Recently, I decided to visit a local tea shop in Germany that sells high-quality teas. Though I follow the shop on Instagram, and had already tried a couple of their teas at local cafes, this would be my first time visiting the actual store. I was excited to buy their tea so I could also drink it at home.

When I walked into the store, the shopkeeper didn’t greet me. He didn’t even look up from his post at the cash register. I proceeded to glance around the shop, spending a good amount of time in front of certains teas that interested me, and picking up canisters marked „tester“ with the hopes that the shopkeeper would approach me and sell me on the tea. He never did. Instead he busied himself putting items away without acknowledging me or the other customers who entered.

This would not happen in America. I would have been a dream customer for a sales associate in the U.S. I was fully prepared to spend money in this European shop, but I left without buying anything because of the non-existent customer service. I’d rather take my business to a company that seems to want it.

In the U.S., good customer service is good business.

Engage

Bad customer service representatives are distant, leaving you completely alone with their products, I suppose, with the idea that you’ll figure everything out yourself.

Great customer service immediately engages customers. Something as little as greeting customers or thanking them for their purchase, shows that a business is aware and appreciative of their customer’s presence.

Be Friendly

Cold customer service leaves a bad taste in one’s mouth. When a rep is neither engaging nor friendly, your desire to take your business elsewhere goes up.

But when the person providing the customer service is friendly, it makes you feel like you’ve made a new friend. You trust your friends and value their advice. You also are more likely to be a return customer if the customer service reps are friendly. This is why at Mila we refer to our service providers as “Friends” because that’s what they should be to you.

Be Helpful

When a customer service representative doesn’t try or doesn’t seem to want to help, it can leave a customer feeling helpless.

If a customer has a question or problem, the best customer service agents either know the answer or know how to find the answer to the customer’s satisfaction.

Put the Customer First

Sometimes businesses are only focused on the bottom line or the tasks at hand. This can make a customer feel like everything else in the world is more important than them.

Being customer-oriented is being business-focused, because if customers are satisfied, not only will they come back, but they’ll also refer new customers to your business. Putting their priorities over the present needs of a store or shop, can still help a business grow.

Customer Service with a Smile

If you’ve traveled in Europe, it’s likely that you’ve experienced the often so called “customer service desert” that is Paris. Often, servers seem inconvenienced by your presence at their restaurant. They stare blankly, scowl, or seem so bored it’s painful as they talk to you.

When customer service reps seem happy that happiness is infectious to a customer. In the U.S. service reps always smile while greeting or talking to a customer, no matter how they’re feeling that day. This leads to a better customer experience and business interaction for everyone.

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