Customers are the lifeline of any business, and customer service experience teams are on the frontlines. Customer service experience teams can make or break a business so healthy, and consistent, interactions and investments to these teams is well worth the health of any company. David Highbloom, a 25-year entrepreneur with extensive thought leadership and experience in business models that emphasizethe customer service experience, says empowering customer service teams to handle the critical and crucial customer experiences is vital to a thriving company.
Great customer service experience teams are built on great leadership and well-maintained operational processes. For managers in charge of customer service experience teams, building trust is leadership job one! Highbloom outlines several leadership actions that can help managers build trust with the customer service experience teams.
Leading by example is considered the golden rule of leadership. This will be one of the strongest tools to build trust among teams. Leading by example demonstrates a manager’s ability to stand side-by-side with their teams and face challenges together. At the same time, this is an excellent opportunity to train team members on how to address different scenarios, assume responsibility and accountability of a problem, and connect with a customer in a meaningful way. Highbloom points out that this allows managers to build oncollaborative empowerment.
Another area where managers can build trust with customer service experience teams is practicing strength through transparency. Leaders must never forget that their main responsibility is to serve theteam – the greater good – while protecting the integrity of the company’s mission. Many times, managers forget this important factor for the sake of maintain the status quo, which can compromise credibility.
Highbloom says that one of the most precise packages of advice is to delegate, empower, and illuminate. Trust is built through consistent messaging and positioning, which will empower team members to represent the team professionally and successfully. Once a strong bond of trust is established, team members will begin to bring their best work, illuminating interactions with customers and creating the customer service experience that wins.