DISC can be an effective tool to enhance customer service. Imagine how much more engaged and responsive your customers would be if you communicated in a DISC style that was comfortable and natural for them?
DISC assessments can provide an added layer of information to use in customer analysis. In addition, managers can use DISC profiles to match their staff to the job roles where the employees are more likely to thrive. These DISC assessments can be a part of customer service training. They can help salespeople and others who have customer service jobs work with people more effectively. Not only does that mean a business with smoother operations, but also creating a customer base that feels valued and loyal.
Where Does Great Customer Service Start?
Great customer service starts with well-trained employees. People look for a positive experience and prefer dealing with a real person. In the U.S. the ballpark cost of customers going elsewhere, due to poor service, is estimated to be close to $1.6 trillion. Customers will switch to another company and they will also make sure to tell others about their poor experience. Companies can't rely on the quality or popularity of their product because service can be a deal breaker. They need to build in great customer service. DISC can give customer service employees a tool to create a positive consumer experience.
How does a customer service manager go about building a great team? There is no perfect or ideal style when it comes to customer service staff. Experience and training also plays an important role. However, there are some styles that are more naturally suited for different customer service settings. When building a team, it is also important to focus on team dynamics. The DISC assessment can help employers select the best roles in their company for employees to thrive. Customer Service teams that interact well as a group will function more smoothly and be more productive.
Customer service is important. It's based on how employees and customers interact. We all know the importance of treating the customer right, but what if we treat the customer the way they want to be treated? Identifying and understanding your customer's communication style helps you to accomplish that. Therefore, employees who are trained with the right customer service tools, can help the company succeed.
The Importance of Customer Service
People who only use their own comfortable communication styles may struggle in customer service. Employees may lack awareness to adapt and interact the way the customers prefer. They may seem too blunt or direct when the customer wants time to process and think. They may be overly enthusiastic and unaware of personal space when the customer is reserved. Clients may leave feeling frustrated.
The DISC model has four main communication styles. D-Style's fall on the fast and assertive end of the spectrum, while C-Styles are reserved and more formal in interactions. I-Styles focus on interactions, while the S-Styles are team players. Depending on the customer and setting, one style may be more effective than another. Having a mix of styles on a customer service team can help any business work with customers more easily. However, context is important. What product or service are you selling? What is your client base like? With DISC assessments, it's easier to find people who fit what a company is looking for. Then customers get the right treatment and the business is more successful.
What Customer Service Training Offers
Some people are trained to handle customer service issues only one way. That will not always work and it can turn away a large segment of your potential client base. Employees need to be trained to adjust to each customer. Let's say you have clients come in to inquire about your services, but they need materials to read or they need to think about it. Don't give up. Identify the customer's style as someone who may need more information and time to decide. Follow up with an email or phone call. Answer their questions carefully, even if you prefer to close the deal quickly and move on. The ability to adapt your DISC style to the client's DISC style is more likely to close the deal.
The right customer service training, using the 4 effective steps to communication, gives employees DISC styles knowledge, the ability to identify the client's DISC profile, and the skills to adjust. This creates awareness of the different styles and provides skills to work with customers and others. Customers are happier and so are employees. Learning to communicate well is not always easy. The environment and the styles of others both matter. However, when used correctly, DISC can be a valuable tool for better customer service.
How DISC Assessments Can Help
A DISC assessment focuses on the person. The self-assessment identifies the person's natural behavioral style. It also provides insight into how that person works with others. In addition, the DISC report shows how he or she shows up in different context, like customer service or under pressure. Companies that use DISC assessments may see their sales figures improve because trained employees create better customer experiences. That will translate into customers returning again and again. That can mean higher sales numbers. It can also help with reviews and other important business aspects. The more customers like your treatment of them, the more likely they will be to return. That is what a business wants, of course, and what it needs to stay afloat. When employees know how to interact with customers, they can really help a business stay on track.
What Do DISC Profiles Tell You?
DISC profiles tell you about how the person prefers to behave and interact. That can help a person learn about themselves and how they interact with the world. Then they can make adjustments or simply be aware of any issues. They can also match their communication styles with others. Customers who interact with these employees will be more likely to feel satisfied. It's important to remember that people may not be able to really change their true communication style. But knowing that style can make them more mindful of how they work with others. Then they can focus on what customers need. That goes a long way toward happy customers for any business.
Additionally, DISC profiles can show if there are concerns or clashes with a person and a particular job. Some people may not do well in customer service roles. They could be better off in a different type of position. The company may move them based on their DISC profile, and that could benefit everyone. Moving an employee to a different job can sometimes make all the difference in whether that employee struggles or flourishes.
How DISC Styles Affect Customer Interaction
Customers interact with employees generally on their own terms. Employees need to remember that customers need and deserve good treatment or they can walk away. When they can communicate well with those customers, they can help their business succeed. But not all customers expect, want, or need the same type of interaction. People gain an advantage if they know DISC because their customers feel heard and valued. They not only appreciate that, but they remember it. They tell other people, which can increase the customer base.
With the right use of DISC assessments to understand DISC styles, employees and customers can have great exchange. That improves the value of the interaction for everyone. Companies that take the time to use the DISC assessment help themselves and their customers. That's good for everyone involved. It adds to the growth of companies, and the experience customers have with those companies, as well.
