Hiring the right people for customer service positions can be very challenging. We all have had experiences where our opinion of a business was formed, good or bad, after speaking with just one person.
In a highly publicized case, a Customer Service Representative (CSR) for Comcast fought with a customer who was attempting to cancel his service. The phone call went viral, forcing the company to issue public apologies and the President of Comcast to apologize to the customer.
This is an extreme case, however, we’ve all encountered customer service reps that influenced our feelings about a company.
Hire for Attitude, Train for Skills
Any position that interacts with the public should be staffed with care; from the VP of Sales down to the entry-level person who sits at the desk and answers the phones. For the positions that have direct contact with customers, we recommend that you hire for attitude and train for skills. Someone who has all the right training, knowledge and skills can still have the wrong attitude and not be a good fit for the position.
Great Customer Service Possess the Right Personality Traits
Great customer service is defined by a person who possess the right personality traits. Kindness, generosity, curiosity, team focus, and positivity or optimism are all traits associated with great customer service. One of the more important traits is conscientiousness, which can be described as being thorough, careful or vigilant, and striving to do a task well. People who are conscientious tend to be on time, organized and dependable.
Ask the Right Questions!
The best way to ensure you are hiring the right candidate is to ask the appropriate questions during the interview process that will elicit the response you are looking for, such as; “Tell me about a time when customer really made you upset, and what you did about it”.
Once you have found the right person, you can then provide any additional training that may be needed to perform the job well. If you concentrate on personality and train for skills, you will find yourself hiring all the right people to get the job done.
If you are in need of training on how to complete a successful interview in hiring a great customer service representative, or are looking to outsource your recruiting, AmeriSource HR has qualified staff on hand to assist you. Give us a call or send us a message today!