Customer Service Reps

The pandemic has accelerated a shift in the mindset of the workforce. Millions of people are now looking for jobs that offer more flexibility, not just in terms of working from home, but also in scheduling. Today, many people who were formerly in the workforce don’t want to go back to a regular 9–5 schedule,…

To reach consumers, brands need omnichannel strategies that deliver a consistent customer experience at every touchpoint. Yet today’s technical and business conversations about omnichannel are often too limited in scope to achieve what’s ultimately possible. Brands typically only focus on customer interactions across one or two channels or fail to break up the many information…

TL;DR: Pandemic stress-related toxic communication can creep into your customer communication. Don’t let it! Set the example, nip toxicity in the bud, protect your team from incoming, build in rest, celebrate the good stuff, and codify that positive voice in your company style guide. As we think about healthy communication at work, we’re reminded of…

Of the many challenges that brands had to confront last year, the shifting behaviors and heightened expectations of consumers still remain the top issues in 2021. As such, one truth still sits above the rest for brands: the customer always comes first. Indeed, organizations were required to adapt to the status quo or risk losing…

Customer service has become a competitive differentiator for retailers — on par with quality and price. When a person reaches out to a company with a question or issue, the experience has an immediate and direct impact on whether they will do business with a company again — now or in the future. Retailers like…

Fifty-four percent of consumers say they’ve had at least one bad customer service experience in the last month. Dealing with impatient, dissatisfied or angry customers is never easy, but if the contact center handles the situation well, you may be able to build a stronger relationship with the customer over the phone and create opportunities…

Outward communications are critical to retail business operations today. However, most retailers weren't prepared for a global pandemic. Communications can become complex during unprecedented times. This has left many retailers to wonder the most appropriate ways to engage their customers while maintaining legal compliance. It’s important to consider that the customer must feel empowered — i.e.,…

The pandemic has changed everything in retail — and it’s not ending anytime soon. Just as stores started to adjust to the “new normal” of frequent disinfection and face masks, the spread of the virus is picking back up in regions across the country, forcing many retailers to close their doors to the public again.…

This video originally appeared on Total Retail's sister site, Women in Retail Leadership Circle. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and Verizon had to close its retail stores, instead of laying off or furloughing thousands of employees, the telecommunications company used it as an opportunity to train thousands of its store sales associates on its customer service…

There’s no doubt that recent circumstances surrounding COVID-19 have reshaped the way retailers operate and connect with their customers daily. Shelter-in-place ordinances and stay-at-home mandates have forced retail brands to rely on artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and chatbot technology to manage much of the workload required for servicing their customers’ needs. In fact,…