This week, we feature an article by Natasha Thakkar, Content Marketing Manager at Oleeo. She writes about the five ways to become an effective and efficient customer service manager. Perhaps you’re thinking of trying to move up the ranks of your organization to become a customer service manager, or perhaps you already are one but […]
This week, we feature an article by Natasha Thakkar, Content Marketing Manager at Oleeo. She writes about the five ways to become an effective and efficient customer service manager.
Perhaps you’re thinking of trying to move up the ranks of your organization to become a customer service manager, or perhaps you already are one but want to hone your skills. Either way, this article is for you. We will guide you through 5 key ways that you can become an effective and efficient customer service manager.
A customer service manager’s main priority is to retain customers. They do this by ensuring that the customer experience is consistent throughout the customer lifecycle. A good customer service manager will not only be able to get the customer’s needs but also act as a path between customer service agents on the frontline dealing with customers firsthand and colleagues working behind the scenes in marketing and other fields.
Here’s a list of key responsibilities expected of a customer service manager:
Along with the responsibilities we have outlined, a customer service manager needs a certain mixture of skills in order to align with and contribute to the company’s goals.
You likely already have the necessary work experience for the role of customer service manager, but there are a few key skills that can help you stand out from the crowd. Below, you can find a list of some of the most important soft skills that you should make sure to include in your CV as well as hone at the office.
We’ve put this in the first place because it is certainly the most vital skill any manager should have, regardless of their industry. Leadership might sound elusive, so we’ll break down what we mean. Good leaders are able to work flexibly and keep their team inspired and feeling motivated.
A good leader will notice, acknowledge, and encourage their customer service agents’ strengths and turn weaknesses into positives. Having the right attitude is vital in this endeavor. A great leader doesn’t just boss people around – they guide their team and offer crucial support. By showing support for your team members and trust in them, you can cultivate a happy and well-balanced team.
If you brought home a puppy and got mad at it every time it peed inside, never praising it for doing the right thing or showing it where it should pee, that would be madness. Your team is not that different. Team members need to be shown what is expected of them and how they can do it – they deserve a fair shot at excelling in their roles.
Without customer service training, you would be sending them in blind. It’s a continual process of learning and growth that happens throughout a person’s career. You’ve never learned it all, and you never stop learning!
By monitoring your team and offering useful and time-sensitive feedback on things like how to promote internet phone services, you can help your agents grow in a way that suits the company and reduces staff turnover rates. You should also be prepared to equip them with the necessary training materials, certifications, and tools to help them excel, as well as nip any potential issues immediately.
Communication is regarded as the top soft skill in the workplace. It sounds like a simple task, but most of us are not naturally fantastic at it – at least, we don’t realize that we have this ability within us. We might label ourselves as “shy” or “awkward” or decide that we’re introverts and therefore exempt from having to overly exercise this muscle.
However, as a customer service manager, you need to hold meetings, get your team on the same page, find quick solutions to issues, improve customer service with your ideas, and generally be a support for everybody on your team.
That means you need to get comfortable with talking to people, seeing things from their perspective, and managing their feelings and expectations – even when a customer is being abusive. Communication skills are also vital in all collaborative environments, especially when it comes to finding solutions to complex issues as a team.
Whether it’s an unhappy customer demanding to speak to the manager or team members not feeling happy at work, you will have to deal with a variety of problems as a manager. Whatever the situation, a calm and grounded approach will be necessary in order to understand what the individual needs and find the appropriate response.
You may also need to find creative solutions to problems that require outside-the-box thinking, such as using candidate management software to choose the best team members. These solutions need to be in line with your company policies. Exercising your creativity and problem-solving skills is essential to developing the confidence to handle different situations.
As a customer service manager, it is part of your job to come up with strategies to help your team and your brand stand out from the crowd, such as deciding to register an AI domain. Many companies these days rely greatly on good customer service to rake in stellar reviews, so that means you have some work cut out for you.
You will need to learn what kind of customer service strategy retains customers well as well as offers an amazing customer journey and experience. Whether you’re personalizing your customer service or adding the human touch through a warm and welcoming presence, you can experiment with different techniques to see what works.
If you’re thinking about becoming or already enjoying the role of Customer Service Manager, we hope that this article has given you some useful ideas about areas to work on in order to succeed in this field.
It is by no means an easy role – you have to manage both customer expectations and your team. By honing the skills of communication, problem-solving, strategizing, team training, and leadership, you can set yourself up for success.
Natasha Thakkar brings over a decade of marketing expertise as Content Marketing Manager at Oleeo, a tech company specializing in producing recruitment software solutions. Skilled in lead generation and communication, Natasha shapes content that enhances Oleeo’s brand and resonates with audiences.
Read Shep’s latest Forbes article: The Question To Ask Your Next Employee: What Keeps You Up At Night?
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