Customer service is defined as any assistance provided by a business to those who use their products or services. It is typically delivered by staff who possess skills vital for working within a customer-facing role. Good customer service often requires staff to be attentive, courteous, respond timely and typically aims for customers’ needs to be met in a manner that reflects positively on the business. Customer service staff could be dealing with customers face to face, on the telephone or through digital formats such as emails.

Good customer service is being able to deal with both happy and unhappy customers. For this, it is essential that customer-facing staff hold three important qualities – the ability to listen, professionalism and knowledge. Staff must be able to acknowledge and respect the customer’s concerns fairly and they can achieve this by listening and making sure their concerns are heard. It is also important to keep professional by following common courtesy, responding promptly and going the extra mile. Staff should also be knowledgeable in the products and services they offer and be able to resolve issues effectively.

Soft skills are important in customer service because they influence how well the employee interacts with people both inside and outside their company. Soft skills such as good communication, motivation, flexibility and good problem-solving have a strong effect on the level of customer satisfaction. This is why they are so highly valued by employers despite being quite difficult to measure in employees. Good customer service relies on well-developed soft skills as much as product knowledge, helping customers to feel listened to and be sure their issues are being dealt with well.