I was recently in Melbourne and Sydney this month, and was baffled at the inconsistent levels of customer service being offered by both city and urban establishments. It became painfully clear that there were two types of customer service transactions happening, both with very different outcomes. Delivering great service is easy when things are smooth, but once things become difficult, that's when standards drop.
While finding amazing customer experiences was difficult on my trip, there were unfortunately plenty of examples for sub-standard service delivery; everywhere from train stations to cafe's and restaurants; even a luxury hotel in the heart of Sydney!
What was most evident to me was how predictable the service level would be if my transaction was "off the menu", so as to speak. Ask for something slightly different from the norm, and suddenly demeanor and politeness were swept aside and replaced by rudeness and arrogance. What concerned me was whether these companies were measuring the effectiveness of their customer service based on how well they handled straightforward robotic transactions (which I know the majority of front line staff prefer because it's easier), or the more difficult non-standard ones?
The sign of a robust customer service process is it's ability to effectively deal with any request the customer makes. This isn't easy, because humans are inherently unpredictable beasts; a major reason why strategies like Six Sigma don't do any justice for CS processes. You can map as many processes as you like, but eventually a customer will come along and throw a curve-ball, and your frontline people need to deal with these professionally.
The major hurdle here isn't the business, it's the human. Dealing with non-standard transactions has to mean engaging your brain with the customer, turning off robot mode, and activating the intelligent parts of your experience; something any human finds hard to do at the best of times. You can only achieve consistency if the customer's experience is the same regardless of whether the request is simple or not, and the responsibility for this begins with the person serving the customer.
If you work in the frontline, remember this: it's all too easy to label a customer as "fussy", and to drop the level of service you provide. Not only is this lazy, it's a missed opportunity to deliver outstanding customer service. Yes, it'll require more time and more of your energy, but it's what your paid for, and the repercussions for your company could be long term and ultimately come back to bite you.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Customer service challenges for 2012
It's that time of the year when many professionals can see the approaching new year on the horizon and wonder to themselves "what's going to happen in my industry next?". A new year means new strategic plans, changing financial environments, probably higher targets, and plenty of new initiatives -- but that's just the usual suspects! Our industry is now so strongly linked to technology, that the pace of change is faster than it has ever been before; so best to be mentally prepared, at the very least.
External trends and drivers generate internal challenges for every company, and those challenges (if not ignored) are headed off by implementing new initiatives, launching company projects, and developing new procedures and policy. Whenever these things happen, there's a high chance customer service will somehow be involved.
Sometimes customer service will be challenged to take the lead because of it's proximity to the customer, at other times it may be tapped for support to assist in company wide changes. Whatever the role, it's being part of these game plans that makes our industry the most interesting for me personally. This involvement exposes customer service professionals to all aspects of a company's internal operations, but also places increasingly higher demands on it's people to step up and help the company achieve it's goals.
The core challenge our industry has always faced is meeting and exceeding the expectations of our customers -- it's what we're paid for. The difficulty is, those expectations are usually generated outside our industry, and we very quickly feel the knock-on effect as customers become accustomed to whatever experience they're having elsewhere, and soon expect it everywhere.
The area of "communications technology" has made contact centers scramble in recent decades, as multiple channels of communication became heavily adopted by the general public and ingrained in almost every aspect of day to day corporate and social life. Fax machines, mobile phones, SMS, email, internet chat, and now the new boy on the block -- social media; and all of them have presented various challenges to us : integrating the technology into our existing infrastructure, teaching our people how to use it effectively, and in terms of maintaining service levels consistently across the whole range.
Challenge #1
The first challenge in 2012 has been triggered by this evolving communications technology -- mobile technology; the ability for customers to interact with your company regardless of where they are. This trend is going to drive an increase in demand for mobile-enabled applications that allow your customers to easily locate and retrieve information and manipulate services, just as they can on any other channel. Remember too that when we say "mobile technology", we don't just mean mobile phones -- it includes all forms of handheld devices, including PDA's and the infamouse I-range (IPads, IPods and of course IPhones).
In terms of challenges, here's a simple one for you test your readiness against -- do you know for sure that your company website has 100% functionality on all handheld devices? If you don't know the answer, then chances are it doesn't. For example, if your website uses Flash for it's animations, then guess what....IPad and IPhone users won't be able to see any of it, because Apple's products don't support Flash (and most likely never will, although in September this year Adobe, the creators of Flash, have released a new version of it's Flash Media Server that does support delivery to Apple devices. This means that moving forward, any Flash animations created under Flash Media Server 4.5 will work on the Apple devices). IPads and IPhones do support Java, but in a limited way; meaning some functions that work on a regular PC may not work on the IPhone/IPad platform. You also need to consider that the screen dimensions differ on these devices when compared to a laptop or desktop computer, so your website should be flexible enough to modify it's content and layout to react accordingly.
Many companies have already faced this demon, and do a very good job of making sure their web content works equally well across all forms of mobile technology, and some have even developed their own nifty applications to integrate their customer service directly (and securely) into the back-end of their operations -- the real challenge, however, is that customers now expect all of us to have equally effective content delivery, regardless of how big or small the company.
Challenge #2
The second challenge in 2012 is also a consequence of the expanding number of communication channels, and it's global adoption by the mass markets -- continuity; the ability for a company to recognize a customer and know everything about them as they move from channel to channel, seamlessly, and while providing the same service levels.
Your customers are now expecting that when they talk to you through email, telephone, SMS, or Facebook and Twitter, you not only know exactly who they are, but you also have at your fingertips the same historical and profiling information you'd have if they called through the telephone.
This is no challenge to wink at, and anyone who's attempted this with earlier technology like IVR and web-chat will know full well the obstacles and hurdles that lay ahead. The first barrier one encounters when dealing with this issue is the integration of multiple databases and various internal IT structures. Most companies still haven't centralized their customer relationship data, and without a unified framework to build upon you'll immediately find problems when adding new layers like social media.
Contact center hardware/software companies have been slow to get off the mark in providing solutions that can seamlessly integrate mediums like Facebook and Twitter, although I think we've all been a little caught by surprise at how quickly social media has been adopted by the masses. Just this year Avaya launched a new version of it's Aura Contact Center which now has the social media manager add-on fully integrated, making tracking and actioning of social media posts much easier, and offers the advantage of supplementing customer profiling information from the entire back-end system.
Having integrated technology is one thing, having a smart human who can quickly digest all of that information and take the right action is another. So is having the right internal structure to support social media, because you have to remember that Facebook has no IVR -- it's a one stop shop, and agents can receive, and are expected to respond to, a plethora of situations that will span your whole company's infrastructure and operations. To react quickly means frontliners must have straightforward and timely access to accurate information (a topic we'll be covering in the next post), as well as the right empowerment to make decisions.
One large obstacle that you'll have to be mindful of when integrating social media into your business is the sad fact that many senior managers, CEO's and CFO's simply don't have any experience in social media themselves. They don't use it, and some even abhor it. Yet the expectation of your customers will persist regardless, and your first hurdle may indeed be a buy-in one. Finding a management team with the courage and patience to delve into this dark ocean won't be easy, but it's mandatory for any company wanting to stay alive!
In my next post i'll be covering some even broader topics like knowledge management and the double edged sword of customization and personalization - we might even talk a little about unified desktops. There's certainly enough in this post to keep you thinking though, and hopefully it won't keep you up at night....too much.
External trends and drivers generate internal challenges for every company, and those challenges (if not ignored) are headed off by implementing new initiatives, launching company projects, and developing new procedures and policy. Whenever these things happen, there's a high chance customer service will somehow be involved.
Sometimes customer service will be challenged to take the lead because of it's proximity to the customer, at other times it may be tapped for support to assist in company wide changes. Whatever the role, it's being part of these game plans that makes our industry the most interesting for me personally. This involvement exposes customer service professionals to all aspects of a company's internal operations, but also places increasingly higher demands on it's people to step up and help the company achieve it's goals.
The core challenge our industry has always faced is meeting and exceeding the expectations of our customers -- it's what we're paid for. The difficulty is, those expectations are usually generated outside our industry, and we very quickly feel the knock-on effect as customers become accustomed to whatever experience they're having elsewhere, and soon expect it everywhere.
The area of "communications technology" has made contact centers scramble in recent decades, as multiple channels of communication became heavily adopted by the general public and ingrained in almost every aspect of day to day corporate and social life. Fax machines, mobile phones, SMS, email, internet chat, and now the new boy on the block -- social media; and all of them have presented various challenges to us : integrating the technology into our existing infrastructure, teaching our people how to use it effectively, and in terms of maintaining service levels consistently across the whole range.
Challenge #1
The first challenge in 2012 has been triggered by this evolving communications technology -- mobile technology; the ability for customers to interact with your company regardless of where they are. This trend is going to drive an increase in demand for mobile-enabled applications that allow your customers to easily locate and retrieve information and manipulate services, just as they can on any other channel. Remember too that when we say "mobile technology", we don't just mean mobile phones -- it includes all forms of handheld devices, including PDA's and the infamouse I-range (IPads, IPods and of course IPhones).
In terms of challenges, here's a simple one for you test your readiness against -- do you know for sure that your company website has 100% functionality on all handheld devices? If you don't know the answer, then chances are it doesn't. For example, if your website uses Flash for it's animations, then guess what....IPad and IPhone users won't be able to see any of it, because Apple's products don't support Flash (and most likely never will, although in September this year Adobe, the creators of Flash, have released a new version of it's Flash Media Server that does support delivery to Apple devices. This means that moving forward, any Flash animations created under Flash Media Server 4.5 will work on the Apple devices). IPads and IPhones do support Java, but in a limited way; meaning some functions that work on a regular PC may not work on the IPhone/IPad platform. You also need to consider that the screen dimensions differ on these devices when compared to a laptop or desktop computer, so your website should be flexible enough to modify it's content and layout to react accordingly.
Many companies have already faced this demon, and do a very good job of making sure their web content works equally well across all forms of mobile technology, and some have even developed their own nifty applications to integrate their customer service directly (and securely) into the back-end of their operations -- the real challenge, however, is that customers now expect all of us to have equally effective content delivery, regardless of how big or small the company.
Challenge #2
The second challenge in 2012 is also a consequence of the expanding number of communication channels, and it's global adoption by the mass markets -- continuity; the ability for a company to recognize a customer and know everything about them as they move from channel to channel, seamlessly, and while providing the same service levels.
Your customers are now expecting that when they talk to you through email, telephone, SMS, or Facebook and Twitter, you not only know exactly who they are, but you also have at your fingertips the same historical and profiling information you'd have if they called through the telephone.
This is no challenge to wink at, and anyone who's attempted this with earlier technology like IVR and web-chat will know full well the obstacles and hurdles that lay ahead. The first barrier one encounters when dealing with this issue is the integration of multiple databases and various internal IT structures. Most companies still haven't centralized their customer relationship data, and without a unified framework to build upon you'll immediately find problems when adding new layers like social media.
Contact center hardware/software companies have been slow to get off the mark in providing solutions that can seamlessly integrate mediums like Facebook and Twitter, although I think we've all been a little caught by surprise at how quickly social media has been adopted by the masses. Just this year Avaya launched a new version of it's Aura Contact Center which now has the social media manager add-on fully integrated, making tracking and actioning of social media posts much easier, and offers the advantage of supplementing customer profiling information from the entire back-end system.
Having integrated technology is one thing, having a smart human who can quickly digest all of that information and take the right action is another. So is having the right internal structure to support social media, because you have to remember that Facebook has no IVR -- it's a one stop shop, and agents can receive, and are expected to respond to, a plethora of situations that will span your whole company's infrastructure and operations. To react quickly means frontliners must have straightforward and timely access to accurate information (a topic we'll be covering in the next post), as well as the right empowerment to make decisions.
One large obstacle that you'll have to be mindful of when integrating social media into your business is the sad fact that many senior managers, CEO's and CFO's simply don't have any experience in social media themselves. They don't use it, and some even abhor it. Yet the expectation of your customers will persist regardless, and your first hurdle may indeed be a buy-in one. Finding a management team with the courage and patience to delve into this dark ocean won't be easy, but it's mandatory for any company wanting to stay alive!
In my next post i'll be covering some even broader topics like knowledge management and the double edged sword of customization and personalization - we might even talk a little about unified desktops. There's certainly enough in this post to keep you thinking though, and hopefully it won't keep you up at night....too much.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Understanding customer stress
As a customer service professional, understanding the mechanics of stress and the vital role human interaction plays in the process can be an advantage in diffusing volatile situations. We all know what it's like to be on the receiving end of customer fury, but do you really know what's going on in your customer's mind while it happens?
When things go wrong, most people experience a mix of emotions - everything from anger to disappointment, and everything in between. Add on top of that the frustration at not being in control or being able to fix things yourself, and you can see how a normally calm and loyal customer can become a frontliner's worst nightmare.
The only thing that will change from situation to situation is the level of stress, and this usually correlates to the perceived "value" of the transaction at hand. Some situations are just a plain nuisance (your bank statement gets misdelivered), others super-frustrating (your cell phone gets unexpectedly disconnected), and some situations are just plain heartbreaking (the package with your wife's anniversary present doesn't arrive). Depending on the potential consequences and inconvenience of the situation, you can expect a customer's stress levels to match accordingly.
All stress responses have an associated physiological reaction in the body's nervous system, triggering a rush of hormones (including adrenalin) that do everything from bumping up the heart rate to constricting blood vessels. At extreme levels, a customer can actually "see red", and have little control over their physiological reaction to the stress, let alone their emotional reactions!
There's generally three different ways a person will respond to this "fight or flight" reaction:
Pedal to the metal: Hyper-emotional, angry and agitated, hot tempered.
Slam on the brakes: Withdrawal, shut down, emotionally depressed.
Go Stop Go Stop: Outwardly frozen and lacking emotion, but seething with fury underneath, too angry to do or say anything.
Another element to understand is that competence in judgement is always compromised under stress. For most people, this means that when stressed, they generally make poor judgements and therefore poor decisions; while others may actually experience improved performance in this area (astronauts call this "the right stuff"!).
Stress also narrows the focus of attention for individuals, meaning their ability to take in new data or pay attention to areas outside of the stressful situation are limited. A consequence of this can be exaggeration of the situation and/or consequences, due to the fact that the customer can't see the "bigger picture" at the time.
To top all this off, if the customer was already stressed before the incident, and encounters a new stress on top of the old stress, this too can exacerbate the response and reactions to the new situation. You can see this when people move into a new house only to discover the electricity hasn't been turned on yet, and it's 5pm and getting dark -- beware the frontliner taking that call!
As well as having three distinct reactions to stress, people also pass through three separate stages of stress; however depending on the situation they may not pass through all of them.
The first stage is obviously the "alarm" stage, where all those hormones I mentioned already get triggered, and the body reacts to the situation at hand. Depending on how quickly your customer can get in touch with you after the incident, they'll generally still be experiencing this "hormone high" when they land in your lap, and can be the most difficult stage to get them through.
The second stage is "resistance", and if the alarm stage isn't resolved quickly a person slips into a different state of mind where their energy levels start reducing, and they can feel impatient and exasperated. During this stage, customers may have trouble remembering important details, may focus on trivial matters (like how long you kept them waiting on hold), and become less rational.
Finally, after quite some time, the customer enters the final stage of stress: exhaustion. The customer becomes both physically and mentally drained, experiences despair and even depression, and can become quite retaliatory in their interactions with those trying to help them. Overly sensitive, customers can quickly slip back to any of the previous two stages at any sign of volatility. They're difficult to deal with at this stage because they feel defeated, have given up, and are more interested in just complaining that getting things fixed.
You can see from this journey that the earlier you can diffuse the stress for the customer, the easier it'll be for you as a frontliner to deal with them. The further along in the stages the person goes during stress, the harder it will be for you to talk them down. It's important, too, that you understand the different reactions and communication methods a customer will use during each stage, so you can identify roughly where they are in the cycle and react accordingly.
There's some big lessons here that can really help you when dealing with a stressed customer, and the first is to always remind yourself -- the customer is generally not their normal selves. Their ability to think straight and make rational decisions is impaired, they attention span is narrowly focussed on you and your company and the problem at hand, and this situation may well be the icing on the cake for what could already be a bad day.
Getting a grip on these concepts will help you use your number one tool when combating a stressed customer -- empathy. I've talked before about customer service frontliners as the gate-keepers to all the solutions a company can offer a customer, and empathising with not only their situation but their mental state can increase your ability to de-stress the customer, get to the bottom of the problem, and solve it quickly. Having human interaction with someone outside the problem can immediately begin lowering the stress response in a person, so long as that person is open, welcoming, receptive, empathizes and can help work out a solution. Remember : a problem shared is a problem halved! Taking 50% of the problem off the customer's hand is the least you can do!
Remember, too, that stress begets stress, and after you've solved the problems of the world, you, too, need to de-stress, calm down, and tend to the wounds you get from being a frontliner in the battle for customer service.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
First impressions really do count
You hear about first impressions counting as a standard mantra when people talk about job interviews, and it's a super important aspect. That said, it also matters when dealing with customers, and for one simple reason : credibility. If the aim is to be taken seriously, then you have to manage that first contact and make it count.
There's a litany of resources on how to make sure you make a good impression at a job interview; everything from how you dress to how you address the interviewer -- even your very first email contact. All should be well presented, and portray the correct image you're wishing to convey to the audience. But what about when it comes to dealing with a customer?
In my last article I talked about "knowing your stuff", and how critical this was to establishing your credentials with the customers; but you won't even get to demonstrate those elements if you don't make that first contact count, so here's a few tips:
1. The introduction says everything
The first obvious contact your customer will have with you is that initial introduction you give when you introduce yourself or answer the call. This is your very first opportunity to set the tone for the whole transaction, and establish your credibility. When I listen to customer service employees, it's easy for me to spot the confident professional -- their tone is strong and balanced, and there's a faint sense of pride in just saying the phrase that has their name and the name of the company they work for. You also get a sense of helpfulness and embracing from the speaker, letting you know that they are in control and there to help. Speaking clearly, confidently and with a sense of "I do this every day and love it", will surely set the right tone for the rest of the call.
2. Immediately take control of the call
Your next mission after properly introducing yourself is to give the customer an opportunity to express their immediate need, but then instantly take control of the call. Remember, the customer has just arrived through the workings of your PABX into a world they know little about, they just know they need help. The probably don't even know what they need to tell you, so this is your opportunity to build on the credibility by showing them you know exactly what needs to happen. Make a strong reassurance to the customer that you can help them, and begin to ask the right questions to establish the facts, so you can move onto solving their problem.
3. Keep the comfort levels balanced
The trickiest aspect in customer service, I personally feel, is maintaining a balance between looking after the customer in front of you while diligently dealing with the internal systems you need to interact with to solve the problem. This is a significant opportunity for you to loose credibility, so it's here that you must be able to equally divide your attention between both aspects. Many frontliners overcome this by using the trusty hold button, but in my mind this is as good as physically turning your back on the customer while you go type on a computer. Real credibility comes from being able to keep the customer engaged and comfortable while you do your thing, maintaining that level of assuredness and credibility so the customer knows they are not alone for any longer than need be. Of course, there are times when you have to put the customer on hold, but you must use your skills here to balance that out against expectations, and if necessary make a call back promise -- just remember to keep it!
4. Build the bridge
In many cases you won't be able to immediately solve the customer's problem, and there's going to have to be a follow up. Here's another opportunity to build your credibility, but you're going to have to work hard for it. Your first mission is to compel the customer to have faith in your ability to do what you need to do, and that you will fulfill your promise to call them back with the results. If you've done well building credibility in the first three steps, this is easier - if not, you're going to have a hard time getting them to believe you won't put the case in the trash and go to lunch. A good dose of empathy will go a long way here, because if the customer really holds a belief that you "get it", it'll be easier for them to believe you'll do as you say. Remember, you're aim here is to take control, take the problem off their hands, and let them get on with their lives while you do the ground work to solve the problem. Let them know what steps you're going to take, and roughly how long you think it'll take, and make a sensible commitment to get back to them as quickly as you can.
5. Bring it home
The crescendo to any performance is the finale - the part where the audience finally gets that sense of satisfaction because the journey has peaked, and now it's over. If you think customer service isn't a performance, go read my other articles! Remember, the finale for your customer is resolution -- an end to whatever problem triggered their call in the first place. In movies, it's where the hero returns near the last act to save the day, and if he doesn't turn up you can only guess how the audience reacts! You must, no matter what, deliver on the promise you made to the customer at that bridge point -- at any cost. Your bonus points for credibility, and the credibility of the company you represent, shoots up ten fold at this stage of the game. It can be the make or break of a customer's loyalty, and if you've ever thought your job meaningless, here's a good opportunity to really reflect on the potential lifetime value of the customer you're holding in your hands, and the bottom line effect you have if you don't keep your promise and bring it home.
I've talked here about your personal credibility as a professional, and how significant it is to your individual success when dealing with customers on a daily basis -- but remember, the bigger picture is the company you represent and the trust that's been put in you to deliver outstanding customer service and beat customer expectations. Credibility, both that of your company and yourself, and key elements in being a successful customer service professional, so don't let either of you down!
There's a litany of resources on how to make sure you make a good impression at a job interview; everything from how you dress to how you address the interviewer -- even your very first email contact. All should be well presented, and portray the correct image you're wishing to convey to the audience. But what about when it comes to dealing with a customer?
In my last article I talked about "knowing your stuff", and how critical this was to establishing your credentials with the customers; but you won't even get to demonstrate those elements if you don't make that first contact count, so here's a few tips:
1. The introduction says everything
The first obvious contact your customer will have with you is that initial introduction you give when you introduce yourself or answer the call. This is your very first opportunity to set the tone for the whole transaction, and establish your credibility. When I listen to customer service employees, it's easy for me to spot the confident professional -- their tone is strong and balanced, and there's a faint sense of pride in just saying the phrase that has their name and the name of the company they work for. You also get a sense of helpfulness and embracing from the speaker, letting you know that they are in control and there to help. Speaking clearly, confidently and with a sense of "I do this every day and love it", will surely set the right tone for the rest of the call.
2. Immediately take control of the call
Your next mission after properly introducing yourself is to give the customer an opportunity to express their immediate need, but then instantly take control of the call. Remember, the customer has just arrived through the workings of your PABX into a world they know little about, they just know they need help. The probably don't even know what they need to tell you, so this is your opportunity to build on the credibility by showing them you know exactly what needs to happen. Make a strong reassurance to the customer that you can help them, and begin to ask the right questions to establish the facts, so you can move onto solving their problem.
3. Keep the comfort levels balanced
The trickiest aspect in customer service, I personally feel, is maintaining a balance between looking after the customer in front of you while diligently dealing with the internal systems you need to interact with to solve the problem. This is a significant opportunity for you to loose credibility, so it's here that you must be able to equally divide your attention between both aspects. Many frontliners overcome this by using the trusty hold button, but in my mind this is as good as physically turning your back on the customer while you go type on a computer. Real credibility comes from being able to keep the customer engaged and comfortable while you do your thing, maintaining that level of assuredness and credibility so the customer knows they are not alone for any longer than need be. Of course, there are times when you have to put the customer on hold, but you must use your skills here to balance that out against expectations, and if necessary make a call back promise -- just remember to keep it!
4. Build the bridge
In many cases you won't be able to immediately solve the customer's problem, and there's going to have to be a follow up. Here's another opportunity to build your credibility, but you're going to have to work hard for it. Your first mission is to compel the customer to have faith in your ability to do what you need to do, and that you will fulfill your promise to call them back with the results. If you've done well building credibility in the first three steps, this is easier - if not, you're going to have a hard time getting them to believe you won't put the case in the trash and go to lunch. A good dose of empathy will go a long way here, because if the customer really holds a belief that you "get it", it'll be easier for them to believe you'll do as you say. Remember, you're aim here is to take control, take the problem off their hands, and let them get on with their lives while you do the ground work to solve the problem. Let them know what steps you're going to take, and roughly how long you think it'll take, and make a sensible commitment to get back to them as quickly as you can.
5. Bring it home
The crescendo to any performance is the finale - the part where the audience finally gets that sense of satisfaction because the journey has peaked, and now it's over. If you think customer service isn't a performance, go read my other articles! Remember, the finale for your customer is resolution -- an end to whatever problem triggered their call in the first place. In movies, it's where the hero returns near the last act to save the day, and if he doesn't turn up you can only guess how the audience reacts! You must, no matter what, deliver on the promise you made to the customer at that bridge point -- at any cost. Your bonus points for credibility, and the credibility of the company you represent, shoots up ten fold at this stage of the game. It can be the make or break of a customer's loyalty, and if you've ever thought your job meaningless, here's a good opportunity to really reflect on the potential lifetime value of the customer you're holding in your hands, and the bottom line effect you have if you don't keep your promise and bring it home.
I've talked here about your personal credibility as a professional, and how significant it is to your individual success when dealing with customers on a daily basis -- but remember, the bigger picture is the company you represent and the trust that's been put in you to deliver outstanding customer service and beat customer expectations. Credibility, both that of your company and yourself, and key elements in being a successful customer service professional, so don't let either of you down!
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Knowing your stuff matters
If you ask a customer what they look for when interacting with customer service staff, they'll give you a list a mile long. Let's face it, the expectations are as varied as the customers are; yet there is one key area that probably matters more than the customer knows -- confidence. This can only come from a foundation of "knowing your stuff", and making the customer feel that you're in control of the situation.
Have you ever been dealing with someone in customer service and caught that fleeting moment when you knew instantly that the person you were interacting with didn't "know their stuff"? That hesitation, that pause, that "ummm", that gave away their hand? The minute you sensed it, you'll remember that deflated feeling in your stomach when your intuition told you "this isn't going to be as easy as it should". No matter how perky, charming and assuring that customer service person is, from that point on it's all uphill.
Don't get me wrong; i'm not implying that customer service staff need to know everything about everything within their organization, that's simply impossible. However the customer knows even less about how your company works, and the first thing they want when they interact with your customer service is to feel that the person who's looking after them "knows their stuff".
I recently dealt with Bank of the Philippines credit card team and had the pleasure of being looked after by an agent who really did know her stuff. She was obviously experienced, knew the right procedure and process I needed to follow, and had me dealt with quickly. In a situation where I was already anxious and stressed, this level of confidence instantly put me at ease. This was really important because I was already expecting the lengthy and stereotypically daunting process of dealing with a bank.
Customers use customer service because it's the gateway to a businesses core operations, and when they contact it they want to be wrapped in the warm blanket of confidence, to know that things will be taken care of, and that the person who's dealing with them really does have their best interests at heart. So you're next homework topic after patience is to know your stuff.
Build your personal knowledge bank of tips and tricks and have it ready to deploy whenever needed. Take the extra effort to learn things most other people can't be bothered knowing, even if it has nothing to do with your department. Talk to other people and find out how their job works, learn where those processes go after they leave your group, and discover the answers to questions your customers may potentially one day need you to know. Oh and whenever your company offers training, sign up! Learn learn learn.
A true customer service professional is a jack of all trades, as well as a master of at least one - and that one should be information and knowledge. Get cracking!
Have you ever been dealing with someone in customer service and caught that fleeting moment when you knew instantly that the person you were interacting with didn't "know their stuff"? That hesitation, that pause, that "ummm", that gave away their hand? The minute you sensed it, you'll remember that deflated feeling in your stomach when your intuition told you "this isn't going to be as easy as it should". No matter how perky, charming and assuring that customer service person is, from that point on it's all uphill.
Don't get me wrong; i'm not implying that customer service staff need to know everything about everything within their organization, that's simply impossible. However the customer knows even less about how your company works, and the first thing they want when they interact with your customer service is to feel that the person who's looking after them "knows their stuff".
I recently dealt with Bank of the Philippines credit card team and had the pleasure of being looked after by an agent who really did know her stuff. She was obviously experienced, knew the right procedure and process I needed to follow, and had me dealt with quickly. In a situation where I was already anxious and stressed, this level of confidence instantly put me at ease. This was really important because I was already expecting the lengthy and stereotypically daunting process of dealing with a bank.
Customers use customer service because it's the gateway to a businesses core operations, and when they contact it they want to be wrapped in the warm blanket of confidence, to know that things will be taken care of, and that the person who's dealing with them really does have their best interests at heart. So you're next homework topic after patience is to know your stuff.
Build your personal knowledge bank of tips and tricks and have it ready to deploy whenever needed. Take the extra effort to learn things most other people can't be bothered knowing, even if it has nothing to do with your department. Talk to other people and find out how their job works, learn where those processes go after they leave your group, and discover the answers to questions your customers may potentially one day need you to know. Oh and whenever your company offers training, sign up! Learn learn learn.
A true customer service professional is a jack of all trades, as well as a master of at least one - and that one should be information and knowledge. Get cracking!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Customer service is a team sport
The first day in any customer service job is a daunting one; and although it does get easier the longer you're in the role, it takes a long time to achieve "master" status. But fear not, because customer service is a team sport. It works at the collective level, and becomes a sort of "hive mind", so if you learn how to tap into this network of information your chances of success increase dramatically.
The biggest stumbling block for people in customer service is the overwhelmingly large amount of information their customers demand they have instant access to -- everything from product codes to troubleshooting procedures, all must be readily available to keep transactions moving swiftly. This challenge is compounded by the fact that no company on Earth has a fool proof information system, making it extremely difficult for those on the frontline to easily get their hands on the tidbits of information needed to serve their customers.
No one person, no matter how clever they are, will ever know everything there is to know about their workplaces processes and procedures (although plenty will pretend they do, we've all met them). However, it is much easier for a group of people to hold knowledge collectively amongst them, so long as the environment is there to tap into it; and this is where the hive mind comes into play.
Amongst your team there will be people of varying experience and backgrounds, and this mix of knowledge is generally how most service environments survive. Someone, somewhere in the group, will have already encountered the situation in front of you, and the key information needed to solve the problem. Therefore a frontliners ability to tap into that knowledge bank is critical to their success.
Some companies encourage the use of knowledge bases, blogs, twiki's, even live chat rooms to help give their people direct access; and this is a fantastic way to get the information you need, so long as the person seeking that information has the cooperation of the "hive".
We've all been the newbie in the workplace, and suffered the teeth-grating experience of not knowing anything about anything, needing help for even basic things like the directions to the washroom. We also know that the term "newbies" immediately highlights a distinction between those who've been at the workplace for a while versus those who haven't. This gap can be incredibly difficult to overcome, and it's generally for this reason that many workplaces pair new employees with veterans, to help initiate them into the environment and give them an access point into the hive mind. If the workplace doesn't foster this kind of relationship, then the "newbie" is left with some basic training and a procedural manual, and wished well on their adventures as they begin dealing with customers.
Even if you've been in the workplace for a while, cooperation only works when people actually want to help you, and there could be plenty of reasons why they won't. Professionals know this, and know how to work the environment to make sure they don't get cut off from the support they need to be successful.
First impressions certainly count, and we know that the first impressions you make with co-workers will shape your future relationship with them, so keep that in mind when you break your first bread at the lunch room. More importantly, work out who really knows what they're talking about and who doesn't, what areas each of your co-workers are strong in, and what experience they've had in the past. All this information will be vital in working out who to turn to in your time of need.
Remember also that the biggest killer of any workplace relationships is gossip, followed closely by office politics -- areas any seasoned professional avoids like the plague. Crossing work mates, or getting involved in the affairs of others can ruin a good working relationship, and cut you off from a resource you might be in need of down the road. Easiest thing to do is just avoid getting involved in these situations altogether.
The critical tips and tricks will be stored in the heads of your co-workers, so it's important that you foster positive relationships to keep yourself in the loop, ensure you get the support you need to be successful, and stay ahead of the competition by being the best customer service employee you possibly can; none of which can happen without information and cooperation.
Cooperation from colleagues isn't just about information either. Remember, those people working along side you will be involved in the processes and procedures you'll be relying on to solve your customer's problems. Whether it's cross-department or within your own team, you'll be looking for co-workers to enable you in whatever transaction you are doing, so it's key to foster relationships and make sure that when the time comes, your needs (or those of your customer) don't get put at the bottom of the pile because of bad mojo with colleagues. Tread lightly!
If you don't like team sports, stay out of customer service. Like army soldiers crouching in the ditches avoiding enemy fire, you're reliant on the people most closest to you to ensure survival, so watch where you point your gun and avoid friendly fire wherever possible!
The biggest stumbling block for people in customer service is the overwhelmingly large amount of information their customers demand they have instant access to -- everything from product codes to troubleshooting procedures, all must be readily available to keep transactions moving swiftly. This challenge is compounded by the fact that no company on Earth has a fool proof information system, making it extremely difficult for those on the frontline to easily get their hands on the tidbits of information needed to serve their customers.
No one person, no matter how clever they are, will ever know everything there is to know about their workplaces processes and procedures (although plenty will pretend they do, we've all met them). However, it is much easier for a group of people to hold knowledge collectively amongst them, so long as the environment is there to tap into it; and this is where the hive mind comes into play.
Amongst your team there will be people of varying experience and backgrounds, and this mix of knowledge is generally how most service environments survive. Someone, somewhere in the group, will have already encountered the situation in front of you, and the key information needed to solve the problem. Therefore a frontliners ability to tap into that knowledge bank is critical to their success.
Some companies encourage the use of knowledge bases, blogs, twiki's, even live chat rooms to help give their people direct access; and this is a fantastic way to get the information you need, so long as the person seeking that information has the cooperation of the "hive".
We've all been the newbie in the workplace, and suffered the teeth-grating experience of not knowing anything about anything, needing help for even basic things like the directions to the washroom. We also know that the term "newbies" immediately highlights a distinction between those who've been at the workplace for a while versus those who haven't. This gap can be incredibly difficult to overcome, and it's generally for this reason that many workplaces pair new employees with veterans, to help initiate them into the environment and give them an access point into the hive mind. If the workplace doesn't foster this kind of relationship, then the "newbie" is left with some basic training and a procedural manual, and wished well on their adventures as they begin dealing with customers.
Even if you've been in the workplace for a while, cooperation only works when people actually want to help you, and there could be plenty of reasons why they won't. Professionals know this, and know how to work the environment to make sure they don't get cut off from the support they need to be successful.
First impressions certainly count, and we know that the first impressions you make with co-workers will shape your future relationship with them, so keep that in mind when you break your first bread at the lunch room. More importantly, work out who really knows what they're talking about and who doesn't, what areas each of your co-workers are strong in, and what experience they've had in the past. All this information will be vital in working out who to turn to in your time of need.
Remember also that the biggest killer of any workplace relationships is gossip, followed closely by office politics -- areas any seasoned professional avoids like the plague. Crossing work mates, or getting involved in the affairs of others can ruin a good working relationship, and cut you off from a resource you might be in need of down the road. Easiest thing to do is just avoid getting involved in these situations altogether.
The critical tips and tricks will be stored in the heads of your co-workers, so it's important that you foster positive relationships to keep yourself in the loop, ensure you get the support you need to be successful, and stay ahead of the competition by being the best customer service employee you possibly can; none of which can happen without information and cooperation.
Cooperation from colleagues isn't just about information either. Remember, those people working along side you will be involved in the processes and procedures you'll be relying on to solve your customer's problems. Whether it's cross-department or within your own team, you'll be looking for co-workers to enable you in whatever transaction you are doing, so it's key to foster relationships and make sure that when the time comes, your needs (or those of your customer) don't get put at the bottom of the pile because of bad mojo with colleagues. Tread lightly!
If you don't like team sports, stay out of customer service. Like army soldiers crouching in the ditches avoiding enemy fire, you're reliant on the people most closest to you to ensure survival, so watch where you point your gun and avoid friendly fire wherever possible!
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Trying your best
Tip:the phrase "trying your best" starts with "trying". Magic in customer service doesn't just happen, it has to be made to happen,and that only comes from trying. Give every customer your best and you'll be the one reaping the rewards for years to come.
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