Give them a break!
Customer support is not an easy task! No one calls to share good news or ask how you are doing. They are calling with a problem and want it solved. And they are likely upset and frustrated.
Customer service employees must have a thick skin and not take complaints (and frustrations of customers) personally. The job can burn out some of the best “people-centric” employees quickly.
Help your customer service employees manage a stressful job by providing some “down line.” For busy phones, consider a 15 – 20 minute break each hour or 1 ½ hours. Bring in pizza on Friday afternoon for the group, or bagels and pastries a few mornings a week.
Find a way to get the crew off the phones as a group – just once a month – to share ideas, discuss common challenges and talk about their successes. Give them time to relax and, more importantly, learn from each other.
You will find that through these simple measures when your customer service employees are on the phones they are less stressed and that retention rates increase. And…you will have happier, more satisfied customers who feel taken care of.
