6 Qualities of a Successful Customer Service Manager

Although automation can make customer service management a simpler, more straightforward process, there’s no substitution for the human touch. With relationships to nurture, technology can only get you so far, so your skills as a customer service manager will go a long way towards creating a genuine, authentic experience that benefits the needs of customers and the wider business.

And that’s not all; a successful customer service manager must call on an arsenal of other skills too. From strong communication to leading their team towards future growth and success, there’s no doubt about it: as a customer service manager, your mettle is sure to be tested.

Whether you’re preparing to make a move into the role, or you need a refresher on what a stand-out manager looks like, we’ll go through some of the essential qualities no successful customer service manager should be without.

4. Leadership skills

With strong leadership skills, a customer service manager can keep their team motivated and always engaged. This could mean working with them to set achievable goals, creating a rewards and recognition programme, or leading by example and mucking in with trickier calls. As a manager, you’ll be both a helping hand and a team player.

Ruling by fear, however, is a guaranteed way of deterring your team from performing at their best. Use your leadership skills to create a positive environment where your team will want to excel. Call centres are intense enough as they are – they don’t need someone who’s supposed to be on their side making things more fraught than they need to be.

You’ll have to be diplomatic in your leadership, too. You’re bound to have some difficult conversations during your time, whether it’s giving feedback to underperforming employees or talking to impatient customers. What matters, however, is that you can choose your words and tone of voice wisely. A diplomatic, level-headed approach is hard to argue with and makes the recipient feel respected – even if it’s bad news you’re having to deliver.

5. Customer-forward skills

In a customer service manager role, customers are of course the bread and butter. So, it makes sense that a successful manager would do what they can to make customers the focus of their duties.

As a result, they should make sure they’re optimising every aspect of the customer experience. Whether it’s staying up to date on incoming trends or hosting internal training sessions to improve the service your team offers, placing the customer at your operations’ heart ensures you’re always providing the best for them.

6. Trust

Even if a micromanager’s intentions are good, they almost always have the opposite effect on a team.

Training and coaching your employees is good. But if you’re watching their every move and monitoring even the most minute of behaviours, then it’ll make their working day a frustrating experience. Trusting them, on the other, can empower your reps, letting them know that you’re happy to let them crack on without interference.

Rather than telling them what to do, how to do it, and when to do it by, learn to delegate instead. Handing off tasks such as sending team-wide emails, carrying out reporting or leading a team meeting can instil a sense of trust throughout your reps, giving them a chance to try new things and develop valuable skills as a result.

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