The 4 Characteristics Of A Customer Service Superhero

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Do you recognize what superheroes we're trying to be?
Do you recognize what superheroes we’re trying to be?

As customer service professionals we are so often asked to be superheroes.  One moment we’re trying to handle two chats and a phone call, and another we’re talking a customer off a ledge, while IMing a coworker in another window talking them off a ledge.  It’s not an easy job–but somebody has to do it.

I occasionally encounter an awesome member of our customer service team who has made it their mission to conquer our ticket queue or a particularly long call queue.  They might try and rush their calls or even offer to sacrifice their breaks in order to make that happen.  My response to this noble gesture is, I don’t want you to be a superhero.  I want you to be AWESOME!  Why would I say something like this?  This super hero model is a recipe for burnout and poor customer service, and cannot, or perhaps should not, be sustained.

Sure, AWESOME and superhero can be synonymous with each other, but we must first redefine what a superhero is.  A customer service super hero is one who anticipates our customers’ needs, allowing them to gain maximum value from each contact with customer service.  There are four key elements that make up a customer service superhero:

1. Superheroes listen very carefully to what the customer needs and ask educated questions until they have a clear picture of a solution to those needs.

2. Superheroes take the time necessary to learn about those needs.

3. Superheroes are experts in your product or service and therefore can offer customers relevant solutions they didn’t even know existed.

4. Superheroes recognize that the customer’s time is valuable and that getting the price right the first time is critical.  They implement solutions for customers accurately so as not to waste time or money.

So on this customer service week, as several members of our Phone.com team dressed up as superheroes, we know exactly the kind of superheroes we want to be.

Jeremy Watkin
Jeremy Watkin is the Director of Customer Support and CX at NumberBarn. He has more than 20 years of experience as a contact center professional leading highly engaged customer service teams. Jeremy is frequently recognized as a thought leader for his writing and speaking on a variety of topics including quality management, outsourcing, customer experience, contact center technology, and more. When not working he's spending quality time with his wife Alicia and their three boys, running with his dog, or dreaming of native trout rising for a size 16 elk hair caddis.

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