If happy customer service teams lead to happy customers, then exceptional leadership can lead to exceptional customer service. During Gladly Connect Live 2023, Susan Tynan, founder and CEO of Framebridge, emphasized that achieving success starts at the top — at the confluence of leadership and customer service.
Through investing in agent opportunities, empowerment, and support, you can improve CX leadership and customer service simultaneously. Here are a few actionable tips that can truly level up your leadership and customer service abilities, based on the insights Tynan shared in her presentation.
Customer service leadership is vital for business success. As a leader you set the tone and culture for your team. You shape their skills, mindsets and behaviors. Ultimately your leadership impacts the customer experience your company delivers.
So how can you become a better leader in customer service? Here are some key strategies:
Set Clear Goals and Expectations
Define what excellent service means for your team. Set specific measurable goals around metrics like resolution time first contact resolution, customer satisfaction scores and net promoter scores. Make sure your agents understand these goals and expectations.
Share clear guidelines on everything from email and phone etiquette to workflow processes. Document policies so agents know what is expected. Standardizing practices improves consistency.
Set performance standards Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) for factors like call handle time, sales conversions and quality assurance scores Measure agent performance and provide coaching to help them meet expectations.
Provide Coaching and Feedback
The most effective leaders don’t just tell their team what to do. They actively coach employees to improve performance.
Schedule regular one-on-one meetings with agents. Discuss what is going well and areas for growth. Collaborate on creating development plans.
Observe your team in action. Listen to calls and review chats to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses. Provide constructive feedback focused on learning, not criticism.
Role play common scenarios. Practice handling difficult customers and conversations. Having agents demonstrate skills will reinforce training.
Ask thought-provoking questions. Stimulate critical thinking by having agents explain their decision making. Guide them in applying policies appropriately.
Celebrate wins with public recognition. Highlight examples of excellent service that exemplify your standards. Praise reinforces positive behaviors.
Foster a Positive Culture
As a leader, you define the environment your agents work in every day. Make sure your culture empowers employees to succeed.
Promote collaboration and teamwork. Employees should see each other as partners, not competitors. Encourage them to assist one another and share insights.
Keep communication open. Maintain transparency through regular team meetings and emails. Solicit input and listen to ideas from agents.
Empower your team. Avoid micromanaging. Trust agents to handle issues using their judgment within established policies. Autonomy creates engagement.
Be understanding when mistakes happen. See errors as opportunities for improvement, not punishment. Employees learn better in cultures with psychological safety.
Keep stress in check. Monitor workloads to avoid agent burnout. Encourage taking breaks, vacation time and self-care. Happy agents equal happy customers.
Learn from Other Leaders
Connect with leaders from departments across your company. Exchange best practices for motivating and developing employees.
Network externally too. Join industry groups and events to discover innovative approaches. Read books and blogs from other service professionals.
Find a mentor. Work with a trusted advisor who can share wisdom and give honest feedback. Experienced mentors provide invaluable guidance.
Shadow top performers in your company. Observe how they lead and inspire their teams. Take note of techniques you can adopt.
Invest in leadership training. Take courses and seminars to enhance your skills. Learn modern frameworks for empirical coaching.
Hire a coach. A personal coach provides objective assessment and recommendations to maximize your leadership capabilities. Coaching propels growth.
Embrace Change and Innovation
Customer expectations evolve rapidly. New technologies disrupt constantly. Complacency kills. The best leaders are agile and proactive.
Keep pace with customer needs through voice of customer programs like surveys and focus groups. Use feedback to realign priorities.
Watch for trends in your industry. Stay on top of emerging channels like messaging apps. Meet customers where they are.
Test new tools and workflows. Don’t let legacy systems limit you. Pilot modern solutions to streamline operations.
Encourage creative thinking. Empower agents to suggest improvements. Brainstorm as a team. Dare to try unconventional approaches.
Be flexible. Adapt to shifting demands. Say yes to new ideas that enhance service. Pivot gracefully when needed.
Automate for efficiency. Leverage technology like chatbots for repetitive tasks. Enable agents to focus on high-value interactions.
Seek Feedback and Improvement
The path to becoming an extraordinary leader never ends. Strive each day to improve your skills and impact.
Request input from your team through engagement surveys. Anonymous feedback allows candid perspectives.
Regularly self-reflect on your mindsets, communication style and behaviors. Identify blind spots hampering your leadership.
Read your own customer service interactions. Put yourself in your team’s shoes. Review recordings objectively to improve.
Develop a growth plan. Set specific targets for boosting leadership capabilities. Outline action steps and timeframes.
Measure your progress. Define metrics and milestones to track. Review outcomes and refine strategies as needed.
Keep learning every day. Continuous self-education is imperative. Consume books, podcasts and more.
Here’s What Else to Consider
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Model the service behaviors you expect from your team. Your example sets the standard.
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Get to know your agents personally. Build trust through shared experiences and relatability.
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Give agents a voice. Invite ideas and participate in decision making when possible.
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Start team huddles with recognition and wins. Positivity and praise boost morale.
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Listen attentively with empathy. Let agents share thoughts without judgement.
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Grant autonomy within defined boundaries. Enable agents to exercise their skills.
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Coach patiently and supportively. Employees need time and help improving.
To summarize, excellent customer service leadership requires clarity, coaching, culture building, innovation and continuous learning. Stay connected to your team. Set high but achievable expectations. Foster an environment for agents to grow and excel. Keep improving your own capabilities too. With dedication and compassion, you can become the inspirational leader your employees deserve.
How Does Leadership Influence Customer Service?
Leadership directly influences the behavior and practices of your team by fostering the brand values you want your support center to reflect.
If CX leaders do not understand or meet employee expectations, then employees will likely feel less motivated to provide exceptional customer service. This trickle-down effect impacts customers — and your business — directly. “It’s self-evident — and there’s plenty of research — that happy employees are more productive, and that happier employees lead to happier customers,” Tynan says.
Ensure leadership support
Support from leadership should vary from team to team depending on members’ needs. Some leaders provide the autonomy necessary for employees to succeed on their own, while others offer direct support.
Leadership should also get involved in and feel committed to customer experience. According to Tynan, sharing responsibility will help your agents feel less individual pressure and more like they’re part of a collaborative team.
The SERVICE in Customer Service | Simon Sinek
How do I become a better leader in customer service?
Improving your customer service abilities can help you become a better leader in any organization. Follow these steps to grow your skills as a leader in customer service: 1. Demonstrate your customer service values Show employees how you want them to treat customers by modeling the same behaviors as you interact with other team members.
What makes a good customer service leader?
Leaders who are focused on customer service create an environment where team members are immersed in a strategic vision for meeting client needs. These leaders support employees by giving them the tools to successfully manage customer interactions, such as high-quality training, clear objectives and templates for addressing customer feedback.
How can leaders improve customer support?
By creating customer personas and product value propositions, and by using customer data and insights, leaders can better understand and anticipate customers’ needs—changing your customer support approach from reactive to proactive.
Why do leaders focus on customer service?
Leaders who focus on customer service consider the experiences of others to shape how they respond and communicate. Part of serving customers means showing an understanding of their needs. Modeling this value to employees also perpetuates stronger relational connections between leaders and those they lead.
