You don’t have to spend much more than time on the best ways to motivate your customer service pros. And one tip here can even make them prestigious award winners.
“Studies show sustainable motivation doesn’t come from costly, ad hoc approaches,” says Bill Gessert, chief experience officer of the Professional Association for Customer Engagement (PACE). “Sustaining a high-performing service team requires a strategic approach that builds a team of professional and motivated employees — and it’s not as difficult as you might think.”
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You can fit these ideas in at any moment and into any budget:
- Hire right for attitude. You can train people to learn your system. So seek and hire people with proven customer service aptitude. Ask for examples of how they dealt with customers, how they define satisfaction, how they have satisfied difficult customers. Hire people who “get it” — meaning they’re committed to putting the customer first.
- Build, measure and reward service excellence. Some organizations use fun, pass-along awards — such as rubber chickens for “the most flexible rep.” Others have created fake money with their bosses’ photos in the center that are handed out for great work, which can then be cashed in for company swag and restaurant gift cards.
- Take every opportunity to recognize service excellence. Shout it to anyone who will listen, especially senior management. Make sure your reps know you have their backs.
- Get them extra, national attention. You can nominate outstanding service reps and teams for the inaugural Customer Experience Excellence Awards (The CXEs), which will be awarded by PACE during National Customer Service Week in October. Get details on how and when to nominate your best here.
“The great thing about all this: It costs zip,” says Gessert. “It’s sustainable and the only long-term solution to build and maintain a highly motivated team.”
