Smartech Soft Skills Training 2-19-2006 Rev A

1. SmartechSoft Skills Training 2-19-2006 Rev A • Welcome… • 1. How will this training help me? • You will learn new skills to resolve some old problems. These new skills will serve you both at Smartech as well as in your everyday personal life. • This training session is designed to provide you with face-to-face answers to difficult situations. • This training is also designed to assist you to “Meet and exceed our customers expectations” and let you have fun doing it.

2. SmartechSoft Skills Training 2-19-2006 Rev A Please Take This Personal Self-Assessment Quiz 1. When I promise to deliver a product or service to a customer by a designated time, do I provide a “cushion” for myself and always call the customer before time if I am unable to meet my commitment? Yes No 2. Do I have an organized method of tracking my commitments and follow-up? Yes No 3. Do I insure my customers never perceive my comments as negative? Yes No 4. Do I maintain a simple and effective customer file, noting customer concerns and requests? Yes No 5. I know how to fully satisfy all of my customers? Yes No 6. I know how to recover when the ball has been dropped? Yes No 7. I always apologize to the customer even if the problem was their fault? Yes No

3. SmartechSoft Skills Training 2-19-2006 Rev A What You Need to Know to get Started Each Day 1. Get started on the right foot. • One of the worst things you can say to a customer is, “I don’t know.” Customers rely on you to answer their questions, and if you don’t have answers, or are unwilling to get the right answer, then customers tend to take their business elsewhere. • There will be times when you won’t know the answer to a customer’s questions. Instead of a flat, “I don’t know,” a better way is saying, “That’s a good question. I’ll find out, if you can hold just a minute, or would you rather I called you back?” 2.The keys to sounding knowledgeable with customers are: • Know Smartech’s policies & procedures. • Know the exceptions to Smartech’s policies & procedures. • Know your decision-making authority and restraints. • Be familiar with Smartech’s offerings. • Know who does what at Smartech so you can get the information you need to assist customers.

4. SmartechSoft Skills Training 2-19-2006 Rev A The Art of Listening 1.Take notes to help you concentrate on what the customer is saying. • As children, we were told almost constantly, “Listen to what your father (or mother) says,” or “Listen to your teachers,” or “Listen to me!” Listening is a hard lesson to learn. Most of us think we are listening when, in fact, we’re just hearing what the other person is saying. Most of us think we can do something else while we’re listening but, we can’t. 2. Smartech’s advice is: • Don’t try to do two things at once. You won’t do either of them well. 3. Always Remember: • Good listening skills will pay big dividends in obtaining an excellent customer experience. 4. Listening is a job that requires your full attention. It’s easy to stop listening when dealing with customers because: • The customer is complaining about something that may or may not be your fault. • Customers complain about the same thing all the time, so you know what they’re going to say before they say it. • You need to get something done right away and the customer’s call interrupts you. • You’re thinking of a response to the complaint rather than concentrating on the complaint. • Someone or something else more interesting is commanding your undivided attention.

5. SmartechSoft Skills Training 2-19-2006 Rev A The Art of Listening (continued) 5. Remembering names is an important part of listening. It makes the customer feel special. • First, listen carefully to the name. Then quickly form a mental picture or rhyme that relates to the name. Mr. Brown might have brown hair. Ms. Doss may remind you of your boss. • Next, write down the name. Writing always helps the “remembering” process. You might ask, “How do you spell your name?” Asking questions also helps you remember and does not interfere with what you are doing. • In order to help the customer you will need to know what the customer wants resolved. • Two very important factors in identifying a customer’s problem are: 1) Be Patient. 2) Don’t be afraid to ask, “What is the problem and how may I be of assistance?” SUMMARY • Listening is hard work that can only be accomplished if your mind is free from distractions. • If you’re on the phone with a customer, take notes on what he/she is saying to keep your mind on the conversation. If you are face-to-face with a customer, maintain continuous eye contact with him or her. • Don’t try to do two things at once when you’re talking with a customer. Give the customer your full, undivided attention. • If your mind wanders, apologize for the momentary distraction and politely ask the customer to repeat what he or she has just said.

6. SmartechSoft Skills Training 2-19-2006 Rev A Self-Assessment Quiz • A few good ways to remember names is to: a) Associate the name with some other aspect of the person, or make a mental note of something the name reminds you of. b) Write it down. c) Repeat it. 2. What are your own worst listening habits? ______________________________________________________________________________ 3. What can you do to improve them? ______________________________________________________________________________ 4. What do you need to know in order to help a customer? ______________________________________________________________________________ 5. What additional steps can you take to ensure all requirements are understood? ______________________________________________________________________________ From the list below, what two things do you always need to keep in mind when trying to identify a customer’s problem? • The customer’s name. • Be patient • Don’t be afraid to ask, “What is the problem?”

7. SmartechSoft Skills Training 2-19-2006 Rev A How to Diffuse Angry Customers 1. Listen patiently and sympathize with the customer. • Don’t be defensive. The customer is not really yelling at you; he/she is angry at a set of circumstances over which you probably had no control. You should not take the customer’s anger personally. • Don’t transfer the customer’s telephone call. • Your job is to turn lemons into lemonade—turn angry customers into happy ones. • Try to always leave an alternative for the customer. 2. When to be firm and assert yourself. • Always begin your conversation with a customer in a friendly and polite manner. This attitude, along with a patient, sympathetic ear, will diffuse most angry customers. • Don’t lose your temper, rather be firm in your offering and ability to resolve their concern. Offer to involve your supervisor when the customer is still not satisfied.

8. SmartechSoft Skills Training 2-19-2006 Rev A Self-Assessment Quiz • Handling Irate Customers: a. Remember…do not take their anger personally. b. Look upon it as a challenge to turn an angry customer into a satisfied one. 2. When a customer is angry and yelling at me, I feel: ( ) Mistreated, like I shouldn’t have to take this abuse. ( ) Defensive, like I want to get back at the customer in some way. ( ) Sad, because I feel like he/she is mad at me. ( ) Depressed, because I figure Smartech can’t do anything right. • You call a customer and the customer is upset. The customer starts screaming about something that doesn’t involve you. Customer states, “Smartech is horrible. I will never request service from your company again.” • What do you do? ____________________________________ • _____________________________________________________________________________ 5. What’s the worst thing a customer has ever said to you? _______________________________ • _____________________________________________________________________________ 6. How did you handle the situation? _________________________________________________ • _____________________________________________________________________________ 7. Was that the right way? If no…..Why? _____________________________________________ • _____________________________________________________________________________

9. SmartechSoft Skills Training 2-19-2006 Rev A Negotiating with Customers • Your customer wants service yesterday and also wants the part you are replacing to totally fix his/her machine. They want you to transfer all of their data, add all of the upgrades and applications. • Sound familiar? Think about why people make these demands. They have a problem, they want a solution, and they want to grab your attention. They ask for more than they expect, hoping to negotiate with you. • Make sure you fully understand what the customer wants. Involve your FSS when necessary. • Successful negotiation with the customer involves understanding the problem.The steps in negotiating a solution are: 1) Make sure you know what the customer wants. 2) Always explain what you can do, never what you can not do. 3) Your first offer should be one to create a happy customer. 4) Keep an open-mind and positive attitude. • Your customer wants you at their location at 10:00AM, but you already have an appointment for that time. • This may be another familiar situation for you. Don’t explain why you can’t be there at the requested time…..Instead, tell the customer when you CAN be at his/her location. Always be as specific as possible. “I can be at your location at 1:00PM.” This is a more positive approach. You are not telling the customer what you can’t do, but allowing him/her to accept or counter offer. • Body language, like a smile, eye contact and palms-up hands, are all indicators of willingness to help. • If you are unable to reach an agreement with the customer seek counsel from your Manager on how to proceed. • If a customer threatens you, first restate that your are willing to reach a solution. If the threats continue involve your Manager.

10. SmartechSoft Skills Training 2-19-2006 Rev A Self-Assessment Quiz Negotiating with Customers 1. Negotiating successfully with customers: • ( ) Means “I win, you lose.” ( ) Requires skills learned by doing it. • ( ) Gets easier with practice. ( ) Involves understanding the problem. 2. The steps in negotiating a solution to a problem are: • Step 1 _____________________Step 2 _____________________ • Step 3 _____________________Step 4 _____________________ 3. If a customer threatens you with statements such as, “If you don’t do this, I’ll do such- and-such,” what should you do? • ( ) Ignore the threat. ( ) Make a counter-threat. • ( ) Call your FSS or Manger. ( ) Restate you are willing to reach a solution. 4. What kind of “body language” indicates you are open to ideas and willing to help? • ( ) Crossed arms and legs. ( ) Smile. • ( ) Maintain eye contact. ( ) Palms up.

11. SmartechSoft Skills Training 2-19-2006 Rev A The Importance of Follow-UP • Once you’ve agreed to help a customer, your job has just begun. Good customer relations required follow-up on your part. Often this means an extra phone call. Most important, is that you follow through on your promises. • Never let the customer wait and wonder what happened. Keep the customer informed. Return a customer’s call even if you have bad news. Remember, even if you have bad news call the customer and let him/her know. Bad news is bad, but no news is much worse. • If a customer wants information you don’t have or wants you to make an exception to Smartech’s policy. Contact your FSS for clarification and how to proceed. • Offering to go beyond the call of duty to help a customer helps the customer and Smartech’s. It also helps you! It brands you a concerned employee who thinks about our customers and Smartech’s first. This positive attitude will be noticed and appreciated by your Manager and others within the Smartech organization.

12. SmartechSoft Skills Training 2-19-2006 Rev A Customer Satisfaction “Recovery” 1. Why should we look at customer satisfaction recovery? • When something goes wrong, giving the customer what they originally expected will at best get the customer back to neutral. • In order to satisfy the customer, an apology is REQUIRED and a value added atonement may be required 2. Experiences vs. expectations determine customer satisfaction. • Listed below are ways you can recover customer satisfaction depending upon whether the customer is annoyed or feels he/she has been victimized: • Annoyed • Apology • Urgent reinstatement/service • Victimized • Apology • Urgent reinstatement • Empathy/Compassion • Symbolic atonement • Follow-up

13. SmartechSoft Skills Training 2-19-2006 Rev A Customer Satisfaction Recovery” SummaryRecovery – returning an aggrieved customer to a state of satisfaction **has a critical economic impact on Smartech’s business. • Breakdown involves customer expectations of both outcomes and processes. • Recovering well when things have gone wrong increases customer loyalty and decreases marketing expenses. • Only your customer can tell you how annoying or victimizing a particular service breakdown has been. Only your customer can determine when appropriate recovery has occurred. • PLANNED service recovery ensures each breakdown will be handled in a creative way which will satisfy the customer and Smartech’s needs. • Yes, you can -- and should – plan for the unexpected. • When problems occur, customers expect you to apologize, give them a “fair fix”, treat them with care and compassion, and make atonement if required. • “Fix the person, then the problem” is a good rule unless you can’t fix the problem. Planned recovery helps you do both – and do them well. • It is critical that recurring problems be identified so that changes and corrections can be made in your service delivery systems. • Planned service recovery improves overall service quality – awareness

14. SmartechSoft Skills Training 2-19-2006 Rev A Customer Satisfaction Completion Form • This document verifies that I have successfully completed and understand the Smartech’s Customer Satisfaction Training Course. ___________________ _________ Name Date