The problem with attempting to improve the customer service we give is that we overlook the fact that successful change is accompanied by a new mindset. What do I mean? Simple: to change our customer service, we need to change the way we used to view whatever it is we’re changing. Anand Subramaniam gives some great examples of this in the article, “Want to transform customer service? Question conventional wisdom!”

1. Technology and Older Clients

Talk about a mindset the world is set in. Almost everyone believes that older adults have no idea what they’re doing when it comes to any form of technology, so why should our customer service aimed at them include technology? That, however, should not necessarily be case. Pew Research found that 42% of people 65 years of age and older own smartphones, and that is the gateway this age group needs to begin exploring other forms of technology. If you’re having trouble justifying this change based only on that out-​of-​date belief, Subramaniam says some of his older clients have expressed an interest in more technology-​centered service. They said that because they’re insecure about their lack of tech-​savviness, they would rather be serviced digitally than have to admit their troubles to a person.

2. Empathy is All You Need

Empathy is an extremely important trait to have as a salesperson, but it’s not always the best problem solver. 40% of Gen Y consumers find that salespeople aren’t knowledgeable and a measly 9% of this same generation’s service issues are not knowledge based. Younger generations would rather have answers than empathy. So, when working with clients around the Gen Y age, I’d be reading up on everything I could possibly know about my product or service instead of reading the latest article on how to work on emotional business connections with younger clients.

3. Putting All Your Energy into One Medium

It’s easy to pick the customer service medium that works for you and make it your primary form of service. However, that strategy only pushes away your clients with different personality types than your own. For example, if you focus on phone-​based service, you’re asking your more introverted clients to step outside their comfort zones each and every time they want to contact you. If the situation were reversed, it would be equally frustrating for the extroverts who just want a quick answer over the phone as opposed to waiting to receive a return email. Don’t limit yourself or your clients by restricting your service media.