Their first customer interactions.
WHAT THEY FEAR
Getting it wrong publicly Being unable to answer Being blamed
WHAT TO REMOVE
The fear, because it produces guessing.
HOW
Explicit permission to say they will check and come back.
WHAT TO TELL THEM
That nobody expects them to know everything That checking is correct behaviour That a slower accurate answer beats a fast wrong one
WHAT TO PUT IN WRITING
What they may decide alone What must be checked Who to ask
WHY IN WRITING
Verbal permission is forgotten under pressure.
WHAT TO REVIEW BEFORE SENDING
Their first replies, until the reviewer stops finding problems.
WHAT TO COMMENT ON
The substance first, tone second, style last.
WHY THAT ORDER
Correcting style on a reply that answered the wrong question is unhelpful.
WHAT TO PRAISE SPECIFICALLY
Good judgement, not just correctness.
WHAT TO DO WHEN THEY MAKE A MISTAKE WITH A CUSTOMER
Correct it with the customer, and discuss it privately.
WHAT NOT TO DO
Correct them in front of the customer.
WHAT TO ASK THEM REGULARLY
What they are unsure about.
WHAT THAT PRODUCES
Documentation, and a picture of the gaps.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Competence in weeks, confidence in months.
