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• 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.
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?
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?
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.
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
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.
“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.
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.
• “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.
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?
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.”
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.
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.
Five Often Forgotten Thank Yous
• Thank your coworkers.
• Thank your boss.
• Thank people in other departments of your organization.
• Thank your vendors.
• Thank yourself.