When you ask employers what they are looking for in potential customer service employees, they will often tell you it is someone with a ‘service oriented attitude’ that they value most. Are you surprised? I’m not. Skills can be taught and experience gained but attitude…well, that comes from within.

Oddly enough, when most people are searching for a job or promotion they focus on experience and skills. A resume after all is essentially a run-down of your accomplishments and experience. It’s funny that most resumes make no note of the ‘service oriented attitude’ that employer’s say they are looking for most of all. But exactly what constitutes a service oriented attitude? In my humble opinion there are 3 essential skills that form the building blocks of the oft looked for customer service attitude.

Use only positive words

Positive language is the verbal skill of using words and language to create a positive image in a customer’s mind. A positive style demonstrates that you have a service attitude and are a natural at building customer loyalty.

Active listening

Active listening involves more than simply listening to the words someone is saying. It involves truly focusing on your customer, hearing what the customer is trying to convey to you through their words and body language. Don’t be afraid to take notes if you need to – after all no one can remember everything. Customers want to feel heard and understood and that doesn’t happen without active listening on your part.

Confirming satisfaction

This is an important step that is often skipped. Why? Workers regularly assume that they have done a good job and the customer is satisfied simply because the customer has not said they are less than thrilled. When a customer confirms in their own words ‘Yes, I am satisfied’ the transaction is proved successful in their mind as well as yours. Taking a moment to confirm customer satisfaction shows that you care about ‘getting it right’  and that the customer is determining what ‘right’ is – and after all that’s the way it should be.