Transitioning from Customer Support Representative to Customer Advocate/First Choice Advisor Part I

Those of us who are Microsoft Dynamics GP support professionals know all too well the pressure to take as many calls as possible and quickly resolve customer issues.  In a perfect world, we strive to provide our customers with a timely resolution while offering the highest quality service.  The reality is a daily struggle with increasing expectations and shrinking budgets.  If you’re looking for a way to balance excellent service and with efficiency and provide your customers with the ultimate experience, here’s how:

1. Change your mindset about your role within the organization. Your role is more than just a representative of the business; your role is that of a support professional who represents the Customer to the business.  Your new role is that of Customer Advocate. Take on your customers’ issues and make them your own.  Use every bit of knowledge and all tools you have to bring the customer to a resolution.  This is a change of focus and attitude and should be embraced by you and others in the organization.  When you become an advocate for your customer, you are bridging the gap between representative to your business and First Choice Advisor to your customer.
2. Be proactive. Once an issue is assigned, maintain contact with the customer as often as possible and appropriate.  Follow up and request status reports with all internal resources involved with the issue resolution to ensure the issue is being worked on.
3. Set goals that are customer-focused: Get customers what they need; champion the effort by pulling together the required resources, documenting relevant information about the case for future use and providing accurate information relevant to the customer’s issue.
4. Be the “Voice of the Customer”. Envision yourself as the bridge between the customer and what they need; a professional whose central purpose is to serve the customer; an advocate that will speak to them and for them; a trusted advisor who understands their business and their needs.

RSM offers access to Certified Microsoft Professionals, help desk and phone support, knowledge and experience with third-party products and dedicated account management.  To learn more about who we are, go to  http://rsmus.com/who-we-are.html or contact our professionals at erp@rsmus.com or by phone at 855.437.7202.

by Nancy Hogan for RSM

Nancy Hogan