The 5 C’s: A Recipe for Customer Service Success –
Compensation, Culture, Communication, Compassion, Care
Hopefully, this isn’tanewconcept foryou. You know, the value ofanemployee? Our team at VIPdesk Connect compiled the 5 C’s that make up the perfect recipe for customer service success.
Compensation
We want to be as transparent aboutfinancesas we can. Let’s not dance around it, let’s talk about it right up front! It’s very simple. Pay your employees what they are worth.
Not to make it about the paycheck, however, it is a principle that showcases the value of the employee when you are willing to create a substantial compensation package for everyBrand Ambassador or Customer Service Professional.
“I’m going to pick “compensation” as this will likely be the least popular selection of the five. I’m a big believer of Daniel Pink’s philosophy around compensation…you must pay enough to where money is not a distraction. Once you pass this threshold and take the topic of money off the table, it enables the employee to focus on more meaningful motivators. The reality is that money is not asufficientdriver for engagement. Monetary incentives lend themselves to amore black and whiteworld than customer service. For example, if you build 100 widgets…I’ll give you 1,000 dollars. How do you compensate an agent’s ability to go above and beyond for customers and create an exceptional experience? You are far more likely to inspire this type of behavior through a sense of purpose and meaningful work. Pay enough to relieve your employees from the distraction ofmoney andfocus in on the things that matter most.”–Nate Brown, Director, CustomerExperience, Co-founder atCX Accelerator, ICMI Top 50 Thought Leader
Valuing your employee through their worth reflects on their work ethic! It’s a simple formula, pay the employee what they are worth = better employee engagement and value of work.Another recipe for customer service success!
Don’t believe us? Check out our current openings atvipdeskconnect.com/current-openings.
Culture
No doubt this is one of the most important core values of any company! What is a company withoutafun culture? People truly are torn between an amazing work environment and an amazing paycheck, let’s be honest.
Zenefitsstates: “People are looking for a healthy culture with values that are aligned to their own,” says Shawna Clark, founder and executive coach at Clark Executive Coaching.
Culture can mean a lot of things! We found that surrounding ourselves with amazing people is the key to a positive company culture. It’s not just what we SAY we want to be, weDOit and lift ourteam membersup in the process.
Wellness in culture is super important! Especially to Jenny Dempsey who has been in Customer Experience for over 10 years.
“In order to take the best care of others, we must first take the best care of ourselves. When we create and support a culture of self-care in the workplace, agents can dive into customer interactions from a place of empathy, compassion and genuine care.”–Jenny Dempsey, Customer Service Leader & Integrative Nutrition Health Coach,JennyDempsey.com
It is importanttoincorporate your style into your employee engagement programs too! Encourage them, interact with their successes and showcase the awesome work they do. Positive breeds positive.
At VIPdesk Connect, ourVP of People & Culture,Jen Vinciguerracreated a“Cheers for Peers”channel inourMicrosoft TeamsIM and it’s simply dedicated to celebrating team member successes.Not only does it encourage empowerment of others, it’salso adorable to see all the wonderful small things people do for each other. A fun “recipe” for customer service success!
Communication
There are so many forms of communication that this one almost seems like a must! What do we have without communication? A lot of confusion!
The most important style of communication? OPEN! Free to be yourself and to speak your mind to better the company. By being direct and transparent, we can be sure to rid the uncertainty in the workplace.
“It is owed to our customer support staff to have a regular communication line between support and other areas of the organization (marketing, sales, product design, etc.). These other areas make decisions which have unattended consequences that land in the lap of customer support. By building a cadence of open communication, you are mitigating surprises or issues that will roll downhill to customer support.”
–Becky Roemen, Customer Experience Transformation Strategist
Open communication is key!!Susan M. Heathfieldfrom The Balance Careers breaks down the importance of communication and the different ways to implement it. She mentions that theenvironmentof communication is just as important! Being available, being accessible and being reliable are all ways tocommunicate correctlywithyour staff.
“Your body language, your tone, your texts, your emails, your spoken words, and your social media contributions are all intertwined to create the unique person people look up to and respect – or not. As a leader of customers and teams, take a moment to think about how your presence impacts those around you. Be a beacon of inspiration and bring the best YOU to the world.”–Emilia D’Anzica, Customer Success Strategy & Founder,Customer Growth Advisor
Compassion
Compassion is something every human being should have more of. Even if you are full to the brim, compassion will forever prevail as a fantastic quality when taking care of employees.
“For me, the biggest of the C’s is compassion. You cannot begin to provide good service unless you can empathize and have compassion for your customer’s situation. At the end of the day, we are all humans (well…most of us). The best customer service is a human response to a human situation.”–Lyndon File, Director of Customer Experience & Advocacy,G Adventures
Care
To care is so much more than it used to be. It’s now about individual care, personalization, and understanding of each employee with heart. People know when you care and when you don’t. We strive to set apart time in our day to care about the little things that make the big things work so well.
“I believe the number one ingredient for amazing service is CARING. If we can show our team members, we care about them – they in turn will take great care of customers. I think most of these speak to how we want to treat those that deliver front line service.Sothe culturetogether asone means our cultureis that of our clients. All driving towards creating a positive environment.”–Sally Hurley, CEO,VIPdesk Connect
Care in customer service is the heart of the whole career. We are so happy to be showcasing care in the workplace that it shows throughout the entire team. Show someone you care today!Care is at the heart of all customer service success.
There you have it, the 5 C’s for Customer Service SUCCESS! No go out there and show someone you care, by communicating, compensating, being compassionate and living up to your amazing culture.
We believe in you!
–VIPdesk Connect Team
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INC5000 San Antonio Conference October 2o18
As an expert in customer service and organizational dynamics, I can attest to the significance of the 5 C's outlined in the article "The 5 C’s: A Recipe for Customer Service Success" by Caylin B. White. The article provides a comprehensive understanding of key principles that contribute to achieving excellence in customer service. Let's break down each concept:
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Compensation:
- The article emphasizes the importance of fair and substantial compensation for employees. It aligns with the philosophy of Daniel Pink, stressing that compensation should be sufficient to remove financial distractions, allowing employees to focus on more meaningful motivators.
- Nate Brown, a recognized figure in customer experience, supports this idea, highlighting that meaningful work and a sense of purpose are crucial motivators beyond monetary incentives.
- The formula presented is straightforward: paying employees what they are worth leads to better engagement and a higher value of work.
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Culture:
- Culture is identified as one of the most critical core values for any company. A positive work environment is considered equally important as a competitive paycheck.
- The article stresses the significance of actions over words in building a positive culture. Surrounding oneself with amazing people and promoting wellness in the workplace are key aspects.
- Employee engagement programs that incorporate individual styles, positive reinforcement, and celebrating successes contribute to a positive company culture.
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Communication:
- Communication is highlighted as a fundamental aspect, and the article emphasizes the importance of open communication. Being direct, transparent, and building a regular communication line between different areas of the organization is crucial.
- Open communication helps in mitigating surprises or issues that may affect customer support. The article quotes Becky Roemen, a Customer Experience Transformation Strategist, to support this point.
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Compassion:
- Compassion is identified as a vital quality in customer service. The ability to empathize and have compassion for customers is considered essential for providing good service.
- The article quotes Lyndon File, Director of Customer Experience & Advocacy at G Adventures, emphasizing that the best customer service is a human response to a human situation.
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Care:
- Care is presented as an evolved concept that goes beyond traditional notions. It involves individual care, personalization, and understanding each employee with heart.
- Sally Hurley, CEO of VIPdesk Connect, emphasizes that caring is the number one ingredient for amazing service. Demonstrating care for team members translates into them taking great care of customers.
In summary, the 5 C's—Compensation, Culture, Communication, Compassion, and Care—form a holistic approach to achieving customer service success. Each concept is supported by insights from industry experts and leaders, making the article a valuable resource for organizations aiming to excel in customer service.
