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As the face of your company and voice of your brand, help desk professionals need to possess an abundant supply of tips for handling a wide range of external and internal issues – all while doing it with a calm and collected smile.

Here are four of the best customer service tips for help desk professionals looking to make solid first impressions and build long-lasting customer relationships.

Act swift. Remain transparent. Be accurate.

When a problem arises, albeit internal or external, it’s best to smother the issue before it spreads like wildfire to other areas. We live in a technologically expedient world where people want a fix within an hour; otherwise, they’ll take to the social sphere and create an even further problem for your organization via viral badmouthing.

If there’s a singular issue, take the initiative to send a response asking how you can help solve the problem. If it’s a bigger, more widespread issue, post contact info where customers can contact you at their own discretion while simultaneously informing them that there is indeed a problem and it will be solved within a specified amount of time. Transparency and an accurate time table help people acknowledge a problem and feel more at ease while waiting for a solution.

Keep calm and IT on.

Complaint management is a necessary skill for any customer service job, especially jobs in IT. Most of the customers you will deal with aren’t going to get frustrated, they already are – that’s why they’re reaching out for help. Never lose sight of the job, even during your worst customer experiences. Remember: The customer is not mad at you. They’re mad that there is a problem. Listen respectfully, diffuse the situation quickly, and act calmly. By doing so, hopefully, you’ll have turned a steamed customer into a satisfied one.

Never stop training.

Each year, technology grows faster than the last. You don’t want to hire and train a help desk employee and then leave it at that. Investing in ongoing training keeps your company on the cutting-edge of customer service while helping to convert those “right NOW” problems into “NO time” solutions. There’s nothing worse for your organization than when a customer waits on hold for IT service, only to end up without a possible outcome for their problem. There’s always a solution, so keep training.

Follow up, always.

Never miss the opportunity to follow up. Whether it’s through social media channels, phone calls or emails, make sure the issue at hand was and still is resolved. This courtesy reassures the customer that your company does in fact care about their individual needs, and it gives you data to report on for better ways to handle future issues. Sometimes it’s positive; sometimes it’s constructive; sometimes they just complain, but it’s only because they care. It’s how you respond, accept responsibility and right wrongs – that’s what people remember – and that strengthens loyalty and builds a brand.