The importance of Servant Leadership in Customer Service business
Besides technology and innovation, customer service has become increasingly essential in the growth and development of modern businesses.
servant leadership principles
How to Be Authentic if You Are to Lead a Team Honestly
“Do as I say, not as I do.” Know any leaders like this? Probably. You may even be one yourself without realizing it. For instance, if you routinely urge your team members to stay late to finish a project, but you head out of the office right at closing time to go bicycling, your team members could become resentful and lose trust in you. Similarly, if you scold your team members for taking breaks that are too long but then turn around and take three-hour lunches most days, it could be bad for morale. The best servant leaders tend to be those who lead teams by example. They practice what they preach, living the difference between “leader” and “servant leader.” So, how can you tap into your inner authenticity to lead a team honestly? Follow the Guidelines that You Implement By now, you should know yourself reasonably well. Take that self-knowledge to heart when you develop and implement guidelines or rules. For instance, you may require that your call center agents receive regular, ongoing training. Good, but what about you? Will you make an effort to receive regular trainings as well? If you want to be an authentic leader, you will. Ditto with any rule or guideline you set, whether it relates to attendance, personal calls, social media, punctuality, patience with customers or something else. A note of caution: Don’t become a “martyr.” Say that you routinely encourage employees to take the vacation days that are due them, but you rarely go on vacation yourself. It may be your personal preference to stay at work, and you really do want employees to have their vacations. However, you risk making your team members feel guilty or like they’re doing something wrong if they take time off. Look for Spots of Hypocrisy Many people are hypocritical in their own ways. Bosses, however, don’t have as much leeway to be hypocritical as employees do. Take a situation in which a boss criticizes employees for hanging up on callers mid-sentence but who does the same thing. The same principle applies to a boss who goes on tirades about employees interrupting others but who is just as guilty of that flaw. It’s hard for employees to take bosses seriously when they commit the very sins they lambaste employees for. Speak with Transparency The truth sometimes hurts, so bosses may try to sugarcoat things or hope that team members will read between the lines. If you do this, you’re not authentic. There is no need to be overly blunt or hurtful, but suppose that one of your call center agents has low first-call resolution numbers. If you say something to the team like, “We all need to be mindful of how to improve our first-call resolution numbers,” that is needlessly vague and could worry all of the members that their numbers are lacking. Instead, it’s more honest and authentic to discuss the issue with the underperforming member. Be clear about what numbers you expect, how, why and when. You can convey this information factually without judgment or being mean. You can even be positive and upbeat about it if that naturally fits your personality. Servant Leaders lead by example. They hold themselves to the same standards they set for their employees, servant leaders strive to avoid hypocrisy, and they communicate well with team members, who deserve to be told about issues clearly rather than being made to guess.
How to Provide Customer Service With Servanthood
Regardless of how many employees your call center has, customer service should always be on everyone’s mind at all times. Treating customers in a cordial and friendly manner should be a requirement, not an option, and call center employees should understand the value of providing exceptional customer service. When a customer calls, the person who answers will essentially serve as a representative for the entire company, and if the interaction goes imperfectly or the customer does not feel their needs have been addressed, they will simply take their business elsewhere. This sounds harsh, but in reality, by using the principle of servant leadership in call centers, you can prevent loyal customers from looking elsewhere. The Strength of Leadership and Customer Service Combined Many people do not know customer service is a leadership skill that must be properly taught and executed. Unlike other types of leadership, which emphasize an overt assertion of authority, servant leadership is based on using leadership skills to serve others. This involves actively listening to customers and addressing their issues in a timely and professional manner. Cultivating an attitude of servitude and leadership can be difficult for call center managers, but there are steps you can take to encourage your employees to use hone their servitude leadership skills. Establish a Customer Service Vision or Mission Before a company can begin to implement any type of servant leadership principles, they must first establish a customer service vision or mission. Having a vision gives call center workers something to work towards, and when times get rough, they will remember why they must provide stellar customer service at all times. Talk to your employees about what behaviors they should display (ex: happiness, active listening) so everyone will be on the same page. Make Customers Feel Appreciated Everyone wants to be appreciated, especially customers who remain loyal to a single company or brand. Encourage your employees to make customers feel appreciated by using words such as “please” and “thank you.” Always let your customers know their business is valued and it is a privilege for your company to serve them. Monitor and Measure the Performance of Employees As a leader, you must be capable of evaluating your call center employees’ performance. There should be measurable ways to evaluate an employee’s performance, such as providing customer feedback forms, sending out surveys, and speaking directly to customers. If an employee doesn’t meet your customer service goals, they should receive additional assistance until they are capable of doing so. When discussing the performance of an employee, always provide constructive feedback if you believe they can improve in a certain area. Take Pride in Your Commitment to Customer Service It is immensely important to take pride in your culture of customer service if you are a manager or supervisor. This shows employees how serious you are about serving customers, and your enthusiasm will lay the groundwork for integrating service leadership into your company’s vision and framework. Providing customers with the respect and professionalism they deserve is a must for any successful call center. By employing the service leadership skills listed above, it is possible to create an atmosphere of servant leadership throughout your entire call center while keeping customers satisfied at all times.
