The moment of truth – how good is your customer service team?

In this economy, businesses cannot afford to lose clients. When times are tough, it is essential that expansion stage SaaS technology companies have a good team of customer service specialists that can both work with customers in need in a timely and helpful manner, and then also communicate any major issues to the management teams/product development teams to work out kinks before the problem escalates. If a good portion of your businesses revenue comes from renewals, ensuring that your customers are satisfied with your products/services at all times is very important.

One very simple concept to remember when it comes to Customer Service: LISTEN. Similar to the advice that I would give any Lead Qualification Specialist that I am training as part of OpenView Labs Operational Support Services – you should not be doing most of the talking when speaking with a customer (or prospect). Allow your customers to have a voice and express themselves. Don’t assume that you know what they are thinking. The more you listen, the more you will be able to gather information that will help you solve their problem, and ultimately renew and/or upsell.

A recent article written by Tali Yahalom of Inc., gives some great advice regarding improving your customer service techniques, particularly around using new technology to give your customers a voice. Check it out!