How to Find and Hire Candidates with an Aptitude for Better Customer Service
Most hiring managers agree that outstanding customer service begins by understanding that aptitude for enhanced customer service is critical. Having the best people on board to perform the customer service function is the first step toward delivering exceptional customer service. No matter how successful you are, your company and its fate are in the hands of the individuals you hire. How do you find the best customer service talents and know if they are the ideal fit to serve your customers effectively and represent your brand
Assessing Social Skills
Seeking the right aptitude for better customer service is no easy task. Too often, the objective of a business is just to fill a role rather than locate the best person for the job. However, some applicants with the right skill set, experience, and qualifications may not have the proper mindset and attitude to match your business goals and blend in with your team.
Great customer service superstars are available in all business sectors. A resume will only show previous experience but won’t expose anything about personalities. Narrowing your search and focusing on a distinct educational background, particular industry, or a certain number of years of experience might result in missing out on many excellent candidates.
Forget the Resume and Focus on the Interview
Businesses create profits through customers. The key to finding the exceptional aptitude for better customer service is understanding your customers’ needs and discovering the right people to help them. When you hire for the customer service role, interviewing helps you understand the personalities of the candidates. The interview should be the time for your potential candidates to exhibit their personality. For instance, some companies have candidates go through multiple rounds of interviews so that hiring managers can find the best people to deliver unrivaled customer service.
Finding the Ideal Fit for the Customer Service Culture
It is easy to get overly obsessed with choosing a perfect candidate. However, it’s nearly impossible to identify an ideal candidate based on just the resume or interview. The good news is that you don’t need to hunt for the perfect person displaying outstanding customer service. The most important thing to remember is what to look for in your potential candidates and keep that in mind during the interview while asking your questions and analyzing the answers. Some top aptitudes to focus on during the hiring process include:
-Excellent communication. Superior communication skills are a necessity for customer-focused jobs because it builds trust and produces better relationships.
-Superb listener. A good listener asks the right questions to understand the real issue behind a customer’s frustration and extend a useful solution.
-Team player. Team players develop active and powerful rapport with all the other employees and are content operating in a collaborative environment with management, customers, and colleagues.
-Leader. Leadership skills are crucial in complex situations when a customer expects someone to take charge and find a fast and efficient solution.
-The right mindset. A service mindset means possessing a willingness to create a positive and memorable customer experience by always being ready to serve others and make customers happy.
Satisfied customers purchase more, so an investment in your human capital can significantly impact your profit margin. Generate expert customer service by device instead of leaving the nature of your customer’s experience to fate.
Hire for Attitude and Train for Skills
The size of your business is not as relevant as discovering an aptitude for better customer service. Carefully screening applicants for proper aptitude allows you to begin the process of smart hiring. Customer service specialists mirror your brand, and they can build or destroy your company’s reputation. After discovering and hiring them, make sure to put sufficient energy into proper training to assure they know your products and services perfectly and are also able to help your customers while displaying the highest level of professionalism.
The ideal customer service professional appreciates and enjoys assisting customers. They have the ability to take care of and connect with customers by empathizing with them and making sure they feel satisfied with their experience. Remember, the best customer service people can produce a positively outstanding experience that results in the long-term prosperity of your organization through loyal customers and referrals.
Regardless of your industry, uncover as much as possible about a potential employee’s aptitudes, priorities, and capacities for delivering impeccable customer service. Make sure to consult the other articles and tools on Mighty Recruiter to learn more about bettering your business and hiring the top performers.