2. PROFESSIONALISM – MOVING FORWARD
• IN THE STORE/IN THE AISLES WITH CUSTOMERS
• ON THE PHONE WITH CUSTOMERS
• AS A TEAM
• IN THE DEPARTMENT AS INDIVIDUALS
3. IN THE STORE W/ CUSTOMERS
• FIRST CUSTOMER SERVICE”
• FIND, INQUIRE, RESPECT, SOLVE, THANKS
• OPEN-ENDED QUESTION VERSUS CLOSED ENDED
• BACK-UP & SCHEDULING:
• CHECKING YOUR SHIFTS, KNOW WHO IS HERE
• EVERY SINGLE CUSTOMER.
• NO ONE CUSTOMER IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE OTHER
• ACKNOWLEDGE A WAITING CUSTOMER WHEN YOU CAN
4. ON THE PHONE
• ORDERS OR QUOTES
• PROPER ETIQUETTE AND RESPECT
• QUICK ANSWERS
• CLOSING THE CALL
• UPDATING COMMUNICATION WITH NOTES
5. AS A TEAM
• WORK TOGETHER TO TAKE CARE OF CUSTOMERS *TEAM UP, GEAR UP
• HELP EACH OTHERS STRENGTHS
• GIVE OUT EACH OTHERS CARDS AS BACK-UP FOR WHEN YOU CAN’T BE AVAILABLE DUE TO
SCHEDULES VARYING WEEK TO WEEK
• ANY LACK OF TRUST OR COMMUNICATION, SEE MANAGER
6. SCHEDULING VERSUS TASKS --
TEAM OF 8 PEOPLE
• ONE FULL WEEKDAY SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST FOUR
PEOPLE FROM OPEN TO CLOSE
• WEEKENDS ARE OUR BUSIEST – THAT’S WHEN WE
HAVE ALL BUT ONE OR TWO OF YOU HERE
• ACCOUNTABILITY
Dept.
23
Opener
Morning
Mid
Afternoon
Mid
Closer
7. AS INDIVIDUALS – WHAT NEEDS TO STOP
• CUSTOMERS ORDERS/QUOTES BEING LEFT ON THE DESK
• SODA/FOOD ON THE FLOOR AND AT THE DESK
• CELL PHONES
8. CELL PHONES
• EACH OF US HAS A CELL PHONE
• TWO PEOPLE DON’T TAKE IT ON THE FLOOR, IT IS
LEFT IN THEIR LOCKERS
• OUT OF THE REMAINING 6, ONLY ONE DOES NOT
USE FOR PERSONAL TEXTING
• ANY PERSONAL CALLS OR TEXTING, PLEASE REGARD
TO THEM IN THE BREAK ROOM
Not on Floor On the Floor
Who Has Cell 2 6
Who has it out,
for personal
uses
1 5
9. AS INDIVIDUALS - WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN
• PULLING IN-STOCK ORDERS – PLEASE LOCATE AND TAG
• TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY
• KNOW YOUR LIMITS
10. REVIEW
BECOMING A PROFESSIONAL DEPARTMENT
• CUSTOMER SERVICE
• IN STORE
• PHONE SALES
• WORK TOGETHER
• DEVELOP AS INDIVIDUALS
Editor's Notes
Welcome to the second Department 23 meeting of 2016. Thank you guys for being here, and being a part of our team. In today’s meeting, I want to address a problem that was frequent last year, and that was professionalism. Each of you have great traits that adds to the department, that sets us apart in our work ethics. Unfortunately, we are lacking in the area of professionalism when it comes to dealing with either customers or tasks. So let’s go over what areas we will cover.
These are the areas I would like to see us move forward with professionalism. We’re going to cover how to act professionally with customers in the aisles, inside the store, on the phone, and we’re going to cover how we can be professionals as a team and as individual members of the company.
>Approach customers with the FIRST technique –Find, Inquire, Respect, Solve, and Thanks. It’s the basis of our customer service model, to put the customers FIRST. Never walk away from customer with a closed-ended question. “Can I help you find anything?” gives one out of two answers, and doesn’t help you build a connection with the customer. Always ask about their projects and understand it’s your responsibilities as company associates to ensure customers are getting their projects completed safely, timely, and financially well.
>We are getting busier each coming weekend, so please be aware of who is in your department during your shifts. Knowing who is here when you are during power hours will help take care of more customers, and help keep them from getting impatient. If you can’t find back-up, know which phone the manager of the day has, and call for help.
>With the exceptions of getting products down for customers from the high overheads, please do not disregard other customers that are trying to find help– It has happened, and it has been reported to the management team that associates are not giving attention to other customers because they are appearing to be too busy. I know it gets really hectic, but please try to take care of the customers the best you can, and remember to know you have back-up options.
>In regards to phone calls and taking messages, if it is about an order or quote, follow protocol in asking for their name or order number to look up their quotes. Once you learn whom the customer is that you are speaking to, please appropriately use their name or proper etiquette when addressing them.
>If the call is a quick answer, do address with “sir” or “miss” to show respect.
>Always end your call ensuring the customer is taken care of by asking if there is anything more that they would need or that you can help with.
>If the call is about a quote that is already in the system, please leave notes for the person the customer worked with or whomever had built the design. By doing this, we can make sure there is no miscommunication and that the customer’s order is successfully being built.
>As a team, we are falling away from professionalism. I understand that some of us like to work alone, and that sometimes too many people being involved with a customer causes confusion, but when it’s vital for the customer’s project success, please get together with who you think would best be suited in helping the customer.
>Also, please be respectful of other customers orders that are not your own, and leave your input out, unless asked to join the project. Don’t hesitate to give customers each others cards or ask for assistance to complete projects. We’re innovative, so change is constant and being able to adapt to that change together will help us strive professionally. >If there is a lack of respect or trust in your team, please talk with Terry, our specialty manager. He oversees specifically Department 23, and will take care of any problems you may have and will keep your conversation confidential. Let’s move forward as team and professionally recognize when to either step up or step back.
This diagram shows how to make sure the department is covered and how to ensure you’ll have help when you need it. We have eight people in our department, and usually we have about four or five people here on the weekdays, and about six or seven on the weekends. Power hours are our busiest times, and scheduling will make sure to the best they can that there is enough coverage on the floor during those hours. I understand that we get busy sometimes, or that things happen outside of work that may make us have to call out of work for the day, but please be aware that you’re not leaving tasks for another associate to clean up without notifying them about what needs to be done. Take accountability, communicate, and complete any tasks that need to be done. This will help keep the team from being frustrated and to be professional with one another.
>Next, we’re going to go over a few things the managers have brought up that they would like to see subside in the department. Customer’s documents with their information are being left open on the desk. This is extremely unprofessionally and shows any customers walking past our desk that we don’t value their personal information. We should, and we do, but we need to take care of their orders. Keep their files organized and in the drawer until they are present in front of you.
>The next thing that is happening frequently is soda and food on the floor. We have a break room, we have a lunch hour, that is when you should be getting your lunch, and where you should be taking your breaks. The soda and bottles around the desk and in the aisles show that we don’t care to be professionals. Please leave your food and drinks in the break room, in the fridges or in your lockers. There is no reason for food to be out on the floor. Management does not want to hear a complaint from customers that they approached an associate who was eating on the floor while helping them.
>Another point that came down from management is cell phones. (Next slide)
We all have cell phones or smart phones, and it can be either an asset to helping customers or a distraction. I know who has a cell phone, who doesn’t, who keeps theirs in their locker, who carries it in their pockets, and who keeps theirs in their pockets, and who doesn’t. If I know, management obviously knows as well.
I understand emergencies happen, but please take your emergency calls to the break-room or the training room for more privacy. Texting your friends or your boyfriends while on the floor with customers around does not warrant acceptable actions as professional employees. I, as well as management, ask each of you to please keep your phones out your hands while you’re working, unless you’re using a calculator for measurements or the company mobile app.
>As individuals, we all have great attributes but also some flaws that are pretty common. When we have orders to pull, remember to locate the products in their proper location in the customer’s computer order so we can avoid double-pulling orders and wasting resources. Also remember to tag the orders with the correct customers.
>Please take accountability for any tasks that you either complete or do not complete. Clean up after yourselves, and please do not leave a task to another associate to take care without their acknowledgement. Make sure your team is aware of changes you’re doing that may affect them.
>Know your limit, especially when it comes to taking care of customers. If a project seems out of your jurisdiction, please ask another associate to either team up with you or take over to complete the customer’s order. By knowing when something is too much for you, you can save the customer time and money by handing them over to a team member.
If you guys have any questions, feel free to ask. If you have any concerns that require privacy, please see Terry or David, the store manager. For the new year, let’s bring our customers better quality service by becoming more professional in serving them in the store, over the phone, and as a team as well as business individuals.