BUS151 People BUS151 People SkillsSkills

Chapter 2Chapter 2

Contributing to the Contributing to the Service CultureService Culture

What is a Service Culture?What is a Service Culture?

The answer is different for each organization. No two The answer is different for each organization. No two organizations operate in the same manner, have the organizations operate in the same manner, have the same focus, or provide management that same focus, or provide management that accomplishes the same results.accomplishes the same results.

Different cultures have different values, beliefs, Different cultures have different values, beliefs, norms, rituals, and practice.norms, rituals, and practice.

You play a role in communicating the culture to your You play a role in communicating the culture to your customers.customers.

You may communicate it through your appearance, You may communicate it through your appearance, your interaction with customers, and your your interaction with customers, and your knowledge, skill, and attitude.knowledge, skill, and attitude.

Service Service CultureCulture

Culture also encompasses Culture also encompasses your products and your products and

services, and the physical services, and the physical appearance of the appearance of the

organization’s facility, organization’s facility, equipment, and other equipment, and other

aspects that the aspects that the customers comes in customers comes in

contact with.contact with.

Unfortunately, Unfortunately, many companies many companies

are product-are product-centered and view centered and view

customers from customers from the standpoint of the standpoint of what company what company

products or products or services they use.services they use.

Successful organizations are customer-centered and focus on individual needs.

Some of the More Common Some of the More Common Elements of a Successful Elements of a Successful OrganizationOrganization

Service philosophy or mission Service philosophy or mission

Direction that supports day-to-Direction that supports day-to-day interactions with the day interactions with the customer.customer.

Employee roles and Employee roles and expectationsexpectations

Defines what is expected of Defines what is expected of employees in customer employees in customer interactions; defines how interactions; defines how employee service performance employee service performance will be evaluated.will be evaluated.

Management SupportManagement Support

Level of management Level of management involvement and involvement and enthusiasm in enthusiasm in coaching/mentoring.coaching/mentoring.

Motivators and Motivators and RewardsRewards

Feedback that prompts Feedback that prompts employees to continue employees to continue to deliver at a high level to deliver at a high level of effectiveness and of effectiveness and efficiency.efficiency.

Common Elements of a Common Elements of a Successful Organization Successful Organization ((cont’dcont’d))

TrainingTrainingInstruction/information Instruction/information provided through various provided through various techniques that teach techniques that teach knowledge or skills; knowledge or skills; attempt to influence attempt to influence employee attitude toward employee attitude toward excellent serviceexcellent service

Products & ServicesProducts & ServicesState of the art; State of the art; competitively prices; competitively prices; meets needs of customers.meets needs of customers.

Policies & Policies & ProceduresProcedures

Guidelines are established Guidelines are established as to how transactions as to how transactions and situations will be and situations will be handled.handled.

Delivery SystemDelivery SystemThe way an organization The way an organization

delivers its products and delivers its products and services.services.

R.U.M.B.A.R.U.M.B.A.

For you and your organization to be successful For you and your organization to be successful in providing superior service to your customers, in providing superior service to your customers, your roles and expectations must be clearly your roles and expectations must be clearly defined and communicated.defined and communicated.

RRealisticealistic

UUnderstandablenderstandable

MMeasurableeasurable

BBelievableelievable

AAttainablettainable

Service Employee Service Employee CompetenciesCompetencies

Broad general Broad general knowledge of knowledge of products and serviceproducts and service

Interpersonal Interpersonal communication skillscommunication skills

Technical expertiseTechnical expertise

Positive, customer-Positive, customer-focused, “can-do” focused, “can-do” attitudeattitude

InitiativeInitiative

MotivationMotivation

IntegrityIntegrity

Loyalty (to Loyalty (to organization, organization, products, and to products, and to customers)customers)

Team spiritTeam spirit

Look for a strong mentor in your Look for a strong mentor in your organization.organization.

– They are well connected.They are well connected.– They have ability and desire to assist you.They have ability and desire to assist you.

Strive for improvementStrive for improvement– Create self-motivation strategiesCreate self-motivation strategies– Remain optimisticRemain optimistic– Look for ways to improve your skillsLook for ways to improve your skills

Avoid complacencyAvoid complacency– Make recommendations for improvementMake recommendations for improvement– Look for ways around roadblocksLook for ways around roadblocks– The fact that others aren’t doing their job does not The fact that others aren’t doing their job does not

excuse you from doing yours.excuse you from doing yours.

Employee EmpowermentEmployee Empowerment

Delegation of Delegation of authority where a authority where a frontline service frontline service

provider can take provider can take action without action without having to call a having to call a

supervisor or ask supervisor or ask permission.permission.

Such authority allows Such authority allows on-the-spot on-the-spot

responsiveness to the responsiveness to the customer while customer while making service making service

representatives feel representatives feel trusted, respected, trusted, respected,

and important.and important.

Empowerment is an intangible way that successful service organizations reward

employees. Often someone who has decision-making authority feels better about himself or

herself and their organization.

Customer-Friendly SystemsCustomer-Friendly Systems

AdvertisingAdvertising

Sends a message that Sends a message that products and services are products and services are competitive in price, competitive in price, quality, and quantity; quality, and quantity; otherwise, customers go otherwise, customers go elsewhere.elsewhere.

An advertisement that An advertisement that appears deceptive can appears deceptive can cost the organization its cost the organization its customers and reputation.customers and reputation.

Complaint ResolutionComplaint Resolution

The manner in which The manner in which complaints or problems are complaints or problems are handles can signal the handles can signal the organization's concern for organization's concern for customer satisfaction.customer satisfaction.

Make recommendations for Make recommendations for improvement whenever you improvement whenever you spot a roadblock or system that spot a roadblock or system that impedes provision of service impedes provision of service excellence.excellence.

Tools for Service Tools for Service MeasurementMeasurement

EmployeeEmployee focus focus groupsgroups

CustomerCustomer focus focus groupsgroups

Mystery shoppersMystery shoppers

Customer Customer satisfaction surveyssatisfaction surveys

Customer comment Customer comment cardscards

Profit and loss Profit and loss statements or statements or management management reportsreports

Employee exit Employee exit interviewsinterviews

Walk-through auditsWalk-through audits

On site On site management visitsmanagement visits

Twelve Strategies for Twelve Strategies for Service SuccessService Success

1.1. Explore your organization’s mission.Explore your organization’s mission.

2.2. Help communicate the culture and vision to Help communicate the culture and vision to customers – daily.customers – daily.

3.3. Demonstrate ethical behavior.Demonstrate ethical behavior.

4.4. Identify and improve your service skills.Identify and improve your service skills.

5.5. Become an expert on your organization.Become an expert on your organization.

6.6. Demonstrate commitment.Demonstrate commitment.

7.7. Partner with customers.Partner with customers.

8.8. Work with our customer’s interest in mind.Work with our customer’s interest in mind.

9.9. Treat vendors and suppliers as customers.Treat vendors and suppliers as customers.

10.10. Share resources.Share resources.

11.11. Work with, not against, your customers.Work with, not against, your customers.

12.12. Provide service follow-up.Provide service follow-up.

Separating Average Companies Separating Average Companies From Excellent CompaniesFrom Excellent Companies

Executives spend time with the customer.Executives spend time with the customer.

Executives spend time talking to frontline service providers.Executives spend time talking to frontline service providers.

Customer feedback is regularly asked for and acted upon.Customer feedback is regularly asked for and acted upon.

Innovation and creativity are encouraged and rewarded.Innovation and creativity are encouraged and rewarded.

Benchmarking (identifying successful practices of others) is done with Benchmarking (identifying successful practices of others) is done with similar organizations.similar organizations.

Technology is widespread, updated, and used effectively.Technology is widespread, updated, and used effectively.

Training is provided for industry trends, organization issues, skills, Training is provided for industry trends, organization issues, skills, and technology.and technology.

Open communication exists between frontline employees and all Open communication exists between frontline employees and all levels of managementlevels of management

Employees are provided with guidelines and empowered to do Employees are provided with guidelines and empowered to do whatever is necessary to satisfy the customer.whatever is necessary to satisfy the customer.

The status quo is not acceptable.The status quo is not acceptable.

What Customers Want…What Customers Want…

Personal Personal RecognitionRecognition

CourtesyCourtesy

Timely ServiceTimely Service

ProfessionalismProfessionalism

EnthusiastiEnthusiastic servicec service

EmpathyEmpathy

PatiencePatience