I have been working in Customer Experience for most of my career. The first thing I learned is something I have taken with me to every job and it's so important no matter if you're focusing on CSAT, NPS, or both.
No one contacts Support or Customer Experience to say "Hey I love your product/service!"
I usually say it as a joke but it's true. If someone is contacting a Support team it's because they have a problem or a question that needs an answer as quickly as possible. There are some things to keep in mind connected to this concept:
- Don't take it personally. They came to you already frustrated with something. It's nothing to do with you.
- Work with them as a partner. They want a solution to their issue and you want to give it to them the best way possible. Be sure to express the idea that you're working with them to find the best and accurate answer.
- Time is a valuable resource. It sometimes takes time to find the solution and that's understandable as long as you also realize the person you're talking to probably has deadlines they need to meet and people they report to that are asking where the solution is. If you need to ask someone for the answer or do some troubleshooting, tell them they you need that time to find the accurate solution for their specific issue.
- Understand the issue and actively listen. Don't just skim your eyes over the ticket looking for buzzwords. It's better to take the few extra minutes to actually understand the issue than send the password reset link when it does nothing to solve their issue. They will not feel valued and lose confidence in you, the product, and the company.
- Empathize without taking the blame. People like feeling that you really care; but do not admit to a mistake that you or the company you represent did. Apologize for the frustration but placing blame on someone else in the company makes them lose confidence in your product.