10 best productivity hacks for customer service
TRANSCRIPT
PRODUCTIVITY HACKS
10for customer service
BESTPRODUCTIVITY HACKS
Brought to you by CTS Service Solutions© Copyright 2016. CTS Service Solutions. All Rights Reserved.Service Solutions
Organizations today are stretched thin. Their teams overwhelmed. Yet, to deliver Hero-Class® customer service, teams must be able to address the needs of every customer.
Time is one of the most precious commodities for any customer-facing team, and in a world or shrinking budgets, the best way to “make” more time is to be more productive.
Are you ready to start hacking your productivity?
Productivity Is Essential to Customer Service
1 Create and Optimize SystemsDon’t reinvent the wheel with every customer interaction.
Create systems that make processes efficient and that improve outcomes both for customers and the organization.
Then, regularly optimize those systems.
More on customer service scripts.
2 Use Scripts
While scripts can make reps seem robotic, when used well, they can save teams time.
Have scripts prepared for your most common interactions, but always remember, scripts are just a starting point.
Personalize each interaction.
More on rule accretion.
3 Simplify and Purge ProcessesProcesses and rules accrete over time.
Many are no longer necessary. Others are no longer effective.
Simplify your processes continuously, and perform a policy purge a few times each year.
4 Train the Shortcuts
Often changing a process is cumbersome, time-consuming, or impossible in the short term.
Yet, team members often figure out how to remove inefficiency through shortcuts.
If someone has a two-step method for a four-step process, train your team on the shortcut.
5 Clean Up Your CommunicationReview all of your standard communication for ambiguity and potentially confusing language.
Misunderstandings create poor experiences and are inefficient.
Clarity is power.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit
amet, nec tamquam at.
Eu mea lobortis interes.
in eum assum dissentiet,
Etiam senserit cumid,
Here is a customer communication checklist.
6 Use Automation EffectivelyAutomate — but do so tactically.
Incredible tools exist nowadays for automating routine portions of the customer journey.
Just make sure that automation doesn’t denigrate the customer experience by removing human interaction from important touch points.
7 Give Teams the Right ToolsDon’t give your team hammers when they need screwdrivers.
Technology investments are challenging, but so is providing Hero-Class® service with a decade-old CRM system.
If you don’t have the budget for upgrades, use third party tools to bridge the gaps temporarily.
8 Keep Information CurrentOutdated information is even worse than an outdated system and is inherently inefficient.
Make sure your CRM system and your team has the most up-to-date, accurate information.
Just remember the old adage: Garbage in; garbage out.
9 Empower Your TeamsEmpowered employees solve more issues on the spot and do not have to circle back with customers or involve other team members as often.
An empowered team is the ultimate tool for preventing a small issue from snowballing into a much larger issue.
Learn more about employee empowerment.
10 Forward-Resolve IssuesAll too often reps want to click the “resolved” box and organizations want to decrease ticket times. But taking the time to address potential issues up front saves time in the long run.
Anticipate future customer issues through proactive questions that elicit honest responses.
FUTURE
PAST
© Copyright 2016. CTS Service Solutions. All Rights Reserved.Service Solutions
After you’ve hacked your organization’s customer service, never forget that the ultimate source of productivity in customer service is getting it right the first time.
Issues that need to be fixed or resolved are inefficient and expend valuable resources.
Just remember..
“An ounce of proactive service is worth a pound of
reactive cure.”Adam Toporek
Tweet this
Brought to you by CTS Service Solutions
ADAM TOPOREKAdam is the author of Be Your Customer’s Hero: Real-‐World Tips & Techniques for the Service Front Lines (2015), as well as the founder of the popular Customers That Stick® blog.
He is a keynote speaker on customer service and customer experience. Adam is also the owner of CTS Service Solutions, which specializes in high-‐energy customer service training and workshops that teach frontline teams how to deliver Hero-‐Class® customer service.
GO TO: CustomersThatStick.com TWITTER: @adamtoporek
WORKSHOPS AND TRAINING
LEARN MORE
3 FREE CHAPTERS
GET YOUR GIFT
Service Solutions
Clickable links!