Undoubtedly, you can save more money and increase productivity when hiring a remote customer service team. However, this setup is also rife with many difficulties.
This is why knowing how to effectively manage a remote customer service team is crucial to achieving your goal and the results you want. After all, your customer service staff gives the service that makes your customers happy and motivates them to return.
However, you have to keep in mind that you need the courage to guide your team so that they can provide quality service all the time.
With that said, though it can be tricky, you can manage your remote customer service team with these practical tips:
1. Pick the Right Communication Channel and Customer Service Program
Since you and your staff will be using the same software, you can maximize its use and properly explain what you need them to do.
When you make demands, you have to keep in mind that you need to be specific and clear with what you expect from your staff. After all, unlike face-to-face meetings, it will be challenging for you to understand their facial expressions.
Due to this, it would be best if you’re clear as possible with your tasks even when they are urgently needed. If needed, you can seek advice from a colleague regarding your language and tone.
2. Be Clearer with Your Internal Communication
Since you and your staff will be using the same software, you can maximize its use and properly explain what you need them to do.
When you make demands, you have to keep in mind that you need to be specific and clear with what you expect from your staff. After all, unlike face-to-face meetings, it will be challenging for you to understand their facial expressions.
Due to this, it would be best if you’re clear as possible with your tasks even when they are urgently needed. If needed, you can seek advice from a colleague regarding your language and tone.
3. Learn to Trust, Especially Your Tenured Employees
If all your staff members transition from office work to remote setup all at the same time, this tip can be helpful. However, this is a time wherein you need to adjust your leadership method too.
It would be best if you don’t let the remote setup get the best of you. Instead, you can believe in your staff that they can do their tasks and produce results, and this is especially true for your tenured staff.
If you need to check their productivity, you can do it using the software we mentioned earlier.
4. Interact with Your Team
While you are adjusting to a remote leadership, you will observe that some employees do well in a remote setup while others find it more difficult.
Some employees can work productively and thrive without interacting while others need more video calls and interactions. For the latter, you can take the time to talk to them, motivate them, and help them stay focused even though they are working remotely.
5. Strengthen Light Conversations and Schedule Meetings
You might not have as much time as before to discuss personal or fun topics such as family or hobbies if you work remotely. However, this type of interaction is crucial because it creates a bond that’s not just work-related.
To keep this type of interaction going, you can talk about these things every week, even just for several minutes. This gives your staff the feeling that they work with humans who do extraordinary things other than work.
In fact, after these light conversations, you can also have your weekly meeting. This is important to ensure that everyone in your team is on the same page. Through this, they can also understand their challenges better and figure out how they can help each other attain their objectives and goals.
6. Give More Attention to New Remote Staff Members
It can be challenging for a new member to join a completely remote team. After all, they are just in front of their computers and will have to ask for assistance from there. Moreover, they can’t experience the culture of the company and meet their team members in person.
Therefore, it is highly recommended to give them a memorable onboard experience so that they can feel they have people who they can approach when they have problems.
Conclusion
It’s quite possible to successfully lead your customer service remote team and develop your business with the help of these tips and the right tools.
If your staff is appropriately managed, they can work as well or even better than working in an office. Hopefully, the tips we covered can help boost your brand or service quality and allow you to overcome the difficulties of working remotely.