It seems that when there is a possible problem or issue within a department, our human nature would like to sweep it under the carpet or ignore it, hoping the problem goes away. However, one department that can't afford to implode is the customer service department. They are the employees who touch your customers and promote your integrity as a business. So what happens if you suspect there is a problem?

Let's say for example that you are manager of a sales team. You get that unsettling feeling that customer service issues are increasingly occurring and when one mistake is corrected, another occurs. It's become obvious that placing a bandaid on the problem is not fixing it. You've followed the correct channels by speaking to the manager of the customer service department, but your message doesn't seem to be getting any response. Is this the calm before the storm?

Let's think about this issue rationally. Set any frustration or anger aside for a moment and analyze a few ideas. Are problems really increasing or does it only feel like they are increasing? For example: if sales are up 20% then although there may be more problems, the percentage of problems may not be any greater than previously. If you had 50 sales before and 10% problems and now you have 100 sales and still only 10% problems you will be having more problems, but not more as a percentage.

Begin documenting for the next 30 days or so. Categorize the problems you are having by either the department as a whole, or individually. Are the mistakes recurring or are they new ones each time? By taking detailed notes and documenting the issues, management is able to more effectively pinpoint the exact issue and build a permanent fix for the problem. Perhaps a simple clarification of procedures will fix the issue. Written data is a powerful tool to examine when evaluating the problem.

Discuss the issue with your colleagues. Are they experiencing any problems? If so, what are those issues? Ask them to document for the next 30 days any problems they experience to see if there is a commonality in issues. Take the lead on compiling data while keeping your colleagues in the loop. This is not the time for the ?us against them? mentality. Perhaps your peers aren't experiencing the same problems as you are. Could it be your own frustration level that is skewing your judgment? The fact that you have documented data for a good period of time will help you determine this fact.

Find out from the manager of customer service what the acceptable or tolerated percentage rate for errors is. If your data suggests they are within these limits, you will need to realign your customer's expectations as well as your own. Discuss the findings of the data with the customer service manager. They will appreciate the fact that you took the time and effort to discover any issues within the department.

Final Thought: Having data to review and analyze can only help in determining the true source of any issue. Fully exploring and analyzing all aspects of problems you're experiencing will give you the perspective and the knowledge to handle the situation appropriately.