4 Ways To Identify Problems In Your Customer Service Training Program
Delivering a delightful Customer Experience is important than ever before. Today’s customers are willing to pay more for great service. A recent survey found that 7 out of 10 US consumers reported that they have spent more money to do business with a company that provided excellent service [1]. This has made Customer Experience one of the top brand differentiators. Over two-thirds of businesses today, compete solely based on Customer Experiences [2].
This has led many organizations to invest in improving their customer service. It was found that 88% of organizations are focusing on improving their customer service experiences [3]. According to recent research, improving your Customer Experience even by a small amount can greatly increase your profits. In a recent study, it was found that a moderate increase in Customer Experience generates an average revenue increase of $823 million over three years for a company with $1 billion in annual revenue.
Although most companies know that providing excellent Customer Experience is essential to success, many are still struggling to identify problems with their customer service. But identifying problems with your customer service is easier than you might think. There are 4 simple ways you can identify problems with your existing customer service training program.
1. Ask Your Customers
One of the simplest and most effective ways to identify problems with your customer service is by asking your customers. You can do this by giving customers the option to fill out a brief survey or rate their experience. To keep participation high, try keeping the survey short by asking no more than five questions. Longer surveys usually get fewer participants. It is also helpful to provide at least one open-ended question where customers can share their thoughts. These questions often lead to helpful insights that will help you identify problems and create subsequent solutions.
2. Encourage Reviews
It is important to encourage customer reviews online. Most customers are comfortable with leaving reviews than taking surveys. Reviews will help you identify both why your organization is doing well and what needs to be improved. It also gives you the unique advantage of having a conversation. Unlike surveys, you can respond to reviews. If a customer leaves a complaint or negative review, you can not only identify the problem to prevent it from occurring in the future, you can also respond to the customer and resolve their problem.
3. Ask Your Employees
Your customer service teams are also an important resource when it comes to identifying customer service issues. Your team members are your companies’ direct link to customers. They have the ability to gauge how your customers are feeling and let you know if there are any patterns they could notice. Asking your employees about customer satisfaction is as easy as having a quick conversation with employees or sending out a survey to all your reps. Whatever method you choose, asking your employees for feedback is a great step towards identifying problems and finding solutions.
4. Track Returning Customers
Data can tell you a lot about your interaction with customers. The amount of repeat business you receive will help you measure brand loyalty. A high rate of repeat business tells you that you are probably doing something right. However, if you see a pattern of customers who do not return or make another purchase. It is an indicator that you may have problems with your customer service. By tracking customer patterns and habits, you can pinpoint where exactly the problem is occurring in the customer cycle.
Rectifying The Issues With Existing Customer Service Training Program
After you identify what areas of customer service are needed to be taken care of, you can start thinking about developing a customer service training program to improve your employee's customer service skills. Creating a customized training program that focuses on strengthening your employee's skills will ensure that every employee will know how to exceed customer expectations.
To get started you can use the information you have gathered from surveys to find out what kind of training skills your employees would benefit from the most. Most organizations find that employees need some combination of training in soft skills, product knowledge and a working knowledge of the organization's values. The next step is to create content and implement training by using a blended training method and the 70:20:10 framework. This framework structures 70% of training using experiential methods. Another 20% around social learning and the last 10% around formal training.
Using a custom training plan to address and prevent future problems with your customer service is an excellent way to ensure that your organization is providing the best service possible.
Summary
Purchasing from a company that provides excellent customer service is a priority for many consumers. The quality of Customer Experience you provide is now one of the top brand differentiators potential customers consider before making a purchase. This makes identifying and solving problems with your customer service a crucial part of increasing your profits and brand reputation.
Creating a customized customer service training plan to address specific weak points in your organization's customer service is one of the most effective ways to improve your organization's customer service. To improve any customer service training, it is important to identify the problem that exists in the current program. The eBook The Advanced Guide To Top Your Customer Service Training Game will help you to identify the problems and create a customer service plan that consolidates a blended training approach to deliver a lasting customer experience.
References:
[1] 75 Customer ServiceFacts, Quotes & Statistics
[2] Key Findings From the Gartner Customer Experience Survey
[3] Global contact center survey—Understanding the future of customer service
