While out of town on business recently, I stayed at a Homewood Suites hotel. This hotel wasn't extravagant–no restaurant, no valet service. What it did have though, was consistently outstanding customer service.
From the moment I walked in, I received great customer service. It took many forms: being greeted by name every time I walked into the lobby, being shuttled according to my schedule not theirs, having a spider humanely removed from my ceiling, and more.
I left the hotel thinking "This company hires the right people, and they take pride in the service they provide."
As a manager or hiring specialist, you can't afford to have the wrong people in the job. The Impact Learning Systems HEART ModelTM can serve as a great guide to hiring for customer care jobs.
Look for job candidates to demonstrate the following characteristics:
- Hear and Understand — Does the candidate exhibit good listening skills and empathy during the interview, and does he or she ask helpful questions to understand what is being said?
- Expect the Best — Is the candidate upbeat, positive, and optimistic? Excited about what the job entails?
- Act with Integrity — Look at the candidate's work history. Ask hypothetical situational questions to hear how he or she would act in a particular situation.
- Respect Diversity — Does the candidate seem open-minded and able to get along well with others? Ask how he or she would embrace opportunities to help customers and fellow employees.
- Transcend Yourself — Does the candidate enjoy the continuous pursuit of new goals? Is he or she willing to learn something new-and eager for a challenge?
If you get the right people in the job from the start, your job will be easier, since you know you have a team in place that is customer-focused and cares about providing memorable service.
