Want to learn how to improve customer service and make your customers happy? That’s exactly what I’ll cover today!
Happy customers are the backbone of any successful business. They keep coming back, tell their friends about you, and help your company grow. And great customer service is one of the most important ways to keep them satisfied.
I know that figuring out how to provide excellent customer service can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re working with a tight budget or a small team. But don’t worry – it doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive.
In this article, I’ll share my 12 best tips for improving customer service. These are simple, practical steps that you can start using right away. Whether you’re a small business owner or managing a customer service team, these tips will help you create better experiences for your customers.
But first, let’s look at…
Why Is Good Customer Service Important?
Here is the thing – having a great product isn’t enough anymore. Customers have countless options at their fingertips, and the way you treat them can make or break your business.
Here’s why focusing on customer service is crucial for your business:
- Higher Revenue: Studies show that customers are willing to spend more money with companies that provide excellent service. In fact, 58% of people say they’ll pay extra for a better customer experience.
- Customer Retention: It’s simple – happy customers stick around. When people have a bad experience, they leave. Actually, 86% of customers stop doing business with a company after just two poor service interactions.
- Cost Savings: Poor customer service is expensive! U.S. businesses lose over $62 billion yearly due to bad service. Think about that for a moment.
- Word-of-Mouth Marketing: Satisfied customers become your best advertisers. They tell their friends, family, and colleagues about their positive experiences.
- Competitive Advantage: In a world where products are becoming more similar, great service helps you stand out from the crowd.
- Brand Trust: When customers consistently receive good service, they trust your brand more. This makes them more likely to try your other products or services too as loyal customers.
So, how can you start improving your customer service today? I’ve put together 12 practical tips that will help you transform your customer service game. These aren’t just theories – they’re proven strategies that really work.
How to Improve Customer Service
Now that you understand why customer service plays such a crucial role in your business success, let’s get practical.
I’ve gathered these 12 tips based on what really works:
1. Be available
One of the most basic yet crucial ways to improve customer service is simply being there when your customers need you. I can’t stress this enough – customers hate feeling like they’re shouting into the void when they need help!
Make yourself easily reachable through multiple channels. This could be phone, email, social media, or chat – whatever makes sense for your business. But here’s the key: be crystal clear about when and how customers can reach you.
Some practical ways to do this:
- Display your business hours prominently
- Set clear expectations for response times
- If you use contact forms, send automatic confirmations
- Make your contact information easy to find on your website
- When using chatbots, always provide an option to connect with a real person
Remember, technology is great, but it shouldn’t be a barrier. If you’re using automated systems like chatbots (which can be helpful!), make sure there’s always a way for customers to reach a real human when they need one.
Here’s an example of great customer service in terms of availability:
Imagine you ordered something, the package is delayed, and you haven’t heard anything. Annoying, right?
You hop on their website and find the ‘Contact’ page in the top menu bar. There you have a form. You fill it out with your personal information, order number, and some details about your issue. Easy!
Within minutes, you receive an automated email confirming they got your message and promising a response within 4 hours. Now you know that the message went through and when you should expect to hear back.
Two hours later, a real person emails you with package tracking details, a status update, and an apology for the delay. They also provide direct guidance for contacting them again if you need any further help.
That’s the kind of availability that turns frustrated customers into loyal ones!
2. Be a Problem-solver
Being a true problem-solver means going beyond the obvious and digging deeper to understand what your customer really needs. Your job isn’t just to answer questions – it’s to uncover and address the real challenge your customer is facing.
Sometimes customers don’t even know exactly what they need or might not explain their problem clearly. That’s where your detective skills come in!
Key aspects of being a good problem-solver:
- Listen carefully to understand the full picture
- Ask thoughtful questions to get to the root cause
- Think one step ahead of your customer’s request
- Offer solutions they might not have considered
- Explain the ‘why’ behind your solution
- Follow up to make sure the problem stays solved
Here’s an example of great customer service and problem-solving skills:
A customer contacts support complaining that their new coffee maker is defective because it’s making weak and watery coffee.
Instead of immediately processing a return, you ask a few questions about how they’re using the machine. Through this conversation, you discover that the customer is using pre-ground coffee meant for a different brewing method.
You explain that this machine needs a coarser grind, recommend the right type of coffee, and share some brewing tips.
What started as a “broken machine” complaint turns into a satisfied customer who now knows how to make the perfect cup of coffee. And you avoided having to make a refund!
3. Be Human
With so many chatbots and automated responses, one of the most powerful ways to improve customer service is simply being human. Being human in customer service means bringing empathy, authenticity, and genuine understanding to every interaction. It’s about treating each customer as a person, not just a ticket number.
Here’s how you can do this:
- Show Real Empathy: Try to understand how your customer feels. Are they frustrated? Confused? Worried? Acknowledge these feelings – it shows you’re listening and you care.
- Be Adaptable: Every customer is different. Some want detailed explanations, others just want quick solutions. Learn to read the situation and adjust your approach accordingly.
- Practice Patience: Sometimes customers need extra time to explain their issues or understand solutions. That’s okay! Take a deep breath and give them the time they need.
- Listen Actively: Don’t just wait for your turn to speak. Really listen to what your customers are saying – and what they’re not saying. Sometimes the real issue is hidden between the lines.
Here’s what being human looks like in action:
A senior customer calls about their “broken internet,” clearly frustrated and stressed about the technology.
You notice the stress in their voice and immediately shift to a gentler, more patient tone: “Don’t worry, I’m here to help, and we’ll figure this out together. Technology can be tricky sometimes!”
Instead of using technical terms, you use simple language and guide the customer step by step, checking in regularly with “How are you doing?” and “Does that make sense?”
When the customer apologizes for being “slow,” you reassure them: “Don’t worry – you’re doing great, and I’ve got plenty of time.”
What started as a stressful situation for the customer ended with not just a fixed internet connection, but also a boost in confidence because you showed genuine empathy and patience throughout the interaction. You should always aim to make your customers feel good about themselves and have a pleasant experience.
4. Actively Listen
We’ve all tried explaining a problem and gotten responses that have nothing to do with our actual issue. It’s frustrating and wastes everyone’s time. That’s why actively listening to your customers is so important.
Here’s what active listening means in customer service:
- Give your full attention to what the customer is saying
- Take notes on key details
- Ask clarifying questions when needed
- Repeat back the issue to confirm understanding
- Look for the underlying problem, not just the surface issue
- Avoid jumping to conclusions or making assumptions
- Pay attention to tone and emotion, not just words
Here’s what great active listening looks like in action:
A customer contacts support about not being able to log into their streaming account.
Instead of immediately jumping to the standard “let’s reset your password” script, you carefully listen to the full explanation.
The customer mentions they’ve already tried password reset but can’t receive the verification code. You acknowledge this specific problem: “I understand – so the real issue isn’t the password itself, but that you can’t receive the verification code?”
The customer confirms and explains that’s it an old phone number, to which you reply “In that case, let me help you update your contact information first.”
Then you guide the customer through the account recovery process using alternative verification methods.
5. Communicate Clearly
Clear communication can make or break a customer service interaction. Skip the jargon, keep things simple, and make sure your customer understands exactly what’s happening at each step.
Here’s how to communicate clearly:
- Use simple, everyday language
- Break down complex information into digestible chunks
- Confirm understanding before moving forward
- Be specific about next steps
- Set clear expectations about timing
- Follow up in writing for important details
- Avoid technical terms unless necessary (and explain them if you must use them)
For example, instead of saying “Please proceed to our retail location,” say “Please visit our store.”
6. Use Positive Language
The way you phrase things can completely change how customers feel about a situation. Even when dealing with problems, using positive language helps keep customers calm and confident that you’ll find a solution.
It’s all about focusing on what you can do rather than what you can’t do. This simple shift in language can turn a frustrating situation into a more positive experience.
Here’s how to keep your language positive:
- Focus on solutions instead of problems
- Highlight what’s possible rather than limitations
- Replace “no,” “can’t,” and “won’t” with more helpful alternatives
- Explain what you can do before mentioning what you can’t
- Keep a friendly, optimistic tone
Here are some examples of turning negative language into positive:
- Don’t say: “I can’t help you until Monday” Try: “I’ll be happy to help you first thing Monday morning”
- Instead of: “Don’t submit your form without signing it” Try: “Please remember to sign your form”
- Avoid saying: “We’re closed” Try: “We’ll be open tomorrow at 9 AM”
- Instead of: “That’s against our policy” Try: “Let me show you what options we have”
7. Know Your Products
You can’t provide great customer service if you don’t know your products inside and out. Deep product knowledge helps you solve problems faster, answer questions confidently, and find creative solutions when needed.
Here’s why product knowledge matters:
- You can answer questions quickly without putting customers on hold
- You’ll spot issues faster and suggest better solutions
- You can explain features and benefits in a way that makes sense
- You’ll understand which alternatives to suggest when needed
- You can provide valuable tips and tricks to enhance the customer’s experience
Remember, customers trust representatives who know what they’re talking about. When you understand your products well, it shows in every interaction and builds customer confidence in your service.
8. Be Willing to Learn
Nobody’s perfect, and there’s always room for improvement. Being open to learning from every interaction – especially the tough ones – is what sets great customer service apart from just okay service.
Tips for continuous learning:
- Ask for customer feedback regularly
- Learn from both positive and negative experiences
- Stay open to new ideas and approaches
- Take training opportunities when available
- Share experiences with your team
- Keep up with industry trends and best practices
- Be open to constructive criticism
9. Improve Your Interactions
Here’s the thing about customer complaints – they’re like the tip of an iceberg. What customers tell you is often just part of a bigger problem. That’s why it’s crucial to dig deeper and really understand what’s going on.
When something goes wrong, take time to:
- Track the customer’s entire journey
- Identify all touchpoints where things might have gone wrong
- Look for patterns in customer feedback
- Review your processes and procedures
- Check if your systems are working as intended
- Consider if your policies make sense
- Think about how to prevent similar issues
10. Admit Your Mistakes
When things go wrong, owning up to mistakes is the best policy. It shows respect for your customers and builds trust. Don’t try to hide errors or make excuses – just be honest and focus on making things right.
The key is to acknowledge any error quickly and apologize sincerely. Explain what happened without making excuses – customers appreciate transparency more than perfect performance. Let them know exactly how you plan to fix the situation and what steps you’re taking to prevent it from happening again.
Most importantly, keep your promises about fixing the problem.
11. Follow Up
Following up shows customers you care about their experience beyond just solving their immediate problems. It helps build lasting relationships and can turn a good experience into a great one.
Good follow-up means checking if the solution is actually working and asking for honest feedback about their experience. Keep your customers in the loop, especially with ongoing issues – nobody likes being left in the dark. Thank them for their patience and business; a little appreciation goes a long way.
If you’ve made improvements based on their feedback, let them know – it shows you actually listen and take action.
Remember to document these interactions too. This helps you provide better service next time.
12. Allow Users to Leave Feedback
Getting feedback from your customers is essential to improve customer service. The best way to do this is through simple surveys that measure customer satisfaction.
There are two great and easy ways to do so.
The first is by using a NPS survey. NPS surveys are beautifully simple – they ask just one key question: “On a scale from 0-10, how likely are you to recommend our business to a friend?”
NPS surveys are powerful because they give you a clear picture of customer loyalty in one simple number. Plus, you can easily track changes over time to see if your customer service improvements are working.
The second method you can use is a Customer Satisfaction survey. While NPS looks at overall loyalty, CSAT surveys measure how happy customers are with specific interactions or experiences. These surveys usually ask questions like “How satisfied were you with your recent support experience?” with rating options from “Very Satisfied” to “Very Dissatisfied.”
The best way to run surveys on a WordPress website is by using the UserFeedback plugin.
UserFeedback is a WordPress survey plugin that makes creating customer surveys super simple – no coding needed. You can start with ready-made survey templates or create your own surveys using different question types like multiple choice, star ratings, or open-ended responses.
The best part? You can:
- Create unlimited surveys
- Customize the design to match your brand
- Choose when and where surveys appear
- Track responses easily
- Connect with other tools you might be using
If you’re just starting out, there is a free version to test the waters. For those needing more features, the paid versions unlock additional features like conditional logic (showing different questions based on previous answers) and advanced targeting options.
Want to get started collecting feedback? Simply install UserFeedback, pick a template, or create your own survey, and you’ll be gathering valuable customer insights in minutes.
It’s a straightforward way to understand what your customers really think and where you can improve your service.
Get started with UserFeedback today!
That marks the end of my guide on how to improve customer service. I hope you found some great points and got a ton of new ideas. To learn more, I’d recommend you also read:
- 28 Great Customer Service Survey Question Examples
- How to Create a Customer Service Satisfaction Survey
- How to Perform Customer Loyalty Analysis
- The Ultimate Guide to Customer Feedback
And don’t forget to follow us on X and Facebook to learn more about collecting customer feedback online.
