In today’s economy, many service-driven companies are realizing the importance of their frontline customer service team. Frontline teams can help grow sales in your service business. The bottom line is it’s far easier for these organizations to retain and up-sell current customers than to acquire new ones. For this strategy to work, businesses must focus on the emotional connection between their service team and customers. This is often lacking. It is also the best way to grow sales in your service business.

Research shows that quality face to face interaction with the customer is necessary, especially during times of need.

“In any industry that offers a service (or sells a product with an “embedded” service element), there are moments when the long-term relationship between a business and its customers can change significantly—for better or for worse. By supporting and developing the frontline emotional intelligence of its employees, it can ensure that more of those moments have a positive outcome.”- Mckinsey

Essentially service companies can cement powerful relationships through their service team’s ability to put the customer’s emotional needs before their own agenda. A Mckinsey study was done on Belgian, German, and Italian financial institutions. The research concluded that problematic moments for the customer are when they are most emotionally vulnerable. We call these “aha” moments. They are often making or break instances for your service employee to strengthen the bond or break it completely.

“After a positive experience, more than 85 percent of customers increased their value to the bank by purchasing more products or investing more of their assets; just as tellingly, more than 70 percent reduced their commitment when things turned sour,” – Mckinsey (see below).

Given this information, it is clear that every executive should pinpoint their customer’s “aha” moment. And train their service employees to recognize these instances while acting in an emotionally intelligent manner. The beauty of Wingmate’s reward program is the constant reminders your service team receives. Over time, recognizing these instances becomes embedded behaviour. Although technology can automate mail lists and phone calls to potential leads, nothing can replace the connection formed by a service team member during a customer crisis.

Wingmate inspires healthy communication between the customer and employee. The frontline member feels a part of the sale right from the start. Not only that, they are rewarded for it which keeps them even more connected and invested.

McKinsey has identified 3 Key Environmental Levers that will significantly influence a service employee’s emotional intelligence:

“1. Creating meaning and clarity of purpose for people in frontline work, thereby addressing their thoughts, feelings, values, beliefs, and emotional needs
2. Improving the capabilities of employees—and influencing their mind-sets—so that they acquire the right emotional skill
3. Putting structures, reward systems, and processes in place to back up these changes”

Our mobile app was built on these environmental levers. For employees to provide unprecedented customer service, they must know exactly what is expected of them…without feeling controlled. Wingmate provides just enough direction through effective onboarding and simple in-app resources.

“When you take away their incentive and start giving them rules, boom, you’ve killed their creativity.”- The Nordstrom Way: The Inside Story of America’s #1 Customer Service Company

All companies today can take steps towards nurturing their frontline’s customer interactions. Doing so will undoubtedly strengthen your current relationships, allow you to find new ones, and increase your bottom line.

For a more detailed understanding of a Wingmate program and to grow sales in your service business, feel free to reach out.

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