Customer Service Training

1. Customer Service Training Lesson 7 Customer Relations II

2. In this Lesson you will…. • Learn: • To identify and demonstrate steps involved in handling customer questions and complaints. • how to apologize and the importance of an apology • Understand: • cultural differences which may affect how customer service is provided • how to work with disabled customers • ADA (Americans with Disabilities act) as it pertains to customer service. • how your behavior affects the customer service experience. • Demonstrate: • positive interaction with staff, supervisors, co-workers and customers

3. Handling customer questions and complaints Other important terms to know for this topic are: • Complaint – An expression of dissatisfaction. • Behavior – The way an individual does things. You do things in a particular way because of the way you feel, what you want, and how the other people treat you • Apology – To express remorse or regret and to communicate those feelings to an individual • Empathy – Understanding how a person feels and acting accordingly. Intellectual Awareness of Emotions • Sensitivity –Awareness of how an individual feels. Emotional feeling

4. What to do when the customer complains. • Remember that the customer is always right, even when they're wrong. • It is not necessary to check into the legitimacy (truthfulness) of the complaint. • Regard the complaints as accurate and take immediate steps to resolve them. • Do not make going to your supervisor be the first step. • Always apologize first (In the first person)

5. The Steps to Resolve Complaints: • Apologize • Listen and Empathize • Fix the problem fairly and quickly • Offer Atonement if necessary • Keep your promises • Follow up

6. Step 1 (of 6):Apologize • It doesn’t matter who’s at fault • You are part of a team • Customers want someone to: • acknowledge that a problem has occurred • show concern for their disappointment.

7. Step 2 (of 6):Listen and Empathize • Treat your customers in a way that shows you care: • about them • their problem. • People have feelings and emotions. • Put yourself in their shoes

8. What did Kelly do right and what did she do wrong with her apology? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5cqfD5rzXI&feature=search

9. Step 3 (of 6): Fix the Problem Quickly and Fairly- • A “fair fix” is delivered with a sense of professional concern. • They want what they expected to receive in the first place • The sooner the better • You and your companies reputation are on the line

10. Step 4 (of 6): Offer Atonement • If a dissatisfied customer feels injured or put out by a service breakdown, they will look to you for some value-added gesture • Provided Added Value in a way that says “I want to make it up to you” • Note: Atonement is not required for successful recovery of service or product breakdown. This is only necessary if the customer feels: • Injured, • Victimized, • Greatly Inconvenienced, • Damaged by the problem

11. Steps 5 (0f 6)Keep Your Promises • Service recovery is needed because a customer believes a service promise has been broken. • During the recovery process you will often need to make new promises. • be realistic about what you can and can’t deliver. • Don’t assume you’ve fixed the problem.

12. Step 6 (of 6): Follow Up • Add a pleasant extra to the recovery sequence by following up • Make sure things really were resolved to your customers satisfaction • Takes little time but has big impact on the customers loyalty can help set you apart from the competition.

13. What if you don’t have an answer or a solution to a complaint? • Be up front and say so. • Don’t make something up if you don’t know. • Follow up with the customer by saying “I will find out for you” • If you go to the boss, propose ideas • Prepare for expected future problems and questions.

15. Dealing with Difficult Customers: • Don’t take it personally- • Try to see it from the customer’s point of view- • Draw attention to the customers mistake indirectly- Don’t directly accuse the customer of being wrong even if they are. • It will cause embarrassment and could possibly make the issue worse. • Admitting that you may be wrong will help the customer save some face and reduce embarrassment • If your wrong admit it.

17. What most companies do if the customer is dissatisfied with a product or service and the customer does not have a reciept? • Offer a Credit for the Item to purchase something else or receive a different service • Offer a replacement for the item or service

18. Other Terms important to complaints and questions • Conflict – A state of disharmony; clash. A state of disagreement between individuals or parties. • Agreement – Harmony of opinion. An understanding either oral or written between an individual or parties • Compromise – A settlement between parties that each individual or parties give and take to settle on an agreement. • Negotiate – To meet and discuss with another in order to reach an agreement. • Mediation – Process that allows opposing sides to come to an agreement. A mediator may be used to assist both parties in this process. • Resolution The outcome of a decision. The agreed upon solution

19. More Terminology • Diversity – The difference between people both internally and externally. Examples of Diversity Include: Language Spoken, The ability to speak (or not), and sexual preference • Disability – A physical or mental impairment, See the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) www.ada.gov • Resiliency – The ability to recover rapidly and quickly to an event or situation. • Self Image The way in which an individual perceives and thinks about themselves. Self image encompasses both physical appearance and emotional awareness.

20. Cultural Differences that May Affect Customer Service • Customers (Or customer service providers) who have not mastered the native tongue. • Customers who come from cultures with often mystifying service expectations. • Customers who can be offended by communication practices you take for granted (Performance Research Associates)

21. How to deal with Cultural Differences that May Affect Customer Service • Respect is the universal language of Service- Impatience with imperfect English, strong accents or difficult to pronounce names could send a customer elsewhere. Be patient, respect differences and allow customers to be heard. • Simplify and Clarify Language with non-native speakers. Speak slower and more deliberate. Pronounce your words as clearly as possible • Avoid Slang, Figures of Speech, Sports Metaphors, and buzzwords

22. Remember to the customer, YOU are the company. What you do and say WILL affect the customer relationship. Remember these tips for working with your internal Customers: • Act the way you except others to act • Do not expect anyone to do anything you are not willing to do • Make customer service crucially important to you, it will be important to your coworkers • Your coworkers need to see that you truly believe your customers are your most important asset. • No talking negatively or laughing at your customers. Such behavior gives the green light for them to do the same • Never become complacent. Always look for ways to improve your performance. • Remember that your coworkers are your internal customers. Treat them the same way you treat external customers

23. Americans with Disabilities act • The ADA made discrimination of those with disabilities illegal. This includes discrimination for employment and discrimination to our customers. • The ADA defines a disability as “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity.“ This includes mental and physical disabilities (www.adata.org) • Physical Disabilities are defined as “Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: neurological, musculoskeletal, special sense organs, respiratory (including speech organs), cardiovascular, reproductive, digestive, genitourinary, hemic and lymphatic, skin, and endocrine” (www.adata.org) • Mental Disabilities are defined as “Any mental or psychological disorder, such as mental retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities." (www.ada.org)

24. The ADA Made this Illegal…

25. Some tips for dealing with customers with disabilities: • If a customer with a disability asks for assistance, it is important to listen to what kind of assistance is needed and not make assumptions. • Be sure to avoid raising your voice and always ask the customer about their preference for communication. • Customers who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, or who have speech impairments may not communicate vocally. • When communication by speech is not possible, simple questions, such as the price of an item, may be handled by exchanging written notes or a mixture of speech, gestures, and written notes. • Many people with hearing or speech disabilities use a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) instead of a standard telephone. This device has a typewriter keyboard for entering messages and a visual display to view the content of a conversation from another person.