Why it’s Important to Provide Customer Service Training for All Employees

Every member of your team plays a part in delivering customer service excellence. Some employees may not have a customer-facing role, yet they still contribute to the perception of the business.

The Customer Service Team
Let’s consider a supermarket shop. A positive customer experience begins with the availability of a trolley or basket. This is further enhanced if the store is clean and the shelves are well stocked. It’s a bonus if there is someone on the shop floor to answer a question. If your final encounter is with a friendly, helpful person on the till, you leave with your purchases and a good impression.
Your customer service expectations have been met, but you didn’t visit the ‘Customer Service Desk’. The individuals that contributed to your positive experience aren’t members of the customer service team and it may not be considered necessary for them to undertake customer service training.
I argue that it is important for everyone to understand how their role impacts on the provision of outstanding service. Does everyone in your team know how they help to meet or exceed customer expectations?

Wearing the Company Uniform
If your staff wear a uniform, they are part of the branding. Their attitude and behaviour reflects on the company and this isn't limited to the time when they are at work. Your business is being judged on employee behaviour whenever they wear the uniform. Are they aware of this?
I recently saw two construction workers in the supermarket, both in uniform. One was younger and it seemed that he was ‘away on the job’ for the first time. The other was giving him advice on what food would be good value and easy to cook. The helpful attitude of the mentor generated a favourable impression of the company, even though it was off-site and out of work hours.
Your team members may hold open a door or give up their seat on the bus because of their own personal attitude. In addition to being grateful, the recipient will associate the positive experience with your brand.

Answering Business Calls
Back to the workplace and callers expect the telephone to be answered within three rings. Leave it any longer and you risk the caller hanging up and not calling back. As you never know when your next big customer is going to get in touch, this isn’t a risk worth taking.
The challenge is that your ‘Customer Service’ team may already be on the line, or away from their desk. As a business owner, you need to be confident that any member of your team could pick up the phone and hold a polite and professional conversation. Even if they are unable to provide the requested information, good call handling can ensure customer satisfaction. Have your team received sufficient training to give you confidence in their abilities?

Customer Service Training for All
With these examples, I hope to illustrate that each and every employee represents your company. They can all help build its reputation or damage it. For this reason, I strongly believe that everyone should receive customer service training. With greater awareness of how their role impacts on the customer experience, they can take pride in their contribution. They can also ensure that your company always makes the right impression.
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If it’s time to refresh your customer service training, Aylesbury based Helen Pettifer Training is here to assist. From introductory sessions to training in specific areas of customer service, such as Effective Complaint Management, we can meet your business requirements.
For further information, please contact Helen on 07704 221241 or info@helenpettifer.com