By Patrick Clements (SherpaDesk's CEO)
I attended the University of Georgia, where football is king (Go Dawgs!) While I never pulled on the pads, I was fascinated by how high-level athletic coaching seemed to overlap with entrepreneurship and business. Leadership, motivation, vision. Football coaches and CEOs need all three. They also need to know exactly how to get the best out of every available resource. Every employee (or player) must be positioned to succeed.
In the years since, I’ve continued to see the crossover. It didn’t surprise me when I read a quote attributed to Vince Lombardi, one of the NFL’s legendary coaches:
“It takes months to find a customer…and seconds to lose one.”
Thanks to the technological and data advancements since Lombardi's day, finding a customer might not take quite that long, but he’s certainly right about losing them. One bad interaction with a brand can send customers racing to the competition. The exact numbers vary, depending on which study you read, but more than three-quarters of consumers will switch brands if they believe they will receive a better experience. Nearly half believe the experience is more important than the price.
Improving the customer experience is possible in several ways:
All five are impossible without a functioning and effectively trained customer support team. So how do you get there? There are five steps that I’ve developed as a plug-and-play roadmap for how to build an effective customer support team. I think Lombardi would be proud.
Everything comes down to people. If you want your team to deliver excellent customer service, you need individuals naturally inclined toward customer-oriented roles. Focus on hiring candidates who are empathetic, patient, and can handle difficult situations with grace.
You'll also need to model these behaviors in the hiring process. As much as employees represent your brand, your brand also represents them. Ensure you provide a healthy, appealing work environment and uphold your values—just as you ask your employees to uphold your brand.
Engaged employees always result in better customer experiences, meaning better retention and increased brand loyalty.
Remember to continue developing their skills and knowledge even after their initial sessions. This can be in many ways.
Customer support is a role that can cause a lot of emotional burnout, given the nature of the job. Make sure to provide an outlet for employees to voice their concerns or submit advice for operational improvements.
Customers aren't always right but should always feel heard, understood, and valued. Create a customer-centric culture by focusing on empathy and excellent communication. Encourage your team to prioritize the customer's needs and actively seek solutions. Part of this is going where they are. You have to engage with customers on their preferred platforms and channels. You also need to understand their behaviors, preferences, and expectations. This knowledge will allow your team to deliver personalized and delightful experiences.
Also, remember to take care of your people. Happy employees lead to happier customers. Foster a positive work environment and culture where your employees feel respected, valued, and recognized.
From the beginning, think about how your support team will need to change and adapt as your company grows. This means implementing scalable systems, such as
All these can handle larger volumes of inquiries and help to provide prompt responses. Also, be ready to evolve your training and hiring strategies as your company's needs change. This could mean upskilling the existing team or even hiring more specialized roles. If you decide outsourcing some of your support is best, choose a partner who shares your responsiveness, values, service level, and customer commitment.
Over the last few decades, successful businesses have shifted from "gut" decisions to data-informed ones. Customer support is no exception to this. Use analytics to gain insight through key performance indicators (KPIs) like:
This will help you understand what's working, what's not, and where there are opportunities for improvement. Review these metrics regularly and use them to make necessary adjustments to your strategies or goals.
This football motif may be a little worn out now, but bear with me again for one more Lombardi quote:
"Confidence is contagious, and so is lack of confidence.
A customer will recognize both."
When you lead with confidence (and a well-structured customer support team), your customers will feed off that energy, ultimately leading to higher satisfaction and loyalty. Yet, if they sense you're unsure, they may start to question the reliability of your brand. Every interaction should build trust and a stronger relationship with your customer. This can only be achieved through a well-equipped, well-trained, and empathetic customer support team.
Attracting customers might take months, but losing them takes seconds. Build an effective customer support team—it's worth the effort. Make Coach (and me) proud.