8 Customer Service Challenges and How To Solve Them

Customer service agents are on the front lines of solving problems and managing customer expectations, but finding a solution isn’t always as easy as it seems.

How an agent approaches a challenge can be the difference between a loyal customer and one that will go to the competition. Understanding the top common challenges, and how to address them, is just the first step in ensuring long-term customer loyalty.

8 Customer Service Challenges and How To Solve Them

1) Manage Customer Expectations

The core of all customer service interactions understands the customer’s needs and how best to meet them. It starts with the customer service agents actively listening to the customer as they explain their problem. They must then act as investigators as they take that information and ask additional questions to get to the root of the problem in order to identify the best solution based on the company’s processes and procedures.

Customer service agents must empathize with customers because they need to build a relationship that instills trust. If the client knew how to solve the problem independently, he would not ask for help. In this sense, the agent can ask follow-up questions to obtain more contexts for the resolution of the query. Once the root problem and possible cause have been identified, workable solutions can begin to be found.

2) Not Having a Satisfactory Answer

The general expectation of agents is that they resolve any concerns or problems a customer may have. However, there will inevitably come a time when a customer service agent is unable to answer a customer’s question or provide a satisfactory solution to their problem. If a proper solution takes longer than the first call, manage customer expectations with regularly scheduled follow-ups. It is essential to manage expectations and provide an update if a full resolution is still in progress.

3) Transferring Customer Calls Too Often

There are two red flags for customers when they contact customer service: a phone chain that goes on and on, and automated messages that transfer them from one team to another. While it is sometimes necessary to transfer a call to best meet customer needs, making this process as seamless as possible is crucial to creating a superior customer experience (CX). The agent should inform the client whom they will be talking to and why this transfer is appropriate for their particular needs.

4) Deal With Upset Customers

An unfortunate but common experience is encountering angry customers, and it takes skill to handle them properly. Customers want their dissatisfaction to be taken seriously and their issue resolved as quickly as possible. It is essential that customer service agents listen and respond with empathy during these interactions. A good guideline is to apologize for the situation, as a customer service agent must take responsibility for it on behalf of the organization.

5) Fight Service Outages

It’s critical to be transparent with customers about what the service team does and doesn’t know when outages occur. The best approach is to explain what the problem appears to be at the time, even if there is no current estimated resolution time. Often there is a communication response plan in place by those working on outage or crisis response teams in cases like this.

6) Not Having Enough Time Due To Dealing with Several Clients at the Same Time

Tackling multiple tasks and clients at once is sometimes unavoidable. Oftentimes, it’s best to have a method of managing these scenarios when they arise. When approaching the first customer, the agent should let them know how long it will take to handle their query or find a solution. Users are often happy to be put on hold if it means a resolution to their problem is near.

Then, if another call comes in, the customer service agent is expected to multitask on both interactions. The goal should be to create a personalized experience, even when handling multiple calls. This is a skill that will develop over time and takes practice to perfect. 

7) Not Having a Solution to the Client’s Problem

Occasionally, a customer may have a request that goes beyond what a business provides or offers. In such a situation, the customer service agent is responsible for managing her expectations. It is best to provide a comparable alternative if possible.

8) Having Little Consistency in Customer Service Inquiries

As product and service offerings evolve, new procedures for addressing problems may emerge from ad hoc experiences. As a result, the customer service experience can be inconsistent and not aligned with the workflow or the appropriate stage of the customer journey. The agent should be able to use her experience to help address any discrepancies. As the customer service team compares the agent’s work against the established plan, they can identify key areas that need to be reviewed based on the customer’s journey.

Ultimately, applying the tips identified in these eight challenges will enable customer service agents to tackle challenging situations and help build lasting loyalty.