Get people back in the office to drive better customer service  

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The world of the workplace has been flipped upside down. Coincidentally, so too has the world of customer service. Is there a connection between the nationwide spike in poor customer service and a stratospheric shift to working from home? 

 I wonder if… 

• an increase in working from home, virtual platforms and digital technology 
• cocktails over Zoom replacing important face-to-face gatherings 

• casual dress at home rather than professional attire in the office, and 
• meeting people and reading the chat box rather than reading the room   

… are starting to impact the way we serve others?  

Could it be that the way we dress, the way we meet, the way we relate and how we show up at work when dialing in remotely is dumbing down our ability to read social cues and diluting the impact of behavioral cues? 

Is it possible? I definitely believe it is – and here’s why: 

We unconsciously mimic other people’s mannerisms. It’s a phenomenon that researchers call ‘the chameleon effect’. When we’re in social settings, we imitate each other; and by simply witnessing someone doing something, you become more likely to do it. 

Simply speaking: if you want to build capability in customer service, get people back in the office more often and reset the behaviours you want people to learn and mimic.