One of the most critical decision you can make as a Customer Service Manager is hiring people who bring to the business their expertise in areas which are important to the success of your company.
Having a customer service team who are not only like-minded, but who understand the needs of the company and can offer suggestions and ideas to further its success are the people who you want to employ.
Therefore, it is important to have criteria prepared for the interview process. You will want to ask specific questions relating to the qualifications of the individual; their educational background; their previous experience; their work ethic; their proficiency in technology as it relates to computers, software and other equipment; their relationships with their former boss and staff members; their goals for the future; and whether or not their specific expertise will enhance your company’s goals.
You may want to outline certain hypothetical scenarios and inquire how the potential employee will handle the situations. While first hand impressions are important, it is always better to give the potential employee the benefit of the doubt, since most interviews render employees nervous and intimidated. On the other hand, you can ascertain their worthiness by the manner in which they speak; whether or not they look you straight in the eye; and whether or not they appear to be confident and self-assured.
As the interview progresses, you may want to discuss aspects of your company and ask questions to determine if they understand what is entailed; perhaps ask them to perform a certain task; or give them a chance to respond to a customer service issue that is on-going and what ideas they may have. This will give you a sense of how creative they may be; if they have good critical thinking skills; and have the ability to process the information and produce a satisfactory conclusion.
Hiring people for customer service is an ongoing process which requires thoughtful and serious contemplation. It may take a long time before you find the right person for the job; or you may be lucky enough to find someone who meets all your qualifications. Either way, having the proper people working for you is the foundation upon which your company will grow successfully. To streamline this ongoing process and ensure you make the best hiring decisions, consider utilizing free recruitment management software. This technology can help you organize and track candidate information, manage interview schedules, and make data-driven decisions, ultimately saving you time and helping you build a strong customer service team.
