Communicate your way into management

Think you have what it takes to move from a customer service representative to a management role? Check your communication skills.

Renee Evenson, customer service expert and author of several books, including "Customer Service Management Training 101" (AMACOM Books, 2011), explains why the ability to effectively communicate is one of the most critical skills needed for a customer service manager to succeed.
 
"It all starts with you and how well you're able to lead and motivate your employees. Leaders know how to effectively motivate their employees and while not everyone is born a leader, you can develop these skills," says Evenson.

In addition to job knowledge and expertise, Evenson says that, "Leading a customer service team takes self-confidence and a high level of motivation and determination to succeed." She also says that successful customer service managers apply creativity and flexibility in their roles and lead with honesty and integrity.

Communication Skills
"Effective communication is the most important skill set you can develop. Listening well, speaking effectively, keeping the lines of communication open, and knowing how to change your communication style with each of your employees will demonstrate that you genuinely care about them," notes Evenson. 

She says that developing strong relationships with employees will ultimately help you be successful and applying the appropriate communication style will help develop productive employees who want to perform their best.

Evenson says, "Management communication styles range from taking a controlling approach by telling employees what to do, taking a participative approach by engaging employees to share in decision making, and taking a passive approach by allowing employees to make decisions. Successful managers understand that effectively utilizing each of these communication styles, dependent on the situation and the employee, is the best approach." 

She adds, "Your employees aren't 'one size fits all' so knowing their strengths and weaknesses will enable you to change your approach as necessary. For example, you'll want to take a more controlling approach with a new employee who is still learning the job, but take a more passive approach with an experienced employee who performs well."

Evenson also stresses the importance of training employees on how to interact appropriately with customers, "Communication is the most important key to providing exceptional customer service."

"Whether your customers access your website through mobile devices, communicate with you through a social media outlet, or speak to you by phone or in person, training your employees how to engage in a positive dialogue with customers by interpreting customer requests correctly, asking good questions to enhance understanding, and finding the best solution for each customer quickly and correctly will enable you to provide consistently exceptional customer service," says Evenson.
 
Training frontline employees how to interact well with customers and how to meet their needs is not a one-time event. Evenson says, "Unless you consistently follow up after training to ensure employees are forming good habits and utilizing the training properly, your employees may develop or fall back into poor work habits. Providing effective feedback is crucial to developing productive employees."

Evenson says that a lack of feedback and/or a poor relationship with the manager are the most common reasons for poor employee performance. "Employees want to do a good job and they want to feel a sense of comradeship with their manager. The bottom line is that they want to know how well you think they're performing," she notes.

The best way to provide feedback is through hands-on management and being on the front-lines with employees. "Observing your employees utilizing their skills, providing feedback, and looking for quick training moments will show that you care about your employees and the job they do -- and that will translate into engaged employees who want to do a good job," she concludes.