Making Customer Service A Way of Life In Financial Aid

Customer Service: Easier Said Than Done

Designed Exclusively for the 2011 Spring WASFAA Conference

April, 2011Terry D. Everson

Everson Consulting, LLC

WASFAA Session 1

• Customer Service: What’s the Big Deal- Why Even Worry?- A interesting trend- Your competition when it comes to Customer Service- Who are your customers and what do they expect?

The “Doctor” Is In!

• Dave Berry Lives

• You are going do what?

• The importance of follow up

Customer Service is

• On the whole, getting better

• Staying about the same

• On the whole, getting worse

Why Even Worry About Customer Service?

•

•

•

•

•

Define “The Customer”

•

•

•

•

Who is your competition?

•

•

•

•

•

The 5 P’s

What if you ARE the competition?

•

•

•

•

•

The Cost of “C” vs. “A” Service

• In the following situations determine how much the organization had to spend to accomplish “WOW” customer service.

• Judy’s smile• Eric’s extra mile• A Bill Murray “look alike”

11

Action Planning Worksheet

I will do what? By when?

Date

Signed_________________________ Date__________

Action

Making Customer Service A Way of Life In Financial Aid

Your Role In Creating a “WOW” Environment

Designed Exclusively for the 2011 Spring WASFAA Conference

April, 2011Terry D. Everson

Everson Consulting, LLC

WASFAA, Session 2

• Creating Loyal Customers: A Triangle of Power

- The difference between satisfied and loyal customers- Why customers leave- Examples of your loyalty- Steps in the normal customer’s thinking process

15

Satisfied

Vs.

Loyal

Define Loyalty

• What does it look like when someone is a “loyal” customer?

• Compare/contrast to a “satisfied” customer

• Where is your focus?

List those products you are loyal to

•

•

•

•

How to Create Loyal Customers

High Quality Product Outstanding Customer Service

Competitive Pricing

Build on our strengths

Treacy and Wiersema

What Do You Control in Your Office?

20

As a team, share your most memorable customer service experience over the past couple of months. To make it personal, select a situation where you were the customer.

Outstanding Customer Service Situation

______________________________________________Unsatisfactory Customer Service

Be prepared to report back to the team the common experiences from both positive and negative experiences.

Common Themes

•

•

•

•

•

22

Do You Know Why Your Customers Leave?

9%9%

13%

69%

Poor Service

Other

Product Dissatisfaction

Better Prices Elsewhere

The “loyalty” thinking process

• I am important and want to be respected

• Consider my viewpoint

• WIIFM

• Okay, so what do I have to do to get this benefit

• The final act!

Delight the Customer

• Diagnose the situation• Expect nothing but the best from you• Listen• Investigate from Their side of the fence• Get to the root cause• Help in anyway possible• Thank you’s that mean something

Action Planning Worksheet

I will do what? By when?

Date

Signed_________________________ Date__________

Action

Making Customer Service A Way of Life In Financial Aid

Dealing With Challenging Customer Service Situations

Designed Exclusively for the 2011 Spring WASFAA Conference

April, 2011Terry D. Everson

Everson Consulting, LLC

WASFAA Session 3

• Dealing with “Challenging” customer service situations- A hard lesson learned- Using The 4 P’s in a real life situation- The power in you: 75/25/5- A classic tied to the tough ones- Killer words- Your “Control Grid”- L. I.G.

It may be the process, not the person!

• Describe a situation when you were the “difficult” customer

- Cause- Your reaction- the Resolution- Lesson learned

The 5 P’s

30

Numbers to Consider

• • •

The Dark Side

What About the 2%’ers

• L

• I

• G

I can control I can’t controlN

ot im

port

ant t

o m

eIm

port

ant t

o m

e

The profile of Andy

•

•

•

•

•

34

Why Do We/They Behave In A Particular Manner?

P P

A A

C C

35

The Killer Word

B

U

T

A Personal Issue

• _______ ________ (np)

36

“A”, The First Letter in Effective Customer Service

• Adapt• Acknowledge• And• Agree• Answer• Anticipate• Appreciate

Action Planning Worksheet

I will do what? By when?

Date

Signed_________________________ Date__________

Action

Making Customer Service A Way of Life In Financial Aid

Doing the Right Things, and Doing Them Right

Designed Exclusively for the 2011 Spring WASFAA Conference

April, 2011Terry D. Everson

Everson Consulting, LLC

WASFAA Session 4

• It is the Process as much as the People

- Honest, Paul was a nice guy- How’s your playbook/documentation - Processes in your industry - Committing to Continuous Improvement- The Goal QPC resource- Tools and Techniques

“Put really dedicated people in a flawed process and the process

wins every time.”

The story of Paul

Documentation in your department

•

•

•

•

•

Processes in every department• Application• Verification and documentation• Loan Processing• Awarding• Appeals• Audits• Reporting• Customer Service• Information Dissemination

45

M.O.T.

What is Your Process? Where do MOT’s occur?

Step 1Welcome

Step 2Investigate

Step 3Address

ProcessComplete

Step 4Wrap-up

Step 5Follow-up

The OREO Cookie

How are your “Red Beads”?

• Process control is crucial

• Change isn’t always good

• Documentation and REV control

• Watch out for FOTM’s

Tools for the Trade

• Gantt charts

• Fishbone Diagrams

• Affinity Diagrams

• Pareto Charts

• Scatter Diagrams

A Great Resource

• Goal QPC’s “The Memory Jogger II”

8 Steps in the “Process”

• Select a process• Assemble a team• Map out the present application• Define the “Herbie’s”• Brainstorm new ways• Create action steps• Develop a Master Plan• Follow through

51

Final Thoughts

• You Make The Difference

• You Are The “Secret”

• Strive To Excel And The Less It Costs The Better

• Commit To “Continuous Improvement”

52

Call to Action

I will do what? By when?

Action Date

Signed___________________________ Date__________