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What Does a Customer Relations Director Do?

Nick Mann
Nick Mann

For most businesses, having excellent customer service and positive relationships with customers is essential for growth. The person who oversees both the customer service manager and customer service representatives is the customer relations director. In order to understand the significance of this position, it's necessary to first know what the essential jobs duties of a customer relations director are. These duties primarily include creating plans to improve customer service, providing leadership for others, interviewing potential employees and holding workshops.

One of the most important duties of a customer relations director is consistently optimizing customer service techniques within a company. In an ever-changing business world, it's vital for the director to understand customer needs and figure out how to meet those needs. This means that she will conduct market research and get customer feedback through questionnaires in order to keep customers happy and loyal. As she unearths new information, she will then translate that information to the customer service manager and customer service representatives.

A customer relations director oversees customer service representatives.
A customer relations director oversees customer service representatives.

Another essential part of this job is being a leader for other employees within the customer service department. For example, if a customer service representative is having difficulty with an irate customer, then the customer relations director might deal with the customer. From there, she will demonstrate to the representative how to effectively handle the customer complaint and resolve the situation. In time, the representative should learn how to successfully deal with problem customers and win their loyalty.

A customer relations director will dictate how employees should handle and resolve customer complaints.
A customer relations director will dictate how employees should handle and resolve customer complaints.

The customer relations director is also responsible for interviewing potential employees during the final phase of the application process. Since she is at the upper level of the customer service department, it's up to her to have the final say in the employment of new candidates. Typically, she will assess the overall skills of a candidate and ask pertinent questions to find out if the candidate would be a good match for the position. As a result, she is ultimately responsible for all employees working underneath her.

An additional part of the job is holding periodic workshops for employees in the customer service department. As she studies the market and customer needs, these workshops provide a time for her to translate her findings to employees. They also provide a venue for training and help to keep different members of the department on the same page with regard to company policies. As a result, customer service managers and representatives should continually develop and improve their skills. In the long run, these workshops help maintain customer relationships and keep the company competitive.

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    • A customer relations director oversees customer service representatives.
      By: Jeanette Dietl
      A customer relations director oversees customer service representatives.
    • A customer relations director will dictate how employees should handle and resolve customer complaints.
      By: Tyler Olson
      A customer relations director will dictate how employees should handle and resolve customer complaints.