Social Growth, Economic Progress
Misconception of Customer Service Agents:
Lecturer, Author & Business Consultant
MANY scholars and business know how’s would not necessarily agree with my position in relation to how CSR’s should be treated and viewed by the firm and people generally; CSR’s must be respected in the firm. In spite of your strong preconceived notion on this issue, I trust that before this chapter ends I can bring you closer to understanding my position on this important issue. For me it is an issue of human potential, it is an issue of human rights and it is an issue of fair play and equal opportunity.

There are many negative perceptions about some levels of CSR’s, particularly so when one measures the level of academic accomplishments they have realized. They are perceived to be uneducated or at the best minimally educated. And it is largely due to this sense of awareness by people generally and in most cases the lack of proactive will, by business owners and other critical stakeholders, to change the miss-guided conceived notion / perception of CSR’s that they too have themselves come to accept it as a statement of truth. It is the acceptance of these negative perceptions that forces them to constantly recheck their position at work, and when the feelings associated with the negative sense of self kicks in, it eventually leads to absenteeism and job changing behaviour. These are the true nature of people. A comprehensive study of Abraham Maslow’s theory of motivation combined with the strategic report put forward in my book “Strategic Communication” will help you to better understand these statistics and how to navigate and fashion enabling environments that give people, and in this case CSR’s that greater sense of self and security.

The scholastic view held by many business know how’s including my self is that the customer base of the firm is the single most important factor that determines the success rate of that business. The final consumer determines where and when their disposable income will be best spent. And it would not be an unfair statement to say that the customer is KING. This is why major firms invest huge sums of capital expenditure aimed at gaining the attention and support of the most critical source to the success of their businesses. The argument goes to say that it would not make any sense to incur a multi-million dollars, annual advertising expenditure that is designed to motivate positive public response to your firm and then the customer service representatives (CSRs), which is the second most important link to the success of your firm, are ill trained and ill prepared to influence the business setting and deliver the quality of customer care that encourages the retention in customer support. The Customer Service Representatives have a tremendous role to play as competent leaders, competent communicators and has skilled motivators. It is not a role to be taken lightly, treated with disrespect or be placed on the back burner in the strategic process in managing successful businesses.

Adequate time must be spent fashioning enabling and sustainable environments that are strategically structured to foster the individual and collective development of CSR’s beyond simple work related activities. While it is important that the customer service representatives understand the dynamic of the products or services that the firm provides, this should not be the end. The life of CSR’s out side of the job experience should be an extension of the work related socialization that they must be conditioned to understand and accept. The CSR’s must have positive public appeal because they are the first chain of command that the final consumer interface’s with. The CSR’s must be experience and competent communicators, possessing enough knowledge in their field to manage conflict, motivate the unwilling customer and inspire the final buyer to make more than usual investment at any one time with your firm. The CSR’s are competent leaders who must be socialized to the importance of collective effort and solving problems as a team and be empowered to resolve and manage simple problem within their domain.

My new book and training programme entitled CSR’s & The Deeper Sense of Self is designed to inspire and empower the Customer Service Representative regardless of their level of work and help businesses to achieve their business strategic plan. For more information contact me on email:advocates92@gmail.com.