Here?s What You Can Do To Change Your Internal Practices
Many ?normal? ways in which a business operates may create a negative customer service experience. It may be time for your company to assess its practices and management styles to ensure they?re in line with customer service expectations.
- Hire methodically. A manager must hire properly for customer service. This means no last-minute, frantic decisions fueled by a ticking clock. An incomplete process is more likely to lead to customer-service representatives who are unsuited. Develop a methodology for hiring customer service employees. Pinpoint busy times of the year, and plan hiring to avoid rushes and ?settling? for less.
- Train thoroughly. Proper training helps prevent critical issues from popping up and saves time in the long term. When you train customer-service employees, ensure they understand the reasons behind the actions you?re asking them to take. Otherwise, they may think you don?t know what you?re doing or are being unreasonable, and they?ll grow resentful. Also train them in situations in which it may be okay to break from precedent. Give your employees flexibility to use their judgment, and they?ll repay you in better work.
- Never assume. Companies think they know what customers want?but do they really? It?s a good idea to touch base with your customers once in a while via old-fashioned in-person discussions at stores as well as surveys and questionnaires. Ask customers how their customer service experience went. What went right and what needs to change?
- Step Outside Yourself. The customer service department is doing well enough, so it?s time to relax and do what has always been done. No. You must continually draw inspiration from all sources. Continue learning from your competitors. Who is consistently scoring high on customer service polls? Why? One of your competitors experienced a customer-service snafu. Why, and how could you lure these customers over?
We have some additional ways you can improve customer service if you are looking for more advice.
