(Reprinted with permission from Winning At Work)

This is Part 2 of What Outstanding Customer Service Leaders Do Differently.  If you missed Part 1, you can find it here.

Customer service is one of the most underrated occupations out there.  It’s not simply ‘common sense’ as many believe.  The customer is not ‘always right,’ and there’s a lot more to being good at it then just treating customers the way you would like to be treated.  Customer service involves a significant skill set, and like all skills, mastering it requires a lot of effort and continuous development.

The leaders of high-performing customer service teams understand this, and, most importantly, they understand how much the traditional role of management has changed.

Customer Service Leaders Teach, Coach and Mentor

When you watch the truly outstanding customer service leaders in action, you will see that most of their time is spent teaching, coaching and mentoring.  They invest their time heavily in assisting and encouraging their employees to learn and master the skills for creating positive and memorable customer experiences.

The process is simple.  Start by identifying specific new skills that might help each of your employees gain greater confidence and mastery in their jobs.  Then make it your mission to guide them to success.  Don’t just tell them what needs to be improved, take a vested interest in helping them get there.

You may find this to be a fairly dramatic change to the way you are currently leading your team, but the outcomes – in customer experience, productivity and employee morale – can’t be overstated.

“Great leaders make a positive difference in the lives of those they lead”