A Customer Service Greeting Is Essential.

When you contact a business, the very first thing you hear is the customer service greeting. The person on the other end of the line greets you and welcomes you to the conversation. Customer service greetings can be an essential part of any customer experience strategy. Calls are a powerful way to connect with customers, but only if done right!

Customer service is all about relationships, and relationships start with your customer service greeting.

If your customers are satisfied, they will be more likely to come back again and again. And when they bring their family, friends, and colleagues along with them, your business will grow even further.

When you greet your customers, you create an open dialogue that can lead to future opportunities for your business. If you want to keep your customers happy and come back for more, you must learn how to write a customer service greeting like a professional.

Keep reading to learn everything you need to know to create a customer service greeting.

Four Ways To Craft A Customer Service Greeting Like a Pro.

A great customer service greeting sets the tone for the entire interaction. It can be the difference between an unhappy customer that eventually leaves and a happy customer that gives you a glowing review.

With over 40 years of experience, we understand customer service. 

Here are four of our tried and tested tips for crafting the most supportive customer service greeting for your business. 

First, Start With A Smile. 

Your greeting is always the first interaction between you and a customer. 

With that in mind, it’s essential to reflect the same positive energy in your tone that you hope to receive back in return. 

It may seem silly, but smiling while speaking over the phone makes your voice sound happier and friendlier. According to a recent study, “​​35 volunteers wore electrodes on their faces. The researchers found that when the volunteers heard sentences that software artificially added smiles to, the volunteers unconsciously engaged their zygomaticus major muscles — the ones that stretch the corners of the mouth during smiling.”

So even if you’re having a bad day, try not to let that show through your voice by putting on a smile when you talk to customers.

Next, Always Speak Clearly.  

A quick and easy way to improve your customer service skills is simply speaking clearly. When taking calls, make sure to pause before speaking and take a deep breath. Then, rather than rushing through words, focus on enunciating each syllable of every phrase.

As a customer service representative, you need to sound good on the phone. You want to come off as friendly and professional. But what if your voice is a little squeaky, or you mumble? It’s essential to speak clearly when talking to customers. 

While some of the best customer service phrases can help save a call, your tone can make or break the interaction. 

Remember, clear communication starts with your voice.

Ask Questions And Listen. 

Before jumping into the purpose of the interaction, it’s a good idea to ask some questions. 

Asking questions helps you get more information about the customer’s problem and allows you to provide a better resolution. For example, if a customer calls about their internet being down, ask them when it started working again or whether they have been able to access their email.

Finally, Be Patient.

If you want to do customer service like a pro, it’s essential to always remain patient. 

It’s part of the customer service greeting that has to happen naturally. You don’t want to sound rushed or annoyed with the person on the other end of the line.

The person on the other end of the phone has a problem, and it’s up to you to help. If you can’t be patient with that person, it’s not likely that they’ll have a good experience with you.

One way to stay patient is to remember that you are there to help. If you get frustrated, take a few moments to breathe and reset. You can even try repeating some positive words for customer service and other phrases like “I’m here to help” in your head while you do this.

Create An Excellent Customer Service Greeting.

With these tips, you can improve your business’s customer service immediately.

Use your greeting as a chance to create the context for the interaction.

Use the person’s name and perhaps even remind them of a past interaction with your company.

Be empathetic. Acknowledge the customer’s reason for calling your business without dismissing it, especially if they are frustrated or upset. Use your tone to set the stage for customer service excellence. 

And, keep it brief. Give the customer what they want quickly and efficiently, without getting stuck in small talk or filler conversation.

Make it individualized.

The best way to make customers feel like they’re talking to a real person is by acting like one.

Scripts are helpful and essential, but their wording should be more general than specific. This way, you don’t end up sounding like a robot when you’re trying to be friendly. 

Instead, individualize the script by using names.

Make it authentic.

Your employees are not robots, and neither are your customers. 

Treating them that way will only make the conversation stilted and awkward. Instead, encourage your employees to be themselves when speaking to customers. 

Let them show off their personalities and make an effort to connect with their customers personally (within reason). By being themselves, they’ll be more likely to relax into the conversation, which will help put the customer at ease. Authenticity is essential for great customer service.

Remember, A Thank You Will Go A Long Way.

For all the choices your customers have, it’s easy to feel overlooked by businesses. That’s why, as a business owner, you should always be ready to say thank you. 

According to McKinsey, “70% of buying experiences are based on how the customer feels they are being treated.” So, it’s essential for your customers to feel the love! 

Thank them for taking the time out of their day to call you. Say thank you when they ask a question, and thank them for bringing a problem to your attention.

If a customer is upset or confused about something, the last thing you want to do is make them feel bad about it. Instead, express gratitude that they brought something up. 

Expressing gratitude shows them that you take their time and concerns seriously, even if something has gone wrong in their eyes.

Saying thank you is not just good manners – it’s good business sense. It takes little time or effort but can make all the difference for your customers.

According to Statista, “27% of Americans report that ineffective customer service is their number one frustration.” Create a seamless, supportive customer service experience. If you need help managing phone calls to your business, we are here to support you. Contact us now.