7 key steps to build a thriving customer service team

In today’s competitive market, exceptional customer service is more than just a nice-to-have; it’s essential for business success. According to a study by PwC, 73 percent of customers consider customer experience a key factor in their purchasing decisions, yet only 49 percent say companies deliver a good experience. 

A well-structured and highly skilled customer service team can bridge this gap, improving customer satisfaction, fostering loyalty, and driving business growth.

1. Define your team’s goals and structure

Start by identifying the core objectives of your customer service team. Goals could include

• Reducing average response times
• Improving Net Promoter Scores^® (NPS^®)
• Increasing first-contact resolution rates

Your team structure should align with these goals and your business model. For example, an e-commerce business might benefit from a multitiered team where frontline agents handle common queries, while specialists address complex issues.

2. Hire the right people

Building a strong team starts with hiring individuals with the right skills and traits. Key attributes to look for include

• Empathy: The ability to understand and share customer feelings
• Clear Communication: The ability to ensure customers understand solutions without confusion
• Problem-Solving Skills: The ability to quickly identify issues and propose effective solutions

Hiring tips:

• Use scenario-based questions during interviews to assess candidates’ problem-solving abilities.
• Conduct role-specific assessments, like mock customer interactions, to gauge communication and adaptability.

3. Provide comprehensive training

Training is essential for ensuring your team is able to deliver top-notch service. Key training components include

• Company Values and Mission: Ensure that your team members understand the brand’s voice and vision.
• Tools and Technology: Teach your agents how to use customer service platforms, ticketing systems, and communication tools effectively.
• Processes and Protocols: Standardize responses for common queries while empowering your agents to handle unique situations.

Ongoing education is just as important. Encourage your team to stay updated on industry trends, tools, and customer behavior insights, and offer them access to online courses, workshops, and certifications to enhance their skills.

4. Choose the right tools and technology

The right tools can streamline your team’s workflows and improve customer satisfaction. Consider investing in

• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems to manage interactions
• Knowledge Bases for self-service options
• Chatbots for 24-7 support

Jotform’s form-building and reporting tools can make your team even more efficient by allowing you to seamlessly collect feedback, manage service requests, and make data-driven decisions.

5. Empower and motivate your team

Empowerment and motivation are crucial for maintaining high service standards. Empower your team by

• Allowing agents to make decisions on minor service issues without managerial approval
• Providing access to tools and resources for effective problem-solving

Keep motivation high by

• Recognizing and rewarding exceptional performance through bonuses, awards, or public acknowledgments
• Offering career development opportunities such as leadership training or cross-department exposure
• Conducting regular collaboration activities to foster camaraderie

6. Monitor performance and provide feedback

Regularly review your team’s performance metrics, such as response times, resolution rates, and customer satisfaction scores. Use this data to provide constructive feedback, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement. Tools like the  can simplify this process by generating detailed reports on service issues and resolution trends.

7. Foster a customer-centric culture

A thriving customer service team is built on a strong, customer-focused culture. Encourage your team to view every interaction as an opportunity to enhance the customer’s experience. Lead by example and emphasize the importance of customer satisfaction in team meetings, communications, and company policies.

What makes a good customer support team?

A good customer support team is essential for building trust and loyalty with your customers. Beyond solving problems, a great team creates positive experiences that leave lasting impressions. The key to success lies in developing core qualities such as empathy, active listening, problem-solving, and adaptability. These traits help your team members connect with your customers on a personal level, understand their needs, and provide customized solutions that address their individual concerns effectively.

Empathy is especially important in customer interactions. It allows support agents to step into the customer’s shoes, acknowledge their frustrations, and show genuine care. For instance, when a customer reaches out about delayed delivery, an empathetic response like, “I understand how inconvenient this is. Let’s get this resolved for you right away,” can transform a negative situation into a positive one.

Similarly, active listening ensures customers feel heard and understood. By fully focusing on what the customer is saying and asking thoughtful questions, support agents can address concerns more effectively. This approach builds trust and reassures the customer that their issues are being taken seriously.

Finally, adaptability is a must. No two customer interactions are the same, so support agents need to remain flexible and responsive. Whether it’s handling an unexpected challenge or accommodating a unique customer request, adaptability ensures the team can navigate any situation while maintaining a high standard of service.

A strong customer support team does more than resolve issues — it strengthens the bond between customers and the brand, enhancing satisfaction, building loyalty, and turning challenges into opportunities for growth. When a company invests in these foundational traits, it ensures that its customer support team not only meets expectations, but also consistently exceeds them, cementing its reputation for exceptional service.

How Jotform can support your customer service team

Delivering outstanding customer service requires the right tools to streamline processes and enhance efficiency — and that’s where Jotform comes in. With Jotform, you can take your customer service operations to the next level by simplifying how you collect, organize, and act on valuable customer feedback.

Whether you’re registering new clients, collecting service requests, or gathering feedback, Jotform provides over 10,000 customizable forms that adapt to your needs. For example, Jotform’s Net Promoter Score (NPS) survey tool makes it easy to capture customer sentiments, helping you identify areas for improvement and measure satisfaction across all touchpoints.

Want to automate processes? With Jotform, you can set up conditional logic to trigger surveys after specific customer interactions, ensuring timely feedback. Plus, automatic email notifications keep your team informed whenever a service request or complaint is submitted, so no customer concern falls through the cracks.

Empower your team to deliver exceptional service with Jotform’s easy-to-use tools, designed to help you build stronger connections with your customers and create lasting loyalty. Try Jotform today to see how it can revolutionize your customer service management!

Photo by Pavel Danilyuk

Net Promoter^®, NPS^®, NPS Prism^®, and the NPS-related emoticons are registered trademarks of Bain & Company, Inc., NICE Systems, Inc., and Fred Reichheld. Net Promoter Score^SM and Net Promoter System^SM are service marks of Bain & Company, Inc., NICE Systems, Inc., and Fred Reichheld.