Five Signs that Your Customer Service Team Needs a Break

Customer service can be a demanding job. Your team may do just fine for ages, until they start to show signs of needing a serious break. Burnout is a real risk that many customer service teams face, but how can you tell if your team is headed for trouble?

Here are five signs that your customer service team could use a break.

Customer complaints about your staff

This is the worst-case scenario when it comes to customer service. Complaints from customers are inevitable, but this should be an “once in a while” situation. If you are experiencing customer service complaints on a more frequent basis across the board, it can be an indication of staff burn out. Take complaints about service as an opportunity to talk with your team and find out more about how they are feeling and what roadblocks or issues they are experiencing.

Excessive absences

If your customer service team members are calling in sick more often, they could just need some downtime. Stress and overwork can lead to sickness, especially during the cold and flu season, so make sure your employees are taking enough time off to recover from stressful weeks on the job.

Mistakes

If members of your team find themselves suddenly making loads of minor–or major–mistakes, they could be suffering from stress. A short break can help alleviate stress so your employees can focus on providing great customer service again, so make sure your employees aren’t too stressed to give great service.

Morale is low

If your customer service team starts complaining about their work more than usual, look at the workload. Are they trying to handle more calls and customer service inquiries than usual? Falling behind due to a heavier workload can be demoralizing. Consider bringing in extra help during busy, stressful periods, or use a call centre to catch any overflow calls so your team can get back on an even keel.

Your team can’t keep up with call volume

If it seems like your customer service team is struggling to keep up with the volume of customer service inquiries, you might need more than extended hours. Consider bringing in extra staff, using the services of a call centre, or expanding your customer service team permanently so that no one becomes overwhelmed. Don’t be tempted to eliminate or reduce breaks during busy periods–you’ll only burn out your staff faster, which will result in poor customer service.

If you think a call centre might be a good fit for your customer service program, call Answer 365 today for more information.