Have you ever tried to purchase a good or service and the sales person did not know that product or service at a deep level?  Frustrating isn’t it? How can an organization sell their product or service when their sales/support staff don’t know or understand what they sell or support?  It seems like a no brainer for sales/support staff to really know what they are selling or supporting. Sadly, this is not always the case.

Your staff members who have contact with customers need to have extensive product knowledge. They must be able to explain the product or service in detail, answer questions, even some technical ones and make recommendations for another product or upgrades to an existing product. 

Your staff needs more than just product/service training, they also need soft skills training.  Not every staff member communicates as effectively as they should, a few don’t really listen and still others lack empathy. Support staff especially must have the ability to solve problems and remain diplomatic in trying situations.  Essential soft skills for every sales/support person include:

• Communication skills: active listening, good verbal communication, good written communication including proper grammar and punctuation.

• Emotional Intelligence: empathy, self-motivation, self-regulation, positive attitude.

• Conflict resolution: diplomacy, accountability, empathy, assertiveness, humor.

Your organization will benefit from a well trained sales/support staff with increased sales and improved customer satisfaction.  Training is an investment in your people and your organization.  For a list of FREE training resources, go to: www.customerserviceimprovement.com and click on Free Resources.