Business etiquette is a code of conduct that governs expected behaviors and norms for individual actions within society, groups, or classes. It helps in building rapport and cultivates positive relationships not only with colleagues but also with clients and other business partners.
There are several types of business etiquette which each and everyone in the office premises should follow to move their business to a higher extent. Business etiquette leads to success.
First and foremost, customers are important for the business. Therefore following certain etiquette to deal with your customers will help you in retaining your existing customers and also attract new leads.
Customer Service Etiquette
Every organization must ensure that they pay the right level of attention to their clients and customers. Customers definitely will look forward to the responsiveness or support from the corresponding company that they had joined hands as a customer.
Various etiquette rules are to be handled while dealing with customers.
Let’s have a look at certain etiquette.
Email Etiquette
Emailing in a well written, clear and helpful way makes your clients feel the quality of your customer service. Also, it shows them the importance that you provide to your clients.
Essential Etiquette for Customer Service Email are as follows:
- Be friendly in your language.
- Be Grammatically conscious.
- Always follow up the entire conversation and respond.
- Show your pleasure in asssiting the customer by sending email closing phrases.
Live Chat Etiquette
In today’s world of the Internet, many prefer the quick, convenient way of communicating which is the live chat. Companies can proactively extend greetings to the visitors of their website using live chat invitations. This quick connection with customers or visitors also requires etiquette rules to be followed.
- Sound like a human in live chat.
- Use your own name and real image.
- Be Cheerful and polite.
- Focus on solving the issue / answering technical queries.
- Act according to the customer’s mood.
- Be clear & precise in your answer.Avoid typos and jargons.
- Respond to every queries without leaving them unanswered.
- Do not make them wait for so long. Explain your situation.
Telephone Etiquette
Telephone communication is a basic part of the business and the mode through which many customers prefer to contact the companies.
When you answer your calls in a professional, friendly way, your clients will be satisfied with your customer service and come back to you with more orders and referrals.
The Etiquette rules for telephone conversation with the customer are as follows :
- Make sure you always start the conversation with a greeting.
- Converse in a friendly tone.
- Listen patiently and carefully.
- Be frank and transfer the call to other agents if you are not able to answer the customer’s queries.
- Provide instant solutions or make a schedule to call him/her back again if it takes more time to resolve.
Inperson Etiquette
Face to Face communication is one of the most important means of communication in case of customer service since it helps you to connect in real with your clients. It also creates a strong bond in business or personal relationships.
The below face to face etiquette rules are to be followed to enhance your future communication with clients:
- Show your confidence by making direct eye contact with clients.
- Give a professional and gentle handshake.
- Greet personally with a smile.
- Be careful of your body language. Look presentable & confident avoiding postures which would affect the other person.
- Be more interested in hearing more from your client.
- Converse clearly and be audible to the other person.
Such etiquette in the field of customer service will be a great benefit to your company. The customers who feel happy or satisfied with your service will become your word of mouth and refer your brand to other business circles.