Information Technology Workforce Development Program

Customer Service

Agenda

What is customer service? Taking care of your customers, their needs and desires in a professional and courteous manner Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase.

Share an example of GOOD customer service What happened? What did you want? What did you get? How did you feel?

Share an example of BAD customer service What happened? What did you want? What did you get? How did you feel?

Customers Have feelings Reach out to us for help or a service Deserve RESPECT

Customers Customers buy services and products Customers don’t need us Businesses NEED customers to operate We aren’t doing any favors by providing service to them

Customers Customers usually tell more people about bad customer experiences instead of good ones Customers are less likely to return if they experience poor customer service

Be Approachable Stand up straight Smile Make eye contact Say hello and introduce yourself Ask if you can help them with anything

Be Presentable If you have a work uniform, wear it Ask your manager for attire guidelines Make sure your hair is combed and neat If you have facial hair, trim/groom it appropriately Clean clothes Iron your clothes

Listening to the customer When a customer approaches you, stop what you are doing Make eye contact If you don’t understand something, ask the customer to explain Try to figure out what the customer wants

Listening Continued If the customer approaches you and is angry, remain calm Let the customer finish talking before you say anything Regardless of what the customer says, do not yell or fight back

Listening Continued After the customer finishes, try to calm the customer down and tell them that you understand they are frustrated and you appreciate them giving you a chance to resolve the issue If you didn’t understand the problem already, try to ask questions to figure it out Reassure the customer that you want to help them resolve their issue

Providing Service Scenario: You work at a help desk and a customer approaches you regarding their laptop. This computer is too old and takes forever to load. It won’t even turn on anymore. All my documents are gone. You better fix this in an hour. 10minutes

Sample Resolution Recognize that the employee is frustrated and let them speak Don’t react negatively Be positive and understanding, apologize for their situation Offer to go out of your way to make the customer feel appreciated I am sorry for any inconvenience you may have experienced. I work on the laptop now and try to fix it as soon as possible. Also, I can return to the laptop to your desk when it’s ready.

Tougher Situations Not every customer will be cooperative Customers may yell, talk down, and antagonize you When in doubt, ask a coworker or supervisor for help

Follow Up After resolving an issue, ask the customer if they feel like you successfully resolved their issue(s) If not, make sure you tell the customer you will try to find a resolution and make sure you communicate with them When in doubt, ask a coworker or supervisor for help

Expectations Customers expect to receive services or products that are promised Always deliver what you promise, anything less is unacceptable

Customer Appreciation Sometimes we can go “the extra mile” to help customers Go out of your way to try and get the customer what they want (within your powers) Customers will ask for weird and ridiculous things

Customer Appreciation

Customer Appreciation Exceed customer expectations to make them happy Try to “wow” the customer in every interaction The challenge is to surprise (in a good way) the customer every time

Alternatives There will be situations where you cannot give the customer what they want Work with the customer to try and find an alternative that works Offer solutions within your means Ask a manager/coworker to help you find a solution for the customer

Responsibility If you make a mistake, take responsibility Be honest and communicate at all times Apologize for your error and the inconvenience it may have caused Ask to help remedy the situation

Good Customer Service Summary Smile Make yourself presentable Be polite Greet customers Make eye contact Actively listen

Good Customer Service Summary Try and identify and anticipate customer needs Make customers feel important and appreciated Avoid rushing or doing too many things at once When in doubt, ask for help

Agenda

Email Do’s & Don’ts Check your distribution list before sending mass emails. Is everyone’s address correct? Who will receive a carbon copy (cc)? A blind carbon copy (bcc)? Only send a copy to those who really need to see your message. Proofread all notes before sending; this includes messages to your team as well as our customers. Keep It Simple: It is easier to understand messages that are clear, concise, and to-the-point.

Make your message precise, concise, and confident Make your point: “The time to act is now,” not “Executives may need to consider the disadvantages of procrastination.” Use words instead of long phrases: as of this date / today at a later date / later at the present time / now by means of / with, by

Adding Attachments in Outlook If you want to use Outlook to send a document (PowerPoint, Word, etc.) to another person, you will need to create an attachment. The easiest way to add an attachment in Outlook is to click on the Paperclip icon next to the “Send” button on your toolbar. The Insert File dialog box will appear; choose the file you want to send and click OK.

Key Concepts in Outlook When you use Outlook, you are actually composing your message in Word. Word is a Microsoft program designed specifically for word processing, or typing documents. When you make a mistake in Outlook or Word, such as a misspelling or grammatical error, the program will point out your mistake. Spelling errors are underlined in red, while errors in grammar or punctuation are underlined in green. To see a suggestion on how to fix your mistake, right-click on the underlined word or phrase.

Example Outlook will underline your mistakes in red or green. Right-click on the underlined text to see Outlook’s suggested corrections. Red underlines indicate that a word may be spelled incorrectly. Check a dictionary if you are unsure of the correct spelling. Green underlines indicate errors in grammar or punctuation. Check to make sure that you’ve written a complete sentence, and added the correct punctuation at the end.

Using Spelling and Grammar Check in Outlook Type your entire message Go to the Tools menu Select Spelling and Grammar… Outlook will offer suggestions to fix misspelled words; click Ignore or Change

Check Spelling Automatically Follow the directions below to ensure that Outlook checks your spelling automatically before sending a message. Go to your Outlook Inbox Go to Tools and select Options In the Spelling tab, make sure the following options are checked: Always check spelling before sending Always suggest replacements for misspelled words

Spelling and Grammar Settings Follow the directions below to set your preferences for checking spelling and grammar. Open a new message. Go to Tools and select Options. In the Spelling and Grammar tab, make sure the following options are checked: Check spelling as you type Always suggest corrections Check grammar as you type Check grammar with spelling Writing style should say “Grammar & Style”

Email Format Avoid using email stationery or non-standard fonts Replying to an email with stationery can be frustrating, as it can modify fonts and line spacing Remove stationery by selecting Tools  Options Under the Mail Format tab, look for Stationery and Fonts Select “<None>”

Common Errors in Spelling and Grammar Before sending a note to a team member or a customer, check for typos and common errors. Remember that every communication you send is a reflection of your professionalism. The following slides contain examples of frequently misspelled words, and common grammar and punctuation errors.

The Apostrophe Do not use the apostrophe with possessive pronouns: his, hers, theirs, ours, yours Remember, “its” is the possessive form of “it.” “It’s” is the contraction that represents “it is.” The two are not the same, and are NOT interchangeable.

The Colon Use the Colon: After a complete sentence to introduce a list of items You will have to bring many items: a sleeping bag, pans, backpacks, and warm clothing. After the salutation of a business letter Dear Sir or Madam: To separate the parts of a ratio 50:50

Subject-Verb Agreement BASIC RULE: A singular subject takes a singular verb while a plural subject takes a plural verb. The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected shortly. Each of the girls sings well. Neither of them is available to speak right now. Fifty yearsis the maximum sentence.

Common Errors You may end a sentence with a preposition, but do not use extra prepositions when the meaning is clear without them. That is something that I cannot agree with. Where did he go (to)? Their/There/They’re John and Mary own their own house. The book you are looking for is over there. There are seven days in a week. Mark and Melissa are twins, but they’re not identical.

Common Errors Affect/Effect Drinking alcohol will affect your ability to drive. Taking aspirin didn’t have any effect on my headache. Your/You’re I think this is your sweater. You’re the fastest worker on the team. Words to Avoid firstly, irregardless, could of/should of, kind of Redundancy Try to avoid repeating the same word several times within a single communication.

Common Errors Beware of homophones and commonly confused words Homophones Sound alike but have different spellings and meanings principle principal stationery stationary complement compliment idle idol counsel council capital capitol Commonly Confused Words Words that are similar but are not necessarily interchangeable affect effect ensure insure either neither among between all ready already

Proofreading Tips Spell check the document, but don’t rely on the results Read the document backwards Proofread the second half of the document first Use a ruler to proofread one line at a time Know your own typical mistakes Proofread for one type of error at a time (i.e. commas)

Proofreading Tips Take a break between writing and proofreading Proofread at the time of day when you’re most alert Read the document aloud to yourself or a coworker Proofread from a hard copy, not the computer screen Double-check names and phone numbers Proofread tables across rows and down columns

Practice Draft a response to the following email from a customer: Dear Service Coordinator: I have a concern that I would like to bring to your attention. Today, I received a letter stating that I was a “no-show” for my reservation in 42S12. However, I called my EA last Friday to cancel this reservation. She assured me that she did cancel the space, but I still received a “no-show.” I would like to have this “no-show” corrected in the system. Thank You, David Smith

Practice Draft a response to the following email from a customer: Dear Service Coordinator: I have several concerns about the Hoteling system that I would like to share with you. If you cannot address these issues, please feel free to forward my comments to the appropriate person. I am a Senior Manager, and I typically sit on the east side of the 38th floor. I feel that I am entitled to a permanent seat, since I am in the office every day. Due to the hoteling process, I have been forced to sit in seats that are not close to my storage or my team members. Also, I have many items on my desk that I use on a daily basis. However, your Clean Desk Policy prevents me from keeping these items at my desk even though I need them each day. If possible, I would like to request a permanent seating arrangement. Please respond as soon as possible to let me know the status of my request. Thank You, Karen Jones

Agenda

Achieving Excellence Your goal should be to become the best service provider. Your performance and actions are a reflection of your company’s reputation. Create an environment that supports and encourages interaction, visibility, accessibility and collaboration.

On Excellence… “Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.” - Vincent Van Gogh

One Great Story Take a moment and think about the highest level of service you personally received over the last year. What made the service memorable? What were some of the characteristics of the service provider? What made it special?

Eye for Quality We will now take a tour of our facility, but we will do so with an “eye for quality.” Examine everything… take nothing for granted. 10minutes

Group Discussion With your group, discuss all aspects of what you observed that were not “excellent.” Imagine yourself as a potential customer who just saw what you did. Would they notice these things? What are some specific changes that we could have made that would have made the service situations “excellent”? 15minutes

Another Thought “A small leak will sink a great ship.” -Thomas Fuller

Transference of Excellence Pursuit of excellence in one area can lead to high achievement in other areas Striving for excellence becomes a valuable habit!

Standards of Excellence Ability to Prioritize Tasks Focus on customer-facing tasks before administrative or maintenance tasks Ability to Exhibit Professionalism Demonstrate phone and office etiquette, project confidence, be willing to engage the customer Ability to Create a Positive Experience Create a positive impression from the moment of arrival Ability to Anticipate Customer Needs Look ahead to future meetings; be prepared Stage Presence Target your behavior to the highest common denominator Dress for the Role Appearance is part of a first impression – when in doubt, dress up

Zero Defect Strategy Pioneered by Phillip Crosby. States that most people condition themselves to accept that errors are inevitable and therefore acceptable. Mistakes happen from two main reasons: lack of knowledge and lack of attention. Why is it that we condition ourselves to feel some mistakes are acceptable, versus others that are not (like paychecks being short, missing an important meeting, etc.)?

Perception of Service “Customers perceive service in their own unique, idiosyncratic, emotional, irrational, and totally human terms. Perception is all there is!” -Tom Peters, Management guru

Customer Perspective Research from Texas A&M University found that customers evaluate service based on five factors: Reliability: The ability to provide what was promised, dependably and accurately Assurance: The knowledge and courtesy you show to customers, and your ability to convey competence and confidence Tangibles: The physical facilities and equipment, and even your appearance Empathy: The degree of caring and individual attention you show customers Responsiveness: The willingness to help customers promptly

Recovering Excellent Service First, apologize for the problem. Don’t waste time placing blame: on yourself, the company, or the customer. Immediately find out what your customer needs now. Has the service failure created a new problem? Is there a new opportunity for you to rescue your reputation as an excellent service provider? Follow up later with the customer to make sure that service has been recovered.

Eliminate These Seven Deadly Sins of Customer Service: “I don’t know.” If you really can’t answer a customer’s question, add these three words: “I’ll find out.” “I don’t care.” Customers want to see you take pride in what you’re doing – it increases their confidence in you as a service provider. “I can’t be bothered.” If your conversation with a coworker or personal phone call takes precedence over a customer, they will be annoyed – and rightfully so.

Eliminate These Seven Deadly Sins of Customer Service: “I don’t like you.” Customers are sensitive to attitudes that subtly or overtly say, “You’re a nuisance; please go away.” “I know it all.” Don’t jump in with a comment or solution before a customer has finished explaining his problem or question. “You don’t know anything.” Don’t cut off, put down, or demean a customer for being confused about what they need or what you can do for them. “Hurry up and wait.” Respect your customer’s time, and they will respect you.

Quality Improvement: Personal Change 1. Improvement Opportunity 2. Data Collection 6. Appraisal 5. Implementation 3. Analysis 4. Planning

Twelve Steps of Quality Improvement Leadership commitment: Recognize that you are empowered to take action to improve customer service Dedication: Make a personal commitment to improve. Measurement: Establish a formal or informal system to track your progress. Identify specific areas to measure. Cost of Quality/The Price of Nonconformance: How much it costs to do things right vs. the expenses involved in doing things wrong. Quality Awareness: Communicate the standards of excellent service as often as possible. Corrective Action: Determine the root causes of problems and eliminate them. Zero-Defects Planning: Consider all of the things you can do to have an error-free day.

Twelve Steps of Quality Improvement Employee Education: Make time for any training and development activities necessary to reach your goals Zero Defects Day: Make this a day for leaders and employees to dedicate themselves to excellence. Goal Setting: Set goals for yourself based on what you’ve learned through this process. Recognition: Come up with a reward that is important to you personally. Reward yourself and teammates for success. Do It Over Again: Just because you’ve improved the quality of customer service doesn’t mean it will stay that way. Make a commitment to continuous improvement.

Scenario A high-level executive is visiting from the Atlanta office. He has just arrived at your floor. You greeted him upon arrival, showed him where to check in, and made sure he had a security badge. What more could you do to assist this important guest, and ensure that he has a great customer service experience?

Excellent Customer Service is in the Details Make eye contact, and smile! Call a customer by his/her name. Go out of your way to be polite and help others. Help your customers learn about self-help tools (reservation system, web shipping, eSupport, phone forwarding, etc.) Any time you can interact with a customer, you are creating an impression.

Going Beyond “Good” What can be done that we are not currently doing? What things are we doing that we should stop doing? Look to our competition, and workers in other professions, for ideas on excellence “You don’t know what you don’t know”: Break out of your paradigm – good ideas can come from businesses seemingly unrelated to our own. “Very Good” is the true Enemy of Excellence! You can do more…avoid complacency.

Good Customer Examples 1. Trader Joe's Braves a Winter Storm For an Elderly Customer An 89-year old Pennsylvanian was snowed in around the holidays, and his daughter was concerned he wasn't going to have enough food to last the inclement weather. The daughter called multiple stores trying to find someone who would deliver, and finally learned that Trader Joe's doesn't normally deliver, but they would in this special instance. They took the order, and also suggested other items that might fit the elderly man's special low-sodium diet. After the daughter ordered around $50 worth of food to be delivered, the Trader Joe's employee told her that she didn't need to pay for it, and to have a Merry Christmas. The food was delivered within 30 minutes of the phone call, and the Holidays were saved for one elderly man and his family.

Good Customer Examples 2. Free Tickets From the Jet Blue People Officer If you fly Jet Blue, you might just run into the mystical People Officer. One such passenger reports of the People Officer standing up mid-flight and announced that he had free tickets to give away to anywhere that the airline company flew. The man played trivia games, and handed out tickets to anyone who knew the answers. In all, around a dozen free tickets were handed out during the mid-flight games. The Jet Blue employee then went on to ask if anyone had any suggestions or concerns with Jet Blue, and answered questions about upcoming possible promotions. Think he made any life-long Jet Blue customers from that one plane ride? .

Good Customer Examples Starbucks Wants You to Have an Experience "Nothing Short of Fantastic" Disgruntled Starbucks customer Jason called in to the company's corporate offices after a mixup with a New Jersey branch's barista. Instead of simply giving him a refund, the customer service representative told Jason that they needed to "make him whole, and give him an experience nothing short of fantastic." They promptly filled his rewards card with $50 of store credit. .

Information Technology Workforce Development Program