What are the best ways to prioritize competing demands in a client services role?

See where objectives overlap so you don't need to reinvent the wheel for client solutions, saving yourself time and increasing efficiency when repeated queries arise.

Service Operations are fast-paced, and my daily tasks ranges anything from invoicing to having extended calls with customers, customs and regulators. To ensure activities align it’s critical to break down outcomes and deliverables simply; For me - High Turn – understanding this uniquely puts me in a position to align tasks to the business of time, and will influence my priority towards external communications with Customers, Reconciling cash collections – I acknowledge the imbalance this can place on anyone in the service industry, due to the unpredictability of needs and the work that goes on to close, and then get back to routine tasks like reporting, High response rate – I will go over how to classify “urgency” in the next section.

In navigating competing demands, one of my team's core principles is Client-Centric Prioritization. Within my team, we consistently uphold this principle by prioritizing tasks that directly contribute to swift problem-solving. The goal is to ensure that our actions are closely aligned with client expectations, thereby fortifying the client-service relationship. This approach not only enhances client satisfaction but also fosters a proactive and positive engagement with our clients.

In customer service, acknowledging time as a precious resource is crucial. The aim is to swiftly resolve customer inquiries, letting them resume their lives promptly. This goal-oriented strategy ensures a focused approach, prioritizing tasks based on their impact on client needs. This not only improves customer experience (CX) but also ensures effective prioritization of client issues within resource constraints.

The Eisenhower Matrix, It is important or not? Is it urgent or not? For Service Operations the lines can be blurred when it comes to prioritization, since the definition of urgency is relative. My daily applications backs on Operations through a Customer Service lens that would get priority, 1. Important and Urgent – Customs Payments, Payments Reconciliation, Charges Communication, Dispatching, in that order, 2. Important but not Urgent – Special Client Services Reconciliations, 3. Urgent but not Important – I cannot delegate currently, well, since I am on the receiving end of most delegations but, whatever’s possible, like errands outside Operational areas like the Airport would see me look for some assistance.

Utilizing prioritization frameworks provides a systematic approach to managing tasks and ensures important work focus. The key is to align these frameworks with the organization's vision, mission, and objectives. Here are some examples: Eisenhower Matrix: This helps focus on tasks that align with urgency and importance. MoSCoW Method: This ensures a clear understanding of critical client needs and allows for effective resource allocation. RICE Score: This method helps identify high-impact, low-effort tasks that can be quickly addressed, maximizing overall project impact. Regular reviews, communication, collaboration, and continuous improvement are crucial for optimizing task management.

Client needs converge in specific circumstances, e.g. festive season, a scarce resource, 1st on page in google search or information needed for Boss or Board meetings. In these circumstances, client chaos adds to operational challenges. The default is to keep both clients happy which means that you become tense or sad. And it is difficult to not keep both happy as both provide revenue. So depending on your circumstances you can do one of the following. 1. Accept it. Know it is for a peak time and it shall pass. 2. If you have the resources, anticipate. See if there is a pattern and organise accordingly. 3. If you are big enough or your organisation is big enough then say NO politely but firmly. Be Sequential and not parallel.

Conserving Energy, What I try to remind myself is that my time with companies, as in with FedEx Express is finite, and yes, I do not desire to spend a length of time there, and this knowledge provides for a resource, like a default, of recognizing that it’s not all permanent, So, I run on Sundays, write, which I enjoy doing as I hone out my typing skills, A friend of mine handed me a book, to which I am finding immersion in a dystopian, Orwellian world, (Literally yes, I am on my second round with 1984.)

One thing I have found very useful is to over communicate. Both internally and externally and both in a one to one and broadcast manner. It's very important to let the world at large know about your product or service highlylights and how they can benefit from using them. One of the other things I find useful is to convert the features into advantages and eventually benefits for customers as they only buy the benefits and never features. The trick is to be able to do this FAB journey and put the benefits in a manner which becomes compelling to them. As regards competition its always to focus on your strengths and harp on that instead of negatives of competition as that way you present yourself as a ethical and trust worthy person and brand.