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Written for Aries Technology, a multimedia curriculum design firm in Tempe, Arizona.

Now that you’ve acquired the technical knowledge you need to be a competent technician, you’re prepared to solve most of your customers’ problems. What more is there to know before you go out in the field and start fixing what doesn’t work?

Truthfully, you’ll need to master yet another skill before you can really call yourself a professional. It’s actually an art form all its own, and while it doesn’t involve technical information, it is just as vital to your success as any specialized knowledge you may have.

It’s the art of Customer Satisfaction.

Becoming an expert in Customer Satisfaction means honing your people skills. The good news is, the more you practice, the more successful you’ll become.

A few basic concepts lie at the heart of any successful customer/client relationship. They can be summarized in three essential points:

a) Successful Communication

b) Professional Conduct

c) Technical Competence

We assume your technical skills are up to par, and that you know how to physically solve the dilemma your client is facing. However, it’s equally important to remember that allaying customer concerns in a diplomatic way is sometimes even more important than the practical aspects of the issue.

Taking the time to foster a good relationship with the customer will create a valuable and intangible result: customer loyalty. It’s a strong antidote to the lure of competition in the marketplace. If your customers see you as a concerned, knowledgeable human being, they are much more likely to call you next time something goes wrong, instead of turning to someone else.

Not everyone is born with superior communication skills. The good news is anyone can learn. So how do you learn to be an effective communicator?

Most of us unconsciously think of conversation as an opportunity to talk. Try to rethink this premise -- the change in perspective may change your life. Instead, try thinking of it as a chance to listen instead. Put yourself in your customer’s place. He’s upset, overwhelmed and may have already lost production time. His boss may have just told him to make sure the problem is fixed by such-and-such a date, or else. By the time the two of you meet to discuss his problem, he may already be at the end of his rope.

Let’s imagine you’ve just gone on a service call to an irate customer, who has a complex problem for you to solve. You enter his work site, and the two of you meet for the first time. He is now sizing you up, and you and your company will be judged on how you handle this interaction. He starts to complain angrily about his dilemma, perhaps even blaming you and your company for all his problems. Under other circumstances, you might be tempted to walk away or even yell back at him. Since neither of those alternatives is open to you right now (assuming you want to keep your job) – what do you do?

What he may initially need most from you is to let him blow off steam and talk. At this point, you may be thinking – I’m not a psychologist; I’m a technician. Well, relieve yourself of that misconception. Technicians who have successful customer/client relationships have to be part psychologist. It just comes with the territory. So, take the opportunity to practice the overlooked art of listening.

If you truly listen, you may begin to see the problem from his point of view, and his attempts to explain it to you may make more sense. Remember that his chief concern may not be the technical aspect of what went wrong, but rather that 10 of his employees can’t get their work done until it’s fixed. Here are some things to keep in mind as you listen:

• Don’t interrupt – allow the customer to talk out his frustration.
• Don’t talk down to the customer – try to figure out his level of understanding and keep your conversation at that level. If you are overly technical, he could perceive you as patronizing.
• Make your body language positive – look him in the eye and be attentive, so he knows you’re listening.
• Remember his name – there few things more flattering than to have someone remember you. If you’re not good at this, learn to be. Check your local bookstore for books that will give you tips on how to remember people’s names. It will make a world of difference in your relationships with customers.
• Take comprehensive notes – taking written notes shows you are listening and hearing. It also creates a permanent record of your conversation, which may be valuable to you later when you are working on the problem.
• Paraphrase explanations – this means repeating back to the customer what he just said, to make sure you both share a common understanding.
• Ask questions – and then listen to the answers. Be sure you start by asking open-ended questions (ones that can’t be answered yes or no) so you can gather as much information as possible. Yes-or-no questions are more appropriate once you have narrowed down the troubleshooting process.
• Don’t ever make the customer feel the problem is his fault, even if it is. You have nothing to gain through this approach, and everything to lose.
• Don’t argue. If you persist in maintaining a calm demeanor, the customer will eventually calm down.
• Appreciate your customer – thank him for working with you to solve the problem, and be understanding of his concerns.

You set the expectations as to what is possible when you are on a service call.

• Be realistic in what you promise the customer, and if you cannot guarantee it, don’t make a promise. Keep your solutions realistic – and keep speculation to yourself until you have reason to believe an approach will work.
• Put your commitments in writing, so both you and the customer know what they are.
• If you make a mistake, own up to it, fix the problem and keep going.
• Set expectations slightly lower than what you think is possible. Then if you finish early, the customer will be even more pleased with your work.

Follow up has three functions:

• To verify that your solution worked
• To reinforce your relationship with the client
• To solicit suggestions and comments about your work.

Of course, it’s important to get back with your customer shortly after completing the service call and make sure everything is running smoothly. However, follow up has another important function: it lets your customer know that you are still there even though the crisis is over.

Now that the problem is resolved and tensions are calmed, you can ask for input from your client. This gives him a chance to express his dissatisfactions directly to you, instead of talking to other potential customers about it. Even if you ask him for his suggestions and he doesn’t feel comfortable telling you face to face, he’ll be less likely to complain about you to someone else, because you did give him the chance to express his dissatisfaction.

Remember that your first impression will be a lasting one.

• Maintain a calm, capable demeanor even if all those around you are losing their cool. Later, people will remember that you remained calm and respect you for it.
• Dress appropriately. In fact, if you appear slightly more well dressed than is the norm for your position, you will set a tone of professionalism.
• Greet your customer with a firm handshake and a smile.
• Maintain a constructive attitude. You can relieve tension in difficult situations by maintaining a positive demeanor.
• Plan ahead and be prepared for the unexpected.
• Preserve your integrity – be someone with a healthy sense of ethics. Others will remember you and want to preserve a lasting working relationship.

So, remember that success is more about how you communicate than what you have to say. Keep your attitude positive, learn to listen well, and know your work thoroughly from a technical standpoint. Begin with that, you’ll be well on your way to becoming an expert in the fine art of Customer Satisfaction.

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