How To Help Your Team Provide Excellent Customer Service

My favorite takeaways from Renee Evenson's newest book, Customer Service Management Training 101, are her tips for how to teach employees to effectively interact with customers:

• Make a good first impression by smiling, making eye contact, maintaining an open and relaxed demeanor and keeping facial expressions friendly.
• Project a positive attitude by being helpful, interested, trustworthy, reassuring, respectful and reliable.
• Communicate effectively by listening completely, using correct grammar, asking the right questions and making each customer feel valued.
• Build relationships by finding the best solution to any problems, and making sure each customer is satisfied.

Then, as the leader, ensure your team knows when they should escalate situations to your attention.