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June 2007 Professional Development Course Schedule
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Customer Service -- A Passion?
by Gina Saunders, BCG Learning Consultant
Passion! Is that all it takes to provide phenomenal customer
service? It may not be everything, but it is certainly a great start. A
positive attitude and a passion for delivering great service is easily half
the battle of achieving your organization’s customer service goals. So
how do you attain these attributes? It may sound simple, but it starts with
hiring the right people. They are the ones that usually have smiles on their
faces, the ones with positive attitudes, and a passion for delivering phenomenal
service to your customers.
Recently, I was sitting in a local coffee bar compiling my
thoughts after hours of research about what makes for exceptional customer
service. I ordered my coffee and salad and proceeded to settle in to my
chair. As I scoured through my notes and documentation for over two hours, I
jotted down the main points that I wanted to cover in this article. It
quickly dawned on me that they were the same points I would have highlighted
before conducting any research based upon my twenty year history of providing
and managing customer service efforts in a variety of organizations.
After several hours, the store manager approached me. He sat
down in the comfy chair next to mine, introduced himself and proceeded to ask
me what I had been working on for so long. At first I hesitated. Did I really
want to begin a long conversation about what I was working on and take time
away from my project? But that thought quickly faded and I told the manager,
James, what I had been working on so steadily to complete. As I proceeded to
tell him about my article and training program on customer service, his face
completely lit up! “Wow”, he said, “I have been wanting to
provide my employees with this customer service training for over a year! How
did you get in to doing this?” I told James that I had spent almost two
decades providing great customer service and my boss had instructed me to put
together a customer service training program for our company use and market.
James then provided his thoughts on customer service while I
took notes. He relayed his belief that customer service is no longer a
priority in today’s world and how unfortunate that was. He also
recounted an article he had recently read, attributing a Fortune 1000
retailers’ poor Thanksgiving Holiday sales to poor customer service. As
James was talking, his passion for customer service was evident. Immediately,
we began feeding off of each other’s interest in the subject.
We talked about how exceptional customer service must flow
from the top level managers on down. If the top level managers create an
environment that supports great customer service, then it is much easier for
everyone else to follow suit. We also talked about how it is the
manager’s responsibility to “walk the talk.” Too often, managers
require their employees to do as they say, but not necessarily as they do.
Managers should lead by example. As James pointed out, as the manager of his
outlet, he is not afraid to wash windows, sweep floors, or strike up a
conversation with customers (as he had done with me). He does not expect his
employees to do something that he would not do himself.
My conversation with James further confirmed what I already
knew. Superior customer service boils down to a singular focus. Passion! It
is estimated that 73% of consumers attribute their best customer service
experience to a company’s employees. Therefore, it is imperative that
all employees provide your customers with the quality service they deserve.
We have put together some basic guidelines for customer
service; however, continuous training on customer service is imperative to
maintain the highest quality service. Below is a sample of BCG’s
Guidelines for phenomenal customer service.
- SMILE! It seems pretty basic, but smiles are contagious
and customers want to be greeted with a friendly attitude.
- Courtesy – common courtesy by saying “Thank
you” and “Please” goes a long way with customers.
- Address repeat customers by name whenever possible. This
shows your customers that you remember them and appreciate their
business.
- Listen carefully to what the customer wants -- then
deliver. If at all possible, under-promise and over-deliver!
- Refrain from negative responses (such as
“No” or “It is not my responsibility”). If there
is no way around the “No” statement, offer alternatives.
- Empower and train employees to solve issues that a
customer brings to their attention.
- Monitor and evaluate customer service in your
organization and recognize areas for improvement.
- Hire friendly employees. They can be taught the
mechanics of the job. It is much more difficult to teach someone to be
friendly.
- Create a “customer friendly” environment,
starting from the top!
Since it costs six times more to find a new customer than it
does to keep an existing customer, maximizing customer satisfaction will add
to your bottom line. These guidelines outline the basics of providing
phenomenal customer service. At BCG, we can provide you and your employees
with the tools needed to ensure that customer service is a top priority, and
even a passion, within your organization. I think James would be pleased.
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Are Your Customers Satisfied?
by Kent Jacobson a.k.a. Mr. Success
Do you monitor how satisfied your customers are with the
service or product provided to them? If you do, great, if not, you definitely
need to start. The reason to maintain customer loyalty is obvious; look at
all the competition that is in the market place. Customer loyalty to you and
your product or service is a key component to maintaining a successful
business.
Where to begin? Begin by improving your and your company's
listening skills at all levels. Every contact made by you or your personnel
via the Internet, phone or in person is a potential "Customer
Moment" and can provide early indications of potential problems. I mean
everybody, from the dock to boardroom, train yourself and personnel to
listen. Listen to what may be considered a trivial or off-the-cuff comment,
document it and discuss internally. These comments may actually become a real
customer issue, and if dealt with sooner rather than later will build
customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Next, develop a feedback system that supports the collection
of customer information and can even provide a response mechanism when
required. To implement this system, you will need to assign a person or small
team to decide what is best for your business and customer base. You might
even engage some of your faithful customers in this project.
Active listening to your customers is not easy at first,
but you will recognize the power and monetary benefit of avoiding customer
complaints and heading off problems before they escalate. Just remember the
last time you were the recipient of poor customer service! Do not fail to act
on what information you gained through your customer's voice. If additional
training is required, seek out subject matter professionals and organizations
to assist you.
The investment will be worth it; just ask your customers
what they think!
Copyright
© 2006-2007 Article Source: thePhantomWriters Article Submission Service
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10 Great Customer
Service Habits To Develop
By Marion Licchiello
1. Be on time
Always be on time to work. Also, when you promise you are going to call at a
certain time, make sure you call!
2. Follow up on your promises
Do not, and I repeat do not make any promises that you cannot keep.
If you make a promise you need to stick with it. Follow up on it and keep the
customer informed each step of the way.
3. Under Promise/Over Deliver
Here is an example. When I order clothing from a certain company they
always give me an estimated arrival time as 10 business days to get to me. I
usually receive it in 5 days and I'm thrilled because I received it earlier.
If they tell me 10 days and it takes 10 days I'm still happy but definitely
happier if it's waiting at my door in 5 days. What if it takes 15? I am not a
happy customer. Maybe I needed it for an occasion and now I have nothing to
wear. Under promise/over deliver!
4. Go the extra mile
If you have to do a little extra...DO IT!!! If a customer needs for
you to check on something for them, and it's normally not your job, do it
anyway (if you can). The customer will remember you, the business and will in
turn tell others and they will certainly be a return customer.
5. Offer your customer options
If you have to say no, give them an option. If you just say NO, this
is not satisfying to the customer, however if you give them an option, they
are happy. For example... "We no longer carry that name brand of
multi-vitamin with minerals but we do carry a new name that has all the same
benefits and maybe even more". "Would you like to see it"?
6. Express empathy
Always express empathy. There is a difference between empathy and
sympathy. Sympathy is siding with the customer against the company or your
co-worker. Empathy is feeling for the customer, listening, and understanding.
7. Treat your customers as the most important part of your job
Your customers are the most important part of your job; they are your
job. Without them you wouldn't be working. Treat them with respect and
courtesy.
8. Treat your co-workers as customers
If you follow all the same steps with your co-workers, and treat them
the same way as you do your customers it will be a great environment. They
deserve the same respect and courtesy. You are a team. Establish the proper
rapport. If you are happy with each other in turn your customers will be
happier.
9. Give the customer your name and number
Give the customer your name and business number. Hand them a business
card and if you do not have your own write your name and number on a piece of
paper or someone else's card. This makes them feel as if they have a contact
person just incase they have any questions. It, also, makes them feel more
secure.
10. Smile and use inflection on the phone
Smiling makes a world of difference even on the phone. Pay attention
to what you do when you are on the phone. Your body language is also very
important. They could hear if you're slouching in that chair. I know some
people who keep a mirror by the phone and they have a sign that says,
"smile" on it or have a picture with teeth smiling.
About The Author:
Marion Licchiello is creator of Get Motivated with Marion, a
company that helps to change people’s lives on a daily basis. She has
helped numerous men and women transform their lives over the years through
changing their focus, creating a new mindset, visualization, hypnosis,
fitness counseling, nutrition counseling, 1-on-1 personal training,
seminars, workshops, and 1-on-1 coaching. She coaches over the phone, IM or
in person. She keeps in contact through emails also. Her mission in life is
to help others through her own experiences. She is in the process of
writing a book about self-improvement. She is interested in your stories of
how you changed your negatives into positives. She practices and believes
that "Whatever you focus on is what you get" whether it is good
or bad. She changed her life through visualization and focus and she knows you
can too!
Email Marion at getmotivatedwithmarion@yahoo.com
to learn more about how you could change your life or help someone you
love.
http://www.getmotivatedwithmarion.com
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