Introduction:
Achieving customer service excellence is not accomplished by accident, nor is it attained without effort and teamwork. It requires well–trained customer service professionals who have a passion for providing quality service.
In today’s customer-oriented business environment, “people skills” are critical for career advancement and organizational effectiveness. The program emphasizes the importance of providing customer service excellence in a competitive environment, proven strategies for service recovery, and negotiation techniques for professionally dealing with difficult customers.
Targeted Groups:
- Head of Customer Service
- Customer Service Supervisors
- Customer Service Professionals
- Receptionists
- Individuals who want to get new skills to improve their profile
Course Objectives:
At the end of this course the participants will be able to:
- Establish the importance of setting and reviewing customer service standards
- Develop an understanding of internal and external customer expectations
- Communicate more effectively by utilizing active listening and questioning skills
- Demonstrate how to deal with difficult customers effectively
- Set SMART objectives and goals to increase daily productivity
- Utilize stress management techniques to reduce tension
- Identify key components that promote customer retention and loyalty
- Describe the practices of a world-class customer service provider and model their own performance on those practices
- Utilize interpersonal skills as vital tools in the provision of customer service
- Develop a customer-focused mindset for continuous improvement
- Improve conflict resolution skills
Targeted Competencies:
- An increased appreciation for your role in helping their organization achieve customer service excellence
- Up to date techniques and methods to help you provide world-class service
- Enhanced leadership and communication skills required to excel in your career
- Increased confidence in your abilities to work professionally with difficult or upset customers
- The insight to adjust your temperament style to become more versatile, adaptable and highly successful
- Improved time management skills and increased productivity
- Improved Intra/ Interdepartmental communication
Course Content:
Unit 1: Setting The Standards for Customer Service Excellence:
- The benefits of providing excellent customer service
- Breakout session: How to use customer service to promote customer loyalty
- Case study: The best and worst customer service providers
- The WOW Factor: Going the extra mile…and then some!
- The importance of managing internal and external customer expectations
- First impressions: What do your customers see and hear?
- Understanding and working with the four customer styles
- Practical exercise: What is your individual personality type?
Unit 2: Communicating the Customer Service Message:
- How well does your organization communicate the importance of customer service?
- Understanding your customer’s nonverbal communication
- Tips for building trust and rapport quickly…face-to-face or on the telephone
- What is your preferred learning style?
- Developing your active listening skills to enhance communications
- Use questioning techniques to identify a customer’s expectations and service requirements
- Telephone tips to promote a professional image
- The dos and don’t of written communication
Unit 3: Service Recovery: Handling Complaints and Difficult Customers:
- The importance of customer complaints and why they should be encouraged
- Six steps to service recovery
- Case Study: Best Practices of Scandinavian Airlines and The Disney Corporation
- Strategies to help calm upset customers
- Managing emotions during stressful situations
- Empower employees to get the job done
- Breakout session: Step-by-step process for handling a customer complaint
- Dealing with upset customers
Unit 4: Principles of Persuasion:
- Requesting feedback from customers and colleagues
- The art of giving and receiving feedback
- Case study: Best practices - Xerox’ Five Pillars of Customer-focused Strategy
- Negotiating mutually beneficial outcomes
- Words and tones to avoid
- The RATER Model: Five dimensions of customer service excellence
- Best practices for call handling, documentation and quality assurance
- Measuring and monitoring for customer satisfaction
Unit 5: Getting the Right Customer Service Attitude:
- The importance of attitude and teamwork
- Focusing on continuous improvement
- Stress management tips to increase productivity
- Practical exercise: What are your biggest “timewasters” that block productivity?
- The customer service mission and vision
- Setting personal and professional goals
- Practical exercise: What is your Action Plan?
