Why did BERNINA of America recently increase from 10 to 75 licenses? Keep reading to learn more.
Customer Service
Evolution
BERNINA is a family-owned manufacturer and distributor of premium sewing machines. Based in Switzerland, the company also has a corporate office in Aurora, Illinois.
Linda Eiermann, the company’s director of customer service, has been with Bernina for over 30 years. Her close-knit team of six fellow customer service professionals have a combined 99 years of experience, and have seen it evolve over decades. In the past year as a new ServiceSkills client, Eiermann’s team has found great value in the training, even with their many years on the job
“That’s the beauty of it. We have worked in customer service for many, many years, and we’re still finding fresh ideas and skills,” she says. “The videos are engaging and practical. It doesn’t feel like death by PowerPoint.”
Evolving With the Market
Eiermann found ServiceSkills via a simple Google search, looking for customer service platforms to train employees. Specifically, Eiermann was looking for an agile eLearning platform that could be easily customized, with a focus on internal customer service and updated best practices.
“That’s why we were so attracted to ‘your’ portfolio of services,” she says.
“The content library has been so helpful for us. We have learned new approaches, communication and problem-solving skills, and useful reminders on the simple building blocks of good customer service, like courtesy and respect. Everyone can use a refresher on the basics. It checks all the boxes our team needs to be successful.”
Eiermann and her employees have taken the modules a step further in their team meetings, where they recap principles learned and share how they can be applied in their day-to-day workflow. Videos often include simulated versions of customer service calls handled correctly and incorrectly for maximum impact. “There’s something really powerful about that. Watching it happen, the lesson really stays with you,” says Eiermann.
Evolving
With the Market Continued.
The ServiceSkills internal customer service catalog has been particularly useful, with updated modules on how to facilitate relationships between diverse teams of employees from different backgrounds and generations. “It helps to have a better understanding of how to work and engage with people who are different from each other,” she says.
This series of modules, which outline different office personality types and how to handle each, have been her team’s favorite. Eiermann notes the value of having a unified strategy, with improved cross-cultural competency and greater synergy between employees. Those resources have influenced problem-solving and communication strategy in the department.
“The modules suggested interview questions that were more in-depth than what you’d typically ask. Which led to responses that were really telling, and helped gauge whether the person was really qualified to handle the job or not.”
By updating her interview process, Eiermann recently acquired a successful hire who has enriched the team and contributed to greater organizational success.
The Impact of Solid
Internal Customer Service
New synergy between Eiermann’s employees has resulted in improved interactions with customers and dealers. And though she still assigns modules, her team members have developed a greater stake in the curriculum by selecting topics themselves, culminating in a presentation to the rest of the group.
“The email etiquette modules and Telephone Doctor have been particularly popular, with straightforward strategies to improve customer relationships and strengthen bonds between employees. The software has become contagious. With a recent increase to 75 licenses, Bernina now uses ServiceSkills in their accounting department, technical department, and warehouse team.
Eiermann likens it to running a relay race: “You’re only as good as your entire team, with varying skill levels. How can you build everyone up so the team functions effectively? ServiceSkills has helped us tremendously with that.”