Press Release

More Demanding Customers and Reduced Customer Service Staff: Recipe for Disaster in 2010

Customer expectations continue to rise while many customer service departments, help desks and call centers are operating with reduced staffs. The convergence of these two trends is taking a toll on employee morale and motivation.

(Boonton, NJ, Jan 8, 2010) — Customer expectations continue to rise while many customer service departments, help desks and call centers are operating with reduced staffs. To get some perspective on this and other issues affecting customer service in the New Year, the editors of Customer Service Newsletter spoke to a number of service experts to get their insights. Peggy Morrow, a customer service and customer loyalty consultant and author, suggests that, given the lingering effects of the recession, "The challenge for customer service departments and call centers is going to be maintaining the current level of customer service, and even improving it with fewer resources, reduced budgets, and fewer people to do the work."

Because of those challenges, "The greatest issue customer service managers face will be keeping their workforce motivated," Morrow says. And she adds: "I personally have seen many more burned out customer service representatives lately. They are feeling pressured as a result of trying to do more with a reduced headcount, working longer hours, and dealing with the escalating expectations about the level of service they need to deliver."

Ironically, Morrow tells Customer Service Newsletter, customer expectations are continuing to rise, even though we have been in a recession. "Customers are becoming even crankier and more demanding when they spend their treasured dollars, and they feel that receiving value for that money is critical. The service they receive is part of their perception of the value they have received."

Interested readers may visit the Customer Service Group website to read the full report at http://www.CustomerServiceGroup.com/csntrends.php.

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About the Customer Service Group

For more than 20 years, the Customer Service Group has helped customer service, call center and help desk managers increase productivity, improve service quality and boost customer satisfaction, loyalty and retention. The Customer Service Group publishes Customer Service Newsletter and The Customer Communicator.

Website: http://www.CustomerServiceGroup.com