Customer service training[1]

PLASTILENS INTERNATIONAL, INC.

CUSTOMER SERVICE
TRAINING PROGRAM

Prepared by:

Loryn Dungca

Part 1

“There is only one boss: the customer.
And he can fire everyone in the company from
the chairman on down; simply by spending his
money somewhere else.”
- Sam Walton

Part 1

What is customer service?
• Customer service is forming a
relationship with customers – a
relationship that that individual
customer feels that he would like to
pursue.

• Kind of service that makes customer
feel special, service that makes him/her
want to come back and do more
business with the company and
recommending the company to other
people.

Part 1

Essence of Customer Service…

 Doing ordinary things extraordinary well.
 Going beyond what is expected.
 Adding value to every interaction.
 Being at your best with every customer.
 Discovering new ways to delight.
 Taking care of your customers like
you would take care of your loved ones.

Part 1

What do customers expect?

Customers always expect a TREAT!!!!
Trust (ability to provide what was promised, dependably
and accurately)

Responsiveness (willingness to help customers
promptly)

Empathy (degree of caring and individual attention you
show to customers)

Assurance (knowledge and courtesy you show to
customers, and ability to convey trust)

Tangibles (physical facilities and equipments, and your
own (and others’) appearance)

Part 1

Customer Service is the lifeblood of an
organization”.
Exceptional customer service will make customers often pay
more, drive farther, and inconvenience themselves to do business
with a company that appreciates them, thus building the bond that
keeps customers coming back time and time again.

Exceptional customer service increases productivity,
efficiency and effectiveness. Satisfying an unhappy customer costs a
lot more, both in pesos and sense, than satisfying a customer on the
first try.

Customers when satisfied with the service given to them, is a
large factor for customer retention. In summary, fulfilling personal
and organizational needs, the importance of how you do things,
customers buy experiences, and they repeat businesses.

Part 1

In summary . . .
Good customer service means: Good customer service results in:

 Providing quality product or  Continued success.
service.
 Increased profits.
 Higher job satisfaction.
 Satisfying the needs / wants of
 Improved company or
the customer.
organization morale.
 Better teamwork.
 Resulting in a repeat customer.
 Market expansion of
services / products.

Part 1

CUSTOMER=REVENUE=JOBS
“ Treat every customer as
if they
sign your paycheck….
Because they do.”

“ To my customer.
I may not have
the answer,
but I’ll find it.
I may not have
the time,
but I’ll make it.”
-

EVOLUTION OF CUSTOMER SERVICE
EVOLUTION OF CUSTOMER SERVICE – PERSONAL TRENDS

THEN NOW
 Personal goal security  Personal goal rapid growth
 “Commodity” products  “Intellectual” products

EVOLUTION OF CUSTOMER SERVICE – CUSTOMER TRENDS
THEN NOW
• Less informed • Highly informed
• Less choices • More choices
• Preference less dynamic • Ever-changing preference
• Satisfied with low priced, mass • Demands customized solution
produced product / services • Selection of a product based on
• Selection of a product mainly convenience and convergence.
based on price.

EVOLUTION OF CUSTOMER SERVICE

EVOLUTION OF CUSTOMER SERVICE – CORPORATE TRENDS

THEN NOW
 Interested in customer  Interested in customer insights,
acquisition relationship focus
 Profit on each sale  Profit on customer lifetime
 Price based on cost of value
production  Price based on perceived value
 Decision-making based on  Decision-making based on
logic synthesis
 Regular customer data not  Regular and speedy collections
required of customer data

10 RULES FOR GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE

1. Commit to quality service.
- create a positive experience for the customer.
- go above and beyond customer expectations.
2. Know your products.
- helps win a customer’s trust and confidence.
3. Know your customers.
- tailor your service approach to their needs and buying habits.
- get to the root of customer dissatisfaction by talking to people
and understanding complaints.
4. Treat people with courtesy.
- every contact with a customer leaves an impression.
- use phrases like “sorry to keep you waiting” , “thanks for your
order”, “you’re welcome” and “ it’s been a pleasure helping you”.
5. Never argue with a customer.
- be solution focused than problem focused.
-

CUSTOMER SERVICE 101
10 RULES FOR GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE (cont’d.)

6. Don’t leave customers hanging.
- all communications with a customer needs to be handled with a sense
of urgency.
7. Always provide what you promised.
- failure to do this is a sure way to lose credibility with your customer.
- if you can’t make good on your promise, apologize and offer some
type of compensation.
8. Focus on making customers, not making sales.
- focus on the quality rather than the volume of sales.
- research show that it costs 6 times more to attract new customer than
it does to keep an existing one.
9. Assume that customers are telling the truth.
- majority of customers don’t like to complain; in fact, they’ll go out of
their way to avoid it.
10. Make it easy to buy.
- make the process simple and user-friendly.


“ Culture of
Commitment”.

The transition from ordinary
to extraordinary
performance happens
through a “culture of
commitment” , where
frontline people reflect to
the outside the intense
pride and ownership they
are experiencing on the
inside.


TYPES OF CUSTOMERS
EXTERNAL CUSTOMERS include not just the paying
customer but also anyone who receives the benefit of the
goods and services.

INTERNAL CUSTOMERS are specific people and
departments who play in helping you to serve external
customers.

BABY STEPS IN CUSTOMER SERVICE
“ The basics are the basis of customer service”.

Baby Step #1: First Impressions Matter
Baby Step #2: Courtesy Counts
Baby Step #3: Attitude is Everything
Baby Step #4: Doing the Right Thing: the Ethical Issues


Baby Step # 1: First Impressions Matter
First impressions are mental snapshots you take when you
first encounter a person or situation. It includes a person’s looks
and actions, including general grooming and cleanliness, clothing,
voice tone, attitude, body language and posture.

Steps in Making Good Impression:
1. People see you first, hear you second.
2. Wear appropriate clothing for the work you do.
3. Make sure you are groomed.
4. Maintain a relaxed and open demeanor.

STEPS IN MAKING GOOD IMPRESSION:

1. PEOPLE SEE YOU FIRST, HEAR YOU SECOND
- looking good at work and your appearance should fit the work you do.

2. WEAR APPROPRIATE CLOTHING FOR THE WORK YOU DO.
- wear the type of clothing that fits the personality of your business.
- always lean towards dressing conservatively if you are unsure of what is
suitable to your job.

3. MAKE SURE YOU ARE GROOMED
- this means your hair and fingernails are clean and groomed; your face, body, and
teeth are clean; your clothes are clean and well-pressed; your shoes polished, your hair is
properly styled; and your over-all image is professional. Put all that together and you
present a groomed look.

4. MAINTAIN A RELAXED AND OPEN DEMEANOR
- Hold your head high, and keep your facial expressions friendly. Make eye contact
when talking to someone. Smile as often as appropriate; smile often. A smile goes a long
way, both personally and interpersonally. When you smile, you feel better. When you
smile, you make others feel better.

Baby Step # 2: Courtesy Counts
Unlike children, as adults, you are not going to receive constant
praise for being courteous, but people will appreciate your
behavior. When your act courteously, you send a positive and
become a natural part of your vocabulary and personality.

Steps in Developing Courtesy:
1. Say “Please”, “Thank you” and “ You’re Welcome”.
2. Say “Excuse Me” and “I’m Sorry”.
3. Use “Sir” and Ma’am”.
4. Use a person’s name when you know it.
5. Use “Yes” rather than “Yeah”.
6. Say it with a smile.

STEPS IN DEVELOPING COURTESY:

1. SAY “PLEASE”, “THANK YOU” and “YOU’RE WELCOME”
- say “please” when asking something and also learned to say “please” when
you responded to others (e.g. “Yes, please”).
- say “thank you” when someone did something for you.
- say “you’re welcome” when someone thanked you for doing something.

2. SAY “EXCUSE ME” AND “I’M SORRY”
- say “excuse me” when you do not understand someone, when someone was
on your way, or when you inadvertently did something wrong;
- say “I’m sorry” when you did something wrong or made a mistake.

3. USE “SIR” OR “MA’AM”
- even if these words are signs of respect, be careful how you accentuate
these words.
- wrong emphasis can make you sound sarcastic, however, right emphasis can
make you sound respectful.


STEPS IN DEVELOPING COURTESY:

4. USE A PERSON’S NAME WHEN YOU KNOW IT
- everyone enjoys hearing his / her name, so if you know your customer’s name
use it. Also be sure to give your customer your name.
- always try to practice name re-calling.

5. USE “YES” RATHER THAN “YEAH”
- use “Yes” instead of “yeah” to sound professional, intellectual and
respectful.

6. SAY IT WITH A SMILE
In today’s fast-paced world, smiling when you speak does come across loud and
clear. Whether you are speaking face-to-face or by telephone, our customer will see
or hear the smile in your voice.

Baby Step # 3: Attitude is Everything
Attitude is everything. Good or bad. Whether yours is good or bad, your
attitude is what people are going to remember about you. When you interact
with customers, you may not get a second chance. Even if you are not as naturally
positive person you can learn to have a more positive attitude. It begins by
learning to APPRECIATE.

Steps in developing positive attitude:
1. Appreciate the good in yourself and in others.
2. Believe in yourself.
3. Believe you can make a difference.
4. Keep an open-mind ; do not stereotype people.

STEPS IN DEVELOPING POSITIVE ATTITUDE:

1. APPRECIATE THE GOOD IN YOURSELF AND IN OTHERS
Appreciation can be learned by changing your self-talk (the words you use
when you think) to think positive thoughts. For example, change “I’ll never do this
right” to “next time I’ll do this better”. This also goes for thoughts about your
customers (e.g., “Look at his old lady. She doesn’t look like she has a clue about
television sets. This is going to be a tough one to handle”. Change this mindset to “
I’ll do what I can to help this customer. She mentioned she doesn’t know a whole lot
about all the new type sets, so I’ll do my best to explain them all”.).

2. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
When you stop your negative self-talk, you will start to believe
in yourself. Saying things such as,” I’ll never do this right”, only sets you up for failure.
Changing your self-talk to “next time I’ll do it differently” sets you up for success. When
you begin to believe in yourself, you will begin to feel more confident. When you feel
more confident, you will begin projecting a powerful image to others. To your
customers, you will project an image of someone who believes in yourself, your
company, and your products.

STEPS IN DEVELOPING POSITIVE ATTITUDE:

3. BELIEVE YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
When you believe in yourself and gain confidence, you will naturally progress
to believing that you can make a difference in the lives of others. When you believe you
can make a difference, you will find ways to make it happen. At work, look for ways to
make a difference by being helpful, interested, and caring toward your customers.

4. KEEP AN OPEN-MIND ; DO NOT STEREOTYPE PEOPLE
When the employee thought about the older woman who did not know what
she wanted and was going to be tough to handle, he was accepting a negative
stereotype about older people before he talked to her. That older woman might be
smarter and sharper than he is. Stereotypes can skew first impressions. Do you want
people to stereotype you? When you change your thought process and stop
stereotyping others, you will change the way you present yourself.


Baby Step # 4: Doing the Right Thing: Ethical Issues
Being ethical means being honest, doing the right thing, and being
accountable for your actions.

Steps to develop ethical ways of doing things:
1. Always be honest.
2. Do the right thing.
3. Do what you say when you say you will.
4. Be accountable for your actions.


STEPS TO MAINTAIN ETHICS IN DOING THINGS:

1. ALWAYS BE HONEST
Being honest at all times will make your life far less complicated. When you
are truthful, you do not have to remember what you said to whom. Being truthful is
important to your customer. If you become dishonest, the truth always has a way of
coming out. When people find out you have not been completely honest, they will no
longer trust you.

2. KEEP AN OPEN-MIND ; DO NOT STEREOTYPE PEOPLE
When the employee thought about the older woman who did not know what
she wanted and was going to be tough to handle, he was accepting a negative
stereotype about older people before he talked to her. That older woman might be
smarter and sharper than he is. Remember first impressions? Stereotypes can skew first
impressions. Do you want people to stereotype you? When you change your thought
process and stop stereotyping others, you will change the way you present yourself.


STEPS TO MAINTAIN ETHICS IN DOING THINGS:

3. DO WHAT YOU SAY WHEN YOU SAY YOU WILL
Become a person others can rely on. When you give a customer your
word, mean it. Let your word be your bond. Erase the words “I can’t” and “no” from your
vocabulary. If you cannot do what the customer asks, explain instead what you can do. It is
all right to say “I don’t know.” Follow up with “I’ll find out for you.”

4. BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS
When you take responsibility and own up to your mistakes, people will respect
you. No one expects you to make the right decision 100% of the time. We are all human and
are all going to make mistakes. What sets ethical people apart is that they hold themselves
accountable for their mistakes. This may not be easy at first, but it is the right thing to do.
People will appreciate that you are able to admit you did something wrong. You will also
have an added benefit: You will respect yourself more when you take responsibility for your
actions.

Part III:

Excellent Service through
Excellent Communication

EXCELLENT SERVICE THROUGH
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

“Quality in a service or product is not
what you put into it.
It is what the client or customer
gets out of it.”

- Peter Drucker

Excellent Service through Effective Communication

SIX STEPS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

 Saying What You Mean and
Meaning What You Say.
 What You Don’t Say;
Non-Verbal Communication.
 Putting Words Together:
Grammar Usage.
 Asking the Correct Questions and
answering the Questions Correctly.
 When the Customers Says “No”.
 Listening Actively.

Always Remember:

In your dealings with customers, be the one
to initiate honest, respectful and
thoughtful communication.
Because to them, you not only represent the
company….

YOU ARE THE COMPANY.

EXCELLENT SERVICE THROUGH
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

Step 1: SAYING WHAT YOU MEAN AND MEANING WHAT YOU SAY
“The message has to get across the way you mean it ; otherwise you may
not get a second chance. “

HOW TO DO IT?
 Choose the right words.

 Make sure the voice tone fits the message.

 Adding welcome words.

 Keeping business conversation professional.

• Choose the Right Words.

- choose the words that will be understandable to the customer.
- opt for easy and familiar words when communicating, especially if the
customer is not so familiar with the company or product.

• Make sure your voice tone fits the message your sending.

- how to say something is more important than what you say.
- pay attention to your listener’s nonverbal cues to make sure your tone
fits you customer.

• Add welcome words to your vocabulary.

- using words that sound positive and confident projects a positive and
confident attitude.
- “Yes, I’ll be happy to!”, “Sure, I can!”, “Absolutely!”

• Keep business conversations professional.
- draw the line between being professional and getting personal.


Step 2: WHAT YOU DON’T SAY : NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

How you say something is more important than the words you choose, but what you
do when you convey a message is also important .

STEPS TO IMPROVE NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
 Smile often.
 Make eye contact.
 Maintain good posture.
 Keep your energy level steady.


Step 3: PUTTING WORDS TOGETHER : GRAMMAR USAGE

Proper grammar is critical to effective communication. When you use proper
grammar, it is easier to send the right message.

HOW TO PROPERLY COMMUNICATE WITH CUSTOMERS:
 Reflect your company’s personality.
 Speak clearly.
 Use everyday language.
 Avoid using jargon, company terms
and technical language.


Step 4: ASKING the CORRECT QUESTIONS and ANSWERING the
QUESTIONS CORRECTLY

We ask questions for many reasons. As customers, we ask questions to
gather new information and acquire additional information. Employees
ask questions to figure out how to solve a customer’s problem or to resolve a customer’s
complaint.

Open Questions require more than a yes or no answer and encourage the
customer to give information.

Closed Questions require one word or short answer
and are often used for clarifications.

TIPS IN MAKING GOOD QUESTION AND GIVING RIGHT ANSWER:

 Keep your questions simple.
 Ask open questions when you need information.
 Ask closed questions to control the conversation.
 Take time to understand the customer’s question first before answering it.
 Try to give more than a one word answer.

Tips in Making Good Question and Giving Right Answer (cont’d.)
•Keep your questions simple.
- stick to one type of question.
- do not lump series of questions together so that customer will be able to
answer correctly and completely.
- e.g., “tell me about…”,“tell me more…”, “I’d like to get information on…”,“kindly
describe….”.

• Ask open questions when you need information.
- begin with what, why and how.
- use when you need information and when you want to encourage the
customer to talk.
- e.g. “ how do you…”, “what would you like…”, “what else…”,
“how will…”.

• Ask closed questions to control conversation.
- use when you need specific answer like “yes”, “no” or short answer, or to
clarify information.
- start with “is”, “are”, “do”, “can”, “will” if you require only a “yes” or
“no” answer.
- start with “who”, “would”, “how”, or “where” if your require only a short
answer.
- e.g. “are you..”, “do you think..”, “will you…”, “would you like…”,”where do you..”,
“how many…”


Tips in Making Good Question and Giving Right Answer (cont’d.)

•Understand the customer’s question before answering it.

- recap or rephrase the question or ask a clarifying question if you do not
clearly understand the question.

• Ask open questions when you need information.
- begin with what, why and how.
- use when you need information and when you want to encourage the
customer to talk.
- e.g. “ how do you…”, “what would you like…”, “what else…”,
“how will…”.


Step 5: WHEN THE CUSTOMER SAYS “NO”

Always do what is right for the customers and uncover the reason for
objections, even if you have offered a valid solution and the customer still says
“no”.

STEPS ON HOW TO FIND SOLUTION
TO CUSTOMER OBJECTION

• Listen to the customer’s objection
• Acknowledge the objection
• Follow-up with a question
• Consider the customer’s action


Steps on How to Find Solution to Customer Objections
• Listen to the customer’s objection.
- discover and understand the reason/s behind the customer’s objection by
asking a combination of open and closed questions.

• Acknowledge the objection.
- validate the customer’s reason, then respond with positive statement.
- empathize with customer’s objection, but make sure you put additional
benefit to the solution you proposed.

• Follow-up with a question.
- make a follow-up question to validate or clarify if the customer finally agrees
on you’re your proposal.
- e.g. “how do you find my proposal..”, “would that be fine with you?...”

• Consider the customer’s answer.
- the customer’s response will determine if you successfully made the customer
believe in you.


Step 6: LISTENING ACTIVELY

Effective communication is not just dependent on your ability
to talk and write well.

TIPS ON HOW TO ACTIVELY LISTEN TO CUSTOMERS

• Focus entirely on your customer.
• Listen completely.
• Remain objective ; do not judge.
• Listen to what not is said.


Steps on Listen Actively to Customers
• Focus entirely on your customer.
- think of that customer you are helping is the only customer in your business
so that you will be able to give your full attention.

• Listen completely.
- pay complete attention to the customer while he/she is speaking.
- do not think of any response yet while the customer is talking.

• Remain objective ; do not judge.
- gathering all relevant information.
- paraphrase the customer’s words or ask more questions to clarify.

• Consider the customer’s answer.
- the customer’s response will determine if you successfully made the customer
believe in you.

•Listen to what not is said.
- pay attention to customer’s body language and expression.
- “reading between the lines”.

Food  Try to erase the words “I can’t”. Instead, try to
focus on what you can do by saying “here’s what I
can do for you” if the customer is asking you to do

for
something you can’t.

Always be truthful about your products, services

Thought

and policies. Never make misleading claims.

 We all carry emotional baggage. Never make your
customers and co-workers suffer because you are
having a problem. Remember that everyone has
problems. Use your time to let go of personal
baggage.

 Never comment negatively about competitors. If a
customer asks for a comparison or leads you to
say something negative, say “I don’t know about
that but let me explain our policy..” or “I don’t
know enough about that to comment”.

 Customer service begins when you are courteous
to your customers.

QUICK QUOTES

•Actions speak louder than words

•Try very hard to avoid saying no

•Erase the words I can’t from your vocabulary

•Tell customers what you can do

•Never use inappropriate language with a customer

•Listen, listen, listen

•Listen for what is not said

•Never jump to conclusions

•Use language your customers understand

•Display empathy to show your customers you understand

JUMPING IN WITH BOTH FEET:
RELATIONSHIP BUILDING

“Anyone who thinks
customers are not
important should try
doing without them
for a
week.”
- Anonymous

“ to provide the best possible service, you must get close to
your customers by building a strong relationship with them”

STEPS
 Establishing Rapport
 Interacting Positively with Customers
 Identifying Customer Needs
 Making the Customers Feel Valued
 Maintaining Ongoing Relationship
 Handling Different Types of Customers


Step 1: ESTABLISHING RAPPORT

Rapport begins the moment you start communicating with your customers.

TIPS ON HOW TO ESTABLISH RAPPORT:

• Be friendly.
• Be interested.
• Be sensitive.
• Be trustful.
• Find common ground.

TIPS ON HOW TO ESTABLISH RAPPORT
• Be friendly.
- you show them from the start, that you are a person who is approachable
and willing to help.

• Be interested.
- means listening and responding accordingly.
- thinking of ways to brighten other people’s day.

• Be sensitive.
- being empathetic and considerate of people’s situation.

• Be trustful.
- demonstrate that you can be trusted by being honest and ethical in
everything you do. It is also demonstrated by treating people with dignity and
respect.

• Find common ground.
- when listening to your customer’s statements try to find something you have
in common


Step 2: INTERACTING POSITIVELY WITH CUSTOMERS

Be a person who brings others up and continues to bring relationship.

TIPS ON HOW TO INTERACT POSITIVELY

• Be helpful.
• Be committed.
• Be a problem solver.
• Be credible.
• Believe in your products or services.


TIPS ON HOW TO INTERACT POSITIVELY

• Be helpful.
- show your customers you care by giving the extra mile for them.

• Be committed.
- give your customers 110%.
- committing yourself to your company and to your customers will make you
look for ways to make things better.

• Be a problem solver.
- be a part of the solution by looking for answers rather than focusing on what
is wrong.
- people who focus on problems complain; people who focus on solutions find
ways to make a difference.


TIPS ON HOW TO INTERACT POSITIVELY (cont’d.)

• Be credible.
- being knowledgeable of your products and company.

• Believe in your products and services.
- believing that your products and services will help your customers is crucial to
doing the right thing for them.


Step 3: IDENTIFYING CUSTOMER NEEDS

When you deal with customers, your job was to uncover their needs.

STEPS IN IDENTIFYING
CUSTOMERS’ NEEDS

• Ask questions.
• Summarize customer’s needs.
• Recommend appropriate solutions.
• Handle objections.

STEPS IN IDENTIFYING CUSTOMER’S NEEDS

• Ask questions.
- when customers do not know how to tell you what they need, it is your job
to figure out what they need.

• Summarize customer’s needs.
- summarize your understanding of what the customer told you.

• Recommend appropriate solutions.
- make sure that your recommendations are based on what the customer told
you.
- refer to things the customer said when making your recommendations.

• Handle objections.
- answer the customer’s silent question “what is it going to do with me?”

Step 4: MAKING THE CUSTOMER FEEL VALUED

Communicating effectively and building positive relationships to make customers
feel valued.

WAYS TO MAKE CUSTOMERS FEEL VALUED

• Go out of your way to customers.
• Validate customer’s decision.
• Instill positive feelings.


WAYS TO MAKE CUSTOMERS FEEL VALUED

• Go out of your way to customers.
- trying to give customers more than what they asked for.

• Validate customer’s decision.
- always validate your customer’s decision even if you do not agree on their
choices.

• Instill positive feelings.
- never make customers feel bad about their decisions.

Step 5: MAINTAINING ONGOING RELATIONSHIP

• Remember your customers.
• Learn customer’s name.
• Remember something about your
customers.
• Learn your customer’s preference.

Step 5: HANDLING DIFFERENT TYPES OF
CUSTOMERS

• The pushy, obnoxious customer.
• The timid, indecisive customer.
• The overly friendly, flirty customer.
• The culturally different customer.
• Customers with disabilities


• The pushy, obnoxious customer.
- remain calm; speak softly and control your voice inflection.

• The timid, indecisive customer.
- be patient; be sensitive to timid and indecisive customers and help them
become more talkative by asking questions and encouraging them to talk.

• The overly friendly, flirty customer.
- be professional ; guide your conversation on business by not fostering overly
friendly or flirty customers by being overly friendly in return.

• The culturally different customer.
- be tolerant ; kindness, a smile, honesty and empathy translate into any
language and across any barrier.

• The customers with disabilities
- be respectful as people with disabilities just wanted to be treated like
everyone else.

Step 5: HANDLING DIFFERENT TYPES OF
CUSTOMERS

HOW TO IDENTIFY DIFFERENT
PERSONALITIES ACCORDING TO SENSES:

• Visual People.
• Kinaesthetic People .
• Auditory People.


• The Visual People.
- “see the sense”, “looks to me like”, “appears to me”, “short-sighted”, “see eye
to eye”.
- may greet you with “nice to see you”

• The Kinaesthetic People.
- “it feels right”, “get the grips with”, “hand in hand”, “slipped my mind”, “lets lay
the cards on the table”.
- may greet you with “how are you feeling today?”.

• The Auditory People.
- “ I hear what you’re saying”, “loud and clear”, “unheard of”, “word for word”.
- may greet you with “I heard you were coming today” or “I heard the job’s
doing well”.

QUICK QUOTES
• Do everything you can to help your customers

• Relationships are built on trust

• If in doubt, rule in favor of the customer

• Find ways to give customers more than they expect

• Tell your customers you appreciate their business

• When you make a mistake, make it right with the customer

• Perception is everything—to your customers; their perception is reality

• Try to see things from the customer’s perspective

• Treat all customers equally

• The customer is the reason you have a job

Part IV:

PUTTING CUSTOMERS
FIRST

“Isn’t it really “customer helping” rather
than “customer service”?....
And wouldn’t you deliver better service
if you thought of it that way?”
- Jeffrey Gitomer

PUTTING CUSTOMERS FIRST

FACE-TO-FACE CONTACTS
“Customers may come into business
because of the products but they will
decide to come again because of the
way they are treated.”

WAYS TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL
FACE-TO-FACE CUSTOMER SERVICE

• Saying Hello:
Greeting the Customer
• Between Hello and Goodbye:
Helping the Customer
• Saying Goodbye:
Ending the Interaction


STEP 1: SAYING HELLO: GREETING THE CUSTOMER

• Greet every customer.
• Make an impressionable opening statement.
- saying more than hello, e.g. “Welcome to Plastilens”, “We’re glad you
came in”.
- if you know the customer, and had visited previously, greet them
differently by addressing them by name, e.g. “Hi, Doc ____! It’s nice to see
you again”.
• Ask, or say how are you can provide and give your name.
- “my name is ______ , and I’ll be happy for you to serve you.” or “My
name is _______ and if you have any question, or need I’ll be glad to assist you”
• Tune in to your customers.
- pay close attention to customer’s body language and moods so that
you will be able to know how to make them be at ease.


STEP 2: BETWEEN HELLO AND GOODBYE : HELPING THE CUSTOMER

• Pay your full attention to that one customer.
• Show and tell.
• Make the most of your question.

TIP:
“If a phone call comes in while you are helping a customer, ask the caller
to hold while you finish or offer to call back. Never make the customer,
who is ready to do business, wait while you take a call.”


STEP 3: SAYING GOODBYE : ENDING THE INTERACTION

• Find the best solution.
• Make sure customer is satisfied.
- “Is there anything else I can help you with?”, or “Do you have further
question about our products?”.
• Thank customers for coming in to your business.
- “Enjoy your new _______.”, “Thank you for coming.”

Think of It:
Every business provides customer service. It is important
that anyone – in any business – who interacts with customers
Understands this.

QUICK QUOTES
• Greet your customers when they walk through your door.
• Make your customers feel welcome.
• Smile and show enthusiasm for your work.
• When customers come into your business,
remember that they make your job possible.
• Keep a positive and friendly demeanor.
• Show, do not tell, where to find something.
• Tell your customers the benefits of your solution.
• Never take a personal phone call
in the presence of customers.
• Never stand around looking bored;
find something to keep you busy.
• When customers leave your business,
thank them for coming in.


TELEPHONE CONTACTS
“Customers hear your smile through
Your voice”.

STEPS FOR EXCELLENT SERVICE TO
PHONE CUSTOMERS

• Putting Best Ear Forward
• Saying Hello : Phone Etiquette
• Between Hello and Goodbye:
Helping the Customer
• Saying Goodbye : The Closer


STEP 1: PUTTING THE BEST EAR FORWARD

• Listen to customer’s opening statement.

• Write down or input key points.

• Listen without interrupting.

• Give the customer the assurance that you are helping with full
attention.


STEP 2: SAYING HELLO : PHONE ETIQUETTE

• Answer on the first ring.

• Give the name of your business, your name, and then an opening
statement or question.

• Sound enthusiastic and ready to help.

• Work on relationship building from the beginning of contact.

• Address the customer by name.



• Assure the customer you can help.
- “ absolutely! I can help you with that.”
- “ if you will refer customer to another department or employee, say “I’m to
transfer you to the department that can take care of this for you, but I will stay on the line
until someone answers.”

• Summarize or paraphrase customer’s statement.
- re-cap customer’s statement without verbatim.

• Verbalize what you are doing.
- tell your customers what you are doing throughout the contact.

• Put your personal touch into the contact.
- talk to the customer while you are waiting or checking on something.
- avoid “dead air” (no conversation for a period of time during contact)

TIP: If you are a new employee, it is all right to say so. Everyone has been new at a job,
and customers will not only relate but will appreciate your honesty. You can explain, “I
appreciate your patience. I’m new and I want to make sure I input everything correctly
for you.”


(cont’d.)

• Before a lengthy pause, tell customer what is happening.
- “ I’m still looking at___________. This will take just a few minutes.”

• When putting customers on hold, explain why.
- “ May I put you on hold for a minute so that I can __________.”

TIP:
If the wait time will be extremely long, offer a call back.
Always make a specific commitment. Say, “I’ll get back to you by five
today with the information,” rather than “I’ll call you back as soon as
possible.” As soon as possible may mean one time frame to you, an
entirely different time frame to your customers.


STEP 4: SAYING GOODDBYE : THE CLOSER

• Recap what you are going to do.

• Gain the customer’s acceptance.

• Ask if you can help with anything else.

• Thank the customer contact.

QUICK QUOTES

•Answer the phone on the first ring.
• Listen closely to the customer’s opening
statement.
• Allow the customer to speak without interruption.
•Establish your credibility by assuring your customer
you can help.
•Your attitude comes through the phone lines;
make yours a positive one.
• Give the customer your full attention
• If the hold time will be long,
offer to call back within a specific time frame
• Build rapport throughout the contact by talking to
your customer
• Vocalize your responses so your customer will
know what you are doing
• Thank your customer for calling the business

Part V:

HANDLING DIFFICULT
CUSTOMER CONTACTS

“Your best customers leave quite an
impression.
Do the same, and they won't leave at
all.”
- SAP Ad

HANDLING DIFFICULT CUSTOMER CONTACTS

“When a customer complains, look at it as an opportunity to improve.”

STEPS TO EFFECTIVELY HANDLE
DIFFICULT CUSTOMER CONTACTS

• What Is Going On : Determine the
Reason for Complaint
• What Caused It : Identify the Root Cause
of the Problem
• What Can I Do : Rectify the Situation
• What Can I Say : Acknowledge the
Problem


STEP 1: WHAT IS GOING ON : DETERMINE THE REASON FOR COMPLAINT

• Assure the customer you are going to help and that you will do all that
you can to solve the problem.

• Restate the customer’s opening statement .

• Listen very carefully and attentively.

• Write down important details.

• Display empathy.

• Remain composed.


TIPS 101
If an angry customer immediately asks for your manager or the owner
of your company without first giving you a chance to help, try this approach:
“Mr.______, please give me the opportunity to resolve the problem. I’m confident
that I will be able to help you, but if you are still not satisfied, I will personally
refer your problem to my manager (or owner).” Your confident manner will
give the customer the peace of mind that you are truly interested in resolving
her problem.

If a customer uses profanity, calmly say “Mr. _______, I understand you
are upset, and I am going to help you, but there is no reason to use profanity.” In
most cases the customer will stop. If he continues, calmly say, “Again, I am going
to work with you to resolve your problem. Will you please explain to me what
happened without using profanity?” maintaining a calm demeanor, your
customer will begin to calm down.


STEP 2: WHAT CAUSED IT : IDENTIFY ROOT CAUSE OF PROBLEM

• Investigate the situation.

• Determine if customer has valid complaint .

• Apologize.

• Explain what happened.


STEP 3: RECTIFY THE SITUATION

• Tell the customer what you are going to do to solve the problem.

• Focus on what you can do.

• Offer your best solution.

• Never assign blame – when you offer solution, do not fault the customer.

• Display empathy.

• Offer an alternative solution


STEP 4: WHAT CAN I SAY : ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM

• Thank the customer for allowing you to make things right.

• Tell what you will do to avoid future problems.

• Offer some sort of compensation or restitution.

• Make a follow-up call or visit.


STEP 5: WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE:

• Analyze what went wrong.

• Recommend a review your company’s policies and procedures.

• Offer some sort of compensation or restitution.

• Change what you can to make things better.

HOW TO FIX WHAT NEEDS FIXING:
•How easy is it for customers to do business with you?
• Which of your policies makes it difficult to satisfy customers?
• In what areas of your business do you get repeat complaints?


ALWAYS REMEMBER:

When you deal with customers, there are going to be
problems. Whether the problem is caused by the customer or
by the company, what is important in any contact with a
difficult customer is what you do to resolve the problem and
how valued you make the customer feel .

QUICK QUOTES

• Put yourself in the customers’ shoes and try
to see things from their perspective.
• The customer is not angry at you personally.
• Focus on the problem, not the person’s
attitude or behavior.
• Display empathy towards the customer’s
situation.
• Think about what you can do.
• Be part of the solution.
• Take pride in turning an upset customer into a
satisfied one.
• Never interrupt when customers are telling
their side of things.
• It is all right to ask for the customer’s ideas for
solutions.
• Feel proud when you can turn an upset
customer into a satisfied one.

Part VI:

being the best
that you can be:

THE
TOTAL
PACKAGE

Being the best that you can be :
THE TOTAL PACKAGE

• Take responsibility for your actions.

• Be the person you want to be.

• Set goals for yourself.

• Keep looking forward.

• Measure your own level of performance.

• Keep striving.

• Be a good listener.

• Enjoy and have fun.

Being the best that you can be :
THE TOTAL PACKAGE
QUICK QUOTES
• Give each day 110%.

• Be accountable for your actions.

• Being good at what you do makes doing it a pleasure.

• Learn from your experiences—good or bad.

• Be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

• Try to come up with better ways to do things.

• Set performance goals for yourself.

• Take pride in everything you do.

• Make yourself the best product out there.

• Have fun at your job.

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