is the most effective way to differentiate your business from the competition.

Many employees will enter a job with little or no knowledge of how to interact or communicate with customers and without an appreciation of the importance of providing exceptional customer service.

Employers have a responsibility to establish and effectively communicate the ground rules for how an employee should operate within their company. Often an employee receives a manual or orientation without any formal training on the company’s unique culture or way of doing business. With this lack of understanding, employees actually define company policies based on their social norms, leading to lost productivity, morale, and profitability.

Empower your employees by teaching them the six principles of customer service etiquette. Properly train and educate your employees on how to interact and communicate with customers to provide superior customer service, cultivate long-term customer relationships, build customer loyalty, and differentiate your business from the competition.

6 principles of customer service etiquette:

• Smile and show good manners. Teach employees to smile by leading by example. Establish a culture of high-quality customer service and commit to providing superior service, whether over the phone or face-to-face.
• Make customers feel comfortable, valued and appreciated.
• Treat customers with respect, empathy and efficiency.
• Actively listen to meet and exceed customer expectations.
• Effectively solve the customer’s problem.
• Say “Thank you” and “Please” gracefully.

Build thriving relationships by treating customers the way you want to be treated.