Customer service departments face unique challenges, and learning about DiSC® personality types can help alleviate some of those issues. Whether customer service representatives interact with people in-person or via telephone, Internet or some other medium, there’s always a balance that must be found. Team members walk a line. They strive to meet the customer’s needs while upholding company policy. They also work within the parameters of what’s actually possible in fixing the problem. Customer service is a facet of business that touches all other areas of the organization.

Does your customer service team experience the following?

• Burnout
• Stress
• Difficulty in assessing caller/visitor query for help
• Isolation or loneliness
• Feelings of being overwhelmed
• High turnover
• Customer churn

It’s a stressful job, to begin with, and customer service reps may lean on each other ways that other employees don’t; these folks are “in the trenches” together. It’s fast-paced, high-stakes, and requires a mental acuity that can leave reps feeling physically and emotionally drained at the end of a shift.

The DiSC® Personality Styles Solution

DiSC® personality training provides customer service reps with a strong and reliable foundation for improved communication and problem-solving. Figuring out what makes people “tick” and how best to communicate according to the customer’s personality type alleviates many of the most pressing workplace issues. Representatives have only seconds to size up a customer and mentally adjust tone, body language, and vocabulary in order to successfully engage with him or her. They really only get one chance to get it right and make it right. Awareness of DiSC® and the common communication characteristics that present with the four primary personality types can give customer service representatives an edge:

• Preparation improves adaptability
• Minimize stressful interactions
• Greater engagement with other CSRs can lead to greater productivity and efficiency

Members of the customer service team juggle multiple priorities with customers who may be experiencing a wide range of intense emotions. Effective listening, verbal and nonverbal communication skills and writing skills are key to resolving conflict or knowing when to escalate an issue to someone who can resolve the matter. A strong team can make a big difference in supporting the overall goals of a company and minimizing customer churn.

Introducing all team members to the same DiSC® concept and accompanying vocabulary gives each team member the tools he or she needs to speak up. It elevates conversations about conflict from break room gossip to productive change agents.

How DiSC® Makes a Difference

Magnovo’s customized workshops are developed for all kinds of customer service, from call centers to service desks. Half- and full-day sessions can be completed on- or off-site. Workshops typically open with each representative taking a brief DiSC® self-assessment. An adaptive quiz helps zero in on the test taker’s personality type. The four main types and high-level overviews of each are:

• Dominant: task-driven, big picture-oriented
• Influence: relationship-driven, social
• Steadiness: relationship-driven, prefers to work alone
• Conscientiousness: task-driven, detail-oriented

Clients have trusted these tests for years. Decades of research and testing backup the validity and reliability of results. High-energy games, activities, and challenges help attendees stay engaged as they learn about DiSC®. They learn to identify personality characteristics in themselves as well as others. They see how each personality type contributes to the group dynamic, improving workplace communication and support.

Activities help participants gain insight into the typical motivations, concerns, and communication styles of personality types. This knowledge allows customer service reps to be more adept in communication and problem-solving. The are better able to recognize how all members of a team contribute to the overall performance of the group and see the value in every personality type.

Magnovo’s Added Support

Our professional facilitators work with customer service teams across industries. Years of experience means we can deliver the kind of workshop that’s attentive to the specific needs of the group. We guide participants through hands-on practice and skill-building. It’s important that participants repeat and retain new communication and problem-solving skills and techniques. Facilitators welcome participants’ questions and are happy to lend insight about DiSC® personality styles as they relate to improving customer service work.