NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER 2023

Extending Grace During the Upcoming Busy Season for Customer Service

Well, it’s almost that time of year – the Holidays!?

As we move forward, the coming months can bring a perfect storm to the customer service horizon. The occurrence of holiday seasons, economic uncertainties, and our ever-increasing reliance on digital services will likely lead to a surge in all things customer service!?

With that said, it’s imperative that we, as consumers, remember to extend grace and empathy to customer service employees who will undoubtedly be hit hard.

First and foremost, there will be the Holiday Rush.? The holidays are traditionally a time when customer service centers brace for a significant increase in activity, calls, inquiries, purchases, returns and the like. People are shopping for gifts, booking travel, and making various arrangements, and this increased demand for assistance can be overwhelming.

Also, we are experiencing a bit of economic uncertainty: The post-pandemic world we live in comes with its own set of challenges.? Some individuals and businesses are still working through situations that may have affected them financially. This adds to the volume of inquiries, as people seek help with billing, refunds, and other financial matters.

And there will most definitely be an increased dependence on Digital Services.? The “digital transformation” has accelerated our dependence on digital platforms for shopping, communication, and working, especially since many people work from home, or even better, work-from-anywhere – increasing the probability of us encountering technical issues or needing assistance with digital tools.

The Human Touch

Behind those customer service interactions (except in the case of A/I of course) is a real person working to assist, solve problems, and provide a positive experience. They work tirelessly, often under immense pressure, to meet our needs. However, with the upcoming expected blast in customer inquiries/complaints and troubles, some customer service employees might be a bit stretched.? Though most who work in this field exhibit a lot of resiliency and tenacity daily, it still may get a little tough at times – particularly this time of year when employees may also be dealing with more of the team out sick or on vacation.

Why Grace Is Important, Especially Now:

1. Stress and Burnout: Representatives often face high-stress situations, especially during busy periods. Longer working hours, constant interaction with irate customers, and the pressure to meet performance metrics can lead to burnout. Grace from customers can help alleviate some of this stress.
2. Job Satisfaction: When employees feel valued by employers and customers, they are more likely to be motivated and to perform at their best.?
3. Successful Resolutions: Graceful interactions with customers can sometimes help employees to focus on resolving issues efficiently and effectively, rather than rushing through the issue because they are dealing with negativity or hostility.

How We Can Extend Grace:

1. Empathy: The employee you're speaking to could be facing technical, learning, or other resource challenges and difficulties. A little empathy can make the interaction more pleasant for both parties.
2. Politeness: Not just during this season, but always a "please" and "thank you" can make a world of difference in an interaction - a fundamental part of extending grace.
3. Patience: Recognize that most times, customer service employees really are doing their best to assist you. Sometimes, resolving complex issues may take time, and patience helps to smooth things over – especially now when that person may be new on the job.
4. Constructive Feedback: If you encounter an issue with a service, provide feedback in a constructive and non-confrontational manner, so that hopefully it will help the employee and the organization do better going forward.

As we all prepare for the crowds, the traffic, the weather and all the other wonderful joys and happiness that come along with the holidays, let’s try to exhibit a little patience, empathy and understanding in all our encounters.

And remember, behind every call, chat, or email, there is a regular person who, in most cases, would like nothing more than to assist you and ensure you have a positive customer experience!?

JAY WILLIAMS

Jay has proven expertise in creating alignment among leaders and executives to ensure clarity of values, company culture, strategic priorities, and key business metrics. Jay helps leaders from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies achieve desired outcomes through his leadership philosophy and methodology.

JOHN HENNY

John Henny is not only an accomplished vocal coach but also a respected lecturer who has spoken at renowned colleges and institutes like USC, Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Institute of the Arts, and The Academy of Contemporary Music in England. He is also a Master Teacher for vocal coaches worldwide, conducting annual teaching engagements in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.

DARRYL STICKEL

Darryl holds a PhD in Business from Duke University. He wrote his doctoral thesis on building trust in hostile environments. Upon completion of his studies Darryl worked for Mckinsey & Company in their Toronto office. Darryl founded Trust Unlimited in 2003. Darryl has worked with senior executives from a broad range of industries from all over the world. He has served as faculty for the Luxembourg School of Business and the Center for Effective Organizations at the University of Southern California. Darryl recently completed his book Building Trust: Exceptional Leadership in an Uncertain World.

MARK HAYES

Mark Garrett Hayes is a sales enablement consultant, accredited coach and certified trainer who is truly passionate about helping sales leaders empower their sales people and dramatically boost both performance and revenue. Mark works both in-house and remotely with sales teams internationally to help sales leaders get the very best from their teams. His first book, Sales Coaching Essentials, was published in May 2022 and was shortlisted for the Business Book Awards 2023.

Classes Beginning January 1, 2024

New Customer Service Training

• Leading Customer Service Performance for High-Impact Teams

• Designed to assist mid-level career and management individuals in creating a customer-focused environment.

• Customer First Culture – Improving Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty?

• Designed to help employees understand the importance of customer centricity and how to create a customer centric vision.

New Customer Service Pre-Employment Testing

• Rubrica Testing?

• Speaking and Writing Assessments Designed for Hiring Contact Center Agents?

New Certifications

• DiSC Leader?This course is a holistic DiSC experience that teaches the principles of DiSC and prepares practitioners to deliver engaging and impactful DiSC??learning experiences

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