News: Customer Service/Care
Customer service training 'has a significant effect'
17 April 2009
A leading financial services provider has described the effect of customer service training on its firm as significant, a source reveals.
Wendy Ferguson, client services director at Scottish Widows, tells the Guardian that customer satisfaction has increased to almost 70 per cent following the courses.
She says that internal employee satisfaction has also risen by nearly a third, with 90 per cent of teams now completing their work within 24 hours.
Meanwhile, strategic director at the Institute of Customer Service Kim Leitch tells the newspaper that funding consumer care is an essential decision for businesses.
She states: "Investing in people development is an essential part of customer service strategy."
Highlighting courses which involve behavioural training, she says strong skills development initiatives can leave staff with the skills to tackle each consumer's needs.
Barbara Follett, minister for culture, creative industries and tourism, recently claimed that the tourism sector is overlooking the crucial role of customer service skills.
