Team spirit can be the key to success

Last week my team worked collaboratively and wrote a piece for our Intranet, all of my team are starting their working lives in this organisation and so the experience they have in this team can make or break our future with them, if we don't stick the initial landing we won't keep hold of the incredible talent this team holds. It can be easy as a People Leader to talk about how happy and committed your team is but to hear it from them is something special and I took so much pride in reading what they wrote as it is a testament to the support they offer each other and the pride they take in their work. I don't think it's a coincidence that the team has the strongest bond in years and the service levels they are providing - in support to the work we are doing in the background to help ease the 'noise' of zero value add calls.

I know each of them has a bright future and it's great watching them grow every day.

Here's what they said:

Being part of the Customer Assist team certainly keeps us on our toes. As one of the main customer-facing teams, we encounter the most interesting and challenging calls, which we have to adapt to very quickly. Our team is made up of a diverse bunch of people with different experience and who come from various backgrounds. We’re a group of all ages who have previously worked as a flight attendant, sales agent, coordinator, barista, within provisioning, and even as a personal trainer - all of which are customer-facing roles.

Most of our previous jobs involved face-to-face interactions with customers, so our current roles are a bit different in that you have to learn to communicate over the phone. Hana says, “I’ve had to adapt the way I communicate because they can't see me, so its learning to convey the same emotions but using language, voice, and tone.” Our team is also experienced at handling tough customers, and we often use the skills we’ve learnt in our previous lives to help deliver the right outcomes. At the end of the day, even though we’ve all come from totally different backgrounds, our goal is always to provide the best solution for our customers. My first week at Chorus felt like a month(in a good way). By day three, I was already part of the team, day five came around and I had already settled into the rhythm of replying to emails, and the next week I was ready to start taking calls. Comparing my old employers to Chorus would be like comparing Game of Thrones season 8 to season 1 (meaning Chorus is awesome, like season 1 and the old companies, not so much!) At Chorus, written policies and promises for a healthy work environment and care for employees are really put into practice,” says Isabella.

We may have to deal with the more colourful residents of New Zealand, who placed their order yesterday but “need the install today.” And as much as we would love to help them, we can’t always. The calls we get vary day-to-day and there is a lot to learn all the time. We do our best to know a little about a lot of areas within Chorus, though it’s impossible to know everything. However, it is rewarding to be able to assist our customers to the best of our ability, while ensuring we don’t become a doormat for them.

The support we show each other really does make for a more positive workplace, and this is absolutely reflected in the service we give our customers. Bhaves says, “Knowing we have each others' backs enables us to not only answer our customer queries, but to provide the best outcomes and hopefully leave them happier than when they first called.” We do have some interesting calls though from, “You installed the network without my permission” to “Your tech stole my cat” to “Someone is watching me through your box.”

Every day is interesting, and you just never know what’s going to come your way, when that phone starts ringing. There are calls we laugh about, those we want to cry about, and ones you just want to throw the computer out the window after - but you’ve got to try not to take it personally and to heart. What matters most is that after these difficult and challenging calls, is knowing we have each other. Martin says, “It really helps to have this fantastic group of people I work with, who are always willing to help. I really do love my team.” We have great spirit and you may even say we’re one of the loudest teams around, as we love a chat and keep our energy up by enjoying each other’s company when we can.

Over 1500 calls come through on an average week, and it's not easy to answer every single one and help each customer, within the specified timeframe we’ve been given. Over the past few weeks though, our service levels have crept up. Every day, the percentage has risen and last week, we finally reached the 100% service level we’ve strived for over the past four years. We were absolutely delighted, as it all came down to focus and the commitment to work together to achieve this.

Rosa says, “Although I don’t get to watch the sunrise while flying over the Tasman sea anymore, I have made and continue to make wonderful relationships here at Chorus, and my team is what keeps me going.” We're here to help, willing to be collaborative and courageous to best help our customers and provide the best possible experience for anyone interacting with Chorus.

Our motto: "We are the voice of Chorus and we speak with pride".