What are the best strategies for leveraging team strengths to improve customer service outcomes?

In my experience, it begins with the hiring profile. Continuously assessing both the strengths of the team and the CX feedback from customers, the sales team on the front line, and peer to peer feedback provides a holistic picture of opportunity areas to up-skill or modify the job profile and hire for the ever changing needs of customers and employees. I’m a big believer in playing to your strengths.

You need to be present in your business and store, you need to listen to how the customers and staff interact with each other: When you interview staff, everyone says they are customers focussed, however, we are all Human and even the best people feel the pressure of life, If you the see cracks appearing, Be there to listen, offer praise and encourage good customer care. If you are in a human-to-human business, you need to start a caring culture, Many customers have their own "stuff" to deal with, when they enter your store start with a smile and a good morning or afternoon, Genuine interest leads to genuine care, It's your job to be there and do the same for your staff, model and breathe it and watch it catch fire,

The synergy between the two and the product knowledge the team needs to be able to improve professionalism and deliver a seamless CS experience to the client is vital. A thorough knowledge of products or services and of course the policies as to how those products and services are promoted and maintained must be instilled in any CS team. CS teams also need to be motivated and incentivised by their supervisors and company in general to create internal team loyalty and a bond within the various departments that CS may be involved in. Creating a bond within a group that work together is a powerful motivator. Recording and using successful or unsuccessful conversations with clients and customers is also a vital training and evaluation tool.

I focus exclusively on enhancing each team member's strengths, ensuring they excel in their areas of expertise. Concentrating on weaknesses and mandating training in these areas often leads to diminished morale. Just as football coaches don't train kickers to be quarterbacks, I believe in nurturing the innate talents of each individual. This approach fosters exceptional interactions among team members and with the public, resulting in teams that are not only high-functioning but also deliver superior quality.

Conflict resolution is vital in customer service. Equipping teams with advanced skills, including empathetic listening and clear communication, is key. Training empowers employees to de-escalate conflicts effectively. Empathy fosters understanding, diffusing tensions, and building strong customer relationships. Structured communication maintains clarity and demonstrates professionalism. These strategies transform conflicts into opportunities for trust, improved outcomes, and reduced tension, enhancing customer service. Empathy is the golden thread that weaves through the fabric of effective conflict resolution in customer service.

One thing I have found helpful is to guide the team to follow up on identified customer success points but also pain points and deliver a packaged solution that would take both into consideration, building a strong relationship that is based on true understanding of the customer journey.

In my experience as a recruiter, aligning your team's strengths with customer needs is pivotal for delivering exceptional service. When you pair team members' skills with customer expectations – whether it's speed and efficiency or empathy and personalization – you're primed to boost satisfaction and loyalty. This approach not only enhances the customer experience but also ensures that your team operates harmoniously, resulting in a win-win for both customers and employees.

If it not good enough for you why do think it is good enough for someone else? A natural and logical benchmark we can all relate to

Empathy can de-escalate tense situations by diffusing anger or defensiveness, in conflict resolution environments. It helps create a more conducive environment for productive discussions. By taking the route, it fosters understanding, trust, and fairness, which are essential for reaching mutually agreeable solutions.

One thing I've found helpful, it starts at the top with strategic leadership because the apple does not fall far from the tree. Applying the preceding approach should enable your team to perform at optimal levels focused on consumer and/or client needs organically. Customers/clients can typically feel the genuine appreciation the team provides, hence why it's important to lead by example. Continuing to invest in your Human Capital to meet the moment, will ensure client/consumer retention but the team must be intentional and take initiative to maximize the customer's experience. Fostering a team approach that understands efficiency, time management and follow through will likely yield +ROI economically, socially and personnel-wise for growth

Learning your team is not as simple as a short assessment. I believe learning your team is best done by spending time and building experiences together. Team building exercises allow teams to "let their hair down" and unpack personal and professional goals. Most work teams are together longer than any other group of individuals outside the workplace. Teams must work together and lead to high performance. But it takes time, dedication and investment to promote career growth. If teammates have differing personalities and the team leader is hard to connect with, it will impact the productivity of the team. Be authentic as a team leader and learn more about the individual who's on your team and conflict resolution will be key.

I have always built my teams with people form different backgrounds and experiences, but with the same passion, drive and core values. I also use openness and ‘one person one voice’ as key pillars when building and developing a team. The above will foster a culture of natural trust and collaboration between them, and when you have these elements in your teams culture, you will find peer-to-peer learning happens automatically.

By creating a collaborative and supportive work environment, where team members can work together, leverage their complementary skills, and solve problems creatively. You can also empower them to make decisions, take ownership, and innovate within their scope of work.

It’s so important as a manager to create an inclusive environment that celebrates each individual’s differences. My leadership style is thinking that I have just as much to learn from my team as they have to learn from me. Everyone comes from different walks of life, different backgrounds, different experiences. Your team won’t meet their full potential until you take the time to utilize each of their talents. Recognize that we all have something to bring to the table. It’s your job as a manager to get to know your team and help them build upon those strengths to meet the customers’ needs.

Find a way to get feedback from customers that allows employees to feel they are being asked to grow vs. reprimanded. So often feedback is used to penalize rather than improve. An environment of collaboration and learning allows for mistakes and provides support for growing through their mistakes.

Although the word “conflict” can be interpreted as an argument or disagreement with another, they are necessary in order for you and your team to learn the valuable skill of compromising to create win-win situations where all parties are satisfied with the outcome and feel heard. When approaching a conflict with another, it’s vital to remain calm, avoid the blame-game, learn how to respond not react, and remember to let go of your need to be right. Ultimately, conflict resolution can help you build your customer’s confidence and trust in you while encouraging your team to fairly compromise when needed to maximize a positive outcome for all parties.

To achieve the best outcomes in customer service, it's important to utilize your team members' strengths in an effective manner. Begin by acknowledging each individual's unique talents and areas of expertise. Foster an environment of open communication and collaboration to share knowledge and best practices. Continuously encourage learning and development, allowing team members to enhance their skills and build upon their strengths. It's crucial to provide regular feedback and conduct performance evaluations to identify any areas that need improvement. Ultimately, by working together as a cohesive team that leverages its strengths, we can provide exceptional customer service.

Conflicts as we know have the power to destroy something that was good with lighting speed and laser like accuracy. So resolving conflicts quickly and constructively is essential to maintaining a positive team culture and customer-company relations. As most conflicts arise from mistakes, one way to deal with this is through openness right at the start. Openness fosters a culture of trust, and if you can maintain trust then constructive conflict resolution is easier to obtain.

I've found that addressing conflicts constructively is pivotal. Conflict resolution skills, like active listening and empathy, can significantly diffuse tensions and maintain a harmonious work atmosphere. Utilizing mediation or facilitation methods, when necessary, has proven instrumental in preventing issues from escalating. Constructive conflict resolution not only enhances team morale but also safeguards the team's reputation and client relationships.

If empathy is missing then create opportunities where linkages and commality can be found. Sharing lived experiences in a safe way breaks down barriers, perceptions and harmful stereotypes. Do not be shy of asking questions. Every day is potentially a learning day so make the mos of it. Conflict is draining physically and emotionally.

In my experience appreciation of team members by managers provides incentive and energy for teams team member s to serve. When they are appreciated, they know how to show great customer service.

One thing I strive for is identifying the behavior and the action that led to the results achieved it helps people to then recreate what has brought the success The result is simply the outcome of the behaviors and actions taken

Not only that, but being recognized by your team also makes you feel valued for the value you add. When you feel valued and appreciated, your team benefits as your mental and emotional health improves and you start wanting to work more efficiently.

Who does not like to feel appreciated, so of course it's imperative to acknowledge and celebrate your team, even for subtle occasions- it makes a difference! Pick your spots and do not over do it because then the praise may not mean as much but certainly continue to mentor and empower your team, so they feel they are part of the process to making your company grow. So again, it starts at the top but as a leader, one must be consistent with the praise and conversely, hold team members accountable (where appropriate) to ensure respect and balance for constructive growth.

It's imperative to evaluate and enhance your team's processes regularly. This involves thorough performance analysis, customer feedback integration, and best practice assessment. Employing tools like surveys and benchmarks and fostering a culture of innovation can lead to more efficient and effective team operations. I've found that embracing a continuous improvement mindset not only increases performance but also nurtures a positive work environment.

The benefits of evaluating and improving your team’s processes and systems regularly ensures your team is equipped to deliver exceptional customer service, easily adapt to changes, and utilize your team’s knowledge and skills to increase customer satisfaction. As customer engagement and needs can change over time, being able to quickly identify and respond to these changes in customer needs by utilizing process improvement tools and strategies is vital.

Some interesting research has shown that clients mirror the attitudes of employees. This is through a phenomenon known as "parallel process." If we want to know how customers feel about our service, ask our front line employees. They know. Customers pick up on their vibes and reflect it back. If we want to improve customer attitudes, pay good attention to our front line staff and supervisors and make sure they feel good about the work they do.

If the goal is to improve customer service outcomes - the health of the team is vital. When staff feels valued, there is a natural uptick in employee productivity and retention. In any working relationship there will be conflict. But conflict doesn’t have to be destructive and the goal is to implement effective conflict resolution strategies that are not only part of the internal fabric -but that also extend outward to the consumer. Embracing this approach creates not only a seamless experience for the customer but it also provides a feeling of win-win for the team. It’s easy to criticize a process or response, but when you have the opportunity to be the person making the decision, you develop a deeper understanding for the implications.

Clarity at work place: *Conflict Prevention:** Proactively address potential sources of conflict by setting clear expectations, goals, and guidelines for the team. Clarify roles and responsibilities to minimize misunderstandings

Managing change is also critical in leveraging team strengths to improve customer service outcomes. Adopting and activating a change management protocol when there are policy and operational changes help team members to be aware of the new developments so that they can make the necessary adjustments mentally, emotionally, and physically where relevant. Transparency around the the risks and benefits to all parties and the inclusion of team members in the process and decision leading to the change can be helpful to get buy-in and reduce resistance to the new development. This inclusion would improve relationships with the internal customers (team, leadership, and other departments) thus improving the relationship with the external customers.

Utilizing your team’s strengths to improve customer satisfaction is vital to the overall success of the team. It creates opportunities for team members to meaningfully contribute to the team by embracing a strength-based approach to processes and tasks. This generates opportunities to increase confidence in your current skill-set, the personal value you add to your team, and the effort you put into ensuring customer satisfaction is of utmost importance. This allows team members to also learn from one another and grow together with the common goal of achieving customer satisfaction.