Customer service – a path to a fulfilling and successful career

In its most basic form, customer service revolves around helping customers through their entire journey, from pre-sales to resolving any post-sales concerns that may arise. But how can you learn to provide great customer service?

In this blog, I’ll look at how, as a new graduate, you can build a customer-centric career, apply what you have learned through your studies and in life to help you on this path, and what Capgemini has taught me about my career.

Five crucial skills required to deliver exceptional customer service

While most people possess them, few take the time to fine-tune them. However, if you are looking to start a career in customer service, it is important to nurture and develop the right skills to ensure you are able to deliver excellent customer satisfaction. The top five skills you should possess are:

• Patience – customer service can be a very sensitive area for many customers. It’s important not to rush and ensure the customer is satisfied with the service you are giving them
• Empathy – having the ability to put yourself in your customer’s shoes and understand their concerns gives you insight into how they might be feeling. This helps you tailor your approach to meet your customer’s needs
• Adaptability – adapting quickly to constantly changing situations and conditions will help you be more empathetic and patient, which your customer will appreciate
• Excellent time management – good time management skills will enable you to spend time focusing on each customer to ensure their needs are being met. This, in turn, builds trust and confidence between you and your clients
• Articulate – being able to express your ideas clearly and concisely demonstrates you understand the problem and can explain the solution succinctly and clearly.

How to build rapport like a professional 

The best and easiest way to build an impactful customer service environment is through powerful communication, both reactive and proactive. Actively listening and responding to questions and concerns a customer has helps you build trust and rapport with them. One of the best ways to do this is to pay attention to how each customer likes to do business and tailor your approach accordingly.

If a customer enjoys chatting before getting down to business, brush up on your small talk. Similarly, learn to get down to business straight away, if that is what is needed. This demonstrates you value the customer and are able to meet them at their level.

What I wish I knew when I was starting out 

The biggest challenge I faced when I started was a lack of confidence. However, I quickly learned that every organization has people to support and trust your capabilities. Observe and action is the key. When you make mistakes, own and learn from them. Don’t get overconfident. Each day is a chance to learn something new, whether it is a skill or way to approach a problem.

It is also important to have a goal, no matter how small it may be, and to work toward it. Mini-goals such as mastering certain software programs or meeting weekly targets will help you work toward bigger goals.

Working at Capgemini

At Capgemini, we foster an environment of learning and expression of ideas, testing your skills, and encouraging you to build on them. We actively promote an open culture of positivity that enables you to challenge and be challenged. We believe in empowering our people to chase their dreams.

Putting the customer front and center of our business gives you the confidence to provide exceptional, and truly innovative, customer service.

To learn more about post-graduation life at Capgemini, visit our Gradathon page

Ramesh Balasubramanian is responsible for service delivery, meeting the contractual obligations, people development, and growth in the APAC region. He is a focused and enterprising professional with a proven track record in managing large teams and motivating them to achieve their business goals.

Ramesh Balasubramanian

Expert in Change Management, Digital Transformation

I help and advice clients to set-up operations/delivery teams. I also help in change management by driving transformation initiatives which includes creating a road map and implementation.