Skip to content Perfection doesn’t exist—but some people just happen to possess the characteristics that make them more suited for the role of a customer support agent, while others don’t have the traits of a good employee.
So what customer service qualities make these individuals different? Besides possessing the right customer service employee, what are the traits that make them ideal candidates when dealing with other people’s problems? This article will take a look at some of these common character traits that set fantastic customer service employees apart.
They are persuasive
A great customer service employee will also have some amazing marketing and sales skills. It’s not always about being a manipulator, but being able to steer the customer in a direction that is beneficial for both the company and the client.
If you want to know if your candidates have this trait, ask a simple question in the interview such as, “Why should we hire you?”. This way they have to sell themselves in a persuasive manner while listing qualities, traits, and reasons—a perfect, practical test of their customer service skills.
When interviewing candidates to become your next customer service hero, look for these qualities, traits, and skills. Look for someone who is communicative, persuasive, polite, patient, conscientious, and loyal.
They are loyal
Author Alexander Kjerulf says, “Happy employees make the customers happy”. It might sound rather straightforward, but happiness and satisfaction within a company will inevitably lead to loyalty.
When interviewing a candidate, pay attention to what they say about the previous companies they’ve worked for. There might be some underlying unhappiness, but a potential employee that speaks highly of their previous company despite having left is one that is both respectful and loyal.
A loyal customer care representative will put the company’s interest first when dealing with difficult customers. They are likely to try their best to protect the company’s image even in the presence of the most difficult customers.
They are natural problem-solvers
Companies that excel at customer service don’t wait for a problem to arise before addressing it. One of the great customer service skills is the ability to take a preemptive approach in managing possible risks and being prepared when a problem does arise.
Similarly, customer service employees must be able to provide a solution even before the customer poses the question (within reason, of course). In combination with a problem-solving nature, the candidate should also be a great listener in order to gather “clues” and read between the lines during communication.
With reference to the above-mentioned temperament types, it is ideal for customer service reps to be either the Artisan or Guardian type since they are known for being stable and conscientious, as well as pleasant to talk to and great at problem-solving.
In customer service, nothing is perfect and things will go wrong. This is not a failure. The best businesses show how they fix their mistakes.
They are highly conscientious
Look for candidates who are highly conscientious. The candidate that arrives late for the interview, looking completely flustered and confused is probably not the ideal choice.
Conscientious individuals are reliable, disciplined, methodical, organized, and goal driven. The Journal of Applied Social Psychology noted that “[individuals] who are identified through tests as highly conscientious are more likely to be aware of how good interpersonal interactions positively affect customer service – and are more likely to behave this way”.
To a degree, conscientious individuals are “pleasers” in the sense that they are aware of what works for certain people and what doesn’t. They have a strong intuition about what is morally right and wrong as well as how to treat others.
When customers call a company they’re actively seeking help in resolving a problem. A conscientious customer service agent will be better equipped to pick up the clues interlaced in the customer’s words, which will allow them to resolve pain points. Zendesk Chat also shares some creative ways in which you can deal with difficult clients and complaints while remaining helpful and calm.
Good employee traits
Although most companies have a limited customer service budget, finding the ideal employee has taken precedence over lowering costs in recent years. The perfect customer service employees have a positive attitude, are patient with customers, and are polite to all. These are the basics of satisfying the needs of both the client and the company. If you neglect these details while hiring, you might find yourself attempting to convert a hot-headed, negative individual into a suitable member of your customer support team.
Your HR team, or the person conducting the interview, should also know how to decipher a resumé in order to find the right match. When reading through your prospective employee’s resumé, look for keywords in their testimonials such as “works well with others” and “maintains a positive attitude”.
Positivity is important because dealing with customer issues day after day can strain an employee’s mental health. Being able to maintain a positive outlook despite the daily churn can help negate the negative effects of customer servicing. Patience and politeness allow the customer service rep to project their voice, tone, and brand without sounding rude or agitated. They will also be able to solve complex customer problems without losing their cool.