An insurance company was eager to improve customer experience. They knew what was frustrating their customers, but customer satisfaction scores were stuck. They weren’t moving in the right direction. After speaking with their associates, I observed that everyone was being held responsible for customer experience at a general level, but it wasn’t clear how they were expected to support the …
Managing customer feedback effectively requires that you establish goals. You can then identify the steps and resources necessary to achieve them. This video discusses six goals that can help you get the most out of your customer feedback efforts. The video is from my LinkedIn Learning course “Customer Service: Managing Customer Feedback.” Establishing your goals from Customer Service: Managing Customer …
Successful leaders put their efforts into creating an environment in which their team members’ intrinsic motivators can flourish. However, rewards and incentives, which are extrinsic motivators, can be effective, and a fun supplement to your efforts to create and support an intrinsically motivated culture. If you’re considering a team-based reward incentive initiative, this video has some important recommendations. Learn more …
Connecting with advocates doesn’t happen by accident. You need a plan, and a person or a team who’s responsible. And they should be collaborating with and part of the same efforts you’re putting into motion internally to improve customer experiences. Connecting and engaging with advocates is a strategic decision. It takes leadership to define its importance, and how you’ll approach …
As you begin to explore the value and ROI of customer service, I encourage you to ask your team, “How does customer service create value?” You’re probably going to get a range of answers. Some may say, “Customers that get great service tell others, so that’s like free marketing, right?” And someone else may suggest that service is a way …
Establishing the right quality standards for your organization is essential to delivering efficient and effective service. In my LinkedIn Learning course “Quality Standards in Customer Service,” I outline four quality standards that can help you define what quality and value mean. Standards for the service operation: Quality and value from Quality Standards in Customer Service by Brad Cleveland
When you encounter a problematic aspect of service or customer experience, the first step is to identify root causes. Typically, several possibilities surface and they all seem plausible. How can you determine which root cause deserves your attention? In this video, I summarize three tools that we often recommend for their usefulness in customer service settings. This video is from …
In the most engaged teams I’ve seen, there are solid coaching principles at work. But the ultimate leadership secret is to approach training, coaching and performance standards as opportunities to empower your employees to coach themselves. Learn more about how to encourage self-coaching in this video “Coaching for Improved Performance” from my LinkedIn Learning course Customer Service: Motivating Your Team. …
The right place at the right time. It’s a common phrase, but in customer service, it matters more than ever. Timing is critical. In customer service, we’re like pilots or stage hands. Like them, we also work in a time-driven environment. It’s not just what we do, it’s when we do it that counts so much. Learn more about how …
How do you know what a customer needs? If you mention customer advocacy and pose that question many executives will say, “Well they tell us, right?” I think they picture a frustrated customer across the counter or perhaps calling or posting a message that describes a problem. But there’s so much more to it. The video below from the LinkedIn …
