Customer
service managers can provide all the training and incentives they want,
but if they don’t have an effective method of monitoring their customer
service staff, they may see the same mistakes arise in their department
over and over again. Monitoring methods ensure consistency in customer
service and offer important feedback on problem areas that need to be
addressed. We have five effective ways to monitor your customer service
to raise the bar on your service level.
Reviewing Written Correspondence
All types of written correspondence, including letters, emails and live chat records, can provide important information about how your CSRs are handling customers. Let your employees know that their interactions could be monitored prior to doing so, which will ensure a better attitude from your staff about the process.
Collect these pieces of correspondence weekly or monthly, and create a chart for results, so you can easily compile relevant data. Use your results to identify potential problem areas and train your employees in more effective service methods.
Monitoring Phone Calls
Everyone has called a business, only to hear, “Your call may be recorded for quality purposes.” This mode of monitoring customer service is a common one that can be highly effective in teaching employees better service techniques. When CSRs actually hear how they sound to customers, they can use that knowledge to make corrections to their service methods in the future.
Asking Customers for Feedback
Some managers find that simply asking customers what they think of the service is an effective way to pinpoint potential problem areas. You can apply this technique casually, chatting with a customer after a transaction is complete. A more formal approach is to call a customer after the fact with a scripted questionnaire, or ask customers to complete a survey form that gives information about the quality of service they received.
Use Mystery Shoppers
Some companies employ mystery shoppers to perform transactions and then report on the level of service they received. The advantage of this monitoring technique over customer feedback is that the mystery shopper knows what to look for the moment he sets foot in the business. These shoppers typically complete a questionnaire right after their transaction that provides specific, measurable information about the transaction.
Looking at the Numbers
Another way to measure service is by looking at the sales numbers – whether you want to measure by first purchases, subsequent visits or cross sales. Keep in mind that while the numbers do provide valuable information about your customer service, they can fail to offer the full picture of service quality that some of the other monitoring techniques provide. However, if you are currently focused on using service to make cross sales or encourage customers to return, these numbers may offer the data you seek.
Measuring customer service is an important part of any business. When employees know their work is monitored, they are more likely to bring the same quality of work to the front counter every day. Monitoring also provides valuable information that can be used to more effectively train customer service employees and teach them to bring their service to the next level.
Reviewing Written Correspondence
All types of written correspondence, including letters, emails and live chat records, can provide important information about how your CSRs are handling customers. Let your employees know that their interactions could be monitored prior to doing so, which will ensure a better attitude from your staff about the process.
Collect these pieces of correspondence weekly or monthly, and create a chart for results, so you can easily compile relevant data. Use your results to identify potential problem areas and train your employees in more effective service methods.
Monitoring Phone Calls
Everyone has called a business, only to hear, “Your call may be recorded for quality purposes.” This mode of monitoring customer service is a common one that can be highly effective in teaching employees better service techniques. When CSRs actually hear how they sound to customers, they can use that knowledge to make corrections to their service methods in the future.
Asking Customers for Feedback
Some managers find that simply asking customers what they think of the service is an effective way to pinpoint potential problem areas. You can apply this technique casually, chatting with a customer after a transaction is complete. A more formal approach is to call a customer after the fact with a scripted questionnaire, or ask customers to complete a survey form that gives information about the quality of service they received.
Use Mystery Shoppers
Some companies employ mystery shoppers to perform transactions and then report on the level of service they received. The advantage of this monitoring technique over customer feedback is that the mystery shopper knows what to look for the moment he sets foot in the business. These shoppers typically complete a questionnaire right after their transaction that provides specific, measurable information about the transaction.
Looking at the Numbers
Another way to measure service is by looking at the sales numbers – whether you want to measure by first purchases, subsequent visits or cross sales. Keep in mind that while the numbers do provide valuable information about your customer service, they can fail to offer the full picture of service quality that some of the other monitoring techniques provide. However, if you are currently focused on using service to make cross sales or encourage customers to return, these numbers may offer the data you seek.
Measuring customer service is an important part of any business. When employees know their work is monitored, they are more likely to bring the same quality of work to the front counter every day. Monitoring also provides valuable information that can be used to more effectively train customer service employees and teach them to bring their service to the next level.
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