Trustworthiness – Essential to drive Customer Service

Successful service companies pride themselves having trustworthy customer service personnel.

To be competitive, they need to provide quality service and customer satisfaction —- and it all starts with CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAMS.

Quality of service and customer satisfaction are critical factors for success of any business (Gronoos, 1990; Parasuraman et al., 1988). Enterprises exist because they have a customer to serve (As Valdani (2009).

So as Recruiter in a service industry, what traits am I looking at in prospective employee?

Obviously skills like communication, knowledge of industry, pronunciation and attitude like sensitivity, reliability and so on.  However, even more I ask whether their team members would consider her or him trustworthy, would I consider her or him trustworthy?

Let me explain more on TRUST.  Studies have been done and it is seen that what drives success is RELATIONSHIP. For example, a guest(s) build a relationship with a hotel being happy with service provided by customer service teams. He/they would not only come back but also give word of mouth advertising to friends and relatives.  

How did this relationship develop — it was when the guest(s) developed TRUST on services offered. Same would also be true of other service-oriented business.

AND how does a service personnel generate Trust.  One is ABILITY and second is AUTHENTICITY.

Ability

Ability is one’s core competency specific to the domain knowledge. If you go for a swimming lesson, you trust your instructor with your life. But trust the same instructor for repairing your electric fittings! Ability is intelligence, knowledge, skills, effectiveness, efficiency, ability of cognition, comprehension, etc.

Authenticity

Authenticity on the other hand is abstract and is what people think of a service person. People develop understanding and perception about a service person over a time. People take time to declare someone as authentic. 

Authenticity is how the service personnel practice integrity, trust, loyalty, humility, generosity, kindness, compassion and mindfulness, — the list could be a little longer but you get the point. It is the small small things that matter. Noticing what a person likes, helping others when they stumble, being fair in their dealings, are some factors that develop trust in guest and one is labelled in their minds as authentic.

“Trust is like a lotus flower with a thousand petals bloomed in a relationship emitting the faint fragrance of respect, admiration and comradeship. When people watch how laboriously you practice ethics, morals and values, it gives them a fair idea of your beliefs and they begin to consider you a trustworthy person.”

from a blog by Shelley A. Kirkpatick and Edwin A. Locke

Trustworthy people are consistent in their behavior. Their behavior remains same whether at home, work or other places. They are reliable, responsible, accountable, and resourceful.   This consistency in their response develops trust.

Being Trustworthy

Why is trust an important quality?

When your team trusts you as a member or as a leader, as the case may be, it increases commitment to team goals. Team member communication with each other’s improves and ideas flow more freely, increasing creativity and productivity.

Trust is valuable. It affects everything. Being trusted by others is one of the things you must have to go far in life, and to achieve your greatest success.

Do you practice authenticity in dealings, are consistent in your behavior, stand up for what is right (integrity), kind and look out for others in need, are ever eager to learn and grow, are connected to other people who would help you in performance of your duties, have a humble nature and available for others?  You are a trustworthy service person to be proud of by your organization.

Further reads:

• Gronroos, C. (1990) Service Management and Marketing: Managing the Moments of Truth in Service Competition. Lexington Books, Lexington.
• Valdani E. Cliente & Service Management, Egea, Milan, 2009.
• Shelley A. Kirkpatick and Edwin A. Locke https://journals.aom.org/doi/abs/10.5465/ame.1991.4274679