Now don't get me
wrong. I spent many, many years training Customer Service Reps.
(CSR's). I'm all for making sure
customers receive the best possible service. What I'm not for is the
pre-scripted list of questions CSR's are required to ask, regardless of
whether they are applicable to the situation at hand. I've seen some
checklists with as many as 25 pre-scripted "call quality" standards that
CSR's are required to use. If they don't, and someone happens to
monitor the call, they get marked down. Ludicrous I say!
Let me give you a few highlights from a recent call I made to my
well-known auto club:
CSR: What is the year, make and model of your vehicle ?
Me: 2000, GMC, Yukon, Denali
CSR: There is no 2000, GMC, Yukon, Denali (obviously
it couldn't be found in her list of computer options so
she needed to tell me I was wrong)
Me: Yes there is, I drive it every day
CSR: What's wrong with your vehicle ?
Me: I don't know. It won't start.
CSR: Does it need to be towed or jumped?
Me: I don't know. I don't know what's wrong with it.
CSR: Well do you think it needs to be towed or jumped?
Me: I have no clue.
CSR: Where is your vehicle ?
Me: In my garage.
CSR: Can you push it out of the garage into the
driveway or the street?
Me: No. It's a full size SUV. I can't push it
anywhere.
CSR: Is there another way you can get it out of the
garage?
Me: No. It won't start.
Eventually, after I'd jumped through enough hoops, the call finally
ended.
Chances are it wasn't the CSR's idea to get her laughs for the day by
asking me stupid questions. Instead, her own company sabotaged her
ability to
quickly and efficiently take care of her customer, by requiring she use
a scripted questioning process.
What Could Have Gone Better?
For starters, rather than telling me that the make and model of my
vehicle didn't exist, she could have said that she was having trouble
finding it in her database, and then asked for verification.
Next, instead of asking me twice about whether the truck needed to be
"jumped or towed", she might have asked if I had any ideas about what
could be wrong with it.
And finally, considering that she already knew the vehicle wouldn't
start, asking a woman to push a truck out of a garage seems a little
unreasonable.
What Needs To Change?
First, re-think your call quality standards. You may have too many
standards; they may be too focused on internally created "shoulds", with
very little focus on what matters most to your customers. Involve your
CSR's and customers in the process.
Secondly, empower and train your CSR's to think, act and personalize
service to best accommodate the given situation. One size does not fit
all, or even most!
Teach your CSR's how to recognize different communication styles, and
then how to adapt their personal style so they
can best relate to the customer as an individual. In other words, teach
CSR's how to treat customers how THEY
want to be treated.
And thirdly, continually ask for feedback from CSR's as
well as customers. Make time to find out what's working
and what's not working. Pay attention to what they have
to say. Make ongoing improvements that benefit everyone.
Repeat the cycle.
Companies spend thousands, if not millions of dollars each year to
acquire new customers, yet sometimes they forget about how to best take
care of the customers they already have.
Everyday your customers and your CSR's make decisions about whether to
stay with your company or go to your competitor. Loyalty is built on
good, solid relationships. Your company relies on the loyalty of your
CSR's to service your customers. And great customer service can set you
apart from your competition. Take action now! Stop sabotaging those
relationships with unnecessary standards that don't really matter to
your customers. Your customers and your CSR's will love you for it.
About the Author
Lora Adrianse is passionate about helping people build dynamic business
relationships in the workplace and with
their customers. She can be reached through her website
www.connectionscoach.com .
