Building a Stellar Customer Service Team: 7 Key Steps

Building a customer service team is akin to assembling a finely crafted piece of furniture; it requires careful planning, the right tools, and the ability to adapt when pieces don’t quite fit. Whether you’re establishing a support department from scratch or refining your existing customer service structure, these seven steps form the foundation for success.

1. Define Exceptional Customer Service

Begin by defining what “exceptional customer service” means for your company. Every organization claims to deliver great service, but the key lies in translating those claims into tangible standards. Involve your team in crafting a clear definition that aligns with your company’s values, fostering a commitment to providing quality service.

Deliver on Company Values: Align your definition of great service with your company values. For instance, if integrity or speed is crucial, incorporate these values into your service definition. This not only sets expectations but also establishes a standard for your support team to uphold.

2. Set Clear Internal Expectations

Establishing clear internal expectations is vital for consistent service delivery. Answer questions such as:

• How quickly will you respond to customers?
• What behavior is expected when dealing with customers (tone, language, attitude)?
• How will you handle disagreements with customers?
• What ethical principles will guide your customer service?

Create style guides and service standards based on these expectations. Southwest Airlines, for example, crafted a detailed Customer Service Commitment, publicly outlining promises to their customers.

3. Examine Legal Requirements

Consider legal requirements that might impact your industry’s customer service standards. Governments in certain regions mandate response time guarantees or other service level regulations. Use these as an opportunity to define your commitment to customer service and potentially create upsell opportunities for premium services.

4. Choose Channels Wisely

Selecting the right customer support channels is crucial. Rather than aiming to be available on every channel at all times, focus on quality support across a few channels. Understand your customers’ preferences and gravitate toward the platforms they use most frequently.

Consider Channel Pros and Cons: Evaluate the pros and cons of popular support channels like email, phone, live chat, social media, forums, and knowledge bases. Tailor your choices to fit the nature of your product or service.

5. Hire the Right People

Building a reliable customer support team begins with hiring the right individuals. Consider the following:

• Identify the ideal support personality: Seek emotionally intelligent, empathetic, and resourceful communicators.
• Define necessary skills: Specify technical skills, licenses, or software knowledge required for the role.
• Integrate new team members effectively: Plan comprehensive onboarding to impart company culture, service approach, and product knowledge.

6. Measure the Right Data

Effective measurement is the backbone of continuous improvement. Understand why you are reporting, tailor measurements to different stakeholders, and focus on outcomes aligned with your goals. Metrics should be meaningful, authentic, and within your team’s sphere of influence.

7. Pick Tools that Empower

Investing in the right customer service tools is crucial for efficiency. The customer service software, internal tools, and individual productivity tools should align with your team’s workflow and enhance their capabilities.

Key Considerations: When selecting customer service software, assess functionality, user count, supported conversation types, platforms, and reporting capabilities. Differentiate between essential and “nice-to-have” features to prioritize usability and performance.

Conclusion: Adapt and Evolve

Customer service is an ongoing journey, not a one-time project. As you make decisions on channels, tools, and team structure, always refer back to your principles of exceptional customer service. Adapt to changes in the market, customer expectations, and team dynamics while staying true to the core values that define your commitment to service excellence.