A team member is falling short on customer service standards. How can you help them improve?

I think it's best to identify with your team members or your employees on more connected human level. As owners, managers and leaders, we oftentimes mistake our employees or team members as just that. We need to take a step back and view them as the human beings that they are. I have several young men in my employ, and they come rife with their issues. They're good guys, but they can oftentimes be misguided. I know what it's like to be a young and confused dude that doesn't quite put work first, so I find it best to connect with them on that level. Oftentimes, when you take the time to identify issues that may be bothering somebody, you can hopefully help them resolve their issues, or at least shed some light onto what may hinder them.

Avoir une discussion avec la team et de fa?on individuelle serait le premier step pour comprendre et conna?tre les difficultés de chacun . Mais certains pourraient ne pas s’exprimer clairement par peur d’être jugé . Le 2nd step, serait dans ce cas d’observer comment la personne travaille , comment elle interagi avec les clients , sa démarche de problem solving… une fois les hics détectés , faire voir à la personne une autre option /autre possibilité de traité certains cas , tout on lui donnant la possibilité de les refaire d’elle même (exercice de répétition comme lorsqu’on apprend à lire ). Step by step on observe l’évolution et on félicite la personne pour chaque petite victoire .Ceci redonne confiance, et aide à améliorer le travail.

I concur with everything Danielle stated. I believe one of the most important items to remember is to coach/mentor/talk with someone away from the presence of others. I recall how one of my previous employers would talk with everyone in the middle of the restaurant, where everyone you worked with could anticipate and/or overhear everything that you wanted to hear in private, but weren’t given the opportunity to do so.

Anybody ever heard "Do to others as you would have them do to you". Not exact wording but hopefully you know it. In business terms, Place yourself in the customer's position. OR sometimes think of places (businesses) you've been the customer. Good or bad experience. Which did you appreciate or not?

I would first ask them to put themselves in the position of the customer and ask what their expectations of good customers service are so I could gauge their opinion. Depending on their answer, use suggestive language to offer ways of improving that experience in a collaborative way. In addition I think demonstrating what you would like to see, is an excellent way to set an example. After they have been through both the conversation and seen your demonstration, check they understand the expectations and watch them deliver it.

If they have a past of great customer service obviously something is going on with them. Find out what it is. Sympathize, find out how/if you can help and let them know. It will get better and you expect their attitude to get back on track. Let them know you have noticed a change in them but are willing to give them a little leeway depending on the circumstances. It basically depends on their "normal" and past actions. You just can't fix everything so they/you would need to move on. I once said. "Life is to short to go someplace you don't like everyday." It was perceived as, find another job your happy at or change you attitude at this one. Only you can make that distinction.

Una conversación en privado que le permita al colaborador sentirse escuchado, sin prejuicios y en un ambiente constructivo y de armonía son claves para generar la confianza que lo inviten a hablar sobre la verdadera razón del no cumplimiento.

I believe once you see and hear their way of thinking, then there is an opportunity to see where improvements can be made. Then share any blind spots they may have.

As a manager, it is your responsibility to ensure that your team members are consistently meeting the minimum standards expected of them. This involves not only setting clear expectations but also actively monitoring performance. If an employee is falling short, it’s essential to be granular in identifying exactly where they are failing to meet these standards. By providing specific, actionable feedback, you help the employee understand the gaps in their performance and give them a clear roadmap for improvement. This level of detail not only holds employees accountable but also empowers them to make the necessary adjustments to meet and exceed expectations.

Deben establecerse metas en conjunto con el colaborador y acompa?arlo en todo el proceso para que las posibilidades de mejoras sean mayores

At Naija Settlement, I worked remotely as a Back-End Developer Intern and encountered a challenge in meeting project deadlines due to the complexity of tasks and remote collaboration. To address this, I collaborated with my team to set specific, measurable goals. For example, we aimed to reduce bug resolution time by 20% within two weeks. We broke down tasks into smaller, manageable pieces, allowing us to track progress daily. This approach not only improved our efficiency but also boosted team morale, as we celebrated milestones, leading to a more productive and cohesive team.

é muito importante focar no acompanhamento diário dos resultados para garantir a entrega da equipe. Um dashboard em tempo real mostra os indicadores como valor de venda, média diária e outros, ele permite uma visualiza??o clara onde estamos e onde precisamos chegar.

En el proceso de capacitación es importante conseguir todos los recursos y comprometerse como Líder de su área, buscar apoyo del área de Capacitación liderada probablemente por RR.HH e incluso pedir asesores externos en caso que no contemos con el equipo idóneo dentro de la organización

This step is so often skipped. Telling someone what to do is far different than telling them, then showing them, and finally helping them to put the education into practice.

Training is so important and reviewing process periodically with your team is essential. It is most important when process and standard requirements change

You MUST train on these issues. If there is a specific process that must be followed, show them, tell them, then role play it with them. Think of it this way - if you do not train someone on how to complete a skill, how do you expect them to complete it? Even if they have been in a similar role, review how you expect your company to resolve this issue. Dramatic saying but important - if you want your team to breathe a certain way, you must teach them!

One thing I've found helpful is identifying the problem and provide proper training on how to enhance it. Along with that, I found that monitoring process gained is helpful when highlighting the strong points and expanding outward to achieve more goals in the progress

I would suggest that an agenda of expected tasks be assigned to them. A weekly summary of how they are performing with constructive criticism to help them get motivated and feel they are contributing to the company's success.

At OJ&J Consultant Ltd, I managed office administration and supported project delivery, requiring close monitoring of progress to ensure tasks were completed on time. I scheduled regular check-ins with the team to discuss ongoing projects, address challenges, and provide feedback. By consistently reviewing our progress, I was able to identify areas needing improvement and adjust strategies as necessary. Celebrating small wins, such as meeting tight deadlines, helped boost morale and maintain motivation. This approach ensured accountability, improved project outcomes, and demonstrated my commitment to the team's success.

Managers need to work with upper management in regards to how the paperwork is being sent in to process That is where 99%of the issues are at From personal experience, this is the problem!!

Encourage the team member when a customer comes in with an issue to own that issue. Whether or not it's the team members fault, the customer wants results, sometimes those results are not in the customer's favor. these situations are not easy to handle but all good customer service members need to be able to work through these. This does take time, training and experience. Don't let the team member run from difficult customers they need to work through it.

To help a team member improve their customer service standards, I start by providing specific, constructive feedback, focusing on behaviors rather than personality. I then collaborate with them to set clear goals and expectations, developing a personalized improvement plan. Next, I offer training and coaching, role-playing different customer scenarios and sharing best practices. Regular check-ins and progress monitoring help track improvement and I recognize and reward small wins along the way. Additionally, I encourage self-reflection and empower them to take ownership of their development, providing resources and support to ensure they have the skills and confidence to deliver exceptional customer service.

I always like to offer help if I see someone struggling, however, I don't want to ever make anyone doubt themselves so I set up a training session as if I am a customer and see how they would answer and ask them why they handled the situation the way they did. I think this approach allows the agent (co-worker) to think for themselves and feel more confident.

Uma coisa que acho útil e colocar as dificuldades e desafio da equipe em primeiro lugar, ir além quando necessário e sempre trabalhar com respeito, honestidade e transparência. Um líder servidor cria um ambiente padronizado que serve de exemplo para todos da equipe.

Managers need to listen to their employees & work with them Do not brush off employees that need help & consistently say they need help on a daily basis Managers need to do the daily work to actually see what is going on & see exactly what the issues are with the paperwork Managers do not label your employees as complainers, they do the work daily & they KNOW what the issues & problems are Listen to your employees & help them