Thank you, everyone, who read Part 1 of 2 of this post and for all your great comments. I received so many user comments about learning customer service skills that I am writing a second blog post. Without further ado, here are 5 additional skills that are essential for a successful career in customer service. As you read each skill, ask yourself if you have mastered each one. If you are applying for a job in customer service, you’ll need to talk about how you have these skills so you can ace the interview. If you already work in customer service, you’ll need to develop these skills in yourself so you can succeed at work.

Patience [ˈpeɪʃəns]

People who work in customer service must be able to remain calm during stressful situations. When your customers are frustrated or are asking for something that you simply can’t deliver for them, you must have the patience to not become upset yourself. Remember not to take anything that your customer say personally, because their frustration and anger is not personal. They are feeling upset about their situation but that is not a reflection on how you’re doing at your job.

Problem-solving [ˈprɑbləm ˈsɑlvɪŋ]

For those who work in customer service, one’s problem-solving skill can often be the deciding factor between successful and unsuccessful employees. You are continuously challenged by customers who present their problems to you, and your job is to help them find solutions. The best way to be good at problem-solving is to practice solving lots of problems. If you’re new on the job, shadow your coworkers to learn how they solve the problems.

Positivity [ˌpɒz ɪˈtɪv ɪ ti]

Your positive attitude will not only help you succeed with your customers, but will also help strengthen your relationship with your coworkers.  A Stanford University study on “positive intelligence” showed that your positivity predicts how successful you will be in your career. Being positive can help those around you feel more positive.   Furthermore, when you feel positive, you’ll naturally notice more of the benefits of your company’s product and service, and you can, in turn, convey that to your customers.  

Conflict Resolution [ˈkɑnflɪkt ˌrɛzəˈluʃən]

In a customer service job, your job is to essentially solve your customer’s problems.  But there are times when you can’t find a solution to their problem. What do you do then? This is where your conflict resolution skills will be useful. You may need to soothe your customer by giving them a discount, pointing them to another place where they can get more help, calling in your manager. Whatever the resolution, remember to stay calm and think positively!

Persuasion [pərˈsweɪʒən]

Last but not least, a large part of your job is to turn frustrated customers into happy customers.To do so, you’ll often need to convince your customers of something you recommend. This is where your persuasion skills come in. To be persuasive, you must be able to speak from your customers point of view. The famous American businessperson, Dale Carnegie, recommends that you end your sentence by describing the benefit to your customer. When you are recommending a solution, tell the customer what’s in it for them. You can say to them “And the benefit to you is …”

ELSA – your world’s smartest English pronunciation coach

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