Recently, I spoke with an individual who was considering a role as a supervisor. His only hesitation was that he said he really enjoyed customer service and didn’t want to leave that role behind.
The good news, I told him, is that being The Boss is the ultimate customer service job.
Of course it might help to put some context around that so let’s start with some standard practices for good customer service and plug management responsibilities into them.
- Answer Your Phone (or Email). Living down South, I can tell you this is a big problem. More contractors have left work on the table simply since they didn’t respond to my messages. This rule applies to being The Boss. When your direct reports need to speak with you, don’t put them off.
- Don’t Make Promises Unless You Will Keep Them. When our spa needed repair work, I spent nearly three months playing phone tag and spending time waiting around the house for the technician to show up. Most of the time they were a no-show or didn’t bring the right part. Finally I gave up and found another vendor. As The Boss, you better keep every promise you make to your team. Or at least tell them why you can’t. Trust is hard to build and easy to break.
- Listen to Your Customers. They will give you the best feedback you can get on your product and your service. Even if you can’t give them what they want, the fact that you listen builds trust. As The Boss, you certainly can’t give your team everything they ask for, but your willingness to listen to them will keep good ideas flowing.
- Deal with Complaints. As a customer, I can choose to take my business elsewhere. If you’re a business, this should concern you. Listen carefully to complaints and do what you can to resolve them. Do NOT ignore them. As The Boss, you’ll have no shortage of complaints from your team. Some of them may just be whining, but if there chronic complaints about a few select issues, you need to investigate and resolve them. Your best team members might take their skills to a competitor if you don’t.
- Take the Extra Step. Little things can mean a lot when it comes to perceived good service. What I hear most often about the raving fans of Chick-Fil-A is their love of the phrase “my pleasure.” Fried chicken is fried chicken, but it seems to set Chick-Fil-A apart from the crowded, fast food space. As The Boss, whatever you can do to make the work environment more friendly, conducive to good work and collaboration, and free of bias, politics, or other distractions, the better engaged your team will be.
So, if you want the ULTIMATE customer service job, may I suggest you take on the role of The Boss! Tough job, but super rewarding if you succeed at it.
