5 Hard lessons all customer support agents must learn

Sharing these harsh lessons with your customer support team can put a stop to underperformance.

If you find your call center agents slacking off, perhaps you need to remind them that the role they play in the company is highly critical. Brand owners depend on them to build meaningful customer relationships, which serve as the main foundation of buyers’ loyalty.

There are times, however, when traditional employee engagement tactics—such as salary incentives and other rewards—will fail to motivate your employees. In these cases, have you ever thought of telling them about the horrific consequences the organization may face if they underperform?
If you haven’t yet, then maybe this tactic is worth a try. The goal here, of course, is not to scare your employees off. Rather, you want to make them understand how their individual performance can affect the entire team.
Here are the five harsh lessons you need to share with your customer support agents to keep them working hard toward your goals.
 

1. Customers don’t love you as much as you love them.

Let’s face it—you need your customers more than your customers need you. Thus, the pressure to retain clients and keep them interested rests upon your shoulders. Impressing your customers with dazzling products and services isn’t a guarantee that they’ll stick around for the long haul.

Your customer support agents need to be aware of this as well. This way, they won’t end up feeling complacent about the brand’s performance. Make your agents realize that a stellar company reputation is a result of several tiny efforts done in the best possible way. That means everyone in the organization, particularly frontline brand reps, plays a part in building a positive brand image and keeping customers satisfied.

2. You’ll never be good enough.

Today’s consumers expect a lot from the brands they patronize. They want top-quality products, instant solutions to their issues, and impeccable customer support. At times, it can be hard to keep up with these demands.

So it’s safe to say that you can’t please everybody, and this is particularly true for customer service. In the eyes of a customer, there’ll always be a better way that agents can solve their issues or grant their requests.

To boost customer loyalty, therefore, employees must be willing to go the extra mile for a client. Even if they can’t deliver in the exact same way that a customer would prefer, it’s still their effort that counts in the long run. After all, customers aren’t looking for perfect brands. What really matters to them is a company’s commitment to excellence.

3. There will always be a better brand.

In a highly competitive marketplace, not one company can claim that they’re the best organization there is. And this is true across industries. Plus, customers have different standards on what makes an outstanding brand, so their preferences and opinions truly differ.

When agents are fully aware of this, they’ll consciously work harder to keep trying to improve customer interactions. With such a mentality, they’ll become more attuned to a customer’s specific needs and preferences. This can help brands meet consumers’ expectations.

Also, make sure that your agents are aware of your brand’s strengths and positive selling points. They should be able to emphasize these as they communicate with customers. Focusing on these aspects can help your brand increase customer retention and loyalty.

4. Customers only care about results.

Here’s another harsh truth: Customers don’t care that much about your hard work. They only care about results, and so they tend to go for high-performing and efficient brands.

Call center agents must therefore be able to consistently provide accurate information, quick responses, and effective solutions to customers’ issues. As the ones who represent your brand to customers, your agents’ performance and ability to solve complex problems reflect your brand’s expertise and trustworthiness.

5. “Loyal” customers may still leave.

Even your most loyal customers can end up leaving if they find that you can’t keep up with their demands. Thus, when it comes to customer support, every interaction matters. Otherwise, disappointed customers can quickly abandon your brand and switch to a new one. Worse, they may even spread negative word about your brand.

Your employees need to keep this in mind as they communicate with your clients. This way, they’ll take better care of every customer that reaches out to them.