In today’s digital age, there is no doubt that the expectations surrounding customer service are at their peak. The emergence of new and advanced technologies has made support matters more efficient. Behind every computer screen on the customer service team is a talented individual who seeks to benefit the company by keeping its clients happy.
Also, a support representative plays a crucial role in shaping the way people perceive your brand because it’s usually the first touchpoint between your clients and your business.
Therefore, to get the most out of your customer service team, members need to feel they can make their own decisions without asking for guidance every step of the way. Consequently, when you empower your customer service team, a better experience for your customers will be achieved; this would lead to an increase in customer retention.
However, it’s important to understand the meaning of employee empowerment, given how critical it is to provide good customer service.
What is Employee Empowerment?
Employee empowerment is making sure your employees feel some sense of freedom regarding decision-making in their work environment. In other words, empowered employees get to make important decisions on their own terms for the business. However, for your employees to feel empowered, they need all the required resources necessary to succeed in their job without help.
Benefits of Customer Service Team Empowerment
Micromanaging and confining your employees to strict workflows means there is no mutual trust. As a result, your employee may be afraid to ask questions, give suggestions, or make mistakes due to the harsh feedback they might receive.
To avoid that, here are some of the key benefits of empowering your customer service team:
Foster Independence
It is already a red flag when a manager is constantly looking over its employee’s shoulder. It shows a complete lack of trust in their decision-making. However, giving your customer service team the independence they need can help your business. Yes, they may likely make some mistakes and hit a few roadblocks; however, they’ll learn from the experience and it will help them in the long run.
Thus, empowering your employees can help foster independence. For instance, in cases when you grant them ownership of a project or send them to manage important meetings.
It Leads To Increase in Customer Satisfaction
Most customers with concerns lack the patience of waiting for a long time before being attended to. Oftentimes, they insist their concerns should be addressed by the person they’re speaking with instead of being bounced from agent to agent. Thus, an empowered employee can easily address their concerns without seeking the help of others. This can easily turn an angry customer into a happy one, thus leading to an increase in customer satisfaction.
Increase in Employee Retention Rate
Empowering your customer service team also boosts your employee retention rate. This is because an empowered employee is more likely to stay with your company. After all, he/she is happy.
Furthermore, high employee turnover often looks bad to clients, especially those who have built good relationships with your customer service team due to constant contact with them.
In today’s customer-centric world, empowering your customer service team is highly important. You also need to provide your employees with the right tools and invested responsibilities necessary to grow professionally and contribute to the success of the company.
