As the saying goes, “You only get one chance to make a first impression.”
This holds a lot of weight with customer service workers as well as administrative staff, who are often the initial point of contact for a company’s clients, vendors and other business contacts.
But what does great customer service really mean? It’s about exceeding expectations and creating a positive experience. It involves providing prompt, efficient, and empathetic support while proactively solving problems and communicating clearly. Ultimately, it's about making customers feel valued, understood, and eager to return.
When Customer Service Week comes around every October, take note: It’s not only morale-boosting, but also good business for you to recognise it.
Use the opportunity to not build your customer service focus, but show some appreciation to your workers who interact with customers on the front line, from receptionists to call centre representatives, customer service managers, member services representatives and enrolment specialists.
Whether you're a seasoned customer service professional aiming to refine your approach, a manager striving to elevate your team's performance, or an entrepreneur building a customer-centric brand, read on to explore what excellent customer service means, how to help your team build a customer service mindset and why celebrating Customer Service Week is a must.
Customer Service Week is an international celebration that calls attention to the importance of customer service and the people who provide it, with these goals:
Boost staff morale and teamwork
Reward employees for the significant work they do
Raise awareness of the value of customer service
Thank other departments for their support
Remind those who buy your products or use your services of the company’s commitment to customer satisfaction
Related: Hire the best with 26 interview questions for customer service
“Celebrating Customer Service Week should be a no-brainer for businesses who have customer service representatives, which is almost every single one! They work hard every day to maintain a good representation of a business while tending to the needs of customers and clients. They really are the cornerstone of a business and deserve to be recognised for their hard work”, says Stephen Langhammer, director at Robert Half with more than two decades of recruitment experience.
When you have experienced exceptional customer service, what about the experience stands out? Is it someone’s approachability? Someone's communication style? Their ability to listen to what you say in order to solve your problem? Does the term excellent customer service translate to wanting to return to a business and recommend it to others?
The overarching question is how far exceptional customer service can transcend a one-off experience and lead to return service and a lasting impression. The answer is it can and it does. Customer service is the gateway into a company and can leave a lasting impact on consumers.
We ask our specialised business support recruiters what great customer service means to them.
“What does the term excellent customer service mean to me? It means walking away from an experience feeling like my issues and questions were heard and tended to with my best interest at heart. Even if during the interaction the issue wasn’t solved, I feel like I was still respected and heard,” says Emma Sestic, associate director.
“In today's business landscape, exceptional customer service isn't just a bonus – it's the bedrock of sustainable business success. It means being welcomed with a warm smile and treated with respect. The best customer service experiences I've had left me feeling genuinely cared for”, says Chelsea Spanos, managing consultant.
“A bad customer experience can ruin the chances of someone returning to a business. When I think about how this translates to recruitment, I always ensure that the person I am placing in a customer service role has the skills necessary to provide the experience I would desire if I needed to interact with them at that certain business. This type of strategy ensures we place the very best talent,” says Sylwia Jankowicz, senior business support division director.
“To me, the term excellent customer service means going above and beyond to meet the needs and expectations of the customer. It's not just about solving problems or answering questions, but about creating a positive and memorable experience that leaves the customer feeling valued and appreciated", says Ben Scholefield, consultant.
Providing good customer service is the key to attracting and keeping business. But exceptional customer service can be hard to come by. A 2023 Robert Half study found 37% of Australian general managers said they were lacking customer service skills in their workforce.
The reason why this is so important, is because administrative and customer service employees, in particular, play a key role in how others perceive your organisation.
While it’s comparatively easy to provide quality service when dealing with simple situations, the real challenge for your workers is when they face difficulty, like rude or angry people.
You can’t expect your staff to provide excellent service if it’s not a personal commitment of your own.
Listen, show empathy and be responsive to your colleagues’ queries and requests. Polished soft skills are critical in any customer-focused position, just as they are in a leadership role.
The same can be said about being proactive: Demonstrate problem solving, rather than passivity, in your daily work. Go the extra mile and exceed expectations, and your staff will likely follow suit.
Related: What to look for when hiring a customer service representative
Leading by example means having and utilisng the skills that elevate exceptional performance, in a customer service role and in many others. These skills include:
Communication skills
Problem solving
Decision-making
Empathy
Compassion
Conflict resolution
Service delivery
Explain to your staff that the most important elements of a customer service mindset are timeliness, the ability to listen and read nonverbal cues, strong verbal and writing skills, patience, and sound judgment.
Not everyone will excel in all these areas, so invest in customer service training when needed. It’s especially helpful to have people engage in role playing to learn the correct way to handle certain situations. You might even choose to do this periodically as a refresher on providing top-notch service.
Related: Customer Service Manager duties and responsibilities
Even if there are standard procedures in place, give your teams the autonomy to do more than what may be expected of them.
A customer has received a defective product?
An employee might let the customer know he’ll work directly with the person packing the replacement to make sure the one going out is perfect.
Empowering customer service teams with the autonomy to make decisions, solve problems, and personalise interactions builds confidence and enables them to deliver truly remarkable experiences that leave a lasting impact.
Related: Six tips to boost your remote customer service team
While no one takes pleasure in listening to customers vent frustration or complaints about your company, let employees know there’s an upside: People are giving them the chance to make things right.
Your staff can help to turn around the situation or, at the very least, provide empathy and action that diffuses the tension.
If your employees have had sufficient training, they can use feedback to improve customer service at your company.
On to top this, knowing where to improve customer service can boil down to results measured over a period of time. To truly achieve excellent customer service, it's crucial to go beyond intuition and implement robust measurement and evaluation strategies. This involves utilising key performance indicators (KPIs) such as customer satisfaction scores (CSAT), Net Promoter Scores (NPS), and customer effort scores (CES) to gauge customer sentiment and identify areas for improvement. Additionally, analysing customer feedback through surveys, reviews, and social media interactions provides valuable insights into their experiences. This data-driven approach allows you to track progress, identify trends, and make informed decisions to enhance service delivery, ensuring your organisation consistently delivers exceptional customer experiences.
Be sure to make recognition a part of your organisational culture.
You can do that in many ways — from expressing gratitude and offering praise for a job well done, to giving tangible rewards, such as a bonus or raise.
The important thing is to show you value their efforts.
Leadership plays a pivotal role in cultivating a customer-centric culture within any organisation. Leaders set the tone by prioritising customer satisfaction and modelling desired behaviours. They can inspire and motivate employees to go the extra mile by recognising and rewarding exceptional service, creating a positive work environment that fosters engagement and loyalty.
Customer Service Week every October is a good excuse to call attention to the importance of the people who serve your customers — but you should show your appreciation at other times, too, of course.
Contact Robert Half today to speak about your customer service hiring needs.
What kind of training is essential for our customer service team?
Product or service knowledge training
Communication skills training
Problem-solving training
Empathy and active listening training
Company policies and procedures training
How can we develop employees to become exceptional customer service representatives?
Invest in comprehensive training programs that focus on both soft skills and product/service knowledge.
Empower them with the tools and authority to resolve issues efficiently.
Foster a positive work environment that encourages teamwork and recognises outstanding performance.
Regularly gather feedback from customers and employees to identify areas for improvement.
How do we motivate our team to deliver outstanding service consistently?
Give your team the tools, training, and autonomy they need to excel.
Clearly define expectations, provide ongoing support, and encourage them to take ownership of the customer experience.
Celebrate successes, both big and small.
Acknowledge individual and team accomplishments, and show appreciation for their hard work and dedication.
Invest in your team's growth by providing opportunities for learning and development.
Offer regular training sessions, mentorship programs, and career advancement pathways.
How can we empower our employees to make decisions that benefit the customer?
Focus on building trust, providing clear guidelines, and encouraging initiative.
Offer training and support so they have the knowledge and confidence to make informed choices.
Foster a customer-centric culture where everyone understands the value of putting the customer first.
