PRODUCTIVITY HACKS

10for customer service

BESTPRODUCTIVITY HACKS

Brought to you by CTS Service Solutions© Copyright 2016. CTS Service Solutions. All Rights Reserved.Service Solutions

Organizations today are stretched thin. Their teams overwhelmed. Yet, to deliver Hero-Class® customer service, teams must be able to address the needs of every customer.

Time is one of the most precious commodities for any customer-facing team, and in a world or shrinking budgets, the best way to “make” more time is to be more productive.

Are you ready to start hacking your productivity?

Productivity Is Essential to Customer Service

1 Create and Optimize SystemsDon’t reinvent the wheel with every customer interaction.

Create systems that make processes efficient and that improve outcomes both for customers and the organization.

Then, regularly optimize those systems.

More on customer service scripts.

2 Use Scripts

While scripts can make reps seem robotic, when used well, they can save teams time.

Have scripts prepared for your most common interactions, but always remember, scripts are just a starting point.

Personalize each interaction.

More on rule accretion.

3 Simplify and Purge ProcessesProcesses and rules accrete over time.

Many are no longer necessary. Others are no longer effective.

Simplify your processes continuously, and perform a policy purge a few times each year.

4 Train the Shortcuts

Often changing a process is cumbersome, time-consuming, or impossible in the short term.

Yet, team members often figure out how to remove inefficiency through shortcuts.

If someone has a two-step method for a four-step process, train your team on the shortcut.

5 Clean Up Your CommunicationReview all of your standard communication for ambiguity and potentially confusing language.

Misunderstandings create poor experiences and are inefficient.

Clarity is power.

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Here is a customer communication checklist.

6 Use Automation EffectivelyAutomate — but do so tactically.

Incredible tools exist nowadays for automating routine portions of the customer journey.

Just make sure that automation doesn’t denigrate the customer experience by removing human interaction from important touch points.

7 Give Teams the Right ToolsDon’t give your team hammers when they need screwdrivers.

Technology investments are challenging, but so is providing Hero-Class® service with a decade-old CRM system.

If you don’t have the budget for upgrades, use third party tools to bridge the gaps temporarily.

8 Keep Information CurrentOutdated information is even worse than an outdated system and is inherently inefficient.

Make sure your CRM system and your team has the most up-to-date, accurate information.

Just remember the old adage: Garbage in; garbage out.

9 Empower Your TeamsEmpowered employees solve more issues on the spot and do not have to circle back with customers or involve other team members as often.

An empowered team is the ultimate tool for preventing a small issue from snowballing into a much larger issue.

Learn more about employee empowerment.

10 Forward-Resolve IssuesAll too often reps want to click the “resolved” box and organizations want to decrease ticket times. But taking the time to address potential issues up front saves time in the long run.

Anticipate future customer issues through proactive questions that elicit honest responses.

FUTURE

PAST

© Copyright 2016. CTS Service Solutions. All Rights Reserved.Service Solutions

After you’ve hacked your organization’s customer service, never forget that the ultimate source of productivity in customer service is getting it right the first time.

Issues that need to be fixed or resolved are inefficient and expend valuable resources.

Just remember..

“An ounce of proactive service is worth a pound of

reactive cure.”Adam Toporek

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Brought to you by CTS Service Solutions

ADAM TOPOREKAdam  is  the  author  of  Be  Your  Customer’s  Hero:  Real-­‐World  Tips  &  Techniques  for  the  Service  Front  Lines  (2015),  as  well  as  the  founder  of  the  popular  Customers  That  Stick®    blog.  

He  is  a  keynote  speaker  on  customer  service  and  customer  experience.  Adam  is  also  the  owner  of  CTS  Service  Solutions,  which  specializes  in  high-­‐energy  customer  service  training  and  workshops  that  teach  frontline  teams  how  to  deliver  Hero-­‐Class®  customer  service.  

GO  TO:  CustomersThatStick.com  TWITTER:  @adamtoporek

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