Know the difference: True customer service or sales in disguise

OABPO Blog Team Published on November 5, 2014

Know-the-difference-True-customer-service-or-sales-in-disguise--Open-Access-BPO--Philippine-Call-Center
When we mentioned in a previous blog post that every Philippine call center must ace customer service because it impacts sales, we meant incorporating customer service values in all sales and marketing activities you carry out. A sense of customer service must be present in every profit-generating initiative. You must display a genuine intent to help your customers through the brand you promote; making the sale is also important, but it s only secondary.

However, it doesn t follow that sales initiatives should be injected when assisting customers. Yes, there s no harm in cross-selling and upselling if the opportunity presents itself, but these should only be done if the product you re trying to sell can solve the problem at hand.
Sadly, there are companies that don t seem to understand that customer service and sales should be incorporated, not interchanged. With them, customers call to get answers, and the agent unfortunately responds with a sales pitch.

Good customer service is…

Know-the-difference-True-customer-service-or-sales-in-disguise

The main object of customer service is to please customers by giving them what they paid for and even exceeding their expected level of service to earn their loyalty and trust. You fail at it if your customers end the conversation unhappy.

When someone calls in confused about a service policy, your representative must be able to clarify it well. When there s a complaint about slow delivery arrival, there should be an explanation behind the problem along with a promise to improve. When a product is reported to be faulty, it should either be fixed or replaced. Good customer service is basically giving a solution when a solution is needed. It is an opportunity to display your willingness to help, not make a sale.

Sales disguised as customer service is…

The main objective of sales is, of course, to sell. So you take all the necessary steps and strategies to make the potential buyer see the benefits of your products. You do what it takes to inch them towards the decision to purchase, so failure happens when the prospects refuse to buy.

Know-the-difference-True-customer-service-or-sales-in-disguise-

You can tell if a call center is using customer service as an avenue for sales if agents overly pepper customer service cases with sales pitch. A technical question could be answered by a simple review of the user manual, but a profit-minded customer service representative (CSR) would likely suggest you a more “user-friendly” product. If you have a billing concern or if you re planning to cancel a service, they d promote another service bundle without actually giving what you truly called for.

Salespeople who are disguised as CSRs are only motivated to help if it results to a purchase. They are likely pressured by the management to cross-sell and upsell because selling is an important metric in the call center. And this should never be the setting in your company if you are aiming to be a customer-centric brand.

The middle ground

Great CSRs intuitively know when to switch from customer service to sales mode in order to get the best of both worlds: make customers happy and make a sale.
Potential buyers won t likely bite the bait if the customer experience you give isn’t pleasant. Address their needs through customer service strategies, and they will be more receptive to sales pitches.

Join us on facebook
Open Access BPO 1 hour ago
𝗔𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 #𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺.

This week's #LinkRoundup lists down the ways #CallCenter leadership is instrumental in developing #CustomerSupport that empowers #CX for brands: https://buff.ly/3tfmzbq

• 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗮 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀
https://buff.ly/46ssJmB

• 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲
https://buff.ly/3PVKHYn

• 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆
https://buff.ly/3ZHL9xO

• 𝟭𝟬 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲
https://buff.ly/3ZxxwBf

• 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀
https://buff.ly/3PVKHHR

• 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗹𝗮𝗴𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽
https://buff.ly/3ZC4UXt

• 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀
https://buff.ly/3Zyx3Pd

----------
Open Access BPO's rigorous recruitment, training, and continuous development ensure that only the best specialists will work and lead your ops.

Contact us today: OpenAccessBPO.com/get-started

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
Open Access BPO 4 hours ago
Receiving a negative performance review can be challenging, but it doesn't have to signal the end of the road.

Instead, it presents an opportunity for personal and professional growth, allowing you to return even more resilient and determined.

Read our blog post right now: https://buff.ly/469BCSj
And let's explore:
• the importance of recovering from a bad performance review;
• the causes of performance failures; and
• how to determine the best course of action to address these challenges

----------
Contact us today and find out how our 24/7 multichannel services (in over 30 languages) can upgrade your #CustomerExperience: OpenAccessBPO.com/get-started

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#CustomerSupport #CustomerService
Open Access BPO Yesterday
Knowing what influences customer expectations is the first step to improving your relationship with your customers.

Here are 7 things that can guide you: https://buff.ly/3tfzni4

----------
Cultivate your customer relationships with our smart business solutions: OpenAccessBPO.com/get-started

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#CustomerExperience #CX
#CSat #CustomerSupport
Open Access BPO Yesterday
The right choice of words (and tone) can calm down and bring conversations to a better outcome...even if it's with an update customer.

Here are 5 statements #CustomerSupport agents need to tell irate callers: https://buff.ly/3PtRYOG

----------
For #outsourcing services that build and maintain strong customer relationships: OpenAccessBPO.com/get-started

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#CustomerExperience #CX
Open Access BPO 2 days ago
#SocialMedia has become the hub where consumers freely share their opinions, chat about brands, and express their thoughts on products.

That's why you need to provide memorable #CustomerSupport on these platforms at the speed of now:

Discover the 5 essential components of a strong social media #CX strategy here: https://buff.ly/3PC7dFg

----------
Give your brand a CX boost on the social web!

Upgrade your #CustomerService today:
OpenAccessBPO.com/get-started

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#CustomerService #CSat
#CustomerSatisfaction
#RepManagemenet
Open Access BPO 2 days ago
It's crucial to meet your customers' expectations, but sometimes unforeseen circumstances can get in the way.

Here's a quick guide on how to handle those challenging moments and come out stronger with our #CustomerSupport strategy: https://buff.ly/46t8p4u

----------
Let's turn mishaps into opportunities: OpenAccessBPO.com/get-started

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#CustomerExperience #CX #CSat
Open Access BPO