Customer Service NVQ

NVQ Workshop 528th June 2016

University of Westminster

Session objectives

• Understand how great teamwork delivers great service• Understand our individual roles in teams• Understand how teams develop.• Explore more ways of influencing customers• Develop ideas about improving our customer service• Review leadership in a customer service context

The Customer–focused Organisation

Customers

Senior managementStrategy

Managers/supervisorsOperational

Frontline staffInitiate

Customer centric

Senior Management

Managers and Supervisors

Front line staff

Customers

Qualities of a customer- focused organisation

• Recognition of team members who balance job efficiency with meeting and exceeding customer expectations

• Managers support team members in doing their jobs• Managers focus on the broader operational needs of the organisation

in meeting customer requirements• All team members understand how they are part of the customer-

service chain• Opportunities in the organisation are based around skills and

expertise of effective customer focused staff• Training is given the highest priority• A participative management style where team can be involved in

changes

Managing the customer service role

The Manager’s

role

Establish organisational CS

objectives

Introduce CS objectives to

team and individuals

Support and coach to develop

performance

Review and evaluate CS

outcomes

Definition of a team

‘A team is a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable’

As defined by Katzenbach and Smith

Team Roles

“a tendency to behave contribute and interrelate with others in a particular way”

…….Dr Meredith Belbin

Activity

What do you think makes a team really effective when delivering excellent customer service?

Team effectiveness framework• Goals

Clear, understood and communicated, SMART• Roles

Understanding of individual’s tasks, responsibilities and limits of authority

• ProcessesCommunication, decision making, problem solving

• RelationshipsFeedback, integrity, trust, courtesy

Richard Beckhard (1972)

TuckmanStages of Team Development

• Forming: testing and dependence• Storming: inter-team conflict• Norming: development of team cohesion• Performing: high performance team!

High Performing Teams

Tannenbaum and Schmitt

The Self-Managed TeamEveryone, not just individuals, should take responsibility for:• Keeping us on track to achieve targets• Facilitate group input• Raise questions about our processes and

procedures• Use good listening skills• Ensure they have a shared understanding of

where they are going

Belbin – Self Perception Inventory

Belbin Team TypesCo

Ordinator

Shaper

Implementer

Finisher

Resource investigator

Monitor evaluator

Team Worker

Plant

What is employee engagement?

• Employee engagement describes employees’ emotional and intellectual commitment to their organisation and its success.

• Engaged employees experience a compelling purpose and meaning in their work and drive towards the organisational visionhttp://www.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageId=8407178

5 factors contributing to staff engagement

Promoting a health, safe

work environment

Ensuring every role counts

Delivering great

management and leadership

Supporting personal

development

Enabling involvement in

decision making

“ The activities are not magical or new. They are all common sense and good management but in this case engaging with the employees has just shown what can be done. The important thing is to make a start “

Dave Stirling Manager of DWP call centre of the year

Push v Pull Influencing .. PUSH

Directive• Stating

expectations/goals• Evaluating • Discussing plans and

strategies• Applying pressures and

incentives for agreement

Driving• Painting a picture/vision• Proposing ideas/

suggestions• Counter proposing• Discussing ‘how to’s’• Moving people into

action

Push v Pull Influencing .. PULL

Energising• Energise• Excite about the

prospect of change• Invite ideas• Develop team approach

Enabling• Questioning• Active listening• Empathising/encouraging• Help organise into

activity• Support activities of

others

And sometimes negotiation is needed….prepare …. always • What is your goal ?• What can you trade ?• What are the

alternatives ?• What is the

relationship?• What is the expected

outcome ?

• What are the consequences of winning or losing ?

• Who has the power ?• What could the possible

outcomes be ?

Managing the customer service role

The Manager’s

role

Establish organisational CS

objectives

Introduce CS objectives to

team and individuals

Support and coach to develop

performance

Review and evaluate CS

outcomes

Activity - Managing Customer Service ?

What do you think is important ?

Performance management in a customer service environment

• Job description/ person specification • Key result areas• Objectives and standards of performance• Work and development plans• Skills and competencies required to fulfil the

job requirements • Continuous review • Formal review process

Common Sense Motivation• ENCOURAGE initiative and responsibility • INFORM people about the job as a whole. • KEEP everyone picture and explain why the task is being done.• INVOLVE people in decisions about their work• SEEK their views about continuous improvement• PRAISE work well done • GIVE regular balanced feedback • SHOW that you have confidence in people.• SET STANDARDS of quality and quantity for individuals which

are high but achievable• SET a good example yourself• LISTEN Be a good listener and know your staff

Improving customer service skills for everyone

• Induction training• Specific training to develop ‘ soft skills’• Buddy up/shadowing• Delegation – learn by doing• Mentor• Role model• Sharing experience

Review ….