“Leaders need to be careful that they aren’t overlooking two important things: people and processes.”

 

From telephone switchboards to chatbots and automation, technology continues to evolve and change how we communicate. When you pair with the right partner, you will have access to top-tier tools to help streamline your brand’s customer service.

Leaders need to be careful that they aren’t overlooking two important things: people and processes. People and processes should be as much of a priority as technology when developing customer-centric strategies.

People
Hiring brand advocates with the right skill set and cultural fit sets any program up for success. In doing this, companies have been able to achieve more than 99% retention during their program launches. How do they do it? Targeted recruiting and interactive interviews.

Developing specialized recruiting profiles ensures you’re attracting the right team members. Culture Simulation Interviews (CSIs) allow your recruiting team to observe potential candidates in a simulated environment. Focusing on a tight culture fit ensures recruits are passionate and aligned with your mission and values, which will almost always result in lower attrition.

Process
The key to success is to design processes within your teams that are flexible enough to shift and scale as priorities change.

Let’s use another training example. One part of the training process that should never change is transparent communication with your partners. It’s helpful to have regular recruiting checkpoints set up, with daily progress updates and contingency plans. This ensures internal and external teams are aligned on key priorities and milestones throughout the implementation.

It’s important to collaborate with your partners when developing the training curriculum. Keep communication open throughout the process and allow for feedback and suggestions. The training materials should continue to change and evolve as needed, ensuring they really speak to your partner’s brand, culture, and products. 

Full Circle
Once you’ve hired the right teams and trainers, you can establish effective and flexible processes. Now it’s time to talk about technology. Make sure you’re asking yourself the important questions: 

• What’s the budget? 
• What are we trying to achieve? 
• What tools fit our brand?

Depending on your brand needs, it’s a lot easier to be versatile with the way training materials are delivered. For example, video conferencing tools (such as Google Hangouts, GoToMeeting, and Skype) can reduce travel time for trainers, while also acting as the perfect channels for up-training or introducing a new product launch.

Evolve
When it comes to new technology and digital transformation, things will continue to evolve. That’s why prioritizing people, process, and technology equally will ensure all three are working cohesively toward your company’s goals.