Customer Service: Train Employees to Focus on Customers

4. Promote effective communication. “When employees can’t communicate clearly, problems are bound to happen. Customer requirements are lost; messages are muddled; information is misinterpreted; and people inevitably get angry,” notes the author. Listening skills should be taught so customer service reps (CSRs) understand customers’ needs. Stress proper use of the English language, and provide your CSRs with clear guidelines for what language to avoid, such as slang, profanity and off-color humor, he writes.