We already established that not everyone has what it takes to work in customer service. With the right coaching, however, some employees can be groomed to be customer service stars. Training should be ongoing, compliment certain personality traits, and place emphasis on the following:
Honesty
You need to lead by example. If employees see you telling little white lies to the customer, they will think it is okay for them to follow suit. Honesty builds trust and is key to establishing customer loyalty, which will be worth more to your business in the long run.
Responsibility
Encourage your employees to own up to their mistakes, and take responsibility when the company doesn’t meet customer expectations. Shifting blame will only exacerbate the problem, and robs the company of the opportunity to exceed customer expectations. Employees can be taught to skillfully direct the conversation from ‘whose fault is it?’ to ‘how can we resolve this issue?’ The right coaching should guide employees to actively look for solutions whenever an issue arises.
Dispute resolution
Resolving complaints is one of the greatest challenges in customer service, but it doesn’t have to be this way if the company anticipates and adopts measures to handle disputes. Employees should undergo regular training in conflict resolution measures to include role playing and reinforcement of the company’s values. You can’t win them all, but if you view each dispute as an opportunity to gain a customer for life, then you increase the chances to win loyal customers.
With the right combination of personality traits and training, your employees can help you create a solid reputation for service excellence. What it takes is total commitment from the management team to act as role models and foster a culture of customer service.