How should you handle referring a customer to another person, another department, or another company? What should you know for customer service communication skills?
When you have to refer a customer to a third party, explain to the customer why you have to refer them. However, don’t use negative words or phrases such as these: we can’t, we don’t, we never, there’s nothing we do, we can’t do that, or that’s not possible.
Use a sympathetic and friendly tone. Customers should know that you care even if you can’t solve their problem. This helps diminish any bad feelings that customers may have because you have to refer them to a third party. It’s not your fault that your company, or department, does not do something or does not provide something that a customer requests. However, when people can’t get what they want or need when they call you, they’ll feel disappointed. A friendly and sympathetic tone of voice can diminish a customer’s disappointment and help promote a positive image for your company.
If you have to refer customers to a third party, help them feel confident that they will get the help they need from the next person they call.
1) Instead of saying, They should be able to help you, say this: They will be able to help you.
2) Instead of saying, I think they’ll be able to help you, say this: I’m sure they’ll be able to help you.
3) Let customers know that they can always call again for more information if for some reason the next person cannot meet their needs or solve their problem. Say this: Thank you for calling, and, please, don’t hesitate to call again if you have more questions or if you think we can help you in any other way. Telling customers they can call again tells customers that you care and that you will do what it takes to help them.
Be honest with customers. If you’re not 100% certain that they can get help from the place or person you refer them to, let them know this and explain why. If a customer finishes a call and believes that their next call will help or solve the problem, the customer will probably not be happy if it turns out that the next call did not help them or solve their problem. Not being clear about what a customer can expect can leave a bad impression on you and your company. So be sure that you let the customer know when you are not 100% certain of something you tell them.
Try to avoid customers calling back because you didn’t do everything possible to help them or to solve their problem. Ask yourself these questions: Did I use or go to all possible resources to help the customer as much as possible? Did I provide the customer with all the information that I have? Did I talk to everyone possible in my department or company in order to solve a problem or get the information that a customer requires? Did I do everything possible to solve the customer’s problem? Doing whatever you can to help customers and to solve their problems promotes a positive image for you and your company.