Customer Service for Technical Support Beyond Certification
by Kate Nasser | 1 Comment »
The call came in from a Human Resources training manager at a major pharmaceutical company. The IT department had reorganized technical support teams and their customer service and teamwork had taken a tumble.
Customer Service Training for Tech Support - Beyond Certification Image by: Proposed|Solution
She and her experienced HR trainers had tried yet they and the IT professionals didn’t click. She called, as other managers have, because my years in IT (information technology) uncover the unspoken teamwork and service challenges as I teach and facilitate. It has been a recurring theme in my business.
When you want to train technical support in customer service and teamwork –beyond the surface of certification– it’s critical to understand the technical mind.
So much customer service training is focused on training people whose natural focus is other people.
You must use a different approach to develop a strong people focus, cross teamwork, and customer service skills in professionals with a rigorous occupational focus — technology, finance, medical, and legal.
Although medical schools are starting to screen applicants for both scientific and people-skills aptitudes (New for Aspiring Doctors: The People-Skills Test), this dual focus is not an established selection criterion in all the technical fields.
Nonetheless, technical support teams are very capable of outstanding adaptable people-skills for teamwork and customer service. Some have it naturally, a few struggle, and most respond very well when taught in a way that makes sense to them.
When will they most need specialized customer service and teamwork training?
- In times of great change like reorganizations, mergers, or new executive leadership
- Before high pressure initiatives that also pressure their customers like major technology or operational shifts
- In readying to support high performance business units – the executive suite, sales, revenue critical operations, life/death situations in healthcare, and a highly mobile workforce
- Before centralizing or expanding for global technical support
I look forward to working with you during these transitions to ensure outstanding IT customer service and teamwork.
From my experience to your success,
Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach
©2011 Kate Nasser, CAS, Inc. Somerville, NJ. If you want to re-post or republish, please email info@katenasser.com. Thank you for respecting intellectual capital.
Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach, delivers workshops, keynotes, and consultations that inspire the ultimate interaction with teammates and customers. Her prior career in IT and extensive technology focused customer base make Kate the perfect choice for training technical teams in people-skills for teamwork and client service. See this site for workshop outlines and customer feedback.
ahh… the $64,000 question/dilemna
When we train as technical Support (or level2 or level3) the mindset evolves into tech vs machine mentality. And since (most) machines don’t talk back or complain, techs get into that habit quickly. If you add into the mix the endless technical certificates we need to stay employed, the techs interpersonal skills painfully lag behind. However, In Customer Support/Service, we strive for that customer/human interaction. Most of us actually ENJOY (yes, I’m one of those) the warm and fuzzies when an customer is more like a friend by the of that telephone call.
You’re right Kate, We must use different approaches to develop strong people-facing/people-orientation that focuses on teamwork, and customer service skills(and bottom line?) – But don’t forget the core technical proficiencies needed to keep that tech job 🙂
Wouldn’t it be great if independent groups like CompTia expanded their Customer Service related certifications? Or at least, incorporate more C/S skillsets into existing offering?
That’s why I love you Kate – you are like our techie advocate 🙂
Keep up the great work!
Skip Bieber
CompTia A+, MS-MSCA+Security