A common complaint salespeople receive concerning their customer service is that it’s not personal enough. In most cases, the customer may as well be talking to a machine with how little of our hearts we put into communication with our clients. With that comparison in mind, it’s useful to see what we can learn about tech tools and what we can learn from them to support clients. Vikas Agrawal gives a few good examples in his article, “6 Tech Support Tools that will Make Your Customers Happy.”

Chatboxes
You know those little chatboxes that pop up as soon as you visit certain sites just to let you know that someone is waiting to talk with you if you experience any problems? Customers love those. It’s reassuring to them to know that, while they maintain their independence to browse on their own, they have someone readily available to instantaneously help them the moment they become confused. This kind of readiness and willingness is crucial in a business relationship between salespeople and clients. You have to let your clients know that you are there for them whenever they may need you. And, even more important, you have to mean it. If they reach out to you in a time of need and you don’t respond promptly, your clients will quickly lose faith in you and will be less likely to approach you with their problems again.

Multi-​format support
Customer support that offers clients a variety of ways to receive aid is another favorite among the masses. The reason is obvious: this kind of service has something for everyone. The more social clients can pick up a phone and the more introverted clients can comfortably stick to email or chatboxes. It’s important for you to be as readily available to your clients in as many formats as possible for this exact same reason. Not everyone has the same personality type as you and at least a handful of your clients’ favorite method of communication is the exact opposite of what you prefer. So, be flexible. Appeal to the needs of every personality type and they’ll have less of a reason to hesitate to reach out.

Traditional
Some people just like good, old-​fashioned tech support that involves talking to a real person who’s trained to solve problems. What? This isn't a machine-​based support system! However, one of the main reasons why this method gets on people’s nerves is that it seem as if it is though. That is, the supporters seem like they’re on auto pilot and talk at the clients, not with them. Like an automated receptionist, they say whatever simple solution comes to mind without actually listening to customers' problems, and often start with the most frustrating question of all, “Have you tried turning the computer off and on again?” When it comes to giving your own support, not listening to your clients not only wastes both of your time, it’s degrading to them. Listen to them, work with them and once you solve the problem quickly and together, they’ll feel more comfortable.