What your support reps should know!

This article is a keeper and a document intended for you to share with your support reps on day 1 or day 100 as a reminder.

With no further due, let's get into it.

Understanding What a Successful Rep Does:?

• Independently Solving Cases: A successful rep not only resolves customer issues but also documents their solutions clearly. This documentation is crucial for knowledge sharing and future reference.?
• Customer Coaching: Beyond solving problems, a great rep coaches customers to become better end users. This involves guiding them on best practices, features, and efficient usage.?

Metrics for Measurement:?

Individual and team performance metrics are essential. Here are the ones I recommend you consider for your reps:??

• CSAT (Customer Satisfaction): How satisfied are customers with the support they receive??
• TTR (Time to Resolution): How quickly are cases resolved??
• % of Cases Escalated: Minimizing escalations is crucial.?
• Chat/Phone Calls Answered: Efficiently handling incoming inquiries.?
• Same Day Resolution: Striving for timely solutions.?

Unmeasured but Vital Aspects:?

• Identifying Trends: Reps should analyze customer support data to identify trends. This informs decision-making and helps bring the Voice of Customer to the forefront.?
• Onboarding Teammates: Assisting new team members ensures a smooth transition.?
• Manager Trust: Being the go-to person for escalated cases demonstrates trustworthiness.?

Ideal Support Rep Profile:?

This characteristics are what you should look for in a support rep.

• Confidence: Reps should exude confidence. Customers seek experts, not apologies. Introduce yourself confidently, like: “I’m Emre Tekoglu, a product expert in xxx Products at XXX company. How can I assist you with X?”?
• Organization: Establishing routines is vital. Consider your morning and end-of-day routines. Communicate updates to customers clearly and provide next steps.?
• Learning Mindset: Treat the role like a professional athlete. Learn from the best by studying case closing notes. Each case note is a valuable lesson.?

Let’s delve into the culture and values that define our team of customer support representatives. ???

Celebrate Success:?

• Embrace a winner’s mindset. As the voice of our customers, we transform each support case into a compelling story. Our pivotal role matters, and it’s essential to celebrate our victories—both big and small.?
• Remember, every solved case contributes to our collective success. So, let’s raise a virtual toast to our achievements! ???

Adapt a Growth Mindset:?

• Every day is an opportunity for improvement. Whether it’s enhancing our knowledge, adjusting our attitude, or refining our processes, we can evolve.?
• Embrace challenges as chances to learn and grow. As the saying goes, “Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.” ???

Entrepreneurship:?

• You’re an integral part of the team. Freedom and empowerment await you. Dive deep into understanding products and customers.?
• Value creative thinkers who take calculated risks. Your mission? Make your customers successful. ???

Developing Essential Skills: Understand what are the key skills for the reps to develop.

Listening:?

• Listening is an art. As support reps, attentive listening is paramount. When engaging with customers, follow the 80/20 rule: listen 80% of the time and speak 20%. When you do speak, ask relevant questions.?
• Remember, understanding the customer’s pain points leads to effective solutions.?

Writing:?

• Most of our communication occurs through text. Your words are your weapons. Craft them wisely.?
• Instead of saying, “I don’t have an update today,” try, “I’ll provide an update first thing tomorrow morning.” Positive phrases leave a lasting impression.?

Leverage Your Tools:?

• Screensharing: Customers appreciate visual assistance. When appropriate, use screensharing—it can enhance their experience by up to 4%.?
• Scheduling Tool: Streamline communication. Cut down on back-and-forth by using scheduling tools effectively.?
• Generative AI: Master prompt engineering. Use phrases like “Write this step-by-step” or “Organize my thoughts neatly for customer understanding.”? Use AI to your benefits but make sure to obey by your company policies.
• Speaking with Generative AI: Remember to stick to approved vendors. Confidential data leaks are a no-go.?

That is for this post. I wanted to share my recommendations on what makes a great support rep. After all, people make things happen, your role as a leader is to enable your staff and give them what success looks like. Feel free to use this as a starting template.

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