Customer Service Lessons from the TSA Story

Customer Service Lessons from the TSA StoryCustomer Service Lessons from the TSA StoryCustomer Service Lessons from the TSA Story MatusonSummertime and the living is easy. That is as long as you dont have to fly anywhereIts been all over the news lengthy delays in airport security lines are creating headaches for summer travelers. While the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has taken swift action, the situation illustrates the perils of seasonal staffing and providing consistent customer service.In fact, when it comes to serving the public, there are no simple answers about how to effectively do so all of the time. Here are some customer service lessons from the TSA story that we can all apply to our businesses.Dont Skimp on HiringOne of the reasons cited for the long security lines is a common issue for many businesses accurately predicting customer behavior. According to Travel Market Report, positive reaction to the TSAs Pre-Check program prompted the agency to reduce its workforce by 10%. Unfortunately, customers didnt follow through as planned.What you can learn New products and services are likely to introduce new staffing challenges. Will customer adoption go as planned? Cutting back on staffing too early in the process can jeopardize your customer service and staffing levels.Just as with airport security, your customers have an expectation regarding service. Disappoint them once and they may stick around. Do this a second time and most likely theyll take their business elsewhere. Its understandable that you dont want people standing around doing nothing when business is slow. However, if you cut the staff levels too deeply, you risk alienating those customers youve worked so hard to acquire.Use your sales data as best you can to understand customer patterns and then staff accordingly.Plan for Seasonal SpikesAccording to a recent NPR article, an improved economy is likely to mean record-breaking levels of summer air travel. That means TSA wo rkers are going to face even more challenging conditions in the months ahead. Employee engagement will be more important than ever. What you can learn If youre staffing a small business, take a look at your revenue streams. Are there particular times of day or year when demand is higher? Is your particular industry expected to landsee record demand this year?If so, be sure your new hires are trained and ready to go the moment you need them. If your workflow is unpredictable, consider hiring contingent workers through a local staffing agency. This will enable you to quickly expand and contract your workforce as business needs dictate.Remember too that, no matter what size your business, there is always work to be done. Hire people who are able to do more than just the job you hired them for. This will allow you to shift your resources to those areas where you need them most.Hire on Traits. Train for Skill.Most would agree that employees who are staffing the TSA security lines are wor king under extreme conditions. It certainly cant be easy trying to manage a system that processes massive numbers of people while maintaining security measures. Thats where exceptional customer service skills are essential.It starts with a simple please or thank you to help cool off an overheated customer. Yet these words are not readily part of everyones vocabulary.What you can learn When hiring employees who will be directly interacting with customers and clients its best to look for people who have a desire to please. These are individuals who take pride in being helpful and who have an aptitude for better customer service.These qualities are more important than their having experience in your particular product area. You can train new hires in your process its harder to train people to care.Figure Out Whats Not WorkingThe TSA is working diligently to address the long security lines that travelers are experiencing. They are also being forthright and letting passengers know that i t wont be an overnight fix.What you can learn Survey your customers to find out what may be of concern to them. Then ask your employees who are closest to these problems for suggestions on how to fix areas that will improve customer satisfaction.Regular communication with your customers will help set expectations when doing business with your company. Companies of all sizes should use social media channels, such as Facebook or Twitter, to keep customers informed and to address a crisis.Check your Employee Departure LoungeThe TSA has struggled to reduce persistent turnover. This is particularly concerning when public safety is at stake.Employee turnover can have a crippling impact on businesses, especially those that rely heavily on experienced people with strong relationship-building skills.Whatever your business, customers feel more secure doing business with companies that have a stable workforce.What you can learn Look around your own organization. How many employees are currentl y in the departure lounge, waiting to take the next flight out of your company? Take measures to ensure they are willing to reconsider their plans to land somewhere else.To counteract turnover, regularly conduct stay interviews with employees (or groups of employees.) That may be one of the best ways to preempt a regular stream of exit interviews.