During normal times i.e before the Pandemic, customer service jobs were reported to be tough but ever since the Pandemic hit, things are even harder. Customer engagement has reached an all-new high while customer support agents have been busy adjusting to new technology, remote work and longer working hours. Agents, for the past whole year, have been dutifully fielding sky-high quantities of queries, enquiries and complaints from customers. Incredible customer service is a powerful tool for any and every company, especially in today’s competitive and challenging business environment.
So since this week has been Customer Service Week, we take pride in celebrating our agents and their dedication to always putting customers first. This is an opportunity to show our appreciation to our customer support agents and their role in improving customer service.
A little background on the significance of the occasion:
Customer Service Week was initially recognized and celebrated in the United States since the late 1980s. Since then it has spread to 60 other countries with participating organizations in the field of healthcare, insurance, communications, manufacturing, retailing, hospitality, education etc. During the establishment of Customer service Week by the U.S Congress in 1992, George W. Bush said, “A business will do a better job of providing high-quality goods and services by listening to its employees and by empowering them with opportunities to make a difference.” Saying so, Mr. Bush has easily placed the power in hands of employees and in this case, support agents.
Why should this Week be celebrated with a bang?
Customer Service Week sheds light on the importance of customer service and calls to attention the commitment and enthusiasm of those who provide it. Zendesk reports that 70% of agents report feeling overwhelmed ever since the Pandemic hit, and this week is to remind us and everybody else that putting customers first does not mean putting agents last. Happy agents make happy clients, right? This week is also an opportunity to recognize the impact of good customer support and the hardwork of customer support representatives who make it their business to ensure those experiences happen everyday.
Agents are largely responsible for customer satisfaction. Beyond that they are also largely responsible for boosting market share, customer spend and customer acquisition. So, when Customer Service Week rolls by ever October, be sure to know that you are going to be honoured with the spirit of the week.
At VOIZ, we took some time during this week to show appreciation for our support agents by
- Demonstrating gratitude
- Boosting morale and teamwork
- Increasing motivation amongst the teams
- Organizing team shoutouts
- Rewarding hardworking employees
- Emphazing the significance of great customer service
Our goals this week were to:
- Thank agents for their loyalty, passion and dedication
- Raise awareness of the value of customer service
- Celebrate front-line staff who also flag bearers of the various companies they represent
- Record agent stories and customer success stories
- Renew efforts and contributions towards service excellence
At VOIZ, we believe that support begins with supporting our own people first. We recognize the level of effort and commitment service jobs require and we ensure to show agents that they are a valued and cherished aspect of the team and company by prioritizing their needs and well being not just this particular week but the entire year, throughout their journey as a customer support agent.