With The Economy Stalled - What Can Service Managers Expect in 2009?

As the country plunges deeper into recession, customer service managers are finding that they are not immune to the impacts. As part of the "Customer Service Newsletter" annual trends report, editor Bill Keenan spoke with industry experts who identified the many issues service managers are facing as a result of the struggling economy, among them:

Service managers will have to do more with less in the new year, both in terms of smaller staffs and reduced investment in service technology.

Managers and their staffs will need to spend more time evaluating their processes and looking for opportunities to streamline and become ever more efficient.

The manager's role as leader and motivator will become increasingly important. Managers will be called upon to communicate openly and frequently with the frontline and to keep staff focused, motivated and productive.

On a more positive note, as companies compete for a dwindling number of customers, the role of the service department in retaining existing customers will become ever more critical and valued within the organization.

More information on the service and support industry can be found at www.SupportIndustry.com