Following a convention I lately attended in London, I used to be invited to a dinner hosted by Quiq, a conversational AI and enterprise messaging platform supplier.

In the course of the dinner, a collection of dialog subjects have been launched for dialogue.

A type of was: Does customer support want a rebrand?

It’s a very fascinating query, however sadly, this specific query was launched proper in direction of the top of the dinner, so we didn’t have the possibility to debate it and ruminate on it correctly.

The underlying premise of the query, I imagine, is that the operate of customer support is usually neglected and undervalued. Furthermore, given the significance of the work they do and the quantity of information, perception and experience that exists in lots of customer support groups and programs, this can be a downside.

Now, whereas I agree, with the underlying premise of the query, I don’t assume that customer support wants a rebrand.

Personally, I feel customer support leaders must take accountability for a way their operate and space of the enterprise is seen and valued.

I wrote about this in my 2021 e-book Punk XL, within the observe referred to as: Advocate.

In it I wrote:

Many organisations and their staff take the work that customer support groups do as a right.

This isn’t as a result of they do not care.

I feel it comes about as a result of they do not perceive the size and the character of the work being accomplished.

As such, they default to anticipating issues to work and issues to be solved.

The issue is that this lack of awareness additionally implies that customer support groups and departments usually get neglected, are under-funded and resourced and should not valued or consulted on vital and related points.

The fact, nevertheless, is that contact centres are sometimes the hidden gem in an organisation. They maintain unbelievable quantities of information, perception and expertise that may assist construct a model and ship development and profitability.

However, this is the factor.

Individuals not understanding and valuing the work that customer support groups do will not be their downside.

It’s a downside for the customer support groups themselves and their leaders.

And, in case you are studying this, then it’s seemingly that makes it your downside.

However, understanding and consciousness don’t simply magically occur. They require effort and advocacy.

One buyer chief I do know began to deal with this downside by launching a month-to-month inner publication. It coated every little thing from their satisfaction scores, what number of clients that they had served that month, the massive questions they have been asking, how that they had carried out in serving to them, optimistic quotes from clients, and information of latest tasks they have been engaged on.

And, you recognize what occurred?

A lot of their colleagues, after studying the publication, wrote to them saying issues like…

“Thanks a lot for the work that you just do”

“I did not understand…..”

“I did not know the way a lot work…..”

“Wow….”

Then, month by month as they continued to supply their month-to-month overview….

Individuals began to concentrate.

The visibility and significance of the work they did went up.

Their work gained elevated respect.

Initiatives obtained funded.

The crew obtained consulted on extra points.

The crew felt extra valued.

That is what one chief did.

What are you going to do?

So, that’s what I wrote in Punk XL.

What’s ironic, nevertheless, is that if customer support leaders did begin to advocate extra for his or her groups and the significance of the work they do and, by that, achieved a larger stage of visibility, acknowledgement and respect, then they might have achieved a rebrand.