SkillSurvey Reveals Key Areas of Improvement for Customer Service and Sales Representatives – Just in Time for the Holidays
Berwyn, PA (PRWEB) December 06, 2016 -- Today, SkillSurvey, the provider of cloud-based reference checking and credentialing solutions that deliver faster, more reliable insights, released research identifying work behaviors that were rated lower than average for customer service and sales candidates based on direct feedback from thousands of job references. These findings can help retailers improve their hiring, have more successful on-boarding programs, and immediately serve customers more effectively this holiday season – and beyond.
“These key behaviors with lower than average ratings were the same whether the customer service and sales candidate was applying for a position in a store, on the phone, or online,” said Ray Bixler, President and CEO of SkillSurvey. “The findings indicate that retailers can lose money when they don’t take the time to identify and hire candidates with skills such as the ability to gather the right information from customers and tailor their recommendations accordingly. Quality hires are critical during the holiday season because they positively impact customer interactions and therefore the bottom-line of the business.”
Analyzing a sample of more than 19,000 references who provided feedback on one of approximately 4,000 recent job candidates, SkillSurvey found references rated the following job-specific behaviors lower than average for those applying for positions in customer service and sales.
Below Average Job-Specific Behaviors for Customer Service and Sales Candidates:
1) Maintain up-to-date knowledge of company products and services
2) Gather information from customers and relevant sources to effectively answer questions
3) Communicate information clearly so that customers can understand
4) Tailor recommendations of products and services to the customer
5) Encourage customers to buy new products or services by presenting relevant options
“Great service goes above and beyond to exceed customer expectations – and that often involves finding ways to understand their needs. Retailers can deliver a better customer experience by using job reference feedback to identify individuals who have demonstrated strengths in these key areas, or to pinpoint areas where development is needed,” continued Bixler. “Past work performance is the best indicator of future work performance. Strategically using references to obtain this insight can help set companies apart and boost their bottom line.”
About SkillSurvey®
SkillSurvey is the leader in online reference checking and credentialing, providing immediately useful insights to help employers make better hiring decisions. SkillSurvey speeds hiring for commercial, higher education, healthcare, and staffing and recruiting organizations. Its cloud-based referencing and credentialing solutions answer vital questions that help organizations hire the right people for every role.
Pre-Hire 360® provides insight into past job performance and is proven to predict future turnover, hiring manager satisfaction, and performance ratings. An unmatched library of scientifically-designed surveys produces job-specific data employers can trust. SkillSurvey SourceTM, an extension of Pre-Hire 360, helps recruiters source, engage and manage a more robust passive candidate pipeline through references and referrals. SkillSurvey Credential OnDemandTM provides healthcare organizations with streamlined digital credentialing that simplifies and enhances the credentialing experience for all participants. SkillSurvey makes the referencing and credentialing process more efficient and effective — helping employers save time and money, grow revenues, and bring employees onboard faster.
Visit SkillSurvey at http://www.skillsurvey.com, and on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
SkillSurvey®, and Pre-Hire 360® and SkillSurvey Credential OnDemandTM are registered trademarks of SkillSurvey Inc. or its affiliates and are registered in the U.S. and other countries.
SkillSurvey’s Pre-Hire 360® is a patented solution. For more information, see ww.skillsurvey.com/patents.
© 2016 SkillSurvey Inc. and its affiliates.
Media Contact:
Stephanie Sabath
Sloane & Company
(212) 446-1873
ssabath(at)sloanepr(dot)com
Stephanie Sabath, Sloane & Company, +1 (212) 446 1873, [email protected]
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