Customer service outsourcing: Following the Golden Rule

There is an endless list of dos and don ts in customer service outsourcing. It’s a favorite topic among business magazines and news portals, and related modern-day fiascos by companies are immediately discussed on social media sites.

The truth is that everything about customer service can be summed up with the widely known concept of the Golden Rule. From the exact words of a post from Forbes: “Do unto your customers as you want to be treated when you re a customer.”

Living the Golden Rule

The Golden Rule applies both to the business management designing the company’s policies and procedures for customer service, and to call center agents who handle incoming calls from customers.

Treating the customers as you would like to be treated covers every process in customer service in in-house or outsourcing departments. It means being easily available for assistance, having a positive attitude when interacting with customers, having a sincere desire to help resolve issues, saying “Thank you” before ending a conversation, and adding value by asking “Is there anything else I can help you with today? ”

While its application in customer care may seem obvious, this rule is often lost during actual services. In some cases, agents just follow a given checklist, with the desire to finish a call as soon as possible and get through another working day. There might be no empathy or minimal effort to go the extra-mile to help the customers.

Using the Golden Rule for customer service

Upholding the Golden Rule when dealing with customers significantly help in letting them know that they are truly valued. Agents who put themselves in the shoes of their customers help inspire them to resolve issues in a professional and timely manner.

Overall, keeping this principle can improve customer loyalty, number of word-of-mouth recommendations, and company profits.