Answers from frontline reps — Search for the customer’s needs. Be sure to stay calm and try to be positive. If a customer is raising their voice don’t raise yours to match them but lower yours so theirs comes down so you can be heard, low and slow. Leaving personal feelings out of conversation will allow…Continue reading
Answers from frontline reps — Making connections with customers. I now have such a respect for kindness and common courtesy. So many things can be said in the heat of the moment, but staying kind can turn that all around. I enjoy treating people as I want to be treated and seeing how quickly a situation…Continue reading
Answers from frontline reps — Empathize and see the problem through. In my experience, taking ownership involves several different elements. The first element is to empathize with the member’s situation. Showing empathy can be a great ice breaker, which allows the conversation to flow from a business conversation to more of a personal one. Once you…Continue reading
Answers from frontline reps — Spend time with coworkers. There are a few things that have always worked for me and basically kept me sane throughout the day. The first one is to spend time with co-workers. We spend so much time together during the day, but these people are in the trenches with you and…Continue reading
Answers from frontline reps — People skills and product knowledge. There are two specific skills that I see as the most important to being a good member service representative. The first is people skills. Good communication, showing empathy, resolving conflict, displaying patience, and having tolerance are key components of good people skills. Possessing these skills…Continue reading
Answers from frontline reps — Adopt a learning attitude. Every mistake, or potential failure, can be reframed into a learning opportunity. I ask myself three questions: What can I control? The answer is always “myself.” You cannot control the actions or thoughts of others. You can only regulate yourself. You cannot control the actions of others…Continue reading
Answers from frontline reps — Conduct “mission focused” communications. Due to our military roots, our representatives know when to be “mission focused.” In other words, our representatives are encouraged to get the member’s concerns taken care of fully without allowing the call to become uncontrolled. Our representatives are trained to keep conversations focused on resolving…Continue reading
Answers from frontline reps — I have been involved in a number of different team-building exercises, but the two that stand out the most are the Chili Cook-Off and Organizational Jenga. A cook-off is always a good way to get people involved. In my case, we had a sign-up sheet for everyone who wanted to…Continue reading
Answers from frontline reps — Treat it as a learning experience. Our credit union provides us with many opportunities to speak with individuals who aren’t in our specific department through formal or informal interactions. Our management encourages us to collaborate with other departments for the benefit of adding efficiencies and reducing member effort. As an added…Continue reading
Answers from frontline reps — In 2017, I am focusing on three types of goals, personally and professionally: Development, Operational Status, and Effectiveness. For Development: I will continue to meet with my team members and my management team regularly to ensure that we discuss a career trajectory and create a method of action when achieving…Continue reading
