It’s not for beginners, but it is the secret sauce that makes for the best customer service you’ll ever experience: servant leadership. There are many required factors in running a call center, handling contacts, and getting the job done: knowledge management, KPI tracking/reporting, an optimal CRM, workforce management, training, partnership with business leaders, and more. But if you want to get the job done well, it comes down to leadership. There is a reason that every new hire at Zappos spends their first 2 weeks in the call center taking calls.
It takes a culture of “I’m here for you – how can I help”, championed by the leaders that will make the difference. Leaders, from the floor supervisors, to the Directors and even the VP, need to be a part of the operations of the team. They need to be able to take an escalated call, to model the skill necessary to provide great customer experience. To show the agents, the people that talk to the customers more than any other team of people, that we are all in this together. That a genuine desire to serve will win over any caller. And that we’re passionate about turning every caller into a raving fan. Continuing education anyone?