Field service technicians are the lifeblood of many companies. They are the people who visit customers on a daily basis, assist them with products and services and represent your company to the customer. Because of this, it is essential that you build a high-performance team that will ensure the best possible outcome for your customers and great results for you. In this blog post, we will discuss 5 traits of a high-performance field service team!
People skills are critical in the field service industry. Effective team players tend to share certain qualities:
- Dependable and trustworthy
- Highly trained
- Goal-oriented
- Creative
- Positive role models to the rest of the company
- Top performers
How well do your employees measure up on these essential qualities? Follow these steps to have an “A” team that outperforms and creates customer loyalty by improving and achieving superior field service.
#1 Hire for the right traits
Hiring the right people is the most important factor in building a high-performance field service team. When you’re looking for new field service technicians, be sure to keep an eye out for these qualities:
- People skills: As we mentioned before, people skills are critical in the field service industry.
- Service-oriented: Look for applicants who are customer service-oriented and have a positive, can-do attitude.
- Technical skills: Of course, you’ll want to make sure your applicants have the necessary technical skills for the job.
- Communication skills: Excellent communication skills are a must-have for field service technicians. They need to be able to communicate effectively with customers, as well as with other members of the team.
#2 Create a culture of collaboration
Once you have the right people on your team, it’s important to create a culture of collaboration. Encourage your team members to work together and support one another. This will help them build trust and respect for one another, which are essential for a high-performing team.
There are a few things you can do to foster a culture of collaboration:
- Encourage open communication: Encourage your team members to communicate openly with one another. This will help them identify and solve problems more quickly.
- Create opportunities for team building: Plan regular team-building activities so that your team members can get to know and trust one another.
- Recognize and reward teamwork: Be sure to recognize and reward teamwork when you see it. This will encourage your team members to continue working together towards common goals.
#3 Encourage radical candor
Radical candor is a term coined by Kim Scott, author of the book “Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity.” It refers to the practice of being both candid and caring with your employees.
Being candid means giving honest feedback—even when it’s tough to hear. It’s important to be honest with your team members so that they can learn and improve. However, you also need to be careful not to hurt their feelings or damage their confidence.
Being caring means showing genuine concern for your employees’ well-being. This includes things like offering support when they’re going through a tough time or celebrating their successes.
Encouraging radical candor on your team will help create an environment of trust and respect. It will also encourage your team members to be open and honest with one another, which is essential for a high-performing team.
#4 Set high but realistic goals
Setting high goals for your team is important, but be sure to make them realistic. If you set too high goals, your team members will become frustrated and discouraged. But if you set too low goals, they may become complacent and stop trying to improve.
Be sure to involve your team in goal setting. This will help them buy-in to the goals and feel ownership over them. And be sure to communicate the goals regularly so that everyone is on the same page.
Finally, don’t forget to celebrate when your team reaches its goals. This will help keep them motivated and excited to achieve even more in the future.
#5 Incentivize your team
Incentives are a great way to motivate your team. They can help your team members feel appreciated and valued and encourage them to work harder and achieve more.
There are a few things you should keep in mind when creating incentives for your team:
- Make sure the incentives are relevant: The incentive should be something that is relevant to the work that your team is doing.
- Make sure the incentives are achievable: The incentive should be something that is realistically achievable for your team members.
- Make sure the incentives are meaningful: The incentive should be something that your team members will actually find valuable.
A few examples of incentives you could offer your team include bonus pay, paid time off, or gift cards.
Incentives are a great way to show your team that you appreciate their hard work and dedication. They’re also a great way to keep your team motivated and engaged.
Conclusion
Building a high-performance field service technician team is essential for any business that relies on field service technicians to interact with customers. You can do a few key things to build a successful team: foster a culture of collaboration, encourage radical candor, set high but realistic goals, and incentivize your team members. By doing these things, you’ll create an environment that is conducive to high performance and great results.
