Lori of Smart Lemming brought up a good topic about hiring which I think should be noted here as well. Many people settle in applying for customer service jobs because they think it's an easy job (ha! If you only knew...) and they desperately need something. Or sometimes people apply to several customer service jobs and accept the first offer they receive without any thought about the company.
I think part of the problem regarding this so-called decline in service is that people get caught up in a job with a company that doesn't fit in with their values. If a person values family before a job, but the company wants the person to work 50+ hours a week, that person will eventually begin to feel unhappy. However, I often wonder why they continue with the job....
The thing is, this happens quite often in customer service. The turnover rate is high because people are just looking for a job and not a career. Most of the time, it's just something to do until a "real" job comes along.
As a manager who takes the business of service seriously, it's your duty to find the "perfect" candidate and not settle for just a "body" to put out on the floor. You also want people who have a keen interest in your company and be willing to contribute to the company's success. Also, in Lori's words: "...we really don’t need hires that don’t have the common sense to demonstrate to us that they are interested in us regardless even if they don’t have another offer..."
For related posts, check out the Customer Service Hiring Archives...
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