5 Soft skills customer service agents should be trained in
There’s a lot of training that can help an agent become great at customer service and representing a brand. Agents need to know how to use the technology involved. They need to know what solutions they’re allowed to offer. In addition, they need to be well-versed in the brand’s services and/or products. But, beyond that, they also need to have a few soft skills. These are the skills that will define whether they’re an OK agent or a great agent. But soft skills aren’t easily learned by just reading a how-to. It takes some training. That’s why, at XACT, we include soft skills in our comprehensive training. We know that it’s essential for excellent customer service.
What are some of the soft skills that make an agent great? Here are a few of them:
Tone of voice: You may have heard this saying before, “it’s not what you said, it’s how you said it.” The tone of a person’s voice can change the whole meaning of what is being said. That’s why it’s important that customer service agents learn how to use the right tone in every situation.
Empathy: Service agents need to learn how to be empathetic towards customers. When someone reaches out to a company it’s because they want something. Maybe an item arrived damaged or they have a question about a product, as an agent, you need to listen and show genuine concern for the customer. When a customer feels cared about, it will increase the likelihood that they’ll remain loyal and even recommend the brand to others.
Positive attitude: Agents need to learn how to have a good attitude, this can mean learning how to control emotions when customers reach out to them with a heated demeanor. Customer service agents also need to learn how to use positive language in order to better assist customers.
Active listening: Customers get frustrated when they have to repeat themselves. Agents should be skilled in active listening so that customers feel heard and receive the best solutions.
Effective communication: As a customer service agent, it’s important to know how to effectively communicate with a customer. The right balance needs to be found between saying too much and saying too little. Customers should know exactly what to expect and be able to understand what is being said. Your words should communicate clearly without being confusing.
Mastering these soft skills can help agents better assist customers and help brands maintain a great reputation. That’s why, at XACT, we include this as part of our training program. Learn more about the customer service solutions we have to offer and our comprehensive training by reaching out to us at (877) 922-8877.