Customer Service Success is the Product of Daily Habits

Excellent Customer Service Skills Don’t Just Happen

Effective customer service doesn’t happen overnight. It requires training and consistent behavioral maintenance. It’s a comprehensive process.

To illustrate this, consider how to develop a small habit, particularly when answering the phone. Let me share a personal example: I used to make coffee every morning. Making coffee was a standard part of my routine. After reading a book about habit formation, I decided I wanted to build a habit of lifting weights—just a simple five-minute routine of arm exercises and squats. I realized that making coffee took about the same amount of time, so I decided to attach my new habit to the old one and do this new weight-lifting routine while the coffee brewed.  It then became part of my morning habit without me having to stress about finding time.

Similarly, in customer service, there are existing habits, like greeting the customer on the phone: “Thank you for calling ABC Storage. How can I help you today?” That’s a good starting point. The question then is: how can we build on the already established habit you have without even thinking about it?

I suggest adding something new to the standard greeting. For example, you could say, “Tell me what’s causing your need for storage? How can we make your life easier today?” By incorporating fresh phrases into every phone call, you create new habits over time. Eventually, those new phrases may become your standard practice, allowing you to continue building on those successes and new habits.

It’s important to find a habit that is already ingrained in you and attach a new one to it. If you attempt to create an entirely new habit from scratch, it can feel overwhelming. For instance, deciding to exercise for ten minutes a day might be challenging if your schedule gets away from you. However, if you attach a new habit to something you already do—like making coffee—it’s easier because you’re already accustomed to that routine. This is the approach I would emphasize for building effective habits.

Practice, Practice, Practice…We All Know It!

Incorporating a new habit into your customer service skills doesn’t have to be overwhelming. To find out what really works for you, introduce small changes to your sales calls once or twice a week and see what a difference it can make. Find what feels comfortable for you and experiment with different approaches and verbiage. This way, you can gauge what works best for you. It’s important to use varied language and expressions, as each day presents an opportunity to learn something new.

Changing Your Customer Service Habits May Make Your Life Easier

Sometimes it’s hard for us to break the habit of trying new things, but those new habits might make your life easier, even if you already have a routine. You never know when that new habit you’re trying could simplify your life. For example, even a new daily 10-minute or 30-minute routine could be beneficial. You may be able to hike 10 miles in no time!

Once you have developed a comfortable call flow and a natural-sounding script through practice, closing sales and exceeding customer expectations will become second nature. You’ll find that you have more time to build rapport and connect with your customers, rather than worrying about what to discuss during your sales calls. Make your sales calls less stressful by practicing new habits.

Routine Makes the Difference

Having a routine is essential for productivity. When you establish a consistent routine, you can see progress and success in yourself. I believe that a routine plays a significant role in developing good habits. By creating a structured approach to managing yourself and interacting with others daily, you can improve your habits and achieve success.

For instance, when the phone rings, take a deep breath, grab your sales checklist, and have a pen ready before answering. This systematic approach serves as a background process, helping you stay organized.

On sales calls, when the phone rings, your routine should include selling your property or business. Completing this task will give you a sense of accomplishment, which is very important for personal growth and your customer service skills.