Customer Service: Why Is Eye Contact So Bad?

If someone was to apply for a job, they are likely to hear about how important customer service is. That is, of course, unless they are applying for a position that doesn’t require them to deal with customers.

This could be something that doesn’t faze them, which could come down to the fact that they are good with people. At the same time, they might not be too sure about what this will involve.

The Next Step

Nevertheless, there is the chance that they will be given the guidance that they need if they are chosen. And if one does know what to do, there will still be the chance for them to improve.

As the weeks and months pass, most of the people who they come into contact with could be pleased with how they are treated. And this is likely to have a positive effect on how they view the company that one works for.

The Frontline

Conversely, if one doesn’t respond to people in a positive manner, it is likely to have a negative effect on how they view the company. As a result of this, it won’t matter what the people are doing further up the hierarchy.

Emails can be sent and adverts can be used, for instance, but it is the experiences that people have with the people who represent the company who make all the difference. This, then, shows why it is so important for businesses to have good customer service.

A Big Difference

So, although the people who represent a company in this manner might not get paid as much as the people who don’t, they still have a lot of influence. In some ways, it could be said that they have more influence than the people do above them.

With this in mind, it is clear that a company cannot afford to overlook this area of their business. If they do, it might only be a matter of time before they end up paying the price.

Another Factor

What also plays a part here is that someone can now go onto a social media site and talk about what they have been through. In the past, one may have just told their friends, but now they have the ability to tell thousands of people.

The stakes are now much higher than they were before, and how a company treats people can make or break them. Therefore, although a company could overlook this area of their business, it doesn’t mean that they will be able to do this forever.

The Most Important Element

When it comes to good customer service, there are a number of things that will need to be in place. Perhaps the most important thing will be for someone to be present, as this will allow them to respond in the right way.

If their body is there but their mind is somewhere else, it is going to stop them from being able to do this. And either consciously or unconsciously, a customer will realise that the person they are talking to is not really there.

Other Elements

This can then cause them to feel ignored, disrespected, and as though they are not important. And if a company wants to make sure this customer uses their services, this is likely to be the last thing that they want.

Along with being present, it will be vital for them to smile, to listen, to be friendly, and to make eye contact, amongst other things. If one doesn’t make eye contact, it could show that it’s because they are not present.

Disconnected

Now, this could mean that one has got a lot on their mind at the moment, and this is then why they are unable to completely show up. It could go even further than this, though, as one could be like this all the time when they are at work.

Maybe, one no longer wants to be there, and this is why their mind is generally somewhere else. One is then getting paid to do a job, but they are not doing what they are being paid to do.

A Lack of Guidance

Then again, there is also the chance that one hasn’t shown eye contact since they started the job and nothing has happened. It could then show that one’s mind is somewhere else, or it could simply show that they don’t feel comfortable maintaining eye contact.

There would then have been what their employers were looking for at the beginning, and then there is what they put up with when someone actually works there. It can then seem as though they only talk about how important customer service is at the beginning in order to create the right impression.

Conclusion

It would be easy to point the finger at a member of staff for not showing good customer service, yet this would overlook what the part that the people above them play. Bad customer service can only occur if these people allow it to.

This is not to say that they can stop it from happening completely, but what they can do is stop it from becoming the norm. The self-checkouts that are now available stop people from having to experience bad customer service, this is the good part; the bad part is that they don’t exactly create a fulfilling experience for the customer, or allow them to develop an emotional connection to the business.

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Oliver JR Cooper
http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk