Handling Stress in Customer Service – Part 2

Yesterday we gave some tips on handling stress for customer service operatives.  Here is part 2 of the top tips, we hope you enjoy it and practise at least one thing.

1. Don’t try to be ‘one of the boys’.  Develop your own style of management and let is evolve as you gain experience.
2. Make decisions about your life and career – have some definite goals – don’t allow yourself to just be buffeted whichever way the wind blows.
3. Build flexibility into your schedule.  Allow time for the unexpected.
   
4. Make appointments with yourself – time to take a long, hot bubble bath, to listen to your favourite music, to sit in the garden, to do something you really enjoy doing and keep them.
5. Get to know yourself – keep lists of things that you find stressful and things that you find relaxing.
6. Spend time with your friends.
7. Practise relaxing breathing.
8. Don’t be afraid to go for expert help when things are getting on top of you.
9. Practise positive thinking:  ask yourself:•  What am I frightened of?
   •  What is the worst thing that could happen and how would I cope?
   •  What is fear of the future doing to my present?
10. Treat yourself to massage, aromatherapy, acupuncture, reflexology
11. Buy yourself gifts:  favourite shower gel, perfume, book.
12. Rehearse difficult situations in your mind – be prepared.
13. Refuse to be the miracle person.  Let people know when things get too much – but don’t let them take over your problems for you, just accept help and advice.
14. Allow yourself to be free to develop both male and female managing techniques:  high in caring and high in competition.
15. Deliberately disclose aspects of yourself which defy stereotyping at work.  Let people get to know you as a person, not as a ‘manager’.  Be yourself and let people get used to you.
16. Decide whether others’ reactions, behaviour etc are your problems or theirs and if theirs – let them go.
17. Look out for yourself – don’t be prey to parasites and vultures.
18. Come to terms with your own strengths and weaknesses.
19. Maximise your personal strengths and assets and support/helping mechanisms.
20. Develop support networks – both inside and outside the home.
21. Work out personal behaviour strategies with your life partner.
22. Withdraw from problems for a while – then come back to them – it helps to see them in a different way.
23. Put things in perspective.
24. Develop time for reflection.
25. Get to the root of your stress related behaviour eg need to feel important/be liked and challenged/question those needs.
26. When confronted by a task ask yourself:•  Will this matter in five years time?
    •  Must I do this immediately?
    •  Must it be perfect?
27. Don’t make unnecessary appointments and unachievable deadlines.
28. Power nap.
29. Take stress-free breathers or lunch breaks.

We hope you have found these tips to be helpful in some way.  Use one or two of them and you will notice an immediate benefit, combine 10 or more and you will start to destress.

Remember for all of your stress management or customer service training needs you can get in touch with GA at any time on 0845 130 5714 and we will be happy to help.