For customers it’s quickly apparent when a company is in need of a customer service makeover. Examples include slow response times, difficulty in getting in touch with the brand at all, and an attitude of “there’s a customer coming, run!” This is the exact opposite approach that will lead to more sales. We’re all familiar as customers with the nonsense, because we experience it as poor customer service. Below I have captured five signs that you are in desperate need of a customer service make-over. Find out below if this is you!
1. You Don’t Have A Representative In The C-Suite
You know those important off-site meetings when the executives get together to talk about the priorities of the year ahead? Guess what happens when you’re not represented at those meetings? Nothing good! If your executive off-sites don’t feature a representative for your customer operation this is a problem. While the focus and excitement within a brand is generally around innovation, marketing, and revenue opportunities—the conversation around improving customer service is lost. But there is hope, with some companies promoting a Chief Customer Officer (CCO) to sit at the highest level. Author Jeanne Bliss in an interview with me spoke of the importance of the Chief Customer Officer. She said it’s about telling “stories that move customers off spreadsheets, engage people personally in customers’ live and compel prioritized and focused action.” It’s hard to do that unless you have someone very influential who has the eyes and ears of the CEO. In Bliss’ book she features an interview with the CMO and Customer Experience Officer of Walgreens Graham Atkinson who said, “The role of the CCO is to drive executive appetite for wanting to know the interruptions in customer’s lives, simplifying how they are delivered and facilitating a one-company response to these key operational performance areas.”
2. Your Customer Service Department Lacks Proper Funding
You know a business’ priorities by look at how much funding each department has for each activity. For example what tools does your customer service operation have? Are your teams still working out of excel? Have you upgraded your CRM? Do you have a vision for a future unified workflow? How much are your agents trained on soft skills? These are all important questions that reflect the experience offered by the service organization. Sadly many companies still see the contact center, the place where customers literally make contact with the company, as a cost center. By under-funding your customer service operation you are leaving your company highly vulnerable to customer churn. You are also missing out on the ability to innovative alongside the customer, assisting them on newer channels they'd like to speak with you on.
3. You Have Multiple CRMs
A customer should not have to contact separate departments in order to address problems for various products. The company should enable the departments to collaborate around the customer on one single solution. However in most large companies this is not the case. All too often a CRM was implemented in the 1980s and the company continues to duct-tape that CRM together. The CRM limps along ruining the experience of all the employees who need to work in it. Many teams now have blended teams where agents are working on multiple channels—either switching in phases or handling multiple channels in one shift. Agents should not have to switch internal technologies multiple times in order to help customers. They should have one view of the customer and ideally one piece of technology they work in.
4. Your Agents Use Scripts
You know how a scripted approach to life never works? The same goes with a scripted approach to business. Stuff happens! A customer will likely at some point come to you with a problem not in your handbook. For example, recently WestJet Airlines and Canadian North bent rules to get Canadian customers caught in the fire out safely—with their pets. I can assure you this was not part of a script or written in a handbook. This is an example of how important it can be to allow for variation in customer process. In this modern complex digital environment it’s key that we hire smart agents that can be trained in the values, culture and customs of the company. Brands need agents that can think on their feet, and make sound decisions on the fly. But most agents aren't empowered or trained to think for themselves. When you have agents that are working off scripts, you are doing them the disservice of taking away their brain power. Additionally it’s terrible for the customer experience—because life happens, and when it does, your brand needs to act human.
5. Your Agents Seem Really Unhappy
You know what is really awkward as a customer? When the customer-facing employee you’re working with really seems like they don't want to be there. It’s a bummer for everyone. An unhappy frontline worker changes the molecules in the room—whether that’s an actual room or a phone line or a chat-room. It's not a change for the better. The big golden secret is happy employees equal happy customers.
Companies that take better care of employee happiness do better financially. In this article in USA Today “Do happy workers mean higher profits?” it was reported that publicly traded companies in the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list gained an average 10.8% a year since 1998. Many of the publicly traded companies named as Best Companies to Work For in 2013 saw their stocks perform admirably: Whole Foods soared 31%, vs. 13% for the S&P 500, Marriott gained 28% and American Express advanced 22%. Not bad!
In conclusion if these five traits describe your company’s customer service operation it’s time for a makeover. Hey it doesn’t have to be painful, it can be fun. Pull in the right resources and people to make that happen for you and you will be glad you did!
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