Customer Care and Service Excellence Training

Handling Customer Care and Service Excellence
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CUSTOMER CARE & SERVICE EXCELLENCE
Mhanqwa Jamela
Customer Service Training

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WHATEVER YOU
CAN CONCEIVE
AND BELIEVE…WE
HELP YOU ACHIEVE
IT.

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Introductions
•3
Welcome
Introductions
•Hi, I’m
Mhanqwa
Jamela. I’m the
Senior
Consulting for
Jamela
Resources
•Hi, I’m Ed. I’m
the hotel
custodial
technician sent
to clean the
spilled canapés.

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Expectations
•4

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Breaks
10:15 / 10:30 Coffee / Tea break / Stretch
12:30 – 1:15 Lunch
1:15/30 -3:15/30
Aim to finish by 15:30
•5

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House
Rules:
• Please minimise the
number of times you
leave the room as this
disrupts the flow of the
conference
• Please keep to the
allocated times of tea
breaks & smoking
intervals

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ROADMAP:
•
• Batho pele principles
• Service levels and service standards
• How to ensure the right perception of
customer care.
• How to handle difficult situations.
• Key skills of questioning and how to apply
them.
• How to use Transactional Analysis to ensure
a productive out-come.
• How difficult situations can be valuable.
• An easy-to-use effective manner of dealing
with difficult situations.
• How to be effective in their 'follow-up.'
• How to ask effective questions.
• how to improve their 'Active' listening skills
and use them to ensure greater effectiveness.
• Improve their ability in dealing with difficult
customers and situations.

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Quote by President
“What we need is a different type of a public servant; a public
servant who respects the citizens he or she serves. A public
servant who values the public resources she has been entrusted
to manage. We need a public servant who comes to work on
time and performs his or her duties diligently”
President Jacob Zuma Meeting with top managers in the
Public Service

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The Constitution, 1996 (Chapter 10)
A high standard of professional ethics must be promoted and
maintained.
Efficient, economic and effective use of resources must be promoted.
Services must be provided impartially, fairly, equitably and without
bias.
People’s needs must be responded to, and the public must be
encouraged to participate in policy-making.
Public administration must be accountable.
Transparency must be fostered by providing the pubic with timely,
accessible and accurate information.
Clause 9 makes reference to prohibition of unfair discrimination on the
basis of disability.

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Why does customer service
matter?
Exceptional customer service begins with exceptional
people.

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Identify Customers
Internal Customers External Customers
Internal customers are people
within your organization.
Who would that be?
• Bus Shop Technicians
• Office Staff
Does it matter how you treat
them?
In government, the people you
help.
customers

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Exceptional Customer
Service
Exceptional customer service involves exceeding
customer expectations, where the standards and level
of service received exceed what the customer could
reasonably define as normal or expected.
2. Exceed the customers’ expectations
3. Make an emotional connection with your customers

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What is customer service
What is a customer?
“A customer is the most important person to ever
enter your business. He/she is not an interruption of
your work; he/she is the purpose of it.”

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customer

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Let’s Discuss…
Who are customers?
Your role – why care?
Being the best!
How to keep ‘em!
How to lose ‘em!
Loyalty Facts
Responsibility
Additional Info

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Who Are
Customers?
Everyone at work with whom you interact
are your customers
Everyone who purchases or uses your
activities, events, products and services
are your customers
Your supervisor, your manager, and all of
your employees are your customers, too
You help achieve extraordinary customer
service when you make
each interaction one that is positive,
effective, efficient, courteous,
competent, thorough, and professional.
This is your job!

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Your “Service”
Role – Why Care?
Serving every customer well helps you,
your program, and your organization
stand out
Providing good customer service is
essential to:
• your job security
• future job/career opportunities
• how you feel about what you
do

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Being The Best -- Everyday!
HIGHLY EFFECTIVE CUSTOMER SERVICE PEOPLE:
Exceed customer expectations
Find out how customers want to be treated
Know the customer's needs are a priority
Listen effectively to ensure they understand the customer
Don’t take complaints personally
Look and act like a professional
Keep learning
Keep teaching
Smile genuinely
Respect the customer

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How To Keep ‘em!
#1
1. Be professional. Maintain a neat appearance and keep
your workspace clean, organized and tidy.
2. Make every customer feel welcome. Forget the problem
behavior you may have just dealt with – focus your
energies on serving the current customer.
3. Always be courteous - manners matter. Treat
customers the way you want to be treated as a
customer.
4. Take each customer-problem seriously. When
customers have a concern or a complaint, listen
attentively and try to solve their problem yourself…, and
as quickly as possible.
5. Follow through! Do what you must to solve the problem.
Not every problem can be resolved the way the
customer wants, but that doesn't mean he/she should
receive poor service.

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How To Keep
‘em! #2
6. Understand your customers’ needs and match
those needs with correct solutions.
7. Know your organization and your activities,
events, products and services. You will be
better able to serve your customer, resolve
problems, and direct them to another
department, when needed.
8. Learn your lines. Take the time to master the
technical and procedural ins and outs of your
job.
9. Be a team player. Help those you work with.
When a coworker is trying to help three people
at once, pitch in. If the phone is ringing on
someone else's desk, take the call.
10. Enjoy your work! Customer service is a
demanding job. Find joy in the fact that you are
helping people meet their needs.

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How To Lose ‘em!
SURE-FIRED WAYS TO DRIVE ‘EM AWAY
Ensure long waits
Give ‘em the "run-around"
Answer with, "That's not my job", "I just do what they tell me ", "We can't do that", and "our policy… "
Bad-mouth your program, the organization or the competition
Demonstrate your lack of product or service knowledge
Be an "uncaring" customer service person
Fail to follow-up
Use the voice tone that says you don’t care
Confuse ‘em with inconsistent body language
•Don’t do these!

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Loyalty Facts! 1of 7
Did You Know?
Only 5% of customers who have had a problem will ever complain to
management; although 45% tell front line employees
Most customers just go away because they believe their complaints
will not do any good
For every complaint you hear, there are 26 additional customers with
unresolved problems or complaints and 6 of these are serious
You will never hear from these 26 again – and they are the ones who
could tell you how to make your business better

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Did You Know?
56%-70% of the customers who complain to you will do business with
you again if you resolve their problem. If they feel you acted quickly
and to their satisfaction, up to 96% will do business with you again,
and they will probably refer other people to you
A dissatisfied customer will tell 9-15 people about it. And
approximately 13% of your dissatisfied customers will tell more than
20 people about their problem
Your Program cannot possibly afford the advertising cost it would
take to overcome this word-of-mouth, negative publicity

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Did You Know?
Happy customers who have their problems resolved will tell 4-6 people about their positive
experience.
You have to satisfy three to four, for every one that is dissatisfied with you. It's tough to work
with a 4:1 ratio against you, which is why your customer satisfaction efforts are so important.
Programs that provide extraordinary customer service can charge more, realize greater
profits/participation, increase market share, and will have customers who willingly pay more
for (or use) their products and services simply because of the extraordinary service

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Loyalty Facts! 4of
7
Did You Know?
It costs five to six times as much to get a new (first
time) customer as it does to keep a current one
Customer loyalty can be worth up to 10 times as
much as a single purchase
The lifetime value of any single customer is worth
more than the cost of returning their purchase price
on a single item
The rule of 10's: It costs up to $10,000 to get a new
customer; 10 seconds to lose him/her; and up to 10
years for the customer to get over whatever made
him/her leave you

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Loyalty Facts! 5of
7
Did You Know?
It costs 6 times more to attract a new customer than it
does to keep an old one
Customer loyalty is, in most cases worth 10 times the
price of a single purchase
A typical business hears from only about 4% of its
dissatisfied customers --- 96% just go away! … and
91% will never come back!
13% of the people who have service problems tell 20
others
It takes 12 positive service incidents to make up for one
negative incident
7 out of 10 customers will do business with you again if
you resolve the complaint in their favor

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Loyalty Facts! 6of
7
Did You Know?
If you resolve a complaint on the spot, 95% will return
and do business with you again
On average, a satisfied complainer will tell 5 people
about the problem and how it was satisfactorily resolved
Of the customers who quit your business, 68% do so
because of an attitude of indifference by the company or
a specific individual
Long term customers are usually more profitable. A 5%
increase in customers retention can boost profit by 25%
to 125%
A company can improve revenues by 49% with a 10%
increase in customer retention

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Loyalty Facts! 7of
7
Where Do They Go?
Where do customers/patrons go when they disappear?
• 1% Die
• 3% Move away
• 5% Float/seek alternatives or develop other
business relationships or are influenced by friends
• 9% Are lured away by the competition
• 14% Are dissatisfied with the
products/services/pricing
• 68% Are upset with the treatment they received...,
or an attitude of indifference on the part of an
employee

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Your
Responsibility
Work as if you own the business.
Take ownership of customer problems.
Make sure problems get resolved. You
may have to ask for help, but be
responsible. Customers are tolerant when
somebody is willing to follow up and make
sure problems are handled.
Serve! Always be the customer’s solution,
never their problem!

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Delivering Exceptional
Customer Service

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Welcome to MNQUMA
MUNICIPALITY
CUSTOMER CARE
CLINIC
We are excited to have you on our
team and want you to be proud
to serve the students and
faculty here by providing:
-GOOD ???
-GREAT ???
-EXCELLENT ???
-EXCEPTIONAL – that’s it
Customer Service

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Customer Contact is a
moment of truth
When “customers” first meet us they
immediately form opinions about us and
our organization. Those impressions
include things about character, efficiency,
and friendliness. They will decide in 7
seconds from 11 impressions whether
they…
•Like You
•Dislike You
•Indifferent
… that will largely determine the
satisfaction of their experience (and
yours)

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7-11 Quiz
1- Cleanliness
2- Warmth (engaging)
3- Credible
4- Knowledgeable
5- Responsive
6- Friendly
7- Helpful
8- Understanding
9- Courteous
10- Confident
11- Professional

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Professionalism
Positive Attitude
 Attentive – listen and care (make them know they matter)
o Give accurate information, don’t be afraid to say “I
don’t know, but I will find out”
 Friendly approach – watch for non-verbal and body
language signs
 Eye contact (best response in 2 seconds)
 Learning to say no with tact and courtesy and confidence
o Stay positive
 Attention to detail
o Go the extra mile
o Use names whenever possible
Work Ethics
 Punctuality
 Time Management
 Manage multi-tasking
 Follow the chain of command

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Professionalism
continued
Etiquette
 Telephone
 Greeting
 Holds
 Transfers
 Workspace
 Clean from clutter
 Organized (know where to find things and
put them back in their place)
 No food, drinks in covered containers
 Socializing limited to break times (includes
 Appearance
 Refer to handout for helpful guidelines

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Communication
Use Clear and Concise Communication and be the Problem Solver
Verbal
 Speak clearly at an appropriate speed
 Be aware of your tone and inflections
 Give undivided attention
Written business email and letters/memos
 Use correct grammar (no text talk or IM speak)
 Limit styles and images
 Be careful of font colors
 Use correct case (not all caps or lower case)
Non-verbal
 Watch body language, lack of eye contact or signs of
frustration

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Communication continued
Language
 Avoid use of:
o Vulgar or profanity language
o Sexually explicit or suggestive
comments
o Discriminatory or demeaning comments
There is never an appropriate time for any of
these in the workplace
Confidentiality
Adjust tone and volume
 Use a privacy screen where appropriate

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CUSTOMER CARE
& SERVICE
EXCELLENCE
Mhanqwa Jamela
Customer Service
Training

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DAY 2
Recap Day 1
Pillars of customer service
Batho Pele
Customer care standards
Dealing with difficult customers
Personal branding
Conflict management

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Knowledge and Learning
Knowledge is an acquaintance with or understanding of facts and truths
Learning is a willingness to become acquainted with facts and truths not yet understood
 Working Knowledge
 Job description, responsibilities and performance expectations
 Where to find college policies and procedures
 Department policies, procedures and expectations
 Functions of MUNICIPALITY
Stay current on email and department updates for up-to-date information
General Knowledge
General knowledge about UMnquma municipality/Infrastructure
 Important college dates and events
 UMnquma municipality catalog (online)
 Cross training or knowledge of other department functions

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Knowledge and Learning continued
Willingness for continued learning
 Participate in staff training
 See supervisor for permission to attend professional development
workshops of interest for career and advancement learning. Be sure to check
the CAPE website for offerings
 Assignment of an inner department mentor for the first 90 days

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DIVERSIT
Y
Be understanding and accepting of
people or situations that do not fit your
comfort zone
 Keep you temperament in check
 Be aware of your biases

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•Expecting things to change when
you continue to do them the same
way

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Teamwork
 Be respectful of all members of your team
 Be coachable and open minded to help offered by
your supervisor or other members of your team
 Be willing to work together to accomplish
department and institutional goals
Be willing to be available and do your share of
necessary extras (take one for the team)
Be willing to share you knowledge with others.
Mentor and support new team members
 Give recognition and credit wherever you can for a
job well done or a difficult situation well handled.

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Exceptional
customer service
• Maintain a high level of professionalism by following the guidelines
and handouts from today’s discussion
• Listen and be attentive to what your customer needs
• Communicate using clear and concise business language and
remember to watch body language
• Be a life long learner at your job as well as your personal education.
Take opportunities to learn new things and become aware of all the
services provided at UMnquma municipality so you can help and refer
seamlessly
• Be understanding of all people and situations, especially where you
may have biases that are contrary
•

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– Smile, be
happy and
have fun!
It will always show in the
service you give

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Customers
Internal customers
Internal customers are fellow employees, a boss, subordinates,
other departments.
An internal customers is anybody inside the business who
depends on your work output before they can start their own
work, for example your supervisor.
If we follow customer care principles inside an organisation, we are
better geared to serve our primary and most important person,
namely the customer.

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Customer Service
•Extraordinary businesses are those that do ordinary things extraordinarily well.

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7 Pillars of Customer
Service

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Wowing the customer builds the organization’s
reputation and overall brand. Employees will
not always understand this; therefore, it is
IMPERATIVE that management challenges
employees and coaches them to a level
beyond what they’re willing to do.

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Research
90 % of machine manufacturers said in order to defend against
low cost competitors a greater percentage of their revenues must come
from services; therefore, the way they service their clients is critical to
their long-term success
- Industry Week

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Research
If you can prevent 5% of your customers from leaving you can
increase your bottom line profit by 25 – 95%
- Harvard Business Review

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Research
The average South African business loses 15% of its customer base each
year.
68% of customers who stop buying from one business and go to another
will do so due to poor or indifferent service.
82 % go somewhere else because of a specific customer service issue

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Are You Convinced Yet?

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Pillar 1:
Develop a Customer
Service Mission
Statement
Clearly convey your company’s specific objectives as they
relate to customer service.
Should be dedicated to building an organizational
perspective of what WOWING the customer is truly about.
• Communicate mission statement with customers AND
employees. All to keep the mission alive as well as
communicate its successes.
• Could include:
• Signs throughout the organization
• Internal employee newsletters
• Incentives for good work

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Pillar 2:
Customer Service is
Attitude AND Action
It is imperative that employees have the
proper attitudes as well as the capacity to
take action.
• Its one thing to be willing to offer
great customer service, however
willingness means nothing without
action.
• Employees need to be encouraged
to take matters into their own hands
and impress clients.

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A great customer
Example
The president of the organization asked me, how
do you go about doing a wow activity? I asked him if he had
learned anything unique about any client in the past week or
two. He was talking when he realized he had his answer.
He stopped by a client site with a book about our
military personnel and he told the woman, I just wanted to
give this to you to show our appreciation for your son and
what he does for our country. The customer began to tear up
and cry.
It is safe to say this client told a multiple of fellow
employees about this act of kindness. $20 and a short drive
later a wow factor had been created; client loyalty had been
more deeply entrenched.

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A Great Customer
Example
One major client we had was in the boating
industry, which at the time was down over 30%. Knowing the
market was tight we decided to take action.
We created a folder system that had articles about
how to run marine dealerships successfully. We trained the
personnel to ask business driven questions such as how is
business, when is your next open house, and what are you
doing in regard to marketing your dealership. We took this
information and began to disseminate specific articles of
interest against what the customer stated they were doing.
It was during this program sales increased 22% in
a down market.

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Pillar 3:
Base Training
Employees must be trained on customer service and best
practices.
Base training should include 3 major components
• Workshops
• Discussion
• Real world activity
Workshops should teach core content and facilitate discussion
about real-world challenges of the organization, as well as specific
customers.
• Builds deeper engagement among employees when the
workshop is drawing upon things they can directly relate
to.

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Pillar 4:
Coaching Employees
Coaching is imperative to helping employees embrace the
techniques taught, and form new positive attitudes about the
program.
Must be a sincere approach to have managers learn the specific
techniques that coaching includes. Managing is about telling
people what to do; coaching is about asking questions and helping
employees improve their performance.
• For example, an employee with a bad attitude will not
magically improve if the manager tells them to improve
their attitude. An example coaching question could be “if
someone were viewing how you’re acting right now how
do you think they would perceive you”? The key
difference is when you ask, employees have to come to
grips with their own issues as well as subscribe to a
level of accountability.

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Pillar 5:
Creative Thank
You’s
Most people will NOT take the time to say thank you
because they are too busy, so make this a common
practice in your organization.
If your competition is to busy while you make the time,
you will truly stand out.
A simple hand written note is all it takes.
• When you go home and you have three bills
and one hand addressed envelope which
do you open first? The hand addressed
envelope… right?
Cards are NOT the only way to say
thank you, Get Creative.

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Great Customer
Example
One of our clients decided to get
creative for one of their clients. Their
client had won a big contract so as a
sign of congratulations they sent
donuts in the morning with a card
from all the staff. Each donut had the
word “Congrats” on it. When they buy
their next piece of equipment, who do
you think they will think of first? This
particular client’s business (a
construction equipment company)
rose over 30 % in a down economy.

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Pillar 6:
Functional
Walkthrough
A functional walk-through is a step-by-step view of the
lifecycle of a customer as it relates to doing business with
your organization.
• This includes the entire process from the initial
meeting to the first product or service ordered to
becoming a long-standing customer.
The key is to identify stages in which specific people or
departments engage and/or interact with the customer.
Helps organizations identify key points where they can
create worth while methods of interaction.
Few organizations will ever take the time to look at the
customer in such a manner.

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Pillar 7:
Engage Engage
Engage
Have your staff learn three new things
about clients daily.
Employees will push back. Most want
to come to work, do their jobs, and go
home.
• Engagement represents going
above and beyond any effort
they have made in their career
up to this point.

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Real Life Example
A major manufacturing firm had
imposed a rule in their customer service
department where they were to complete all phone
calls in 40 seconds or less. The objective was to
give the customer what they wanted and then get
them off the phone as quickly as possible.
This method took a huge risk in
assuming they were meeting all the customer’s
needs. In actuality, customers reported they felt
dismissed and a cold response from the staff. In
the first 90 days of the project we removed this 40
second barrier and encouraged all staff members
to learn three new things about one new customer
in the morning and one in the afternoon.
The staff was encouraged to quantify
these actions in staff meetings on a weekly basis
to enable total accountability.

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Summary
Building a customer service driven organization
has many components that rely on one
another.
It is critical the organization embraces this
movement from the top down and challenges
employees to go above and beyond any past
level of customer service they have
experienced.
This endeavor will come with pain, frustration,
and ultimately an unbelievable exhilaration of
developing deep and worthwhile customer
relationships.

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CHANGING customers‘ EXPECTATIONS
• Demographic changes
• Changing urban rythms
• Changing customers‘ behaviour and
habits
• Growing concern for environmental
issues
• Insecurity feeling

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Municipal systemes
...
• ... costs less to the
community
• ... needs less urban space
• ... is less energy-intensive
• ... pollutes less
• ... is the safest mode
• ... improves accessibility to
jobs
• ... offers mobility for all

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• “Together Beating the Drum for Service Delivery”
• This is all about service delivery!!!!
• It is about working together as teams
• We need to sing from the same hymn sheet
• There must be harmony, rhythm & integration in our work teams
• If we don’t understand each other there will be no rhythm and we
will be disorganised, fragmented and in our silos
•71

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“Improve the quality of live of all customers and free the potential of
each person…….”
Mandate

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What is Batho Pele?
Strive for excellence in service delivery;
Commit to continuous service delivery improvement;
Allows customers to hold organisations accountable
for the type of services they deliver; and
Citizen orientated approach to service delivery
informed by the 8 principles

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WHY A BATHO PELE SPECIFIC POLICY?
To ensure that all Employees adhere to the
Principles of Batho Pele and be more accountable
to customers
To have a customer-centric approach to equitable
service delivery
To improve service delivery
To build effective relationships with the end users
of public service

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Non Negotiables
“SERVE THE PEOPLE” values and principles
“Live by a High Standard of Professional Ethics ”;
A) Integrity - Credibility
B) Honesty - Incorruptible
C) Dedication – Hard working
D) Passion - Love
E) Commitment - Belief
F) Distinction – The extra mile
G) Quality - Satisfaction

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Revitalisation of BP: Towards a framework
•Internal
•Communication
•External
•Communication
•Front office
•Back Office
•Culture
•Structure
•Systems
•Processes
•Client interface
•Thusong Service Centres (MPCCs)
•Ethics
•Professionalism
•Change Engagement
•Programme
 Customer focus
 Consultation
 Information
 Staff focus
 Organizational culture
 Morale

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BATHO PELE PRINCIPLES
•Consultation
•Service Standards
•Access
•Courtesy
•Information
• Openness and transparency
•Redress
•Value for Money

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Group Work
Provide a definition for each principle as your
understand it
 List some ideas /examples of how the 8 Batho Pele Principles can
be applied in your work situation. Highlight Consultation and cover
everything possible about it, and
 How do you understand the concept: The people must come
first-the 'customer' concept - What it meant by “treat customers
like customers?”
 How does the public perceive the public service?
Break in groups
Report back to class
20 minutes for exercise

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Why teams fail?
Lack of support, information, time, and
resources from management
Lack of a clear idea of what they are to
accomplish
Lack of skills to work together effectively or
to analyze the problem they face
Over-managed, management imposing
personal agendas or seeking political
solutions to problems that require objective
answers
•79

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TEAM EFFECTIVENESS
“a group of people working together to achieve common
objectives and willing to commit all their energies necessary
to ensuring that the objectives are
achieved”(Humphries:1998)
Team Charectaristics:
• Purpose
• Empowerment
• Relationships & Communication
• Flexibility
• Optimal productivity
• Recognition & Appreciation
• Morale

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Gearing
up for
Delivery
Then why do up to
70% of major
performance
improvement
projects fail?
•8
1

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1. Identity the customers
2. Establish the customer's needs and
priorities
3. Establish the current service baseline
4. Identify the 'improvement gap'
5. Set service standards
6. Gear up for delivery
•
•IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY

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CONT
• END RESULTS
• Evidence for proper
consultation
• Evidence for improved
service delivery
• &
• What impact does proper
consultation have on other
principles?
•8
3
• Consultation must be conducted intelligently – avoid
raising
• unrealistic expectations; rather, instead reveal where
resources and effort should be focused (priority).
• The outcome should be a balance between what
customers want and what could be realistically afforded

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Service Standards
customers should be told
what level and quality
services they will receive so
that they are aware of what
to expect

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Ensuring Courtesy
customers should be treated
with courtesy and
consideration e.g. tools,
measurements & systems
put in place to effect
customer care - customer
care units & staff
Right attitude!!

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Information
customers should be given full, accurate
information about the services they are entitled to
receive e.g.
• Braille and functional sign language, help
desks, brochures, posters, press
• Information to be available at service
points, in various official languages.
• Ticketing staff training
• Induction training is made compulsory to
all new employees

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Openness & Transparency
customers should be told how much
the service cost and also benefit form
the partnership.

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Value for Money
Service should be provided economically and efficiently in order
to give customers the best possible value for money e.g.
Maximizing value as perceived by the citizen.
Optimally balancing efficiency, effectiveness, and economy
within the constraints of public expenditure management.
Ensuring that services are accessible, appropriate, and
adequate to meet customers’ needs.
Eliminating wasteful and unnecessary expenditure, and
procedures.

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Customer-
Defined
Service
Standards
• Factors Necessary for Appropriate Service
Standards
• Types of Customer-Defined Service Standards
• Development of Customer-Defined Service
Standards

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Customer-
Defined
Service
Standards
Distinguish between company-defined and customer-defined
service standards.
Differentiate among “hard” and “soft” customer-defined
standards and one-time fixes.
Explain the critical role of the service encounter sequence in
developing customer-defined standards.
Illustrate how to translate customer expectations into
behaviors and actions that are definable, repeatable, and
actionable.
Explain the process of developing customer-defined service
standards.
Emphasize the importance of service performance indexes in
implementing strategy for service delivery.

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•Standards are based on the most important customer
•expectations and reflect the customer’s view of these expectations.
•Customer-
Defined
Standards
•Company-
Defined
Standards
• SOURCES
• Customer Expectations
• Customer Process
Blueprint
• Customer Experience
Observations
•
• SOURCES
• Productivity Implications
• Cost Implications
• Company Process Blueprint
• Company View of Quality
Service Standards

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•“Not everything that counts can be
counted...and not everything that can
be counted, counts.”
•Albert Einstein
Counting…

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•SOFT STANDARDS AND MEASURES
•Opinion-based measures that cannot
•be observed and must be collected by
•talking to customers (perceptions, beliefs)
•HARD STANDARDS AND MEASURES
•Things that can be counted, timed,
•or observed through audits (time,
•numbers of events)
Standards…

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•Service Encounter •Customer
Requirements
•Measurements
•Service
•Quality
•
Customer-Driven Standards and Measurements
Exercise

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What Customers Expect:
Getting to Actionable Steps

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Process for Setting Customer-
Defined Standards

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Importance/Performance
Matrix

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Linkage between Soft Measures
and Hard Measures for Speed of
Complaint Handling

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Soft Standards at Toyota in Japan
Standards for salespeople patterned
after samurai behaviors:
• assume the samurai warrior’s “waiting
position” by leaning five to ten degrees
forward when a customer is looking at
a car
• stand with left hand over right, fingers
together and thumbs interlocked, as
the samurais did to show they were
not about to draw their swords
• display the “Lexus Face,” a closed-
mouth smile intended to put customers
at ease

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More Soft Standards at Toyota in Japan
Standards for salespeople patterned after
samurai behaviors:
• when serving coffee or tea, kneel on the
floor with both feet together and both knees
on the ground
• bow more deeply to a customer who has
purchased a car than a casual window
shopper
• stand about two arms’ lengths from
customers when they are looking at a car
and come in closer when closing a deal
• point with all five fingers to a car door’s
handle, right hand followed by left, then
gracefully open the door with both hands

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Hard and Soft Service Standards
at Ford
Appointment available within one day of customer’s requested service day
Write-up begins within four minutes
Service needs are courteously identified, accurately recorded on repair order and verified with customer
Service status provided within one minute of inquiry
Vehicle serviced right on first visit
Vehicle ready at agreed-upon time
Thorough explanation given of work done, coverage and charges

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Standards at Four Seasons
Seven Service Culture Standards
1. Smile
2. Eye
3. Recognition
4. Voice
5. Informed
6. Clean
7. Everyone
Ticket sales
Entry in the bus
Information
•Exceptions are permitted if
•they make local sense

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Additional Info… #1
Read about customer service
Attend additional customer service training
Attend training relevant to your job
Learn about your program’s activities, events, products and services
Continuously develop your
career

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Difficult Customers &
Situations
•5–
104

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The “Difficult Customer”
Simple Strategies for working
effectively with challenging
customers

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We like to work with customers
who …
Want to be helped,
Who we can relate to,
Who make us feel competent,
Who make our work feel worthwhile,
Who we feel we are helping,
Who verbalize their appreciation of us.

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Customers are labeled “difficult”
when ….
We do not feel competent in helping them,
We do not feel our helping is effective,
When they are not being cooperative,
When they do not seem to want our help,
When we believe we are putting in more time than they are.

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What makes a customer
“difficult”?
Their stuff.
Their history, personal mythology, perceptions, biases, experiences,
psychosocial development/history
My stuff.
My history, personal mythology, perceptions, biases, experiences,
psychosocial history/development
Our stuff.
Our shared history, relational patterns of interaction, established
patterns of behavior, expectations etc.

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Challenging vs. Difficult?
The effects of
the words we use

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• Challenging
• requiring full use of your abilities or resources
• The Free Dictionary
•arousing competitive interest, thought, or action
•Merriam Webster

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•Difficult:
•hard to deal with, manage
•Merriam Webster
•hard to deal with; troublesome
•The Free Dictionary

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Challenging customers
Arrives late
Misses or
cancels
appointments
Demanding
and/or
unpredictable
Does not
complete
tasks
Passive,
unresponsive
Blames
others
Defensive Lazy
Racist Unmotivated
Unrealistic
expectations
Needy or
dependent

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Challenging
Customers
•The resistant customer
•The angry or hostile customer
•Other types of challenging customer

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The resistant
customer
Resistance is a natural reaction to
change. Change can result in
anxiety and fear.
Resistance cannot be attributed to
a single underlying cause, but is the
product of multiple internal and
external influences.
There is no such thing as an
unmotivated client/customer.
Many customers are believed to be
difficult because of the effect they
have on the counselor/case worker.

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Resistive behaviors
Missing appointments
Arriving late
Blaming others
Lack of effort
Anger/hostility
Talking too much/too little
Nonadherence to rules, policy etc.
Defensiveness
Intellectualization
Uncooperativeness

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Possible causes
Negative expectations, perhaps based upon experience or mythology
Interpersonal skills of counselor and customer
Customer’s fear of failure
Uncertainty leading to fear (fear of the unknown)
Skills deficit of counselor
Goals mismatch

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Dealing with
resistance
Help customers view their problems in a different
light (re-frame).
Focus on customers positive coping strategies
(identify and develop strengths rather than focus
on deficits).
Promote problem recognition and ownership
Help customers make decision to change

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When confronted with
difficult clients, we need to
look at ourselves to see
what we contribute to the
process.

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The Angry/hostile
customer
Anger and fear are closely related
emotions.
Anger may be masking depression or
grief.
Grief is a common experience resulting
from job loss.
When customers feel vulnerable, they
may lash out at us.
Angry customers can be experts in
detecting and exposing our weaknesses.

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Angry/Hostile
Behaviors
Scowl
Clenched fists, set jaw
Tension in voice
Tone of voice
Sarcasm
Missing appointments or arriving late

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Possible Causes
of Hostility
Fear of change, failure, loss of control
Feeling vulnerable
Fear loss of independence-seeking help
Habit- a learned reaction as a way to
maintain control over others.
Displaced emotion or transference
Unempathetic counselor
Personality traits of customer
Past experiences, lack of social skills

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Dealing with
hostility
Try to identify the source of the client’s
anger.
If the customer’s anger toward you is valid,
it is best to admit your mistake and move
on.
Is the anger infrequent or chronic?
Confront the client’s feelings in a
nonjudgmental and nonthreatening way.
Attempt to diffuse the hostility by responding
in ways that meet the client’s emotional
needs, not your own.

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What not to say:
“Look, I’m only trying to help you.”
(guilt)
“If you don’t talk about it, you’ll
never get over it”. (anxiety)
“Don’t bark at me, I haven’t done
anything to you”. (more hostility)
“ I know you are angry. I know just
how you feel”.

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With chronic anger:
Set limits early on. State what behaviors will and
will not be tolerated and what the consequences
will be if limits are broken.
Evaluate the client’s readiness for change.
Consider the need for referral to behavioral health
services. Anxiety management training, social
skills training and problem-solving skills
development are effective treatment approaches.

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Potential violence
Watch for signs of heightened tension.
Clenched fists
Loud voice
Angry words
Threatening words
Narrowed gaze
Sudden bursts of activity

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What to do
End the session/conversation in a way that preserves some basis for a
future relationship.
“I’m sorry, I’d really like to work with you, but right now you seem to be
pretty upset. Maybe we can get together again later”.
Leave the room and alert security/consult with supervisor
Maintain thorough records

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The Challenging Customer
Customers can be challenging for many reasons.
It is important to try to understand the reason behind the behavior and
to not personalize it or label it in a way that limits how you respond to it
(countertranference).
Recognize when your own good efforts to help a customer have been
exhausted.
Know when to refer.

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Prevention
Often, what we do can prevent “challenging” behaviors from occurring.
Be on time for appointments.
Reminder phone calls before the 1st & 2nd meeting.
Allow enough time during the first meeting to build rapport and to hear
the customer’s story.
Engage in active listening & empathic understanding.
Eliminate distractions during appointments.
Promptly admit mistakes and move on.
Seek to understand your customer’s needs.
Establish clear roles, expectations and boundaries early on.

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Other Challenging Behaviors
Being late
Silence
Changing subject
Involuntary behaviors/ticks
Forgetfulness
Exaggerations
Omissions
Lying
Lack of initiative/follow through
Poor Boundaries
Mental Health Issues

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Possible Causes of
Challenging Behaviors
Attempts to prevent embarrassment
Limited skills, fear of failure
Psychological issues
Cultural differences are not recognized
Unrealistic expectations/goals
Have not committed to change

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Dealing with Challenging Behaviors
Seek first to understand
Document, document, document
Seek support, counsel from others
Know when to make a referral
Focus and build on customer strengths
Engage in a collaborative relationship working toward mutual goals.
Start with modest goals, work on only one change at a time.
Match your style/approach to the needs of the customer
Understand and make accommodations for cultural differences and older customers.
Avoid power plays, stay calm and in control of the conversation.
Know when to end the session/meeting

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How to Make a Referral
If the customer’s challenge serves as a barrier to your ability to work
with the customer…
1. Talk to your customer, focus on behaviors not personalities.
2. Act as a bridge, aiding the client in the referral process.
3. Other services may better serve the customer’s primary/immediate
needs.
4. Follow up with the customer to maintain relationship and increase
chances of follow through.
6. Thoroughly document process, consult with supervisor as
appropriate.

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•Module 5
•5–133
Difficult Customer Situations
Listen Empathize

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Respond
professionally
Recognize
underlying
factors

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•Module 5
•5–135
Ask questions
Give feedback
Summarize

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Limited
English
Speaking
Be patient and
concentrate
Speak slowly and
distinctly
Be extra courteous
Avoid using slang or
industry jargon
Speak in a normal
tone of voice
Reiterate what has
been said

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Long-Winded
Caller
People will monopolize another’s time on the
telephone

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•Module 5
•5–138
Argumentative Customers
Speak
Speak softly
Ask
Ask for their
opinion
Take
Take a break –
don’t’ get
drawn in

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Verbally Abusive Customer
Remain calm
Let the customer
know the
consequences,
calmly and objectively

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Threatening Customers
Threats can be an attempt to intimidate you.
Keep calm and keep your responses focused on the issue at hand.

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Hostile/Angry Customers
An angry customer is most likely not angry with you.

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•Module 5 •5–142
Hostile/Angry Customers
Wait until their hostility
peaks and then
begins to cool.
•HOSTILITY CURVE
•Slow Down
•Supportive
•Comments
•Rational Behavior
•Problem Solved

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Hostile/Angry Customers– Strategy
Listen
Empathize
Apologize
SERVICE
Summarize

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Group
Activity

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Saying “No”
Sometimes you have to say
“no,” but if you do it right,
you can still get a “thank
you” for your service

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Strategies for Saying
“No”
Explain why it can’t be done
Don’t quote policy
Don’t be patronizing
Offer alternatives when you can
Avoid making excuses
Eliminate negative phrases
Don’t mention other/similar complaints

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Safety and Security
Child Support offices
can be targets for:
• Theft
• Unauthorized entry
and access
• Threats
• Physical abuse and
harm

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Strategies for Safety
and Security
Door Codes
Closed-circuit television cameras
Always leave yourself an escape route
Construct “natural” barriers to separate
ID Badges
Panic Button in interview rooms
Security guards

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CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS- Gifts
or Hindrances?
• Presenter: Rosemarie Price
• AIM Breakfast 14 April 2010

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Overview of
presentation
• What is a Complaint?
• Why do customers complain?
• How is a complaint a gift?
• Impact of Management’s view of complaints
handling
• Complaints handling in a global environment
• What can be achieved with a “Complaint is a
gift” strategy- looking at complaints
differently
150

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What is a
Complaint?
• AS ISO 10002 Customer satisfaction –
Guidelines for complaints handling in
organizations defines a complaint as –
• “An expression of dissatisfaction made to
an organization, related to its products
(services), or the complaints-handling
process itself, where a response or
resolution is explicitly or implicitly
expected”
151

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Why do customers
complain?
• Their expectations have not been met!
•152

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Recent experience
• Activity-1 minute
• Turn to the person sitting next to you
and discuss a recent experience where
you handled a complaint, focusing on
how you reacted to your complaint
• Alternatively, discuss a recent
experience where you made a
complaint, focusing on how the
business reacted to your complaint
•153

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Recipient’s normal reaction
to complaints
• Ignore complaints
• Defensiveness
• Anger
• Concern re loss of trade, reputation
• Annoyance, time consuming, rectification costs
• Hindrance- wish they would just go away!
• Not believe some or all of what the customer was saying
• These reactions are as a result of “negative attribution” – blame is
being attributed to us or our business. A complaint is evidence
that, in the customer’s view, we have not met their expectations.
•154

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Customer’s manner
• Lack Gracious Social skills to communicate
• Nervous
• Harsh, one sided
• Emotional
• Lack understanding of commercial/regulatory limitations
• Rude
• Unreasonable complainant
•155

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Complaint
deterrent
techniques
• Apology only, no rectification
• Blame
• Promise but don’t deliver
• No response
• Rudeness
• Pass on to another department
• Customer Interrogation
156

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How could
complaints be
gifts?
• Underlying Principles
• There are 2 Levels of messages embodied in
complaints
• The customer has 2 separate needs when
complaining-needs as individuals and needs relating
to the complaint
• The benefits of Customer recovery far outweigh the
cost of losing a customer or attracting another
customer
• The majority of customers are honest
157

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1. Two levels of
messages in
Complaints
• Example 1
• Surface message – product is not
working as expected
• Underlying message – I don’t understand
the new technology, I need help
• Example 2
• Surface message- I am disappointed with
the service during my last
visit/purchasing experience
• Underlying message – I am testing the
value of my loyalty to your business
158

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2. Customer’s
needs when they
complain
• Needs as individuals
• To be heard
• To be understood
• To be respected
• Needs relating to the complaint
• To have their concern dealt with quickly, fairly
and properly
• To be given what they have been denied and
perhaps an apology
• To have action taken to fix a problem or
address a concern- a resultant process change
159

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3. Benefits of
Customer Recovery
• Only 4% of dissatisfied customers complain.
96% leave without any communication to
business
• Of the 96% who leave, 91% will never return
• A typical dissatisfied customer will tell 8 to 10
people about the issues with your business-
significantly more in global communications
• 1 in 5 dissatisfied customers will tell 20 people
about the issues with your business
• It takes 12 positive service incidents to make up
for one negative incident
160

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3. Benefits of
Customer Recovery
(cont’d)
• 7 out of 10 complaining customers will do business again
with you if resolve the complaint in their favour
• Of complaining customers, 95% will do business with you
again if you resolve the complaint at the first contact
• On average, a satisfied complainer will tell 5 people about
their problem and how it was solved
• It costs 6 times more to attract new customers than it does
to retain current ones
• Customer loyalty is worth 10 times the price of a single
purchase
• “How to win and Keep Customers” – Michael LeBoeuf
161

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4. The majority of
customers are
honest
• 1-4% of customers systematically cheat
businesses
• If complaining customers are treated
with suspicion or rudeness, customers
will take a defensive position
162

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The Gift
• If a customer is complaining, you are
being given a chance to retain that
customer
163

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Unwrapping The
Gift
• Free direct communication from customer about
service failures, competitors offerings-no survey
costs
• Readily available market research-Complaints
define what customers want
• Opportunity to increase customer trust
• Opportunity to build long term relationships-
customers will re-purchase if they believe
complaints are welcomed
• Opportunity to rectify service failures
• Opportunity of engaging customers as
advocates
164

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Engaging Customer
as your Advocate
• Customers becoming your advocates is
based upon “reciprocity” principle –
humans like to return favours
• When businesses handle customer
complaints in a respectful way and a token
of atonement is offered beyond their
expectation, customers are likely to
reciprocate with positive advocacy
• Token of atonement can be financial, but
can also be an apology, acknowledgement
of making a difference- recognition of their
value
165

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What are the elements
of “Complaint is a gift”
strategy (1)
• Complaints Policy and guidelines based
on “complaint welcoming” culture
• Complaints data base to maximize
complaints capture
• Complaint handling training, including
empathy and conflict handling training-
front line staff and induction training
• Target response and resolution times
• Regular complaints reporting
166

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What are the elements
of “Complaint is a gift”
strategy (2)
• Clearly defined Escalation path for difficult
complaints
• Specialist Complaints case managers
• Customer Surveys
• Continuous improvement focus
• Unreasonable Complainant conduct
management guidelines (demands,
persistence, lack of co-operation,
arguments, behavior)
• Complaints Analysis- root cause analysis
167

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Practical
Implementation of
Gift Strategy
• Thank customer for contacting you
• Explain why feedback is appreciated
• Apologize for service failure
• Take responsibility and make commitment to
customer to do all you can to rectify situation
• Collect all information from customer
• Correct or facilitate correction of service failure as
promptly as possible
• Check customer satisfaction
• Prevent future service failures of this type-root
cause analysis (5 whys, causal factor tree analysis
etc)
168

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Impact of Management
view of Complaints
Handling
• Customer Charter set by management- includes
complaints handling
• Focus on complaints “welcoming” not reduction
of complaints
• Culture, Complaints Handling guidelines/policy,
KPIs, reporting, escalation path for complaints
• Management set mandate for staff re customer
recovery, give confidence/framework
• Mindset of staff is easily sensed by customer
169

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What can be achieved
from a “Complaint is a
Gift” strategy
• Improved Customer Experience
• Access to valuable source of knowledge- at no
cost
• Knowledge of most common service failures
• Increased customer trust and loyalty
• Opportunity to partner with customer as
advocate
• Opportunity to strengthen service quality
management
• Increased satisfaction for complaints handling
staff
170

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Application of
Gift Strategy
• Can be applied to large corporations,
individual departments, small
businesses, monopoly businesses,
government departments or government
owned corporations
• Comment re monopoly/ businesses –
equally important – focus is on improved
customer experience, improving
complaint handling staff experience,
achieving best practice, reducing
external ombudsman costs
171

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Using “Complaint is
a gift” knowledge as
a Complainant
• Be clear and specific in describing what
you are complaining about
• Be respectful
• Describe the impact and what you are
expecting as a resolution
• Make suggestions re improvements
• Give the business a chance to rectify the
issue and retain your business
• See your complaint as a gift
172

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SUMMARY
• Complaints are packages with 2 levels
of messages waiting to be unpackaged
• Complaints are given freely
• Businesses can use the gifts in different
ways- correction of immediate and
systemic issues through direct
communication of unmet expectations
• Complaints give businesses
opportunities to retain customer’s
business and loyalty
173

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A question to
ponder
• Putting yourself in the customer’s seat , what is
your preference –
• Would you rather be dealing with a business
that ignores complaints or with a business
that welcomes complaints and sees them as
a gift – a powerful source of information ?
• Let your response to this question be the
driver for your approach in managing
complaints for your business.
•174

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Questions
175

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Summary &
Conclusions
Methods for diffusing the anger and
hostility of customers
Strategies for handling difficult customers
Strategies for handling difficult situations

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Me, Inc.
Become the CEO of Your
Career using Personal
Branding

www.jamelacon.co.za
Presentation
Overview
What is branding?
Branding yourself
Why branding today?
Getting started: 7 steps for
building a brand
The importance of branding

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What Do These
Things Have
In Common?
These are all examples of brands
of McDonalds, Nike and Apple
computers

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Because of branding, you likely have certain
images that comes to mind when you think of
these products
A brand is a tool that is used in the business world
to describe all the information or perceptions that
are connected with a product or service.
•Branding

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When you see these brands somewhere, you associate them with a set
of expectations or perceptions
• Nike = tough athletes at the height of their performance.
• Mcdonald = fast service and good food
• Apple logo = cutting-edge technology.
You associate these concepts, thoughts, and images with the particular
companies because of the brand each company has established.
•Branding

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What Do We
Mean By
Branding?
Branding is…
• An image created in someone’s
mind
• It’s both tangible and intangible
characteristics of a product or
service that make it unique
• Products that are branded are
often chosen over similar
products because they
somehow have a perceived
value of being ‘better’

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Example: Think of the
teenager deciding between
a name brand pair of blue
jeans and an off-brand pair.
Which do you think they will
choose?
Why do they perceive one
as better than the other than
the other?
Branding

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Branding is not just for products
anymore…
Use branding concepts for yourself.
In this program you will learn how to
establish a career brand for yourself,
starting your own business “Me, Inc.”

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People Can Brand
Themselves Too
• Think about the way the following people have
branded themselves:
• Michael Jordan
• Kenny Kunene ( King Of Sushi)
• Bonang Mathema
• Trevor Noah
• Paris Hilton
• Cyril Ramaphosa and Toyko Sexwale
• Various political leaders

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Branding Yourself
Helps to define who you are/what you are about
(or why an employer should hire you)
Branding yourself is a way of associating great
value with a product (the product being you)
• Branding yourself is not about getting an
employer to choose you over your competition.
• It is about getting the employer to see you as the
only solution to their problem

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Why Branding Today?
1. Trust is essential in the corporate world
• People want to do business with and hire or
promote people they know and feel good about
• 2. There has been change in what a
traditional career path looks like
• People today change careers an average of 8
times during their lives
• Branding can be consistent throughout the
changes (ex. Hard work and creativity can flow
through to different occupations)

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3. There is also a change in the way people communicate
• Electronic communication doesn’t allow personality to show
(compared to face-to-face communication)
• Your first interview might be over the phone or your first
communication with a potential employer could be over e-mail.
• This type of communication could make it difficult to express
yourself.

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4. Branding makes you more
memorable (think about how the
swoosh or golden arches stand out in
your memory) in the midst of the
different type of communication.
• If you can get an employer to
associate positive traits with your
application or communication, you
will likely rise to the top of the
applicant pool.

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Getting Started:
7 Steps to Building
your Personal Brand
1. Self-reflection
2. Continuous Learning
3. Prepare marketing strategy
4. Build relationships
5. Prepare marketing pieces
6. Develop your pitch
7. Follow up

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Step 1: Self-
reflection
Before you start, you need to know what
you’re beginning with.
Self-reflection will help you identify the
tools you have and the areas you need to
improve.

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Identify and list past accomplishments and
achievements – create a master list of all
the good things you’ve done.
• This may include employment,
internships, volunteer
opportunities, leadership
positions, civic involvement, or
courses taken.
• Don’t sell yourself short, spend
some time reflecting on all the
activities, and achievements
you’ve taken part in
• Continue adding to the list each
time you have a new experience

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Identify areas in need of further
development
• Once you’ve created your list of
accomplishments, you can look
for areas in which you’re lacking
experience
• Plan and focus on gaining
new experiences
• This can come from many
different sources:
internships, volunteering,
workshops, etc.

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Next, identify what makes your
product unique or different
• What’s your best asset?
What are you noteworthy
for? What do you contribute
that you are most proud of?
• Ask your parents,
friends, etc. to find an
answer to that question
• Once you uncover your
‘edge’ make sure you write
it out and play it up as often
as possible

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Step 2: Continuous
Learning
It is imperative that you regularly
benchmark your skills against others
and develop a plan to keep your skills
on the cutting edge
Continuous learning is essential to
build your brand.
• Add a Degree
(majors/minors) or certificate
• Attend conferences and
workshops
• Spend time spent with a
mentor

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Step 3: Prepare
Marketing
Strategy
• Mission statements are the backbone of
a company
• By creating a mission statement for
Me, Inc., you will have direction for
where you want your brand to go.
• Mission statements are short,
descriptive statements of the common
objective and focus of the
organization.
• Keep your mission statement to no
more than two or three sentences, or
about 30 words.

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Mission Statements
• End your statement with
qualifying words and
phrases to describe your
mission.
• Example: “My personal
career mission is to inspire
and equip students to
reach their maximum
potential."
• Notice the other examples
in the PowerPoint

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Mission Statements
• Your personal mission
statement should be tightly
focused toward the first three to
five years of your career.
• You can give specifics about
the job type and/or industry, as
appropriate.
• This personal career mission
statement will form the
foundation of your career focus.
• A mental concept of your
personal career mission
statement is not enough. You
should write it down and put it
where you can see it every day.

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Create a vision statement for Me,
Inc.
• Your vision statement takes
your mission statement a
bit further by mentioning
HOW you will complete
what you intend to
(as stated in your mission)
• Make sure you mention
specific tactics you will
practice or methods you will
use.

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Create a marketing plan for Me, Inc.
Be visible to enhance your profile
• Volunteer
• Be involved
• Talk about your mission and your
edge/talents/etc.
Everything you do and choose not to do, can
communicate the value of your brand
• E-mails you send
• How you conduct yourself in meetings
• Words you say
• How you dress
• Conversations you have
• Etc.

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Step 4: Build
Relationships
network is defined as: group of
people who exchange information,
contacts, and experience for
professional or social
purposes. (The Oxford Dictionary)
Networking tips:
• Word of mouth is powerful;
what are people saying
about you?
• Keep in good contact with
your network
• Always make sure your
network knows of any
recent successes

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Step 5: Prepare
Marketing Pieces
Your promotional pieces should include:
• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Personal References
Consider how you will incorporate your
mission/vision into your promotional
pieces
Consider how you will distribute these
pieces
• Job search engines
• Distribute to family and friends
• Directly apply to an
organization

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Step 6: Develop your
pitch
A formal interview is your opportunity to pitch your
brand: Me, Inc.
• Tips:
• Practice makes perfect (take
advantage of the Mock Interview
program)
• Dress appropriately and
professionally
• Prepare (research the company
and reflect on your skills and
abilities)
• Don’t be too modest (you’re
selling your product and you don’t
want to sell yourself short)
• Consider how you will incorporate
your personal mission/vision
statements into the conversation

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Your ‘pitch’ can also occur in
informal settings
• Conversations, e-mails,
presentations, etc.

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Step 7: Follow up
Good follow-up communication will assist
in creating a positive association with
your brand
• Return employers’ calls
immediately (establishes
trust)
• Respond to all requests (shows
responsibility)
• Write a thank you note after
interview (associates courtesy
with your work)
• Write acceptance/decline letter
upon accepting a job
• Keep in touch with your network

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Let’s Review:
7 Steps to Building
your Personal Brand
1. Self-reflection
2. Continuous Learning
3. Prepare marketing strategy
4. Build relationships
5. Prepare marketing pieces
6. Develop your pitch
7. Follow up

www.jamelacon.co.za
The Importance of
Branding
Creating a brand allows you to
associate value with your product
(you!)
There are many competing
brands…you must position
yourself so employers choose you
By branding yourself – you’ll
stand out from other candidates
If you don’t brand yourself,
someone else will do it for you

www.jamelacon.co.za
CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
•208

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Conflict Magt
Sources of Conflict
Desirability of Conflict
Types of Conflict
Undesirability of Conflict
Game Theory
Toward Conflict Management
•209

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Sources of
Conflict
Conflict is “an
--expressed struggle
--between at least two interdependent parties
--who perceive incompatible goals, scare
resources, and
--interference from others in achieving their
goals” (Wilmot and Hocker, 1998)
Conflicts exist whenever incompatible
activities occur
•210

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Sources of
Conflict
Conflicts may originate from a number of
different sources, including:
• Differences in information, beliefs,
values, interests, or desires.
• A scarcity of some resource.
• Rivalries in which one person or
group competes with another.
•211

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Desirability of
Conflict
Conflict can be desirable.
Conflict helps eliminate or reduce the
likelihood of groupthink.
A moderate level of conflict across tasks within
a group resulted in increased group
performance while conflict among
personalities resulted in lower group
performance
•212

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5 ways to
manage conflict
Avoidance
Competition (A)
Accommodation (B)
Compromise (C)
Collaboration (D)
•213

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Conflict Continuum
I win, you lose (competition—A)
I lose or give in (accommodate—B)
We both get something
(compromise—C)
We both
“win”(collaborate—D)
A B C D
•214

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Competition
Plus
• The winner is clear
• Winners usually experience gains
Minus
• Establishes the battleground for the
next conflict
• May cause worthy competitors to
withdraw or leave the organization
•215

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Accommodation
Plus
• Curtails conflict situation
• Enhances ego of the other
Minus
• Sometimes establishes a precedence
• Does not fully engage participants
•216

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Compromise
Plus
• Shows good will
• Establishes friendship
Minus
• No one gets what they want
• May feel like a dead end
•217

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Collaboration
Plus
• Everyone “wins”
• Creates good feelings
Minus
• Hard to achieve since no one knows
how
• Often confusing since players can “win”
something they didn’t know they
wanted
•218

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What This Means
Managing conflict means you need to develop
several styles and decide which is valuable at
any given point of conflict
•219

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Tips for Managing
Workplace Conflict
Build good relationships before conflict occurs
Do not let small problems escalate; deal with them as
they arise
Respect differences
Listen to others’ perspectives on the conflict situation
Acknowledge feelings before focussing on facts
Focus on solving problems, not changing people
If you can’t resolve the problem, turn to someone who
can help
Remember to adapt your style to the situation and
persons involved
•220

www.jamelacon.co.za
•THANK YOU!!
For your participation & enthusiasm.
•Mhanqwa Jamela
•0737602269
•mhanqwa@jamelacon.co.za

www.jamelacon.co.za
That’s All There Is To It…
Prepared By MJ

Customer Care and Service Excellence Training

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