Introduction: High Stakes for Service Teams

Unique challenges, massive opportunity

INTRODUCTION

The cost of bad customer service

Poor customer service isn’t just frustrating—it’s expensive. According to ZenDesk’s Trends Report 73% of consumers will switch to a competitor after multiple bad experiences. That same study finds that half of customer service agents say that their organization’s approach to service can directly lead to negative customer experiences.

That doesn’t mean it’s easy to deliver stellar and consistent service at scale. Teams face multiple hurdles, including last-minute updates, ever-rising customer expectations, and high industry turnover.

Agents need high-quality customer service training to thrive on the front lines. And while most businesses today use online learning in some capacity to train their customer service teams, delivering truly valuable customer experiences requires a thoughtful, comprehensive approach.

In this e-book, you’ll discover how to train agents to be agile, knowledgeable, and ready for anything—building customers’ loyalty and keeping them coming back for more.

What is your biggest customer service training challenge?

^{(Select an answer to view poll results)}

Onboard agents quickly
Equip agents with soft skills
Provide time-sensitive updates
Increase training participation
Improve knowledge retention

Customer service is under pressure

Today's customer service (CX) teams face unique challenges—but also enormous potential.

61%

of CX leaders report a growth in total calls, and most expect that trend to continue (McKinsey)

80%

of organizations expect to compete with each other on customer experience (Gartner)

25%

median attrition rate among CX reps (Gartner)

79%

of CX leaders plan to invest in more AI capabilities in the next two years (Deloitte Digital)

$14,113

is the average cost of turning over a single CX rep (Gartner)

86%

of CX leaders believe that the field will be completely transformed over the next three years (Zendesk)

The lifecycle of agent training

Customer service agents need training throughout their tenure with a company, whether they're a new hire or seasoned professional.

Read on to explore the three main categories of customer service training.

#1 Onboarding

The faster your agents are trained to do their jobs well, the faster they can start adding value for the business.

#2 One-off updates

Companies need fast, easy ways to provide time-sensitive industry or company updates—and agents need engaging ways to absorb that information.

#3 Continuous learning

Ongoing training opportunities, including soft skills and advanced job training courses, are crucial for providing excellent customer experiences as the business scales and evolves.

The online learning edge

The right tools and strategies can help keep your team informed, efficient, and effective. Powerful training can boost key metrics like customer satisfaction, agent productivity, and resolution times.

In the following chapters, we'll explore three key areas where strategic e-learning can maximize the potential of your customer service team.

1. Accelerate agility and efficiency

Learn how to teach agents to solve customer issues quickly.

2. Create flexible, engaging training

Customers directly benefit when training fits seamlessly into agents' lives.

3. Prepare agents for unpredictability

Train your agents to expect the unexpected to set them up for success.