In the relentless pursuit of customer experience excellence, organizations often focus on processes, technology, and product features. Yet, as Tina Kragh Vildgaard, owner of a three-star Michelin restaurant, powerfully stated in a Table 7 podcast episode, "We hire personalities and not CVs... because you can always learn how to carry three plates, but you cannot learn how to be a nice person or how to be present."
This cuts to the heart of what truly differentiates exceptional service: the human element, driven by innate personality traits and a genuine service orientation.
While skills are undoubtedly important and can be developed through training, the core attitudes, empathetic responses, and problem-solving aptitudes that define a great CX professional are often more deeply ingrained.
Prioritizing personality in hiring isn’t about dismissing competence; it’s about recognizing that the right mindset is the foundation upon which skills can be most effectively built and applied to create memorable customer interactions.
When we talk about hiring for personality in CX, we’re looking for a constellation of traits that enable individuals to connect with customers authentically and navigate complex service situations with grace. Key among these are:
1. Empathy: The ability to understand and share the feelings of another. In CX, this means genuinely grasping the customer's perspective, even when it’s not explicitly stated.
2. Resilience: The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties. Frontline staff often face challenging customers or situations; resilience allows them to bounce back and maintain a positive demeanor.
3. Proactivity: A tendency to take initiative rather than waiting to be told what to do. Proactive employees anticipate customer needs and seek solutions before issues escalate.
4. Problem-Solving Aptitude: The skill to identify issues and find effective solutions. This goes beyond following a script; it involves critical thinking and creativity.
5. Positive Communication Style: Clarity, warmth, and the ability to convey information effectively and listen actively are crucial for positive interactions.
6. Patience: The ability to remain calm and understanding, especially when dealing with frustrated or confused customers.
7. Genuine Enthusiasm/Warmth: A natural inclination to be helpful and engaging, making customers feel welcomed and valued.Identifying these traits requires moving beyond CVs.
Behavioral interviews, situational judgment tests, and even role-playing exercises can offer deeper insights into a candidate’s inherent service orientation. For example, asking a candidate to describe a time they dealt with a difficult customer and how they handled it (the STAR method) can reveal much more about their empathy and problem-solving skills than a list of past job duties.
The link between employee personality, their engagement at work, and ultimate customer satisfaction is well-documented. Employees who are naturally empathetic, positive, and proactive are more likely to be engaged in their roles. This engagement translates directly into higher quality service interactions.
Engaged employees create better experiences as they are more invested in finding solutions, more willing to go the extra mile, and more likely to represent the brand positively. A team composed of individuals with strong service-oriented personalities often fosters a more supportive and collaborative internal culture. This internal health radiates outward to the customer.
Hiring for personality fit can lead to greater job satisfaction and lower employee turnover, which in turn provides more consistent service and deeper customer knowledge within the team.
Consider the RATER model for service quality (Reliability, Assurance, Tangibles, Empathy, Responsiveness). While some aspects like Reliability can be system-driven, Assurance (knowledge and courtesy of employees and their ability to inspire trust and confidence), Empathy (caring, individualized attention), and Responsiveness (willingness to help customers and provide prompt service) are heavily influenced by the personalities of the service providers.
Psychological research supports the idea that certain personality traits are better predictors of service performance. The
Big Five personality traits (Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism) offer a useful lens:
1. Agreeableness:Highly agreeable individuals are typically kind, sympathetic, and cooperative – all vital for positive customer interactions.
2. Conscientiousness: This trait, characterized by organization, dependability, and thoroughness, is crucial for delivering reliable and consistent service.
3. Emotional Stability (low Neuroticism): The ability to remain calm under pressure is essential for handling service challenges effectively.
4. Extraversion: While not universally required (introverts can also provide excellent service), extraverted individuals often thrive in customer-facing roles due to their sociability and enthusiasm.
Studies in organizational psychology consistently show that employees high in agreeableness and conscientiousness tend to receive higher customer service ratings. Furthermore, a service-oriented personality has been linked to higher job performance in service roles, even when controlling for cognitive ability.
Rituals (Netherlands)
The Dutch home and body cosmetics brand Rituals is known for its emphasis on creating a calming and mindful customer experience in its stores. Their hiring and training focus heavily on employees who can embody this brand ethos – individuals who are naturally calm, attentive, and ableto guide customers through a sensory experience rather than just processing a sale. They look for people who can create a “slow down” moment for customers, reflecting a deep understanding that the how of the interaction is as important as the what.
Tina Kragh Vildgaard’s philosophy is about creating an environment where those carefully selected personalities can thrive. This means empowering employees, trusting their judgment, and fostering a culture where being “present” and “a nice person” is genuinely valued and rewarded.
Ultimately, while skills can be acquired, the innate drive to serve, the empathetic core, and the resilient spirit are the true differentiators in customer experience.
By prioritizing personality in recruitment and nurturing these traits within the organization, businesses can build CX teams that don’t just deliver service, but create genuine human connections – a feat no CV can ever fully capture.
