3 Ways To Help Your Secretaries Increase Customer Satisfaction

Secretaries play a vital role in the business industry. These hardworking assistants keep you and others on top of your plan and become a significant player in the company's customer service rating. When needs help, who answers the phone? When customers call in with complaints or concerns, who faces the brunt of the anger? The secretaries do! 

The reliable employees soothe fears, relieve frustration and organize materials. Their multitasking ability is essential, and so too is their ability to handle the clientele. If you're looking to elevate customer service, start with that position. The following are practices to have that employee complete regularly.

1. Provide Reliable Technical Tools

Today's assistants require updated devices to keep them up to pace with your customers. People don't want to wait for someone to hunt down an answer or linger on hold for 10 minutes. In addition, your buyers want information quickly, without internet delays. Therefore, don't cut the secretaries' budgets or think they can go without modern equipment.

These pivotal customer service agents need to have reliable online communication tools and a solid phone line. When someone calls into the system, they should have the chance to interact and lookup accounts immediately. That information may prove helpful in pulling files and looking over client history. In addition, your secretaries may rely on help desk software to swiftly find solutions to customer concerns.

Empower them appropriately. When you complete this task, secretaries could mitigate problems sooner, perhaps preventing issues from moving further down the pipeline.

2. Encourage Active Listening Skills

Active listening is a powerful technique used to connect with others and demonstrate thought and care. Many people listen. They hear words and get a topic. Secretaries have to show how they listen and let the recipient feel good about someone knowing how they think. 

This method involves several things. First, the secretary must remain focused on that person. Customers don't like it when they don't get the attention they seek. While on the phone, stay vigilant and polite. When face-to-face, provide direct eye contact and a smile. Then, allow the speaker to relay the information. Minimize interruptions. When the customer finishes, give a brief recount of what you heard without judgment. Follow up with questions. Active listening demonstrates thought and patience. Clients see that someone isn't running through the motions but is taking the time to understand!

3. Practice Clear, Concise Communication Skills

If your secretary struggles to get messages across, the business could suffer. It's critical that people in this position have a transparent system, organizing information for others and knowing how to relay information from point A to point B without a problem.

Focus on both written and verbal communication. Can this person type well? Is grammar strong? Does your secretary express concepts well? If not, practice!! Discuss the tone of voice you prefer. Speaking rudely or curtly could offend others. Instead, concentrate on politeness and firmness. For instance, a secretary's job is to minimize interruptions. Doing so with blunt language may not help. Go over practical and kind phrases that don't dissuade or aggravate clients.

Be clear about your directives. How many times can someone go on hold? When should you direct others to a manager? Go over answers to frequently asked questions to expedite processes and avoid bouncing customers from one phone line to another.

Secretaries do a lot for the entire office. Help them help you earn the heart of your customers. Prepare them to handle the requests and comments, giving them the technical tools to solve customer concerns quickly. Also, focus on active listening skills and delivering solid consistent communication.