The title I am sure upsets a lot of vendors who provide customer service programs. Let’s give it some thought.  Exceptional customer service is a value. Have you ever trained someone successfully on changing their values. If you have, you are one in very elite group of miracle workers capable of touching the inner soul of man. We use training to change behaviors not ideals and values.  This blog entry will help you put customer service in the right perspective and create a culture conducive to that vision.

How many failed Customer Service programs have you seen die like an endangered species? The vendors and management meant well and for that they deserve a pat on the back. However, the millions (if not more) of dollars wasted should put those same executives on the firing line. It wasn’t that their hearts weren’t in the right place, it’s just that traditional views of customer service got the best of them.  Let’s look at what makes a Customer Service Program fail

1. The name alone sets you up for failure. Program suggests a beginning, middle and end. Notice I said END! Is this to mean that in 3 months when the Program ends, the employees can go back to normal. We need to reset “normal”
2. The history of the name creates another challenge as well. How many Customer Service Training Programs have you been to? I can’t even count them for me. When I hear about another one, I almost need to run to the restroom from that nauseous feeling in my stomach.
3. The program’s content are pieces of a greater puzzle. All the attention and resources are put into training typically without fixing the inherent system’s issues.
4. Finally, it is all too quickly forgotten because all the behaviors taught, aren’t reinforced when you get back to work.

Customer Service Programs are antiquated. They don’t give us the results we want or need. Typically, behaviors learned return to pre program behaviors. If you know me, I don’t complain about something unless I have a solution.  So here we go.

When flags are triggered and the leadership notices the need to improve customer service, avoid picking up the yellow pages and looking under Customer Service  Programs.  What you’ll likely find are pages of the same antiques that I am trying to guide you away from. Now if you are in to antiques, read no more. There are plenty of options for you to choose from. I am not offering antiques but instead, solutions.

First, we are going to get rid of the name. In fact, we aren’t even going to give it a name. If this is too avante garde for you, you can call it Performance Improvement Culture (PIC).  I personally would rather it not exist as a serious of words but as a catalogue of standards.  So working with PIC, we must move beyond the classroom, real or virtual and explore the many facets that impact what we define as Customer Service.

Customer service is integrated into everything we do. If we are heading to the supply closet or answering a ringing phone, we are demonstrating our ability to serve our customer, both internal and external. Following are tactics for us to use in our strategy to sculpt a service oriented culture.

1. Define what exceptional customer service looks like. If you don’t know, how can you expect them (your employees) to know? Having a clear vision of standards is an exceptional service action that you as a leader are demonstrating. The more detail the better.
2. Recruit and Hire service talent and nothing less. Much of it starts in the hiring process. If the candidate isn’t demonstrating your cultural ideals do yourself a favor and let your competitor have him.
3. Orient your new hires to witness service standards in action. Sculpt them early by allowing them to see the best of the best performing feats of service. Let them be awed and inspired by this demonstration.
4. Motivate through reward and consequence.  Every employee should be committed to the service culture and realize that behavior contrary to this expectation could cost them a career in your organization.
5. Constantly provide feedback. In the military I was taught the saying, “If you walk past a deficiency, you just created a new standard”. More importantly, when you see them doing “RIGHT” make it a priority to let them know. Too often feedback is thought of as corrective. Start today and make it inspirational.
6. Build the standards into every appraisal system.  At every opportunity, management should be coaching on service and how an action performed by an employee impacted it.
7. Hold every level of management accountable. Once the standards are clear, make sure managers are just as responsible as those they manage. Managers should be able to demonstrate standards at the highest levels. If they can’t, rethink their position or future in your organization.
8. Talk about service daily and expect your employees to do the same. Conversation keeps the topic fresh and current.
9. Listen to your customer. Sometimes they talk to you right on the top line. Our customer should be our partner in this journey. If you look to your side and don’t see them. Have no fear. They didn’t go far. Bad news is they went to your competitor.

10.  Finally, Celebrate Service. Every opportunity that presents itself, celebrate the successes that you see.

Customer Service Programs are fuel for your frustrations. I’m not saying the companies that offer them are bad. However, there are many vendors that offer guidance in helping you mold a service culture. They aren’t selling you a program. Their providing you a service that guides you to develop your vision into action.

Don’t train Customer Service. Instead strategize your vision and tactically deploy. Identify the culture you want. Catalogue your standards. Build commitment to the vision. Finally, watch service become exceptional in your organization or on your team.

You can follow me on Twitter @TerrenceWing and @liquidlearn