Good customer service skills are the lifeblood of any organization. It can be what sets you apart from the competition and open doorways into new avenues in your industry.

Without them, you might just miss out on critical opportunities to grow your customer base or even worse, run the risk of jeopardizing any new business that your company has worked so hard to acquire.

Luckily the list of skills needed doesn’t have to be too long and can easily be taught to both new and existing employees.

Positivity:  Although the rest of this list is in no particular order, positivity was put at the top of this list for a reason. If we could choose only one skillset for employees it would be that they approach each and every day with a positive mindset. Many times it only takes one positive attitude to energize and motivate an entire company, while one negative attitude can also have the exact same counter effect. In other words, you can choose to be the propeller or the anchor!

Patience:   Whether we are training new employees, or working with vendors or customers, having an adequate amount of patience can spell the difference between being successful or creating a train wreck in an organization. While it is crucial to have a defined goal in mind, it is crucial to break it down in bite size chunks and enjoy each leg of the journey. Use your larger goal as more of a compass and instead appreciate what you are learning as you are moving toward your larger goal.

Clear Communication: As James Humes once said, “The art of communication is the language of leadership.”  If we truly believe that our employees are our biggest asset, then one of the biggest missed opportunities is our failure to utilize them to their full potential by keeping them in the dark. Every member of your organization should know clearly the vision for where the company is heading, your values, as well as what is expected of them each day.

Take Responsibility: It is crucial that organizations create a culture so that each employee can feel safe to own up to any mistakes that they make, whether they’re big or small. When a leader can stand up and declare “this situation was a direct result of my actions and I’m sorry”, it gives employees confidence knowing that they get creative and think outside the box and as long as the company’s best interest is kept in focus. This can be especially powerful when trying to resolve customer complaints in the field.

Willingness to learn: When a leader or employee doesn’t continually try to learn and get better their entire organization often pays a very expensive price. Employees lose motivation, quality suffers, or worse, customer’s dissatisfaction often occurs. No matter the industry that you are in, there are always new ways and opportunities to improve as a company.

While there is a lot of additional skills that could be added to improve your organizations customer service, pick a few to work on and you just might be surprised at how soon you start experiencing positive results!