2. REASONS CUSTOMERS DON’T COME BACK
3% MOVE AWAY
5% DEVELOP OTHER RELATIONSHIPS
9% ARE DISSATISFIED WITH THE PRODUCT
68% EXPERIENCE AN ATTITUDE OF INDIFFERENCE
OR RUDENESS TOWARD THE CUSTOMER BY
THE OWNER, MANAGER OR AN EMPLOYEE
Source: Customer Service for the New Millennium
6. • IN AN INCREASINGLY
SHARE-FRIENDLY WORLD,
CUSTOMER SERVICE GOES
BEYOND THE MOMENT OF
INTERACTION
• IDEALLY, INTERACTIONS
WILL TRANSLATE INTO
FURTHER ENDORSEMENTS
OF YOUR OFFERINGS
7. AGENDA
LIFE IN MANITOWOC COUNTY
THE BASICS OF CUSTOMER SERVICE
DEFUSING ANGRY CUSTOMERS
SHOW PRIDE IN YOUR COMMUNITY
CUSTOMER SERVICE IN THE DIGITAL AGE
9. [1] ROLL OUT THE RED CARPET: PROVIDE AN INVITING GREETING TO
THE CUSTOMER
[2] DON’T BE A STRANGER: CREATE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE
CUSTOMER
[3] GET TO THE POINT: PROVIDE CLEAR, ACCURATE AND TIMELY
INFORMATION
12. Greet People: With a smile and an offer of assistance. Even if
you cannot attend to them immediately make the eye
contact.
•Make the customer feel wanted: Whatever that may mean.
From just a “Hello” to helping them locate where they are
wanting to go. Going the extra mile is telling them about
places they may never have known they wanted to see!
13. I REALLY LIKE THAT SCARF YOUR
WEARING.
THAT PURSE REALLY FITS THE SEASON
HAVING YOUR CONFIRMATION
NUMBER READY REALLY HELPS
SPEED UP THE PROCESS. THANK
YOU.
BUT AND MOST IMPORTANTLY
BE SINCERE
OFFER A PLEASANT COMPLIMENT
RETURNCUSTOMERS.COM
14. • ESTABLISH TRUST AND MAKE THE
CUSTOMER FEEL VALUED BY
PROVIDING
AN INVITING INTRODUCTION TO
TO YOUR BUSINESS
15. • REFER TO YOUR CUSTOMERS BY NAME
I have to put you on hold
for a moment John so I can
transfer you to the correct
department
20. GREET WITH A WARM SMILE
+
MAKE FRIENDLY EYE CONTACT
+
PROJECT POSITIVE BODY LANGUAGE
CUSTOMER WHO FEELS VALUED
21. • ONCE THE CUSTOMER FEELS VALUED, A RELATIONSHIP WILL BE
FORMED
Source: Albert Mehrabian; 1939
22. • CHOOSE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE
– TO THE CUSTOMER, YOU ARE THE BUSINESS; CONVEY
THE SPIRIT OF THE BUSINESS THROUGH YOUR ATTITUDE
23. • Effective Responses
Use Effective Responses: Keep out the negative
comments. “I can’t”, “we don’t”, “I don’t know” out and
replace with positive effective responses:
“I will”
“We can”
“Let me find that out”
25. “THERE IS ONLY ONE BOSS: THE CUSTOMER,
AND HE CAN FIRE EVERYBODY IN THE
COMPANY FROM THE CHAIRMAN ON DOWN,
SIMPLY BY SPENDING HIS MONEY SOMEWHERE
ELSE”
– Sam Walton
26. TEN STEPS TO DEFUSE ANGRY CUSTOMERS
● ASSUME THAT THE CUSTOMER HAS THE RIGHT TO BE ANGRY
● LISTEN TO EMOTION WITHOUT EMOTION
● BE PATIENT
● SPEAK SOFTLY
● REITERATE
● OWN THE PROBLEM
● PLACE THE CUSTOMER FIRST, PROBLEM SECOND
● DETERMINE THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM
● CORRECT THE ISSUE
● FOLLOW UP
Source: How to Respond to Angry Customers; John Mehrmann
28. [1] KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY
[2] EXPLORE + LEARN ABOUT LOCAL ATTRACTIONS
[3] KNOW WHERE LOCAL ATTRACTIONS ARE
[4] KNOW HOW TO PROVIDE DIRECTIONS
29. • KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY
– THE SUCCESS OF YOUR OFFERINGS IS DEPENDENT ON THE
SUCCESS OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY
• LEARN ABOUT ALL THAT YOUR COMMUNITY HAS TO OFFER AND
INTERNALIZE IT
• FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH ALL THAT SURROUNDS YOU AND
ENTHUSIASTICALLY SHARE YOUR “SECRETS” WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS
30. • KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY
– SOME QUESTIONS YOU MAY ENCOUNTER TO WHICH YOU NEED TO
KNOW THE ANSWERS:
HOW DID THE COMMUNITY
GET ITS NAME?
WHERE IS THE
CONVENTION AND
VISITORS BUREAU?
WHAT IS THE
POPULATION?
WHAT ARE SOME
THINGS TO DO
WITH CHILDREN
IN THE AREA?
WHAT’S A GOOD
RESTAURANT
NEARBY?
WE ONLY HAVE
TWO DAYS IN
THE AREA, WHAT
WOULD YOU
RECOMMEND
WE DO?
31. • KNOW WHERE THE “KEY POINTS OF INTEREST” ARE
– PLACES YOU WILL NEED TO KNOW:
• NEAREST HOSPITAL
• THE POLICE STATION
• A SERVICE STATION WITH A MECHANIC ON DUTY
• AREA RESTAURANTS
• LOCAL PLACES OF WORSHIP
• PLACES TO SHOP (PHARMACY, GROCERIES, ETC.)
• AN ATM
• LODGING (HOTEL, MOTEL, B&B CAMPGROUNDS)
• ATTRACTIONS UNIQUE TO YOUR COMMUNITY
• GOLF COURSES
• PARKS
32. • KNOW HOW TO GIVE DIRECTIONS
TO THE LOCAL ATTRACTIONS:
[1] KNOW DISTANCES
[2] KNOW MAJOR ROUTES
[3] KNOW LANDMARKS
[4] GIVE DIRECTIONAL ASSISTANCE
[5] PROVIDE AND USE MAPS
[6] HAVE PHYSICAL ADDRESSES OF
GPS COORDINATES FOR SMART PHONES
[7] LET THE CUSTOMER REPEAT THE DIRECTIONS
41. 67% OF CONSUMERS HAVE USED A
COMPANY'S SOCIAL MEDIA SITE FOR
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Source: JD Power
42. DON'T
NEGLECT YOUR CUSTOMERS. IF YOU'RE GOING TO PROVIDE
CUSTOMER SERVICE OVER SOCIAL MEDIA, AT MINIMUM EVERY
DIRECT SUPPORT QUESTION SHOULD BE ANSWERED
Source: https://www.zendesk.com/resources/customer-service-through-social-media/
44. DON'T
BE DEFENSIVE. IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THE
CUSTOMER, EVEN WHEN ANGRY, HAS REACHED OUT TO YOU.
THANK THEM FOR BRINGING THEIR ISSUE TO YOUR ATTENTION,
ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR CONCERN, AND
APOLOGIZE FOR THE TROUBLE THEY ARE EXPERIENCING.
Source: https://www.zendesk.com/resources/customer-service-through-social-media/
45. DON'T
ENGAGE WITH A CUSTOMER WHOSE INTENT IS TO SIMPLY
ARGUE AND PUBLICLY DEFAME YOUR BRAND. SOMETIMES
YOUR BEST DEFENSE IS SILENCE AND, AFTER A CERTAIN POINT,
THEY'LL DAMAGE THEIR OWN CREDIBILITY MORE THAN YOUR
BRAND'S REPUTATION.
Source: https://www.zendesk.com/resources/customer-service-through-social-media/
46. DO
PICK A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM THAT WORKS BEST FOR
YOUR BUSINESS FOR PROVIDING SUPPORT AND FOCUS ON
THAT PLATFORM.
Manitowoc County has great parks & trails, dining experiences, festivals and attractions. These are just a few examples of our unique and unforgettable offerings. BUT, without someone there to, let you in the front gate, give you directions or take your order for dinner, none of these things could exist in the way they do. Customer service allows us to make Manitowoc County great.
Before we really get started, let’s take a quick look at an important and compelling statistic about customer service. If a patron doesn’t return to your place of business, there may be a few explanations:
Build 1: 3% don’t come back because they MOVE AWAY
Build 2: 5% don’t come back because they DEVELOP OTHER RELATIONSHIPS with other businesses
Build 3: 9% don’t come back because they ARE DISSATISFIED WITH THE PRODUCT
Those all seem like pretty logical reasons to not come back.
Build 4: but, 68% don’t come back because they EXPERIENCE AN ATTITUDE OF INDIFFERENCE OR RUDENESS TOWARD THE CUSTOMER BY THE OWNER, MANAGER OR AN EMPLOYEE. More than two thirds of the people who don’t return to your place of business don’t return because of the way they were treated.
Part of our presentation today will touch on community pride, as a component of customer service. Whether it is working with visitors or locals knowing your community better can help you provide better customer service. The key to sharing what makes Manitowoc great is to first explore and discover in our community and then be able to put into words what that experience is. It might be a little different for everyone but we want to help everyone today craft that message.
What is it that you love about our community. What makes you proud to live/work in Manitowoc County?
Is it the scenic beauty
Is it a favorite attraction
Is it a restaurant
Something else?
Looking at different businesses here there are many of you who work with people mostly from this area. If you are a dentist office your patiently are almost all right from the local community. However if you are Restaurant or Museum you might have many of your customers from outside the area. Based on this there are different ways to interact with each of these.
Build 1: Aligning the customer experience with the advertising claim is important. We want to pay off the idea of fun in the real world. But, IN AN INCREASINGLY SHARE-FRIENDLY WORLD, CUSTOMER SERVICE GOES BEYOND THE MOMENT OF INTERACTION. Think Facebook. Think Twitter. Think Yelp. Think Flickr. By bringing fun to life for a customer, you have the opportunity for this experience to be shared, to be spread, instantly. And with a large number of people.
Build 2: IDEALLY, INTERACTIONS WILL TRANSLATE INTO FURTHER ENDORSEMENTS OF YOUR OFFERINGS. But a negative experience can be shared, too, so quality customer service is a must!
So we know customer service is important. It reflects on our Community. It reflects on your business.
When someone calls the Chamber we are the authority just like you are when a customer calls your business. Give them reason to keep that belief. Offer up clear and accurate information. And do it in a timely manner.
Let’s talk about the first impression. The greeting. The red carpet.
A RightNow Technology Customer Experience Report found that 86% of U.S. adults are willing to pay more for a better customer experience and 73% of U.S. adults said friendly customer services made them fall in love with the brand.
Friendly Welcome – “Hi, Welcome to the Chamber of Manitowoc County or Phone version “Good afternoon, this is Karen, how can I help you
Stand Up – Get off that chair and be presentable (iron your shirt!)
Make Eye Contact – Eye contact produces feelings of caring, trustworthiness and likability.
Smile – Why look sad? When instead, you can smile. They say a smile is contagious and it’s actually true! When we smile, it creates a spark that triggers the brain’s pleasure center.
Okay, now it is time to try this out on someone at your table
Everyone practice “rolling out the Red Carpet” to someone close by
OFFER A FRIENDLY “WELCOME.” Obviously, this can take a million different forms. As long as it’s sincere, it begins establishing trust. Some thought starters:
“WELCOME TO THE…”
“WHAT CAN I GET FOR YOU?”
“GOOD AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS Karen”
“HOW MAY I HELP YOU?”
Open with a friendly greeting that is positive and upbeat
If you show an non positive “attitude,” you immediately put your customer on the defense.
You’ve begun gaining their trust. To keep that trust,
OFFER A PLEASANT COMPLIMENT.
BUT ONLY IF IT IS SINCERE
REFERS TO SOMETHING THEY DID TO HELP MAKE YOUR JOB EASIER; “HAVING YOUR CONFIRMATION NUMBER READY REALLY HELPS SPEED UP THE PROCESS. THANK YOU”
Trust is the cornerstone to all customer experiences. It can’t be built in a day, but it can be destroyed quickly. Focusing on each customer individually instead of rushing to get things done can
help create a long-term relationship of trust.
Here our waiter is taking the time to explain the wine choice and making his customers feel valuable. He is taking his time.
: PEOPLE LIKE TO HEAR THEIR NAMES BEING SAID; IT’S LIKE SAYING “YOU REMEMBERED ME!”
The words you choose are obviously important. But, it’s also critical to BE DIPLOMATIC AND TACTFUL
IT’S NOT ONLY WHAT YOU SAY, BUT HOW YOU SAY IT
MUCH OF VERBAL COMMUNICATION COMES FROM TONE SO
USE A GENTLE TONE OF VOICE WHICH I LIKE TO REFER TO AS A KIND TONE OF VOICE
END ON A POSITIVE NOTE
PEOPLE TEND TO REMEMBER THE LAST BIT OF A CONVERSATION; USE POSITIVE STATEMENTS THAT:
THANK THE CUSTOMER FOR SOMETHING THEY DID
STATE SOMETHING POSITIVE ABOUT THE BUSINESS
LET THE CUSTOMER KNOW HOW YOU WILL TAKE CARE OF THEIR NEEDS
PROJECT A PROFESSIONAL IMAGE: BE WELL-GROOMED
GREET WITH A WARM SMILE
MAKE FRIENDLY EYE CONTACT
WATCH YOUR BODY LANGUAGE
CHOOSE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE
THE FIRST IMPRESSION WILL BE THE MOST IMPORTANT
A CUSTOMER’S IMPRESSION OF YOU IS THEIR REALITY – this is important.
ALWAYS BE WELL-GROOMED WHEN DEALING WITH A CUSTOMER – look professional. Look like you know what you’re doing. If you don’t have the respect of your customers, it’s difficult to build (and build upon) a relationship.
Remember When you meet a new / prospective customer for the first time (or even if you’ve already established a relationship),
GREET WITH A WARM SMILE
MAKE FRIENDLY EYE CONTACT
WATCH YOUR BODY LANGUAGE
ONCE THE CUSTOMER FEELS VALUED, A RELATIONSHIP WILL BE FORMED.
7% of what we say comes from the WORDS WE USE.
38% of what we “say” comes from TONE / HOW WE DELIVER WORDS.
And an astounding 55% of what we “say” comes from NON-VERBAL cues and BODY LANGUAGE.
Customers will pick up on how you feel. Jason will chime in on this.
I’LL TRY MY BEST
I’M SORRY and its okay to apolgize
I’LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH YOU
I WILL CALL YOU BACK
Always find a way to make your customer happy.
Even if you employ the tactics laid out up to this point, unfortunately, not every interaction with a customer will go as smoothly as we may like. In the next couple of slides, we’ll talk about how to allow your customers to CALM DOWN, HAVE FUN; we’ll talk about how to go about DEFUSING ANGRY CUSTOMERS
“THERE IS ONLY ONE BOSS: THE CUSTOMER. AND HE CAN FIRE EVERYBODY IN THE COMPANY FROM THE CHAIRMAN ON DOWN, SIMPLY BY SPENDING HIS MONEY SOMEWHERE ELSE” This is true. Every customer has to be treated fairly and with respect and dignity. Even angry customers. As we mentioned earlier, in your customers’ eyes, you are the business. So even though the customer may be angry with something that you were not involved with, to the customer, you represent the business, so it is your job to rectify the situation. (Sam Walton was a businessman and entrepreneur and is best known as the founder of Wal*Mart and Sam’s Club.)
And here are TEN STEPS TO DEFUSE ANGRY CUSTOMERS. While it is important that you remain calm throughout the entire process, remain in control. Feel empowered to resolve the situation by being the one who is in control of their emotions.
ASSUME THAT THE CUSTOMER HAS THE RIGHT TO BE ANGRY
LISTEN TO EMOTION WITHOUT EMOTION
BE PATIENT
SPEAK SOFTLY
REITERATE
OWN THE PROBLEM
PLACE THE CUSTOMER FIRST, PROBLEM SECOND
DETERMINE THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM
CORRECT THE ISSUE
FOLLOW UP
By now you’re old friends with your customers. You’ve got the basics of customer service down. How to greet someone. The types of words to use. The importance of looking your best. That’s the foundation. But once you get past that point, your job actually consists of providing value to your customers. One great way to do this: SHOW PRIDE IN YOUR REGION. THE FUN STARTS WITH YOU. If you know your community inside and out, if you’re passionate about it, you can convey this to your customers and get them excited about being in your community. There are a few simple things you can do to help accomplish this.
[1] KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY – history, modern history, landmarks, interesting stories, etc. Your customers will expect you to be the expert on your community. But how do you come to know your community?
You have to get out and explore.
[2] EXPLORE + LEARN ABOUT LOCAL ATTRACTIONS
[3] KNOW WHERE LOCAL ATTRACTIONS ARE – we’ll dive further into this, but “attractions” in this instance may be more functional (think “nearest grocery store”).Finally, and of equal or more importance,
[4] KNOW HOW TO PROVIDE DIRECTIONS.
The fun starts with you.
Build 1: KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY.
Build 2:
THE SUCCESS OF YOUR OFFERINGS IS DEPENDENT ON THE SUCCESS OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY
LEARN ABOUT ALL THAT YOUR COMMUNITY HAS TO OFFER AND INTERNALIZE IT as your own
FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH ALL THAT SURROUNDS YOU AND ENTHUSIASTICALLY SHARE YOUR “SECRETS” WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS
Talk your community up. Make it sound amazing. Be a concierge for your own home town.
Build 1:
KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY; as a “local” your customers will expect you to be the expert on your community. One way to ensure that you always have the essential facts at your fingertips: create a stats sheet and a binder and have it at the front desk, regardless of the type of establishment you run. And if the information is not housed in the stats sheet, be sure you know where to go to find the information.
SOME QUESTIONS YOU MAY ENCOUNTER TO WHICH YOU NEED TO KNOW THE ANSWERS:
Build 2: HOW DID THE COMMUNITY GET ITS NAME?
Build 3: WE ONLY HAVE TWO DAYS IN THE AREA, WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND WE DO?
Build 4: WHAT’S A GOOD RESTAURANT NEARBY?
Build 5: WHERE IS THE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU?
Build 6: WHAT ARE SOME THINGS TO DO WITH CHILDREN IN THE AREA?
Build 7: WHAT IS THE POPULATION?
Build 1:
KNOW WHERE THE “ATTRACTIONS” ARE
PLACES YOU WILL NEED TO KNOW. Again, as mentioned earlier, “attractions” in this instance covers a wide range. For example:
Build 2:
NEAREST HOSPITAL
THE POLICE STATION
A SERVICE STATION WITH A MECHANIC ON DUTY
AREA RESTAURANTS
LOCAL PLACES OF WORSHIP
PLACES TO SHOP (PHARMACY, GROCERIES, ETC.)
AN ATM
LODGING (HOTEL, MOTEL, B&B CAMPGROUNDS)
ATTRACTIONS UNIQUE TO YOUR COMMUNITY
GOLF COURSES
PARKS
Build 1:
But, knowing where these things are only gets you so far. You’ll also be expected to tell a customer how to get to that attraction; KNOW HOW TO GIVE DIRECTIONS TO THE LOCAL ATTRACTIONS. Some helpful tips on giving simple, accurate directions:
Build 2: [1] KNOW DISTANCES: Give the customer your best estimate of the distance to their desired destination
Build 3: [2] KNOW MAJOR ROUTES: Give the easiest most direct route; avoid shortcuts and back roads that may only confuse the customer
Build 4: [3] KNOW LANDMARKS: Use easily-recognizable landmarks as part of directions
Build 5: [4] GIVE DIRECTIONAL ASSISTANCE: Advise the customer about “left” or “right” turns and whether they will be heading north, south east or west; this is made extremely simple by having a list of commonly-sought locations and the specific directions on how to get there
Build 6: [5] PROVIDE AND USE MAPS: A map is very helpful, even when directions are simple; show the customer where they are now and where they are trying to get to
Build 7: [6] HAVE PHYSICAL ADDRESSES OF GPS COORDINATES FOR SMART PHONES: While it’s possible to enter GPS coordinates into a smart phone to find a location, it’s much easier to enter a physical address. Have physical addresses for any attraction surrounding your location and be prepared to pass that information on to your customers
Build 8: [7] LET THE CUSTOMER REPEAT THE DIRECTIONS: If they desire, let the customer repeat the directions and correct them if and when they make a mistake
The last topic of customer service we’ll talk about today: FUN, DIGITIZED: CUSTOMER SERVICE IN THE DIGITAL AGE. This is an increasingly important topic. Customer service is no longer defined only as a face-to-face interaction with a customer. When someone goes to your website, when someone interacts with your Social Media pages, these are all forms of customer service. And, as is the case with face-to-face customer service, there’s an art to it. The following slides will give you insight as to how to properly interact with your customers through some of your digital channels.
Need to google yourself
instructions on how to make any changes, well, can be googled. :)
Call us at top allows for your phone to direct dial - from mobile.
Nice to be able to personalize email - have a contact name. Again, not always doable if you have more than one person answering customer inquiries.
It’s the law, and just good practice.
Add address, it shows your business is a legitimate business.
Email marketing tools/software like Constant Contact and Mailchimp will do this for you.
Take a deep breath. You’re doing ok.
Remember - you can’t control what people post and say, only react.
Social media and digital media strategies and best practices change all the time. Don’t worry about being perfect at it.
DIRECT SUPPORT takes precedence. Direct Support can be as simple as, “What are your hours?”
Unfortunately, the negative or hard hitting type support stuff takes precedence over the positive comments.
If time allows for responding to positive feedback as well, then by all means, comment, share and like away!
UNLESS ITS SPAM
Deleting a customer's negative comment in order to preserve your virtual image will only further enrage the customer and damage the relationship.
...BUT THEN OFFER A SOLUTION
Trolls
For many, its Facebook. Twitter has a higher expectation for immediate replies. (because that’s the nature of twitter)
Depends a lot on your customer demographics.
Ask to DM them
In DM could even take one step further and ask to call them and speak to them directly.
Sometimes you will make mistakes in your content. Accept the mistakes, learn, and move on.
Another example: Auto Reply (to improve response rate)