BMGT 245- Customer Service

Lanny Wilke

Honesty is the ONLY Policy

• Lying to, or misleading, customers invariably leads to far worse problems.

• Why tell the truth?– Lies will catch up with you.

– What goes around, comes around.

– You don’t have to try to remember what you told each individual.

– Customers expect it.

– You will feel better about yourself.

• When you feel good about yourself in your job, you tend to do a better job in all areas of your life.

All Rules Were Meant to Be Broken

Rules exist to serve, not enslave.

• Rules may be formal or informal, but with a single purpose - to make society function.

• Sometimes the rules themselves, cause problems. What then?

Rules vs Assumptions

• Sometimes we make up our own rules or try to adapt a rule from a different situation to meet the present circumstances.

Red Rules vs Blue Rules

• Red Rules - cannot be broken. There to protect life or well-being.– May be set by the government– May be set by management

• Blue Rules - designed to make things run more smoothly.– May evolve from department policy or past

experience.

• We need to understand where our rules come from and why they exist.

• We need to be able to explain the rules to our customers.

• Does the organization you are monitoring have rules that fall into these categories?

Do the Right Thing…Regardless

• Doing things right deals with knowing.

• Doing the right thing is action-oriented.

Is the Right Thing Ever Wrong?

• “It’s pointless for your company to hire good people, train them well, and back them with customer-friendly systems and supportive management, only to refuse them the opportunity (or see them decline the opportunity) to make good judgments on their customers’ behalf.”

Three Questions to Guide You

• 1. Does the action violate a Red rule, or is it about bending a Blue rule?

• 2. If it involves a Blue rule, will bending or breaking the rule allow us to serve customers better? Make more money? Be positively different from our competition?

• 3. Who should make the final decision?

Listening is a Skill - Use It

Good listening helps you….

• Figure out what your customer wants and needs.

• Prevent misunderstandings and errors.

• Gather clues about ways to improve the service you provide.

• Build long-term customer relationships.

Don’t Just Guess…...

ASK!!!!!

Good Listeners are Made, Not Born

• If the information is complex, confirm your understanding.

• Ask questions if you are unclear about anything.

• Read back critical information.

Barriers to Listening

• Noise

• Interruptions

• Daydreaming

• Technology

• Stereotypes

• Trigger words and Phrases

• Attitude

• Also listen for the things you DON’T hear.

Now, Let’s Play a Game

Ask Intelligent Questions

• Background questions

• Probing questions

• Confirmation questions

When questions go wrong

• The right questions at the wrong time, or badly worded, can be the undoing of all of your customer service “magic.”

Typically, one of four things has happened...

• 1. The question was asked at the wrong time.

• 2. The customer thought you were asking about something you already know, or should know.

• 3. The customer feels you are asking too many questions.

• 4. The question feels too personal.

Winning Words and Soothing Phrases

“Politeness goes far, yet costs nothing.”Samuel Smiles

• Forbidden Phrases

– “I don’t know.”

– “We can’t do that.”

– “You’ll have to….”

– “Hang on a second; I’ll be right back.”

– “No” when used at the beginning of any sentence.

• Make sure that the message you’re sending is the one you intend to send.

• Don’t make the customer feel as though you think they’re stupid.

• Watch your non-verbal signals, the tone of your voice, etc.

Facts for Face-to-Face

• 70% of what is communicated is non-verbal.

• Watch your body language.

Nine Dimensions of Non-Verbal Communication

• Proximity - comfort zone

• Eye contact - must be balanced

• Silence - a basic courtesy when someone else is talking.

• Gestures - Open versus closed

• Posture - confidence, competence, care

• Facial expression - Watch the cues you’re giving.

• Physical Contact - make sure it’s appropriate. “Less is best.”

• Smell - Remember, a skunk doesn’t smell his own hole.

• Overall Appearance - are you projecting the image you desire to project?

• Generally, if faced with a situation where the verbal and non-verbal messages contradict each other, we tend to believe the non-verbal.

• It is important to understand the non-verbal clues your customers are giving you as well.

Tips for Telephone Talk

• “If I pick up a ringing phone, I accept the responsibility to ensure the caller is satisfied, no matter what the issue.

• Michael Ramundo, President, MCR Marketing, Inc.

• You must be aware of your voice tone and quality as well as your mood.

• Before you pick up the phone, make sure that you are mentally prepared to deal with the person at the other end.

• Practice, Practice, Practice.

Telephone Etiquette

• Answering the Phone

• Putting a Caller on Hold

• Taking Messages

• Transferring Calls

• Voice Mail - HATE IT, but need it.

Written Communication

Why are you writing?

• You write to confirm understanding.

• You write to create documentation.

• You write to solidify relationships.

To Whom are you Writing?

• What do you know about them?

• Avoid jargon.

• Age? English first language?

• The nature of your relationship

Make sure you’re clear about both why you’ve written & what you expect them to do about it.

• Action required?

– By when? How?

• Do they need to keep your letter for reference? How long?

• Do they need to pass it on?

– To whom? By when?

It’s in the Details

Everything Counts

• How we look.

• How our workplace looks.

• How we speak.

• What we say.

• What we do.

– Those extra courtesies and comforts.

The Moment of Truth

• Put up or shut up!!!

• Sink or swim!

• Fish or cut bait!

• To Be or Not To Be!!

Manage those moments of truth.

• Never stop learning.

• Ask your customers.

• Ask your company.

• “Commit yourself to performing one ten-minute act of exceptional customer service per day and to inducing your colleagues to do the same.”

Good Selling is Good Service (and vice versa)

When Selling is NOT Good Service

• When there are no alternatives - the customer’s needs cannot be met by us.

• When there is no slack - The customer is mad and will obviously stay mad.

• When there is no point - An upgrade or add-on would be totally illogical.

When Selling IS Good Service

• You have a better option for the customer.

• They have the right product, but something else is needed to make it perform properly.

• When the product or service is out of date.

• When you can prevent other problems.

• When you can offer the customer more bang for their buck.

Thank You!!!!!

Nine Times When You Should Thank Customers

• When they do business with you…every time.

• When they compliment you or your organization.

• When they offer comments or suggestions.

• When they try a new product or service.

• When they recommend you to a friend.

• When they are patient…and not so patient.

• When they help you to serve them better.

• When they complain to you.

• When they make you smile.

• I would also add, when they let you make THEM smile.

Three Ways to Say “Thank You”

• Verbally

• In Writing

• With a Gift

Five Often Forgotten Thank Yous

• Thank your coworkers.

• Thank your boss.

• Thank people in other departments of your organization.

• Thank your vendors.

• Thank yourself.

Good Day, and………..