What personality traits make a good customer advisor? Discover 8 essential customer service skills.
It is often said that a customer service job is not for everyone – that only people who have a natural “flair” succeed as a customer service representative, providing good customer service consistently. Some also claim that remote customer support and telephone sales are reserved only for those, who can handle challenging customer interactions naturally. While such statements are quite common, are they really true? What competencies and skills are truly necessary to succeed as a customer service rep or customer service professional?
Competencies can be defined as a combination of three elements – knowledge, experience and attitude – all essential for delivering strong customer service, improving customer experience, and ensuring customer satisfaction. The process of gaining knowledge in a call center begins with onboarding and training programs; it also includes daily support from service teams and managers, which helps new employees quickly understand the product or service and how to make the customer feel valued.
This allows every new employee to quickly gain confidence and build a solid foundation for excellent customer service. However, that is not everything – whether someone becomes an excellent customer advisor depends on their attitude and approach to work. The traits that distinguish a good advisor from an average one are: openness, a willingness to develop, and readiness to learn, all crucial for thriving as a customer service professional within service teams.
Here are 8 key competencies of a good customer advisor
It is important to remember that no customer advisor is born with a ready-made set of important customer service skills. Onboarding and continuous development are very important, but also flexibility and the ability to adapt to a dynamic customer service role. The right attitude means maintaining a positive approach to the challenges of working with people, as well as patience – traits that, combined with proper support from the team and leader, allow one to grow and achieve success in both customer service and sales.
1. Culture, composure and politeness
The lack of direct contact with the customer does not relieve an advisor from maintaining a high level of professionalism and courtesy, which are important skills in customer service. It is worth remembering that tone of voice, polite expressions, and overall manner of speaking influence how the customer perceives our offer. Tone also affects the course of the conversation, as well as how a good customer advisor – and the company they represent – is perceived, highlighting the importance of communication skills.
Being kind, polite, and respectful facilitates communication with the customer, increases satisfaction in both service and sales processes, and positively impacts the well-being of all parties involved in the conversation. Therefore, remember – courtesy is an essential quality of every customer service agent!
2. A customer advisor must be communicative!
“Key customer service skills” – what does it really mean? It can refer to the ability to express oneself clearly and precisely in speech and writing, the capacity to understand and empathize with others, as well as active listening skills. These are essential competencies for work as a customer service agent “on the phone.”
A customer advisor, like any good salesperson, should be able to use the language required for a specific project fluently, express themselves clearly and concisely, and possess the ability to correctly interpret the customer’s statements and needs. It is not only important what they say, but also how they express it, which can affect customer feedback. Every customer is different – some may require more attention or a repetition of the offer, while others will focus on product details.
Remember, it is the advisor’s positive attitude and openness toward others, clear diction, and friendly tone of voice, that can significantly impact the customer’s level of satisfaction.
3. Be oriented toward the customer’s needs
Customer orientation is nothing more than focusing on customer expectations, meeting their needs and proactively offering solutions. An advisor should communicate openly with every customer, building trust and showing empathy toward their customer needs, which are core customer service skills. They should be able to put themselves in the customer’s situation and find the best possible solution to any customer issues.
Remember that customer retention is often one of the advisor’s main responsibilities. The ability to establish connections not only helps build relationships with new customers but also contributes to a positive image of the company in the market.
Learn more: Customer Retention – Discover 4 proven strategies you can use to retain customers
4. Active listening in customer service
A good advisor is able to address all aspects raised by the customer. This approach leads to comprehensive service and ultimately has a positive impact on the company’s image. The ability to identify the most important elements from a conversation is a sign of strong listening skills, which are key customer service skills. This is an important quality, as drawing correct conclusions allows for better and more targeted service.
Customers often communicate their expectations in a subtle or indirect way – it is an important customer service skill to recognize those situations. Sometimes, a customer may call with one issue but bring up several additional points during the conversation. In such cases, it is crucial that the advisor, while responding and assisting the customer, addresses every aspect of the discussion and resolves each issue or concern raised. This comprehensive approach prevents customer dissatisfaction and ensures you are perceived as more professional – even if resolving the problem takes longer than initially expected.
Learn more: How to increase CSAT? Here are solutions that increase customer satisfaction score
5. Be stress-resistant and maintain distance!
Working with customers is often associated with a higher level of stress, especially when an advisor is handling a strictly sales-oriented project that requires strong communication skills. Customers have different temperaments and approaches to conversation, which can be challenging for a customer service team, particularly in cases of unexpected reactions.
An advisor should be able to maintain distance – negative comments during contact are usually not directed personally at the advisor, but rather concern the product or service being offered. A calm tone and emotional control always help navigate difficult conversations as smoothly as possible. Some advisors have a natural talent for turning customer dissatisfaction into strong interest in a product or service within minutes – sometimes leading the customer to order additional products or services, which can significantly boost sales.
6. Organize your work over time and know the product you sell!
Good work organization is a fundamental competency for virtually any position. If you are someone who naturally manages your own workflow efficiently, you will likely have no problem taking proper care of tasks. Knowing the offer, as well as the product itself, makes organizing work in the sales process easier and more efficient.
During a conversation with a customer, we strive to select the product that best meets their needs. The better you know the offer, the more quickly you can navigate it, increasing the likelihood that the customer will receive a product perfectly tailored to their customer needs.
7. Quickly absorbing knowledge
Every project has its specific requirements – knowledge of products and services, service procedures, conversation scripts, and systems that need to be navigated efficiently. New promotions, changes in regulations, and updates to offers all require the advisor to be ready to quickly absorb new information.
An advisor who can learn new topics quickly is able to conduct conversations more confidently and provide more effective guidance to the customer. Moreover, the acquired knowledge allows for smooth responses to questions and concerns, thereby building the customer’s trust in the company. Don’t hesitate to use available materials, notes, or training – every additional piece of customer information can be important in a conversation with a customer!
8. Be flexible and open to new experiences!
Flexibility is a trait that is essential in the work of a customer advisor. Each day brings new challenges – unexpected situations or dynamic changes in offers and procedures. An advisor who can adapt to new conditions navigates different projects more quickly, responds better to difficult situations, and achieves goals more effectively – this is the definition of great customer service.
Being open to new experiences also means being willing to expand your horizons and try new ways of working. Sometimes this involves working on a different project, learning a new system, or changing your approach to meet customer needs. The greater your flexibility, the easier it is to handle any situation and act efficiently – regardless of circumstances. Remember, change is not a threat, but an opportunity for growth and to gain valuable skills that can lead to even greater success in your career!
Learn more: Customer Service Standards on the phone – 8 Golden Rules for increasing customer experience
How does CCIG Group hire good customer advisors in the market?
Who can be a customer advisor and what should motivate them to work in customer service important roles? Looking at the scope of responsibilities for such a role, qualities like communicativeness, goal orientation, and stress resistance are clearly the ones we pay attention to first. But does that mean someone who initially feels unsure in customer interactions cannot work in a call center? They still can provide great service by utilizing top customer service skills! With proper onboarding, training, and managerial support, a candidate can spread their wings and achieve excellent results, honing their customer service skills for success.
At CCIG Group, we assess these competencies during every recruitment process for the Customer Advisor position. As a prospective employer, we always conduct a behavioral interview, which helps identify whether a candidate possesses the essential traits for the role and also allows us to evaluate their current stage of development.
Specific tasks during the interview help verify the candidate’s skills on your resume, reveal their attitude, and – most importantly – indicate how they might relate to potential customers. But this is just the beginning – knowledge gained during onboarding training, daily practice, and the willingness to improve skills are what shape an excellent advisor with top customer service skills. And when you add a positive attitude and openness, you have a ready recipe for success in professional customer service.
We have many years of experience in customer service and sales, and we employ over 5,000 consultants ready to support your business. If you need to quickly hire skilled customer advisors, contact us!
