Customer Service in Office Administration: Key Strategies for Success  

Customer service sometimes gets a bad rap, but it’s a vital component of every industry. In an increasingly digital world, it’s an essential form of human interaction that keeps businesses and customers engaged. Customer service plays heavily into nearly every aspect of your daily life, whether you’re aware of it or not. Its implications in the modern business office are especially significant, as we’ll touch on below.

Customer Service: The Role It Plays in Office Administration

Effective office administration keeps the modern workforce running smoothly, even in the face of unprecedented challenges — and in spite of the lightning-fast pace of change that has become the new norm. Office administration tethers us to reality, and so does effective customer service. This is what makes everyday interactions more pleasant, productive and impactful.

Why Is It So Important?

First impressions matter. Office administrative professionals may facilitate the earliest points of contact between customers or clients and the businesses they frequent. When those interactions are pleasant, these consumers are far more likely to move forward and build strong relationships with the businesses that have treated them so well. A negative early impression, however, can prompt otherwise promising customers to completely cut ties or otherwise lose interest – and a bad first impression is difficult, if not nigh on impossible, to overcome.

Customer Service in Office Administration

When you think of critical office administration skills, qualities such as strong organization and attention to detail probably spring to mind. These are important, of course, but they can only take office administrators so far. Customer service is also essential, particularly when striving to create a cohesive, positive and productive work environment. This comes into play in every form of business communication, ranging from brainstorming sessions to formal emails.

What Is Customer Service?

Encompassing the range of assistance and insight that employees provide for consumers as they make a variety of purchases, customer service involves impactful one-on-one interactions. While this is typically associated with the retail sector, it’s also highly influential in office administration.

In the business or office environment, customer service encompasses any interaction the business administrator has with a customer, client, vendor, or fellow employee. This includes not only in-person conversations but also a variety of digital processes. Customer service determines how the unique needs of customers are assessed and resolved.

Different Factors That Affect Customer Service

Customer service can be difficult to define, in part because it is such a far-reaching concept. Still, a few essential qualities play into whether customer service is deemed positive or problematic. These factors include:

• Customer or client-centric interactions
• An emphasis on problem-solving
• Collaborative troubleshooting
• Willingness to accept feedback
• Accessibility or responsiveness

The Five Best Practices You Need to Know

Achieving the qualities outlined above can be a challenge, especially for busy office administrators who juggle a variety of routines and tasks throughout the day. The most effective can consistently implement the following best practices:

1. Customer-Centric Culture

The cliche ‘the customer is always right’ exists for a reason: customer perception drives business success. If, despite getting everything else right, office administrators fail to make the customer or client feel valued, the enduring perception of these interactions will be decidedly negative. Customer-centric strategies are also vital when developing strategies for digital outreach.

2. Clear Goals to Aim For

Customer-centric service is, by nature, goal-oriented. This may come as a surprise to many, who assume that customer service simply represents a series of casual interactions as opposed to a driven and highly purposeful endeavor. However, customer service (especially within the business office environment) should ideally include both short- and long-term objectives that are ambitious yet accessible and measurable.

In the short term, customer service should be all about what customers, clients or employees want, need and feel. The goal of every interaction should be to identify these concerns and strive to provide a prompt and desirable resolution. Over time, these positive interactions should support long-term organizational objectives. Office administrators need to have both the short- and long-term implications in mind as they provide technical, administrative and even emotional support.

3. Hiring the Right People

Some people are better suited to customer service than others. While this is undoubtedly a skill that can be developed over time, it is in the employer’s best interest to find someone with innate qualities that exemplify quality customer service. Furthermore, strategic hiring will ensure that other employees are receptive to — and capable of building upon — the core messages shared through customer service initiatives. This can form a strong feedback loop, as quality customer service is just as influential in attracting candidates as it is in shaping them.

4. How to Streamline Communication Channels

Customer service involves numerous communication channels, each of which presents its own unique challenges and opportunities. While customer service is typically associated with in-person or phone-based interactions, it also extends to email, social media and, increasingly, website-based chatbots. With so many resources at play, it’s essential that messaging remain consistent so that employees always feel confident in the company culture and customers always associate positively with the brand in question.

5. How Tech Can Improve Customer Service

Technology should not be regarded as a replacement for customer service but rather as an important supplement. Equipped with advanced tech solutions, professionals will be better capable of meeting the needs of their clients or customers — while still providing the human touch that even the most advanced technology still lacks.

As artificial intelligence enters the equation, office professionals shouldn’t expect tech to replace their jobs — but it will act as a supplement, so growing comfortable with evolving tech will become more critical than ever.

Know the Strategies for Success

As you strive to implement the foundations of quality customer service into your professional pursuits, be mindful of the impactful strategies that the field’s best and brightest have already implemented:

Don’t Be Afraid to Build Relationships With Customers

Customer rapport is everything, and it begins with taking a genuine interest in customers or clients. When they feel like they matter, they are more willing to engage positively and productively. This will also inspire them to be far more forgiving when unexpected challenges arise.

Strong relationships can also provide powerful insight into opportunities for improvement, along with feedback on initiatives that are going well. The more they connect, the more willing customers are to provide powerful feedback.

Strive for a Quick Response Time

The first rule of customer service is to simply be available. Customers find it endlessly frustrating when they are forced to wait for a response. Even a short wait can convince them to head for the competition. Robust systems should be put in place to ensure the shortest response times possible.

Efficiently Manage Complaints

Complaints are bound to arise from time to time — and when they do, it’s important to remember: complaints need not always be dreaded. Instead, complaints provide much-needed insight and opportunities to improve. When managed properly, there may be new opportunities to engage with customers and give them the positive experiences they crave.

Learn to Anticipate Customer Needs

The most effective customer service professionals know how to read subtle signs to determine what customers or clients want before they verbally express this. Customers love it when their needs are met in this way, as it makes them feel valued and respected.

Some needs will become clear over time as ‘typical’ customer patterns become more evident. Still, every customer is distinct — and often, a detail-oriented approach will be required to reveal the crux of each individual’s needs and preferences.

Measure Performance to Find Holes

Analytics is an essential but oft-neglected component of customer service. The right metrics can reveal how customers respond to various approaches and where there is room for improvement. Continually track progress to determine where customer service is falling short. Key performance indicators (KPIs) worth investigating include response time, escalation rate and customer retention rate.

Find Your Career in Office Administration

At San Joaquin Valley College, we have multiple programs that empower you to make your mark in the modern office environment. You could pursue your Certificate of Completion or Associate of Science in Business Office Administration — both excellent options for gaining a strong framework in the field of business management. Take advantage of flexible online opportunities to advance your education and your career. Reach out today to learn more.