Escalating a Request, Problem or inquiry

Escalating a Request, Problem or Inquiry

There will be occasions where your coach or supervisor has to be drawn into the customer interaction because you are unable, or do not have the authority, to resolve the issue at hand. For example:

  • The customer requires something that is outside of company policy, such as a level of discount or a special delivery arrangement.
  • The customer refuses to accept your solution for the recovery of a service breakdown, and insists on talking to the manager in charge.

 

On these, hopefully infrequent, occasions, the call should escalate up the line for resolution. The procedure for these ‘last resort’ escalations may be something like this:

  • Let the customer know that you are going to transfer the call to a superior. Provide the customer with the name and extension number of the superior ‘ I’m about to transfer you to Jim Smith, who is my manager. His extension number is 2774’. If the call is lost, the customer can reconnect. Another option is to have a three-way conference call so that you aren’t left out of the loop.
  • In the historical note log for this customer, record the background to the escalation, as well as details of the person that you referred the call to, who will then be responsible for further note log entries.
  • Initiate a debriefing with your coach or supervisor in order to establish if there are lessons that can be learned from the situation.

 

Empowerment 

The following empowerment model, developed by Centre-ing Services, a South African organisation that specialises in improving customer service delivery, suggests that:

  • managers should learn to overcome their ‘internal constraints’, relinquish over-control and ‘let go’;
  • employees should be encouraged to overcome their ‘internal constraints’, be equipped, and learn to take responsibility; and
  • the organisation should address prior conditioning and blockages that prevent effective empowerment

 

Implications for the boss

Those in authority need to let go. They need to let an employee tackle something that they may not do as well as the employee. There is risk attached, but holding on doesn’t earn the respect of your employees or give them a chance to learn and grow. Instead, it undermines, diminishes and de-motivates them, and gives you ulcers.

 

As a leader and manager, you need to let go of over-control and learn to trust, respect, teach, support and coach. You need to learn to let others take the credit. Research shows that organisations with an empowerment culture achieve greater employee satisfaction, better productivity, increased levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty.

 

Implications for the employee

Some employees who’ve lived in traditional hierarchies for years are in a comfort zone that they don’t want to leave. Not all employees welcome empowerment. Others need to be taught that it’s about assuming responsibility, ownership and commitment, as well as demanding rights. Generally, most employees are far more ready, willing and capable than managers realise. Of course, some might have to be nurtured quite carefully.

 

All of us carry baggage. But our confidence and our ability to learn is suppressed or stimulated by negative feedback or encouragement and praise. The same thing applies to our workplace experiences and conditioning.  Do you blame others when things go wrong, or do you blame yourself, or are you balanced? It’s a letting go before taking responsibility, an un-learning before re-learning.