Customer Service

1. Effective Communication
TRIAGE LOGIC TRAINING 2013

2. We can all learn from each other.
• We all have our idea’s about what it takes to give and receive
“excellent customer service”. It may sound simple- “ Just give
the customer what he/she wants” but we all know it is more
complicated than that. Through out this presentation are inserts
straight from the nurses that work in tele-triage. We can all
learn from each other!

3. Goal of Customer Service
• At PhoneRN the goal of excellent customer service is:
• The nurse will be able to provide excellent customer service for
patients, families, and co-workers while maintaining a
professional and caring attitude.

4. Good Vs. Excellent
• Good customer service meets a customer’s needs and fulfills the
customer’s expectations.
• Excellent customer service exceeds the customer’s expectations.

5. What nurses say…
•Always having a smile and talking in a
supportive tone and a caring voice that
can give reassurance. Even with an angry
caller if you don’t change your tone and
you allow them to speak and vent and tell
them you will help to solve any issue, they
are usually willing to accept the help.
Going that extra step to do something you
don’t necessarily have to in order to help.

6. Who Are Our Customers?
• Internal Customers: Our Co-Workers, physicians, Answering
Service
• External Customers: Patients, families, pharmacists,
laboratories, nurseries..
• In a nut shell: anyone on the other end of the phone.

7. Straight from a nurse! What it takes to
give/receive “Excellent Customer Service”
“Provide exceptional service to customers by being a good
communicator, listener, and being eager to provide best
knowledge of the service or product you are offering.”

8. Our Callers Are…
• Our callers are dependent on us – But we are also dependent on
them.
• Our Callers are not an interruption of our work – but are the
purpose of it.
• Our Callers do us a favor when they call our Triage Line– we are
not doing the patient a favor by assisting them.
• Our Caller is not a diagnostic label – he or she is a whole person
with feelings.
• Our Callers are not people to argue with, order around or
patronize.
• Our Callers are deserving of the most courteous and attentive
treatment we can give.
• Our Callers are the people who makes it possible to pay our
salary.
• Adapted from the American Hospital Association-society for Healthcare
Consumer Advocacy

9. More from triage nurses…
•When you take the time to listen it shows
the customer that you care about them. .

10. It’s all in the voice
• We have all heard the saying “it is not what you say, but how you
say it”. This is most true when you are talking to a patient over the
phone. They are not able to “see” your expressions and you can
not “show” them empathy by touching their arm or holding their
hands. Therefore your voice and your words are the only things the
caller has to focus on.

11. SPEAK THE CUSTOMERS LANGUAGE
• Avoid using words and expressions familiar only to those who work
in your organization or in health care.
• Translate medical terms so that the customer can understand.
Your purpose is to communicate, not to show off your knowledge.

12. SAY IT WITH RESPECT
• Your telephone manner should show callers that you consider
them worthy of respect and courtesy. Be sure to control the
volume of your voice, choose words that are meaningful to your
listener and speak in a friendly and respectful tone.

13. Nurses care~
• “Give the caller your complete attention and try to be as
accommodating at possible. Offer alternatives if their
request is not possible.”

14. Stumbling Blocks
When You
Say…
Customer
Hears…
Instead try…
“I can’t do
it/that “
Why? Why
Not?
“Lets see
what we/I can
do”. or “That
is a good
question, lets
see what we
can do” (Then
find an
alternative
solution)

15. More Stumbling Blocks…
When You
say…
Customer
thinks…
Try saying..
“I know what you are
saying but this is the
process we have to
follow. “
“I don’t care about
your process this is
what I need”
I hear what you are
saying, I’m sure there
is a way to solve that
issue tonight.
“I Don’t Know “ “Well who does Know“
or “Don't you know
your business?”
“That is a great
question, let me check
and find out”

16. And more stumbling blocks
When You
say..
Customer
thinks…
Try saying…
“You’ll have to “ “Don’t tell me what I
have to do”
Soften the request
with phrases like,
“Here’s how I/we can
help you with that.
“The next time that
happens here’s what
we can do.”
“Just a second “ “My time is valuable”
“This is rude" They
aren’t very helpful”
“It will take me two to three
minutes (or however long it
will really take; be as
accurate as you can) to get
that. Are you able to
hold/wait while I check or
would you like me to call you
back once I have the
information?”

17. EQUALITY
• Respect callers. Show a willingness to mutually define and solve
the problem. “I can give you a hand with this” “We can work on
this” . Avoid using your medical knowledge to manipulate.

18. GENUINESNESS
• Be honest, warm, and straightforward.
• The ability to recognize and handle their own feelings, to accept
differing values, and to know and accept their own limitations are
qualities that help nurses to provide an atmosphere that supports
callers.

19. UNDERSTAND THE CALLERS POINT OF VIEW
• Try to put yourself in the caller’s shoes an imagine how you would
feel if you were in the same situation. Develop an appreciation
for the caller’s problems.

20. Work to Defuse a Callers Concerns…
•Acknowledge the customer’s concern
•Listen attentively; don’t become defensive
•Ask questions to clarify
•Allow the customer to define their concern and suggest
a solution
•Resolve the concern quickly
•Obtain assistance from the management team,
supervisors, or patient rep. if needed.
•Keep promises!

21. What another Triage Nurse thinks…
• “Customer Service means that the person feels like they are
important and that every thing that can be done for them is being
done; And that in the end their concerns were heard and their
needs were met.”

22. How to Create Positive Co-Worker
Relationships in Healthcare
• Respect people’s differences
• Think positively
• Acknowledge your co-workers
• Listen
• Appreciate each other
• Pitch in and help out
• Respect people’s time and priorities
• Admit your mistakes

23. 13 tips to Excellent Customer
Service
•  Break the ice-”smile when you talk”
•  Notice when someone sounds confused and offer to clarify
•  Use courtesy & consideration
•  Keep people informed (don’t leave long “silences”)
•  Anticipate the callers needs
•  Respond quickly
•  Maintain the callers/patients’ privacy
•  Handle all callers with care
•  Maintain dignity (yours and the callers)
•  Treat patients with age-specific care
•  Listen first & act second
•  Help each other
•  Keep it quiet – Remember HIPAA Privacy!

24. Triage nurses say….
• Communication (is key to good customer service), keeping the
patient informed. If they have to wait a long time for something
they are more apt to wait patiently if they get a courtesy update
frequently.

25. What triage nurses have to say…
• “Listen-Let the caller/patient talk or vent; then paraphrase
what you heard to make sure you understood their
question/concern.”

26. LISTEN
• Listening on the telephone does not mean sitting passively while
the caller talks, Rather, you should listen with your mind, looking
for paths that may lead to problem solving. Listening, also means
helping callers to communicate by asking apt and timely questions
so that they can tell their stories fully. Listening is a skill that is
not easy to master.

27. ATTENTIVENESS
• Let the caller know you are listening by making appropriate
responses. “Oh” “hmmm” and “uh-huh” work well. Respond
early and genuinely. Stay alert during the conversation.

28. More from triage nurses…
• “To provide the caller with thorough home care or options to get
patient care in a professional, respectful, and empathetic
manner.”

29. SAY IT WITH RESPECT
• Your telephone manner should show callers that you consider
them worthy of respect and courtesy. Be sure to control the
volume of your voice, choose words that are meaningful to your
listener and speak in a friendly and respectful tone.

30. Triage Logic nurses care…
• “Talk to callers in a caring tone.”

31. MAKE THE CALLER FEEL IMPORTANT
• Sure, you speak to lots of customers in any working day, but each
customer speaks with you only once. Make each customer feel
important.

32. Keeping it simple
• Sometimes a simple apology is all that is needed.
• “ I am sorry that you had that experience. Let me see what I
can do to help you”
• Source: American Hospital Assoc. Society for Healthcare Consumer
Advocacy

33. More from triage nurses…
• Great customer service is leaving the caller feeling great about
our company by providing friendly, empathetic, informative,
caring and professional nursing advice and education.

34. BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF
• It may be okay to bluff in poker, but it’s not okay in customer
service. When you don’t have the information needed, don’t fake
it! Refer the caller to someone who does have the information.
Or, better yet, offer to find the answer yourself and call back.
Your customer will remember that you cared!

35. What Customers REALLY want
• Their needs and expectations met
• To be given what they were promised
• Your knowledgeable assistance
• Your prompt, willing attention
• For you to be polite, interested, and respectful

36. CLOSE THE CONVERSATION CORDIALLY.
• The way you can close your telephone conversation should leave a
cordial long and lasting-impression. “Thank you for calling”
leaves the caller feeling welcome to call again. Always let the
caller hang up first. Otherwise, the caller may feel that he or she
has been cut off.

37. To Sum It All Up….
“Do unto others as you
would have them do
unto you.” Golden Rule

38. Daily Menu- It’s up to you! Don’t
let anyone else decide for you!!
SMILE WHEN YOU TALK