Having the best customer service skills is not enough to taking care of customers. What we need is understanding to who our customers are. Customer Service seems to be an easy and adaptable job, but it’s quite complex to say the least. As there are so many skills that relate to the psychological evaluation of a customer, that requires you to be in a more analytic kind of mentality to be able to work in this field. You learn to see the complexity that goes alongside customer service. And you learn what is the best Customer Service Skills.

Customer Service is one of the hardest jobs I have done. As there are so many areas in the industry and I have worked in this field for more than 15 years. In every form of business, there is Customer Service. You are not excluded from this, no matter how professional you are. There is always some form of customer interactions. You learn different ways to identify the types of customer you are dealing with, you adapt to your customers’ traits, and even learn how to pull information from them using probing techniques

Let’s begin by discussing the different levels of Customer Service, the different form, and what is the Customer Type?

There are many different types of customers and customer service skills, but in here the most important aspect is you learning how to identify with your customers and learning how to build your strengths in dealing with them.

The first thing to learn is who you are. What kind of characteristic or trait do you possess?

These are the first identifying understanding you must have in order to have the patience level you need; when dealing with customer. At some point, you can become burned out. In order to not be burned out, you need to learn your own levels and self identify who you are. In order to deal with a customer

When listening to a customer. Do you feel a sense of urgency to help or flight? Do you feel like I don’t have time for this? What does the customer pull out of you? Once you know what characteristic you have, you can then work with yourself to prepare for the customer on hand.

When you know the different types of customer characteristic out there, you become aware of how you identify to them. As there are many different types of customer characteristic.

Some of these types of customer characteristic are?

  • Analytical Customer Characteristic
  • Executive Customer Characteristic
  • Informed Customer Characteristic
  • Indecisive Customer Characteristic
  • Eager Customer Characteristic
  • Opinionated Customer Characteristic
  • Producer Customer Characteristic
  • Social or fun Customer Characteristic

What is an Analytical Customer Characteristic, and what are their traits?

Most times when you come in contact with this form of customer. They are informed, their objective is to ask more questions to analyze if the product or service fit what they need. They are gathering information. Just as well as you are probing them to learn more about them, they are probing you to learn more about you and the product, as well as the kind of service you are offering. The characteristic and traits of this customer is; they are anxious to ensure the consequences of any decision are fully thought through.

As a customer service agent who is dealing with this kind of customer, it’s important to not get frustrated when they probe you as they are trying to gather information, and they may not buy, or it might feel as though it’s pointless your interaction with them. But it’s ideal to think of them as you. As a customer service agent, your objective is to learn about the customer needs and wants. Then fulfil what they are looking to accomplish. Relating to this type of customer, you are them. You must take a step back from your skills and allow them to probe you.

What is an Executive Customer Characteristic, and what are their traits?

An Executive Customer Characteristic is I am first, I am in demand, I know exactly what I am looking for. They are confident and most times this kind of attitude WILL NOT come off as abusive with some of them. As they will deal with you in a communicative way that are constructive, precise and patience. Until, you are not addressing their needs, at which point you will see a shift in tone. This is the opposite side of this type of characteristic that surfaces itself. At this point, the objective is to stay focus on the task on hand and be as transparent as possible. Meaning that if you don’t know something, you need to tell them you don’t know. They are Executives, they don’t like their time to be wasted. Therefore, requiring you to be communicative and responsive. This means that if you are going to say, you’ll get back to them with this information. Even if it means telling them that you are still waiting, or researching an answer to their problem. You will win their respect by how responsive and communicative you are to them.

What is an Informed Customer Characteristic, and what are their traits?

With an Informed Customer, they have done their research, and they are just calling to complete the transaction. Or they are calling to probe you to learn anything more about the product. They might be testing your knowledge on a subject to see how much you know. If you are offering a service or a product, and you don’t know how to respond to this kind of customer, you might lose the deal. This kind of customer is looking for collaborative response to pair with their research. Like the Executive, it is important for you to be transparent and let the customer know when you don’t know something. Most of the time, they have already done the research have already called in several times to clarify the answer. And they are just looking for a response from you.

How do you deal with this type of customer. Be transparent, do research to find answers to their questions, if you can’t find the answer to the questions they already know don’t make up an answer because more than likely they know the answer to the questions.

What is an Indecisive Customer Characteristic, and what are their traits?

This customer has not gathered enough information and is calling in to get answers from you. They are on the fence about your product or services and are looking for more information about closing the deal. They are contacting you to help them make a decision. Help them by probing them with questions. They want the product, but something is keeping them from finalizing the deal. And it’s because all their questions as not been answered. They may have more than one options to choose from as well and is looking for solid information. How do you deal with this customer? Be as educated and informed as possible, and most important as transparent.

What is an Eager Customer Characteristic, and what are their traits?

For many reasons, this customer is Eager to get what ever they reach out to you for done. This could be that they know they want your product or service, they might be in a rush and have something else to do. With this kind of customer, just give them exactly what they are asking for and that is it. What is an Eager Customer Characteristic, and what are their traits?

What is an Opinionated Customer Characteristic, and what are their traits?

This customer is giving you feedback on your product or services. It’s ideal to just listen and let them talk. Take notes to reiterate to them what their opinion is. Inform them that you can pass this information along. Also, you can suggest places where they can give you feedback on your company’s website, or they can call in with their feedback.

What is a Producer Customer Characteristic, and what are their traits?

This kind of personality is already in a place where they make things happen. They produce things, and they are creators and are creative. The Producer Characteristic can probably fit in almost all the traits of the characteristic of every customer. As they are creators and a creator is normally informed, patience, problem solvers, sociable, or indecisive. The objective is to probe this customer to see what they are looking for. Most important, listen and write down notes to confirm exactly what they want. Then make a decision with them by making suggestions to them. Get confirmation from them, and clarify with them to see if what they are looking for matches with the information you’ve gathered.

What is a Social or Fun Customer Characteristic?

This form of customer work and think socially. So you think they are cool and fun, they seem patience and kind on the phone, but really they are analyzing you just as you are analyzing them. This form of customer can throw you off and get you to put down your walls just so they can learn about you. The key thing with this form of customer is to stand your ground with them. When you come in contact with this kind of customer you must have the understanding you need which is, be and stay the course to what they are asking for.

The characteristic of any human contact can be a complex one. The objective is to learn as much about yourself to deal with what is in front of you.

Effective listening skills and communication is ideal when dealing with any form of customers. The objective is to have a collaborative mentality that will meet the customer satisfaction you which to give your customers.