HR departments have been forced to focus in recent years on downsizing or rightsizing the workforce, often resulting in the creation of un-balanced teams. More importantly, the change and development of technology has meant that the skill sets of many of the teams are inadequately aligned to the needs of very demanding customers, and businesses trying to reduce costs while improving levels of performance.
Attention is now required on rebuilding the business (people, processes and technology combined), transforming the operation to facilitate the introduction of low-cost service delivery models, reduce costs and improve service levels. The type and skills of staff now required are subtly different from previous recruitment criteria, requiring to be IT and software literate as well as display electromechanical skills to deal with high tech devices. On top of these technical skills is the need for a higher level of empathy towards the customer, to help solve their problems.
Organisations have been forced to focus in recent years on downsizing or rightsizing the workforce, often resulting in the creation of un-balanced teams. More importantly, the change and development of technology has meant that the skill sets of many of the teams are inadequately aligned to the needs of very demanding customers, and businesses trying to reduce costs while improving levels of performance.
Attention is now required on rebuilding the business (people, processes and technology combined), transforming the operation to facilitate the introduction of low-cost service delivery models, reduce costs and improve service levels. The type and skills of staff now required are subtly different from previous recruitment criteria, requiring to be IT and software literate as well as display electromechanical skills to deal with high tech devices. On top of these technical skills is the need for a higher level of empathy towards the customer, to help solve their problems.
Historically, this type of person would have developed through a form of apprenticeship, but over the last few years such schemes were abandoned or denigrated as an inferior form of training (erroneously in hind-sight). In addition, poaching staff from other organisations has become more difficult, as the economy has not encouraged movement from relatively safe positions, despite significant salary inducements. The service industry has not always been regarded as a career of first choice; progression seemed directly associated with time served in the field and career planning was non-existent .
As a result of the combination of high costs associated with bringing on new staff and the cost of losing good staff, companies are focusing on training and developing existing talent to provide the growing and changing expertise now demanded of top flight service personnel.
The need for high quality service professionals has become paramount in order to operate the low cost service models and deliver to the growing customer demands which have changed dramatically over the last few years. Defining the new skills criteria for staff is key to the successful transformation of a business, and a pre-requisite to providing a cost-effective, customer satisfying service delivery mechanism which companies have come to recognise as essential, and underlines the need for a strong service organisation that is well-managed and efficiently operated through excellent staff.
Take a look at the Service Leadership Course; a concise and integrated guide to successful service transformation. It will draw on the insights and recommendations of service business executives, with specific focus on strategy and management challenges arising in service transformation.
