• It is possible to overcome poor customer service traits.Modern Customer Service image by visi.stock from Fotolia.com
  
  At the very least, weak performance from a customer service representative manifests itself in a lackluster but tolerable experience for the customer; however, at its worst, bad customer service can cost you repeat business. Finding ways to correct these negative traits are often better than separating the employee from your company due to the increasing cost of hiring new, untrained staff.
  
  

Disinterest

• Customer service reps that lack motivation may have the skills to succeed, but they have no noticeable drive to do so. An apathetic representative can be contagious in a team setting so it is important to utilize coaching and team building to find out what motivates the employee. Structured, performance-based bonus programs and incentives often serve as motivators for those who cannot motivate themselves.
  
  

Inadequate Training

• Even the most personable customer service representative will perform poorly with insufficient training. If the representative's only major area for improvement is knowledge, conduct coaching sessions to determine if the representative comprehends and retains training materials. Successful customer service organizations provide this material in several different mediums, tailored to each learning style. Such mediums include web-based training, instructor-led sessions, textbook-based instruction and hands-on materials.
  
  

Lack of Empathy

• One of the worst traits a customer service rep can display is being unconcerned with customer issues. Showing concern for an issue is one of the first steps a representative should take with each customer interaction. Concern is a building block that encourages the customer to feel that the representative cares about resolving her issue. In some cases, a representative may not feel comfortable offering concern. Peer-to-peer mentoring is a good way to help a struggling rep develop a strategy for expressing concern on a consistent basis.