Customer Service Issues? Look to Management First

If you have systemic issues with your customer service organization, it may very well stink from the head (just like a dead fish). You need to assess some of the basics controlled by management.

IS THERE A WELL-DEFINED SERVICE PHILOSOPHY? Management should be able to articulate a mission, and how they intend to go about fulfilling it. Leaders should be passionate about their service philosophy. If they don’t have one, then their team doesn’t have a guiding force.

ARE YOU HIRING THE RIGHT PEOPLE? Check your interviewing and hiring practices. This is particularly important if you are receiving complaints from your customers about “attitude”. Some people may just not be cut out for a customer service role, or they may require more training and coaching.

HAVE PEOPLE BEEN PUT IN THE POSITIONS IN WHICH THEY WILL BE MOST EFFECTIVE? If necessary, adjust your jobs and procedures to make the best use of people’s skills. For example, you could have someone who is technically able, but does not communicate well with customers. You may be able to adjust their role to better take advantage of their abilities.

ARE GOALS AND MEASURES IN PLACE? You must have benchmarks and measures, and know how you want your organization and people to perform. How fast do you answer the phone? Is it fast enough? How many calls/chats/whatever should one rep be able to handle in a shift? How satisfied are your customers? Everyone on the team should be aware of the goals and measures.

DOES MANAGEMENT EMPOWER THEIR TEAM TO DO WHAT’S RIGHT? If people feel like their hands are tied, the customer is probably going to hear about it. When the service team knows what the philosophy is – give them the freedom to take care of the customer within those guidelines.

IS YOUR MANAGEMENT TEAM “HANDS-ON” AND OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS AND CHANGE? Does your manager spend a lot of time in intra-departmental meetings, on conference calls, sending CYA emails, having lunch with vendors…? Be sure they are truly connected with the day-to-day operation and know what’s going on. Who is really running the organization?

DOES THE TEAM HAVE THE TOOLS THEY NEED? Management is responsible for ensuring that their department has the tools they need to do their jobs effectively. This may be technology, communication, information, training and/or education.

DO YOU SEE EVIDENCE OF POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT? The best way to reinforce the service philosophy and make continued progress toward goals is to recognize and reward team members when their performance is “spot on”. Recognition and reward doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. It can be as simple as a note, a thank you, or a mention in a team meeting. Management should be creative about positive reinforcement and change up their techniques, in order to remain effective.

Haropulos Bailey Consulting is experienced in establishing and operating world class Customer Service and Support centers. If you are interested in obtaining consulting services in this discipline, email us at habaconsulting@comcast.net.

Networking Stories

Most of us know how important it is to network, although we sometimes don’t feel like we have time – especially when we have a demanding job. But introverts can find the process of initiating contact with people – even friends – a little difficult. Here are a few of my own experiences in networking over the past year that I hope will inspire:

• Last year, I connected through LinkedIn with “Carol”, a fellow Alum from Northwestern University. Carol is active online on LinkedIn and via several professional blogs. I found her writings interesting, and sent an invitation to connect and get to know each other. We actively communicate, and I am attending a networking teleseminar of hers (for free) because I gave her feedback on a draft version of her material (a favor).
• I keep in touch with many friends and former colleagues from Hilton, through LinkedIn and Facebook. “Tracy”, who I helped with her resume, called me last week with a lead for a possible consulting job. I am now in contact with the placement company who is trying to fill a strategic planning position for an important client.
• When I first became active on LinkedIn early in 2009, I reached out to a former co-worker who is now an executive at a local strategic meeting and event production agency. “Carolyn” and I always admired each other and enjoyed working together. It turned out that she was working on a project for a major hospitality corporation. My experience was a good fit for her needs, and her company became the first client for my services through Haropulos Bailey Consulting.
• Another NU Alum, “Howard”, is an executive with a local graduate school of management. We connected through LinkedIn, and I was invited to join the Advisory Committee for consultation on development of a new teleseminar on Managing Global Virtual Teams. Through this activity, I have expanded my network by connecting with the other committee members. Howard and I follow each other’s blogs.

Networking isn’t a task, it’s a path to new relationships and experiences. Sometimes those experiences result in exciting new opportunities. Give first - with no expectations in mind - and doors just naturally open now and again. Good luck, and have some fun!

Need More Help at Work? Be Smart About How You Ask

The first time I tried to get approval for an incremental FTE (Full Time Equivalent) in my department, I was taught a tough lesson by my boss, a Senior VP. I based my pitch on the volume of work and the inability of my department to keep up with it. My request was turned down, and I was beside myself. In a bit of a panic, I told my boss that the workload had increased to the point where I was working nights and weekends to pick up the slack. He looked at me and said, “Well, then you’ve been doing yourself a disservice.” I was overcome with frustration. He further explained that if I was killing myself to keep up, and WAS keeping up, then why would anyone think I needed additional manpower? I had to make more noise about not being able to get things done – instead of quietly finding a way to do them with the resources I had. End of story.

In today’s environment, the biggest problem with getting a new position approved is that it adds corporate expense, or overhead. So the best approach is one or both of the following:

1. Find a way to fund the position that doesn’t take money out of one hand to put it into another.
2. Show that addition of the position will avoid corporate expense net/net – either by eliminating another corporate expense or by generating additional revenue attributable to your department.

Do not use the approach that, “If we don’t do X we can’t get Y accomplished”. That, on its own, will probably not be successful. But do present a situation (the gap), and clearly and dispassionately define the impact of not addressing the gap.

Keep in mind that your company might rather hire consultants/contractors to do work (normally temporary – project by project) than to add a position to the payroll (a forever thing). Which pocket the expense comes out of is a big deal from a budgeting/accounting perspective.

Also think in terms of proposing alternatives. Your company may choose to (1) Create a new permanent position, (2) Hire a consultant/contractor to be internally managed within the team, (3) Outsource the work that needs to be done, or (4) Redistribute some responsibilities to another department.

Be realistic, objective, and creative and get your ducks in a row for your pitch. Good luck.

Collecting Recommendations (+LinkedIn-Specific Tips)

Your professional reputation will be affected by other’s opinions of you and your accomplishments. Your work relationships will be important to your short and long term success while you are employed, and when you are searching for work.

Don’t wait until you are in a crunch situation to line up recommendations that will enhance your opportunities. Collect written recommendations as references throughout your career. Here are a few tips:

• The best recommendations and references come from people who have their own professional credibility. Who do you know well, whom you admire? (Google them to make sure they have a positive online presence.)
• Don’t be afraid to ask. Most people are flattered to be asked to provide a reference – as long as you are sure they know your work and respect you for it.
• You can suggest the points on which you would like the recommendation to focus. For example, “It would be great if you could comment on how successfully I managed that big project last year."
• Ask superiors, peers, former employees (whose careers have blossomed), and even clients and service providers with whom you have developed positive relationships.
• Select the best recommendations you receive to actually use. When read serially, they should give a well-rounded and impressive picture of who you are professionally.
• Keep your file of recommendations fresh and current. That nice letter you got 15 years ago will have lost its punch by now.

Special hints for LinkedIn recommendations:
• They should be brief; no more than 2 to 4 sentences.
• Target your requests to people who have good LinkedIn profiles and lots of connections.
• LinkedIn provides a means not only to approve recommendations you receive, but to ask for them to be edited. Ask for an edit if content, grammar, or spelling isn’t correct.
• Return the favor when you can. Write thoughtful recommendations for people you admire. (It’s another way to get visibility on LinkedIn and enhance your network.)
• If you get a recommendation that falls flat with you, or is too much like another you already have, you can choose not to show it on your profile.

52 Weeks of Blogging

It has been one year since I started this Haropulos Bailey Consulting blog. Every Monday I have had the self-generated pleasure and pressure of posting original material as a means to share snippets of my business experience, give unsolicited advice, rant, and reflect. This is proving to be an interesting journey for me, which I hope others are enjoying and appreciating as well.

Some fun and interesting tidbits:

• TOTAL PAGE HITS: 1,875
• MOST VISITORS ON A SINGLE DAY: 53
• MOST PAGE LOADS ON A SINGLE DAY: 69
• GLOBAL REACH: 76% of my visitors are from all over the U.S. The other 24% have been from at least 26 other countries, plus Puerto Rico and Guam.
• MOST READ: Highest readership on a single blog entry has been for 10 Ways to Screw-Up Your LinkedIn Presence.
• MY FAVORITE: Shifting Tides of Communication, because I learned some thought-provoking things from interviews of several 16-20 year olds.
• OBSERVATION: Humor, sarcasm and a catchy title draw readers. (I’m not always that clever.)
• MOST EFFECTIVE PROMOTION: Googling related subjects on high profile web sites and adding my blog link as a comment, offering more information. 
• BIGGEST CHALLENGE: Motivating readers to share their comments and ideas.

Thank you for visiting. Come back soon and often.

No Time for You? Big Mistake

For many years, I was a hardworking and loyal employee of a major, public company. I embraced the responsibility that came with promotions and titles. I gave a good deal of thought and consideration to my team members – setting goals and creating opportunities that were intended to enhance their careers. There was a lot of business travel (which I often enjoyed) that required me to spend time away from my home and family. There were also projects that became all-consuming as far as focus, hours worked, stress and worry. Honestly, I don’t regret any of this. On the other hand, there are choices I made that I do regret, so here’s the free advice:

• Regularly make time for experiences that will provide growth opportunities for YOU. Sign up for training, classes, and conferences. Get that certification that will enhance your career profile.
• Keep your resume updated, as well as your LinkedIn profile. It doesn’t mean you are looking for a new job. It just means you are ready if something interesting falls into your lap.
• Take advantage of the availability of consultants. Good ones probably have experience you don’t, and will share with you. Not only can you learn from them; having their assistance can make you look good and be more successful.
• Nurture positive relationships with your service providers. They also have things to teach you. They are more than bodies that take work off your plate.
• Know where to draw the line on what you give to your job. Eventually you will crash and burn if you don’t protect your mental and physical well-being.
• Use your vacation time! You need to rest and refuel to stay healthy and be productive.
• Be visible in your field of expertise. Do interviews. Write articles. Speak at conferences. Join organizations. Get your name known.
• Network, network, network. Meet people outside your immediate professional sphere, and cultivate mutually-beneficial relationships.

If you think there is no time for these things – no time for you – then you are making a big mistake. Your job is a big part of your life, but it is not your life.

A Little Stress Can Be Good

Stress often gets a bad rap. “I’m so stressed out” or “My job is so stressful” are common complaints heard when the going gets tough at work. There’s no doubt that the wrong kind of stress, or too much, can be really bad for our performance and health. It can affect how well we sleep, cause us to eat poorly, and result in a lack of focus. But a little stress isn’t a bad thing, and some stress can be managed to our benefit.

A little stress creates urgency; an important ingredient in the workplace that is often sorely lacking. It can sharpen our focus on priorities and boost energy. Appropriate levels of stress and urgency can motivate us to perform more efficiently, at the peak of our capability. An element of excitement and a dash of adrenaline are added to the workplace.

Stress can be destructive, or can result in creativity. Either can be inflicted or gifted upon us by a boss or by ourselves. Whether we suffer or make something good from it is often within our own control. Receiving criticism from a boss can be upsetting, but we can either communicate and respond in a constructive way, or create unnecessary stress for ourselves by overanalyzing the issue or by being too defensive. Notification of an aggressive deadline for an important assignment can be worrisome, but it also creates intense focus, brings a team together, and provides satisfaction and an opportunity to celebrate victory once the goal is achieved.

To convert “stress” into positive action, analyze what about the situation is bothering you. If faced with complicated assignment – break it into manageable steps. When you don’t know how to do something – ask for more guidance or help from an experienced co-worker. If you’re worried about whether your work is appreciated – talk frankly with your boss. Feeling overworked? – prioritize your tasks and focus on what’s really important. When tired – use your free time wisely, getting more relaxation and sleep. Most importantly, if you are stressing about something completely beyond your control – let go of it.

Facing any sort of challenge causes some degree of stress, and individuals respond differently. Take time to analyze the source of your stress and turn it into positive energy and heightened performance.