Elevate Your Customer Experience: Empower Your Team with the Right Tools
It is my fundamental belief that no one turns up to work to deliver poor customer service. People don’t wake up, get out of bed, get ready and head off to work thinking, ‘I am going to deliver really bad service today’.
In my many years of working with customer service teams, there are several reasons why a customer may not receive a positive experience, or poor service is delivered. Through extensive experience and research, the most common reasons I have found are:
No standards or clear expectations for the team
Poor processes
Technology issues
Lack of induction and training
Lack of coaching and feedback
Lack of tools to do the job
Poor leadership
Team member not suited to the job or role
Poor attitude.
Note that poor attitude is the least likely factor. Every service leader must set their teams up for success, provide the best environment possible, and provide team members with the right tools to deliver exceptional customer experiences. Imagine trying to build a house without the appropriate equipment. You could have the most incredible design and architecture, yet it would fail if the builders turned up without the right gear. They could have the best skills, attitude and mindset, but they would not be able to get the job done. The same can be said for customer service.
Providing the right tools for customer service is essential for several reasons:
Improved Efficiency: Having the right tools can help customer service team members work more efficiently. This means that they can handle more enquiries in less time, which leads to faster response times and improved customer satisfaction.
Better Customer Experience: The right tools enable the team to provide better service. They can quickly access customer information, resolve issues promptly, and provide accurate information, all of which contribute to a positive customer experience.
Increased Productivity: With the right tools, the team can manage their workload more effectively. This can help reduce stress and improve job satisfaction, leading to a more productive and motivated team.
From a leadership perspective, this can mean regularly checking in with the team to ensure the tools and resources are working for them. Make it a point to ask your team, ‘What blocks or barriers are currently getting in the way of you delivering an excellent experience?’ Ask for their solutions and ideas to overcome these barriers. This is an ideal activity to use in a team meeting or as a stand-alone facilitated session. Implement quick wins and create a plan for other ideas suggested.
For the service leader, it also means being a champion when things are not working for the team. That could involve conversations with senior leaders and putting a business case forward if new tools and technology are required.
I always advise service leaders to present a compelling business case that outlines customer effort, team effort, cost to serve, lost time, financial impact and even multiple handling of tasks. Technology changes are not quick fixes or overnight solutions and can be time-consuming and costly. If changes are planned, remember to keep the team updated about progress. And acknowledge any pain points and frustrations in the meantime.
