Companies love to boast about how customer service oriented they are, but exactly who are they talking about – Everyone in the company? Really…? What I find about these types of blanket statements is they are often wishful thinking and simply don’t hold true. Being service oriented is a personality type not a mission statement. Individuals who are truly customer-centric share the following specific personality traits; does this describe you?
Helpful – Some individuals are motivated by the bottom line or accomplishing goals. Customer-centric people are naturally helpful. They never mind taking time to assist someone else whether that person is a customer, co-worker or even a complete stranger! If they see a way to lighten someone’s load they’ll be happy to do it.
Gracious – Customer-centric people are unerringly charming. Customers appreciate good manners, whether it is a pleasant greeting, maintaining eye contact during conversations, truly listening to what others have to say without interrupting, remembering to smile, being well spoken and always saying please and thank you. Exceptional social skills make it easy to like a customer-centric person!
Cooperative – One of the top skills customer service oriented people have is cooperation. They are able to put their ego and personal agenda aside to find solutions that are best for everyone involved. This includes an innate ability to diffuse tense situations.
Communicative – Another top skill service focused people possess are outstanding communication skills. This includes active listening, nonverbal qualities including eye contact and friendly demeanor, and ability to clearly articulate options and information for customers.
Problem Solver – Skilled customer service oriented workers are problem-solvers who are able to quickly identify issues, anticipate obstacles and suggest workable solutions for customer needs.
Organized – Customer-centric individuals also have strong organizational skills. Despite their commitment to quality customer service, employees must have time-management skills to juggle multiple client needs simultaneously. For example, a restaurant server may be providing four-star service to one table at the expense of ignoring other tables.