Devoted to customer service and the principles of exceptional customer services

Up until now most of the information I've provided here has been geared towards people who work in customer service, managers, or business owners.  I don't have much experience working with actual companies, but recently I was commissioned by a business to do some paintings for their office.  I assume that working with businesses can't be that much different than working with individual customers, but nonetheless I wanted to do some research to find out if there are indeed differences.

I came across this book, The Art of Client Service by Robert Solomon where he concentrates on the fundamentals and gives us his tips in an easy-to-read format. The book is targeted towards those who work in marketing or advertising, but I think much of what he says can be applied to anyone working in any service industry. Here's what I learned:

1) Begin every relationship with a clear understanding of what the customer wants to achieve.  What are the specific goals of the company?

2) Be multilingual.  In the book Solomon refers to knowing all aspects of media advertising, but as a customer service rep or business owner, you can interpret it to mean being knowledgeable about your product or service or being knowledgeable about different aspects of business in general.  For example, with the art commission I've had to implement some of my interior design skills to communicate to the client what I felt about what type of art would work for their office.  Then I had to communicate the psychology of color and how it affects the moods and buying habits of customers. 

3) Know what your client's expectations are from the very beginning.  This is where communication plays a vital role - both verbal and nonverbal communication.  Pay close attention to facial expressions because clients will sometimes say one thing, but their gestures and actions will say something else.  Sometimes they'll feel intimidated so they won't speak their minds.  Therefore, it's important to let clients know that you are open to their suggestions and won't take offense to their objections. 

4) Speak your client's language. If you don't know about a client's industry, do your research so that you can become fluent and confident when you communicate with them.

5) Be brief and timely. When making a presentation, be brief and be mindful of your client's time.  They have a business to run and are often pressed for time.

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Service For Corporate Clients