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Any customer service team will struggle without powerful technology to keep them organized, in the know, and proactive. However, even the best-equipped departments will sometimes feel stressed; this is where proper training and effective management will supplement the software and keep things running smoothly.

When 80 per cent of customer service problems are repeated issues, your team must be empowered to use their judgment to find the right solution. By identifying a common interest, actively listening, admitting mistakes, and following up, agents can build a relationship with each customer who reaches out.

These relationships will only be healthier when your employees are happy and engaged. Find out (anonymously, if necessary) how each member of your customer service team feels about their job, and inspire team spirit and unity. Using collaboration technologies, keep employees connected and involved, and make sure they know how their contributions impact the company as a whole.

Your customer service team is on the front lines with customers and builds a large part of your customer experience. Empower them with the right technology and actively work to reduce their stress using the tips in the infographic below. Your employees—and your customers—will thank you.

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    How to Reduce Your Customer Service Team’s Stress and Improve Efficiency

  • Simplify 
    • Teach customer service agents to take a simpler approach to customer service problems
      • This makes company-client communication more effective and psychologically rewarding for both parties
  • Empower 
    • 80% of customer service problems are repeated issues
    • 20% of customer service problems are new issues
      • These customers can be lost or kept depending on how effectively their problems are solved
      • Agents should feel competent and confident using their judgment and skills to find a solution 
  • Improve customer interactions
    • Identify a common interest with customers
      • A point of understanding makes it easier to overcome conflict 
      • Humanizes relationship 
      • Endears customers to your rep and company
  • Practice active listening
    • Reps should clarify and rephrase what customers say
      • This ensures understanding
    • Reflect customers’ feelings by saying
      • “That must have upset you” 
      • “I can see why you feel slighted”
  • Admit mistakes
    • Builds trust 
    • Restores confidence
    • Allows rep to:
      • Control the situation
      • Re-focus the customer’s attention 
      • Resolve the issue
  • Follow-up 
    • Send a follow-up email or feedback survey to the customer to make sure:
      • The issue stays resolved
      • Customers were satisfied with the service
  • Cater to customers’ needs
    • Assign reps to specific customers so they can build a relationship 
    • Let top customers know their appreciated by offering VIP treatment 
    • To find out what VIP services customers would like, set up 
      • Focus groups
      • Interview customers
      • Run a survey
  • Create communities
    • Treat customers as important members of the community
    • Bring customers together in various ways 
      • Webinars
      • Interactive websites
      • Social media
      • Trade shows 
      • Conventions 
    • Customers and companies can both learn from each other during these forum
  • Keep employees happy and engaged
    • Great customer service skills and training can be hindered if a customer service rep is unhappy
      • Dissatisfied employees are unlikely to come forward with their problems
        • To address their issues, create
          • An anonymous suggestion box 
          • Employee engagement surveys 
        • Find out how your customer service team feels about 
          • Working conditions 
          • Compensation
          • Opportunities for career advancement
          • Training 
          • Coworkers
  • Inspire team spirit
    • Encourage agents to be a team and give each other
      • Support 
      • Share experiences 
      • Positive attitude 
    • The more relaxed customer service agents are the better their performance will be 
    • Good atmosphere and positive emotions will keep customers coming back
  • Invest in collaboration technologies
    • Keep employees connected through:
      • Internal social networks
      • Video conferencing solutions 
    • These give employees a sense of how their individual contributions impact the organization as a whole
  • Consider small teams
    • Follow the two pizza rule
      • Team should be small enough to be fed by two pizzas
    • Smaller teams are more 
      • Effective
      • Productive
      • Engaged
      • Small teams allow employees a chance to share their individual ideas instead of agreeing with others
  • Allow for autonomy 
    • Autonomy is crucial for productivity and engagement
    • To avoid micro-management and hour tracking focus on outcomes and outputs
  • Keep the team in mind when making hiring decisions
    • When hiring a new person
      • Discuss it with the team
      • Let the team talk with the candidate 
    • Important to make sure candidates personality and social skills are compatible with the team

    • Conclusion

  • Taking the necessary steps to improve your teams’ efficiency can result in improved productivity and happier workers.