| A poorly performing Customer Service | | | | Team and gathering positive evidence to present to |
| Representative isn’t just falling below par; they may | | | | the Team will help turn the negativity round in a very |
| be actively sending your Customers or Prospects off | | | | short period of time. |
| to the opposition. A whole Team of Customer Service | | | | The quickest and most motivating way of changing |
| Representatives who is performing badly can be a | | | | Team attitudes is to engage the Team itself in actively |
| threat to your survival! And yet a Team can go off | | | | working on this. For example, if the Team have a |
| over a very short period of time. They can quickly | | | | negative attitude to the Company, the Team Leader |
| become negative, have a bad attitude or just be totally | | | | can help the Team brainstorm ideas to improve this. |
| de-motivated to perform well with their Customers. | | | | They might invite people from other departments to |
| Understanding Motivation | | | | give a talk on their activities, invite sales people to give |
| Motivation is the drive to WANT to perform well. | | | | the benefits of their products or share briefings from |
| Motivation refers to the DRIVE to use their skills | | | | Management on the direction the Company is taking at |
| effectively to achieve a positive outcome with every | | | | this point in time. |
| Customer – on each and every occasion. A | | | | Lack of Skills is De-motivating |
| motivated person wants to improve, to do better and | | | | Your Team must also have the knowledge and skills |
| better. A highly motivated Customer Service Team | | | | to perform well. They must have a good working |
| wants to beat the opposition – to be better with | | | | knowledge of your products and services, of the |
| their Customers than any other Company! To do this | | | | language to answer queries, and of the flow of |
| they continuously work at their knowledge, skills, | | | | interactions. They must have the skills to deal with |
| attitude and Customer focus. | | | | every type of caller or situation, and to deliver a |
| The Prerequisites of Motivation | | | | successful outcome on every occasion. Indeed, they |
| Obviously, there are prerequisites, some things that | | | | must understand that this DOES require skills, and is |
| must be in place before motivation becomes relevant. | | | | not just a matter of ‘liking’ some Customers |
| It is important that the CSR knows exactly what the | | | | and not others! |
| ‘desired’ performance is – that they truly | | | | If the Team lack product knowledge, or the approach |
| understand what they are paid to do. People often talk | | | | to handle a tricky situation, they can quickly build up |
| of de-motivated staff, when the poor performance is | | | | defences. These defences prevent them from even |
| really caused by something quite different. The staff | | | | LOOKING for a good solution for this Customer or for |
| has never really been told the goals with Customers in | | | | good skills to handle this type of interaction. |
| general, and on each specific call. | | | | Again, the Team and the Team Leader together can |
| For example, a Technical help desk agent may think | | | | work on improving skills. They can workshop a difficult |
| his role is to give information, and he does this in a way | | | | call at a Team meeting and work out the best |
| that is clear to HIM. The fact that other people find him | | | | approach and timing of this call. They can work on |
| totally unintelligible is the ‘fault’ of the | | | | improving a specific area of the call each week – |
| ‘stupid’ callers. This agent may never have | | | | the beginning one week, good closes the next etc. |
| been told that his goal is to explain the information, | | | | Team goals with a fun reward can be put in place to |
| preferably in one go, so that it is clearly understood by | | | | help focus on their skills, like ‘phrase of the |
| the LEAST knowledgeable of people. These are the | | | | week’ or ‘best save of the week’. |
| skills he or she must build up, and a | | | | Listening back to calls always helps. It is much easier |
| ‘professional’ is one whose callers never have | | | | for someone to improve if they listen back to one or |
| to ask for clarity! Ensure your Team really do | | | | two of their calls every week. The Coach or Team |
| understand their goals, and what success is. | | | | Leader should guide the Customer Service |
| Work on Positive Attitude | | | | Representative to identify 1 or 2 strengths on the call, |
| Improving the Customer Service Team’s attitude to | | | | and one area to work on for next week. This is an |
| the Customer, to the Company and to your products | | | | opportunity for praise and recognition as well as setting |
| or services is the first area of focus. A negative | | | | goals for next week – both highly motivating |
| attitude to one or more of these factors can seriously | | | | practices. |
| de-motivate a Team if it gets imbedded in the culture. | | | | Praise and Recognition |
| The Team Leader is critical here. Often the Team | | | | Praise and recognition are your most important tool to |
| Leader actually creates the negativity by displaying | | | | motivate your Team to perform well, to have a |
| negative attitude themselves. Their Leadership | | | | positive attitude and to be good Team players. |
| influence cannot be underestimated, and they can bring | | | | Management, Team Leaders and Coaches should use |
| a Team down very rapidly. The reverse is also true. | | | | this motivational tool effectively to build high performing |
| Talking positively, praising positive attitudes in their | | | | Teams. |