You’re a customer service manager who wants to improve your team’s performance. What are the best strategies?

Majority of issues will start with only lack of ownership, we must make entire team along, since its very critical to manager critical things in the absence of people. Critical things can be discussed during short meetings on daily basis than having individual decisions which will lead to bigger escalations.

In my experience it's essential to establish clear, attainable goals in line with company aims. In previous roles I have always worked extremely hard to regularly communicate (and re-communicate) expectations and provide constructive feedback along the way to ensure team members know where they are excelling and where they need to adjust to ensure alignment to the goals. Consistent communication ensures everyone understands their role and progress. Feeling that you are contributing to the goal, have a part to play and are delivering value are key motivators and help individuals to work collectively to achieve the overall objective.

Foremost important would be training your team to understand, listen, and acknowledge customer requirements. Setting a deadline to work upon the task, with empathy and mindfulness. Evaluating customer satisfaction and teams performance metrics on the scale of customer satisfaction, first contact resolution, average resolution time and employee engagement scores. Working closely with team on their monthly, quarterly, annually individual and team goals.

Regular, detailed feedback to team members, both individually and collectively, is crucial for improvement and alignment with goals. Schedule structured coaching sessions, provide timely feedback with examples, and offer developmental guidance. Always support your team, fostering collaboration and trust.

As a customer service manager, improve your team's performance with regular training, clear expectations, feedback, empowerment, positive environment, leading by example, providing tools/resources, continuous improvement, team building, and customer feedback. These strategies can boost morale and customer satisfaction.

Provide regular feedback to team members on their performance, both individually and as a team. This helps identify areas for improvement and keeps everyone aligned with expectations.

This is going to take time, but you need to be structured and ensure that you set aside regular coaching time and make sure it happens - diarise it. Make sure that you are giving feedback regularly and with detailed examples. Feedback has to be timely. Don't be afraid to give developmental feedback either, use real examples. Always have your teams back.

Feedback is crucial for improvement. Regularly check in with your team members to discuss their performance, identify areas of strength, and provide constructive feedback on areas for improvement. Coaching sessions can help employees develop new skills and overcome challenges they may be facing.

Consider using the "sandwich method" in which you compliment, state the concern, and compliment again. This is a great way to motivate and encourage individuals during the coaching process.

Providing constructive feedback on key performance metrics helps in the quest for continous improvement both for the organisation and the employee. From the feedback areas of weakness that require improvement is identified. Strength to capitalise on for efficiency is equally seen. I addition where employees are doing well which requires praise and motivation is also noticed.

A positive work environment fosters creativity, collaboration, and overall job satisfaction. Encourage open communication, recognize and celebrate achievements, and promote teamwork. When team members feel valued and supported, they are more likely to go above and beyond for both their colleagues and customers.

Collaboration especially helps make staff feel involved and belonged . It makes them know their ideas are welcome which is necessary for innovative ways of reaching goals

Trust your team to handle situations independently by empowering them to make decisions and solve problems on their own. Provide them with the necessary resources, authority, and autonomy to address customer issues promptly and effectively. Encourage creative thinking and innovation to find solutions that exceed customer expectations.

Continuous learning and personal growth are essential for employee engagement and retention. Offer training opportunities, workshops, and seminars to enhance their skills and knowledge. Additionally, prioritize employee well-being by promoting work-life balance, offering support programs, and creating a healthy work environment. When employees feel cared for and supported, they are more likely to perform at their best.

Keep the work environment friendly (without undermining professional behaviour) so that people feel free to talk about their work problems and discuss among themselves for solutions. Set an example for them where they learn how to approach a problem and the steps involved to solve them. Listen to their opinions. Have a one on one meeting with them and identify their strengths and weaknesses and then formulate a group plan where everyone can help achieve company goals.

Your people learn by doing and won't always get it right. You MUST make sure that they know you are there for them and will support them.

Regularly evaluate your team's performance and adjust strategies as needed. Stay updated on industry trends and customer preferences to adapt your approach accordingly. Encourage creativity and innovation by seeking input from your team on process improvements and new ideas. Lead by example and demonstrate the behaviors and attitudes you want to see in your team members.

Have a team meeting at least once a month. Topics, that I feel are important, to cover includes: - Recognitions - Best Practice - Role Play