Diploma in Customer Service PDF

DIPLOMA IN CUSTOMER SERVICE MODULE 1: CUSTOMER SERVICE BASICS LEARNING OUTCOMES After completing this module you will be able to: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. List the key elements of customer service Outline and explain the 5 basic needs of customers Describe how to make a positive first impression on custome...

DIPLOMA IN CUSTOMER SERVICE MODULE 1: CUSTOMER SERVICE BASICS LEARNING OUTCOMES After completing this module you will be able to: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. List the key elements of customer service Outline and explain the 5 basic needs of customers Describe how to make a positive first impression on customers Provide customer service over the phone using best practice List the steps needed to begin the problem solving process in customer service Identify the everyday practices needed to provide excellent customer service. MODULE 2: INTRODUCTION TO CUSTOMER SERVICE “There is only one boss, and whether a person shines shoes for a living or heads up the biggest corporation in the world, the boss remains the same. It is the customer! The customer is the person who pays everyone’s salary and who decides whether a business is going to succeed or fail. In fact, the customer can fire everybody in the company from the chairman (CEO) on down, and he can do it simply by spending his money somewhere else. Literally everything we do, every concept perceived, every technology developed and associate employed, is directed with this one objective clearly in mind - pleasing the customer.” - Sam M. Walton, CEO Wal-Mart Credo from Sam Walton the owner and CEO of Wal-Mart - an international chain of department stores and the most successful company in retailing in the world. Ask any CEO of a company, president of a bank, manager of an office, minister or staff person and they will tell you HOW IMPORTANT the customer is to their operations and success. In meeting after meeting, heads of industry, the service sector, utilities, and government try to convince the audience how much they believe in customer service. “It is our mission, it is our number one priority, it is our goal, it is why we are in business, etc...,” often prove to be mere epitaphs. Unfortunately, these same “customer friendly” executives go back to their offices, de-employ office staff, fail to initiate a customer service improvement plan and send memos out saying customer complaints are unjustified and overblown. The three key elements of customer service are: Expanding your Definition of Service Deciding Who Are Your Customers? Developing a Customer Friendly Approach Expand Your Definition of Service How you define service shapes every interaction you have with your customers. Limited definitions of service based on an exchange of monies for goods or service misses the overall point of customer service. “Service” should provide the customer with more than a product or action taken on his/her behalf. It should provide satisfaction. In essence, the customer should walk away pleased at the result of the transaction - not just content but actually happy. A happy customer will continue to be a buying customer and a returning customer. Who are Your Customers? Customers, buyers and clients want to pay a fair price for quality service or products, and feel satisfied they have paid for a service/product and received what they have paid for in return. They also want someone to take care of them. They need someone to understand their needs and help answer them. They need someone to hold their hands and walk them through a process. Customer service starts with the ability to listen to the customer and find out through polite questioning what he/she needs or wants. Customer service and contact with a client mean: That the customer will be heard and his/her problems will not go unanswered or ignored. It also means getting to know your client, his/her likes-dislikes, ideas, background, etc. The other most important aspect to do is to listen to what the customer is saying. If people do not understand what is motivating the customer, they will not be successful in handling them. Do research on customers, their habits, and what they want and expect. Most customer service is defined by how a company or organization treats “external customers,” but there is “internal customer service” as well. While this manual mainly addresses “external customers,” expanding your definition of customer service to include coworkers will lead toward even greater success. Remember, the internal customer chain is just like the external, we are all customers both inside and outside the company or organization. As a Wall Street Journal article succinctly put it, “Poorly Treated Employees Treat Customers Just as Poorly.” Develop a Customer Friendly Approach One commonality among all companies or organizations that provide good service is the development of a system and attitude promoting customer friendly service. By “customer friendly” we mean viewing the customer as the most important part of your job. The cliché, “The customer is always right” is derived from this customer friendly environment. Two critical qualities to the “Customer Friendly Approach”: Communications Relationships The two main tasks of successful customer relations are to communicate and develop relationships. They don’t take a huge effort, but don’t happen instantaneously either. Positive dialogue/communication with your customers and developing ongoing relationships with your customers are perhaps the two most important qualities to strive for in customer service. What Customer Service Means As mentioned earlier, customer service means providing a quality product or service that satisfies the needs/wants of a customer and keeps them coming back. Good customer service means much more - it means continued success, increased profits, higher job satisfaction, improved company or organization morale, better teamwork, and market expansion of services/products. Think about the places where you enjoy doing business - stores, petrol stations, suppliers, banks, etc. Why, aside from the actual product or service they provide, do you like doing business with them? You probably find them courteous, timely, friendly, flexible, interested, and a series of other exemplary qualities. They not only satisfy your needs and help you in your endeavors but make you feel positive and satisfied. You come to rely on their level of service to meet your needs and wants. On the other hand, let’s review a business you dislike patronizing but do so out of necessity. Maybe it is the Police when you need a new driver’s license or maybe it is the local store that carries a product you need but who offers lousy service when you purchase. In both of these places it’s likely that the customer experience is marred by long lines, gruff service, inefficient processing, impolite and unfriendly clerks or salespeople, lack of flexibility, and no empathy for your customer plight. In these cases you feel abused, unsatisfied, and taken advantage of - in essence, your experience is wholly negative. Unfortunately, in the cases outlined above there is no competition for the services/products offered or you would gladly not consider using either the Ministry of Transport or the rude department store. This is the advantage of a monopoly on a good or service because in a competitive marketplace, the unsatisfied customer shops elsewhere. Professional Qualities in Customer Service Professionals who constantly deal with customers (inside and outside the company) need to strive for certain qualities to help them answer customer needs. The professional qualities of customer service to be emphasized always relate to what the customer wants. After years of polling and market research, it turns out customers are constantly internalizing their customer service experience. What this means is they are grading your customer service during each transaction but you rarely know it. While there are a multitude of customer needs, five basics needs stand out: 1. Friendliness: The most basic and associated with courtesy and politeness. 2. Empathy: The customer needs to know that the service provider appreciates their wants and circumstances. 3. Fairness: The customer wants to feel they receive adequate attention and reasonable answers. 4. Control: The customer wants to feel his/her wants and input has influence on the outcome. 5. Information: Customers want to know about products and services but in a pertinent and time-sensitive manner. It is also very important for customer service employees to have information about their product or service. Service providers who answer, “I don’t know” or “It is not my department” are automatically demeaned and demoted in the mind of the customer. These employees can end up feeling hostile as well as unequipped. Customers want information, and they disrespect and distrust the person who is supposed to have information but does not. Employees need to be empowered to satisfy customers. Employees will give bad service to customers if they themselves receive bad service and little feedback from their managers and supervisors. Remember: External customer service starts with internal customer service. CUSTOMER SERVICES TECHNIQUE Making a Good First Impression every salesperson in every business knows the importance of making a positive first impression. Sales people know their success and livelihood will depend on how their potential customer perceives them in the first 30 seconds of interaction. Good salespeople develop an almost instantaneous rapport with potential customers. Customers like them, follow their advice and then buy their product. The reality is that we prefer doing business with those we like and trust. Impressions are the key to developing trust and confidence in the customer. As the old saying goes, “You will never get a second chance to make a first impression.” This is why the first impression is extremely important and can set the tone for all future transactions. Here are some ways of creating positive impressions: Thoughtfulness in meeting the customer’s needs Personal responsibility for a customer Quick problem solving for customer Offering immediate assistance Friendliness Using customer’s name in a conversation Pleasant voice tone Polite and courteous manners Neatness A genuine smile Here are some factors that create a negative impression: Making the customer wait Not answering the phone promptly Not saying “please” and/or “thank you” Speaking loudly or condescendingly to customers or colleagues Making faces, frowning, acting distant, not smiling Looking dishevelled or like you do not care about your appearance A poor handshake Focusing on another task while addressing or servicing a customer Remember: Impressions stay with those you meet, especially customers, and once registered; negative impressions are difficult to overcome. Simple Actions, Huge Returns As the following statistics demonstrate, simple customer service can create huge returns for a business. Customers will spend up to 10% more for the same product with better service. When customers receive good service they tell 10-12 people on average. When customers receive poor service they tell upwards of 20 people. There is an 82% chance customers will repurchase from a company where they were satisfied. There is a 91% chance that poor service will dissuade a customer from ever going back to a company. Presenting Yourself It is often not what you articulate but how it is presented. What you wear and how you express yourself has a lot to do with how what you say is received. Have you ever noticed how a person who is dressed-up, even in older or out-of-style clothing, always commands more authority and respect? The impression they make and what they have to say is enhanced by their personal presentation, facial and hand gestures, as well as the substance of what they have to say. As it turns out, substance is only part of the equation of being persuasive and influencing perception. On one level this seems unfair and superficial because what a person says and how they behave should be more important than if they are well groomed, smiling and dressed-up. Yet visual perception plays a vital role in human impressions and reactions. For reasons psychologists do not always understand, nature and learned behavior have taught humans to perceive neat, smiling, well-presented individuals in a more commanding manner. The Interpersonal Actions of Customer Service It is clear that just looking good will not produce the desired level of customer satisfaction. The interpersonal actions in this list mean a great deal in the area of customer relations. They can change customer perceptions and ultimately affect the success of your customer relations efforts. VIEW THE LIST. Smiling There is nothing like a smile and pleasant face to greet a customer, especially if he/she has a complaint. A smile and polite conversation can immediately disarm a disgruntled customer. Facial expression sets a positive tone before you even begin speaking. A relaxed or pleasant facial expression is the ideal most of the time. Eye Contact Eye contact is a very important part of customer service. It helps you to appear engaged, confident and trust-worthy. It is important to always look into your customer’s eyes and directly address customers. How You Look Personal grooming has a big impact on your customers. Dirty hands, messy hair and poor dress can mean the loss of an otherwise happy customer. When interacting with customers, dress neatly and in a professional manner so as to command respect and to let customers know you take your position seriously. Shaking Hands When shaking hands with a customer, a firm and professional handshake is expected. This part of the greeting is now common among both men and women in a professional environment Be Attentive When listening to a customer, slightly lean towards your customer and nod your head ever so slightly to indicate you are listening. Tone of Voice Always convey friendliness and amicability. Do not raise your voice in frustration or anger no matter how difficult or tiresome a customer may behave. Hand Gestures Use hand movements to emphasize what you say (even on the phone) and to emphasize your feelings. Personal Space This is the distance that feels comfortable between you and another person. If another person approaches you and invades your personal space, you automatically move back without thought. You are uncomfortable. Leave adequate distance between you and your customer. Adequate space is important to making customers feel secure and unthreatened. Posture Slumping in a chair or leaning against a wall while interacting with a customer are sure signs you are not interested in the customer. Your pose or posture should express attention, friendliness, and openness. Lean forward, face the customer and nod to let them know you are interested. Observation Notice how your customer behaves and what he/she reacts positively to while you are providing service. Conversations: Over the Telephone The moment you pick up a telephone, body language and visual perceptions disappear and your tone of voice becomes dominant. Almost the entire message you project to the customer over the phone is derived from tone of voice and attitude. For example: A flat tone of voice says to the customer, “I don’t like my job and would rather be elsewhere.” Slow pitch and presentation say, “I am sad and lonely - do not bother me.” A high pitch, rapid voice says, “I am enthusiastic and excited!” A loud voice says, “I’m angry and aggressive.” Answering the Telephone How a company answers the phone can tell the whole story of how they treat customers and employees. The correct phrase said in the right order in a positive tone leaves a good impression and starts the customer-client relationship off on the right foot. Pick up the phone in three rings. More than three rings signals chaos in your office or inattentiveness on the part of your company or organization. Greet the caller, e.g. “hello”, “good morning”. Good manners show you respect the caller. Give your name, e.g., “Hi, my name is Emma”. This is a courtesy that serves to personalize the customer service experience as well as allowing the customer to hold you accountable for your level of service. He/she now has a point of reference and someone to contact when he/she calls back. Ask How You Can Help Ask the customer if or how you can help. Asking to help tells the customer you are there to serve his/her needs and to solve his/her problems. This also leaves the customer with a positive impression. Put it altogether and you have a good example: “ Good morning, thanks for calling the Insect Farming and Trading Agency, my name is Emma, how may I help you?” Greeting is the key; it sets the tone and style of the whole interaction. Troubleshooting When providing customer service over the phone, unavoidable situations may arise that lead to the customer becoming upset. Below are the tips to learn how to best handle these situations. Putting a Customer on Hold Ask the customer if you can put them on hold; wait for him/her to say “yes” or “no” and then explain it will only be for a short period of time. Explain to the customer why you are putting him/her on hold. After you return to the phone, thank the customer for holding. Transferring a Call Ask the customer if they mind being transferred; wait for them to say “yes” or “no” and explain why they are being transferred and to whom. Taking a Message Explain your co-workers absence in a positive light but do not be too specific. Explain that your co-worker is in a meeting, conference, briefing, or training. Do not say he or she is gravely ill, is too hung over to come to work, never called in today, can’t be found, that you do not know where he or she is, or that he or she “was just here”. Give a reasonable estimate of when the co-worker will return. Offer to help the caller, take a message or transfer to another staff member. If a co-worker is on holiday and will not return to the office for some time, it is permissible to say that he or she is on holiday. However, avoid details such as, “Raymond is at the beach and I am sure he is having a great time.” While such details may seem innocuous and even humorous, they give the wrong impression to those seeking service. Ending the Call This is the final step in good telephone etiquette. A good customer service representative ends the call on a positive note, repeating any actions agreed to be taken and what is going to be done to help or serve the customer. Prompt Answering of Business E-mail Answering your business email promptly should be a priority for all businesses. Not only is email an important communication line with your customers, it is often used by them to gauge that you are trustworthy. If a customer sends you an e-mail with a simple question, and you take forever to answer it, what does that say about the rest of your operation? It's one of the tell-tale signs customers use to separate men from boys. And we all want to play with the big guys, don't we? Talking about the big businesses, surveys show that the Top-500 fail miserably at answering their business email. Jupiter Communications reported that 42% took more than 5 days to answer a simple question. In the world of Internet, that might as well have been forever. If a customer has to wait that long for an answer, most likely she will have taken their business elsewhere. 35% of companies don't even bother to answer at all. Forrester Research is reporting figures that are similar. Business e-mail should be answered within 24 hours max. No exceptions. At that rate, you’re doing a lot better than a lot of other businesses. If you really want your customer service to shine, you should consider answering your business e-mail twice a day with a 12 hour interval. It is even better to check out your direct competition by sending them an e-mail as if you are a potential customer. Send them more than one on several days. Especially check out Mondays, Fridays and weekends. Track the time it's taking them to answer, and implement a procedure to beat them at the business e-mail game. It may be difficult for small businesses to promptly reply to e-mail as resources are limited. However, your stream of business email is most likely to be a lot less than that of bigger companies. If you check and answer e-mail regularly, your staff will be more than likely be able to cope with the workload. COMMUNICATING WITH CUSTOMER How many times have you, as a customer, run into the problem of excuses. There is a problem and the sales person, technician or customer service representative is making unacceptable excuses, such as: It is the fault of the computer It is the fault of the other sales clerk It is the fault of the chief of the department It is the fault of the system It is the fault of the Government It is just the way it is Sometimes it feels as if nothing is anybody’s fault or is in anybody’s department. This is poor customer service. Good customer service means accountability, responsibility and taking action to satisfy the customer. This unit will highlight the importance of knowing how the customer feels and explain how to communicate with customers. Taking Responsibility When a customer comes to you with a problem it is important that you take responsibility to solve the problem. You can take responsibility for a customer complaint in the following ways: Listen without interruption and with full attention Behave without aggression, and without arguing Do not extend excuses for the problem, and thank the customer for drawing their attention to it and helping solve it Express sympathy and full understanding Begin the Problem Solving Process Introduction: After you have listened to, and taken reasonability for, the customer's complaint the problem solving process will begin. Check on the steps below for a detailed explanation of how you would initiate this process Ask Questions Ask necessary questions to get more complete picture of the situation. Identify the Customer's Needs Find out exactly what the customer needs you to do for them. Explain What You Can and Cannot Do Explain first what you can do, and then gently add what you cannot do. Discuss Options Discuss in detail all options, and then decide what needs to be done. Take Action Undertake the agreed upon action immediately. Check the Result Check the result to make sure the customer is completely satisfied. Communication Techniques If a customer is unsatisfied (for just or unjust reasons), you will have to use some of the many techniques of the customer service professional to win their support and continued loyalty. Check the below to view a detailed explanation of these techniques: Listen It is of primary importance when dealing with an unsatisfied or complaining customer to listen attentively to his/her complaint, gripe, frustration or grievance. Be patient, attentive, and friendly. Express That You Are Sorry Apologise to the customer in one of the following ways: ☞ "We are sorry for this mistake/problem.” ☞ “We are terribly sorry for this inconvenience.” ☞ “How can we work to solve this problem together?” ☞ “I can imagine how frustrated you are.” Do Not Argue and Do Not Interrupt This will only worsen the situation, especially if the customer is angry. Let him/her speak before you try to discuss with him what has happened. Do Not Lose Your Self-Control If you stay relaxed, customers will calm down. Point Out Facts Listen carefully - and write everything down. Do not make any comments until the customer is finished talking. Admit the Problem If you can suggest a solution, do so. If not, tell the customer what actions you will take and what actions will follow. Never make the mistake of promising something you are not able to do. Involve the Customer in Problem Solving Suggest the customer alternative solutions, if they exist. Customers appreciate the opportunity to choose the ways of problem solving. Follow-up Make sure that the promised measures are taken. If you do not fulfil what was promised and ignore the customer’s complaint, the problem will grow. Next time it will be more difficult to solve. Give the Customer a “Way Back” Sometimes customers are wrong. You should let them leave with dignity, without feeling embarrassed. Do Not Question the Customer’s Correctness From the very beginning you should believe that the customer may be right. Always be open minded toward the customer’s opinion, make them feel they deserve to be listened to. Ten Major Don’ts of Customer Service Every day customer service representatives face situations when what they say makes or breaks a service interaction. This interaction lists ten phrases that should never be used because they frustrate and anger customers. Check the below to view these phrases and learn alternative phrases which better serve the customer No: 1. Everyone hates the word “no”. It is de -motivating, discouraging, and disinteresting. You will hear this word throughout your life as a customer and as a service provider. “No” is tantamount to “bad service.” “No” is easy, cheap, unproductive and negative - it means failure. Unfortunately, “no” is the word we most often hear when a new idea, request or concept is introduced. Admittedly, there are times when you will have to say “no,” but focus on what you can do for the customer (accentuate the positive) and not the negatives of the situation. Better to say “What I can do is...” and demonstrate that you care and want to provide quality service despite your current limitations. 2. Don’t Know Good service means never saying, “I don’t know.” When a customer hears “I don’t know,” they hear, “I don’t feel like finding the information you need.” Better to say, “I’ll find out” or “Let me look into this and get back to you ASAP.” 3. That’s Not My Job /That’s Not My Department: When a customer asks you to do something that you do not know how to do or do not have the authority to do, become a catalyst by leading the customer to the person or department who can help him/her solve the problem. Better to say, “Let me transfer to the person who can immediately help you with this problem.” 4. You’re Right, That is Bad: Many inexperienced customer service representatives think by sympathizing with the customer’s plight, he/she will win over the customer rather than actually doing something to solve the customer’s problem. If a customer expresses annoyance or frustration, do not make it worse by commiserating with him/her. Empathize with the customer but seek to solve the problem. Likewise, it does not do your company or organization any good to criticize co-workers or other departments within the company or to the customers. All interested parties end up looking unprofessional and inept. Rather try your best to accommodate the customer. Do not promise anything you cannot deliver but do try to serve the customer well. Better to say, “I understand your frustration, let’s see how we can solve this problem.” 5. Calm Down When customers are upset or angry let them vent (within reason) and they will eventually calm down. Telling them to “calm down” is belittling, and often serves only to infuriate them further. Better to say, “I’m sorry.” This is one of the ideal phrases for customer service - it helps to placate the angriest of customers and allows you to begin the process of solving a customer complaint or request and “meet him/her half way.” Apologizing does not mean you agree with the customer but it is a means to empathize and move beyond the emotion of the moment and negative impact. 6. I’m Busy Right Now It is not easy to juggle customers. You are often helping one customer when another calls or visits your service area. Asking a customer to be patient or politely asking them to wait is very different than putting them off and saying you are too busy to help. Leaving them standing there or on hold are two of the mortal sins of customer service. “Being too busy” is tantamount to saying that you do not care and they are not important. Let the customer know they are important and you are aware of their presence. Better to say, “I’ll be with you in one moment” or “Please hold and I’ll be right with you.” 7. Call Me Back This expression conveys little interest on the part of the customer relation’s employee for the needs and wants of the customer. You should always call the customer back because you want their business and are responsive to their requests. Being proactive is part of good customer service. 8. That’s Not My Fault If an angry customer accuses you of creating a problem, rightly or wrongly, the natural reaction is to defend oneself. However, this is not the best course of action. The customer has a problem that needs to be solved. By resisting the need to defend yourself, and focusing on the needs of the customer, you can resolve the problem faster and with less stress and confrontation. Better to say, “Let’s see what we can do about this problem. 9. You Need to Talk to My Supervisor This cliché of bad customer service has angered and frustrated customers for decades. Customers often ask for things outside the scope of your work or authority - maybe even outside the services/products provided by your company. While passing off these requests to your manager is a tempting option, it is better if you attempt to solve the problem yourself or directly go to the supervisor yourself and get a solution. You become a service hero for the customer and the supervisor. Better to say, “Let me find that out for you.” 10. You Want it by When? Customers often make unrealistic demands, especially when it comes to time. Your first reaction may be annoyance and you may want to make a snide or sarcastic comment. However, the best approach is to hold off on displaying a negative attitude and making a poor impression. Better to say, “I will call you right back after I find out if that is feasible.” Polite and Friendly Responses The table below provides a list of polite and friendly alternatives to responses that should never be used by a customer service provider. Wrong Response Polite and Friendly Alternative “I don’t know.” “No.” “That’s not my job.” “You’re right - this is bad.” “That’s not my fault.” “You want it by when?” “Calm down.” “I’m busy right now.” “Call me back.” “I’ll find out.” “What I can do is...” “Let me find the right person who can help you with...” “I understand your frustrations.” “Let’s see what we can do about this.” “I’ll try my best.” “I’m sorry.” “I’ll be with you in just a moment.” “I will call you back, what is your telephone number.” Everyday Customer Service Practices While dealing with complaints is a very important part of customer service it is important to remember that customer service begins the moment a customer first engages with your business. The following actions should be practiced everyday by any company seeking to provide excellent customer service: Be on time, Open on time, Deliver on time Follow through and deliver your promises Go the extra miler for customers Offer your customer options Express empathy to upset customers Treat customers as the MOST important part of your job Give customers your name and contact details Initiative in Customer Service The practicing of superior customer service requires initiative. Initiative is the difference between adequate customer service and customer service that wins you a customer for life. The following are everyday examples of initiative in exceptional customer service: The taxi driver who opens the door for you or waits for you to safely get inside your destination. The computer technician who does computer work and then calls back a week later to make sure your IT is functioning well. The petrol station attendant who washes your window or checks your oil. The electric company who calls and checks to make sure your service is working well and apologizes for any “brown outs” or “black outs.” None of these customer service people HAD to make this extra effort or go to this trouble. These “goodwill initiatives” are beyond the call of duty and make the customer beyond satisfied. They make the customer remember the transaction or occasion. Every organisation seeking to provide excellent customer service should seek encourages and reward initiative in their employees. Customer Service Statistics While going the extra mile in customer service may not produce an obvious, immediate benefit it plays a huge part in the reputation and long-term health of a business. The statistics below highlight this fact: People spend up to 10 % more for the same product with better service When people receive good service, on average, they tell 11 people When people receive poor service, on average, they tell up to 20 people There is an 80 % chance that customers will repurchase from a company if their complaint is handled quickly and pleasantly If the service is really poor, 90 % of customers won’t come back. SUMMARY LESSON ♦ Customer Service is providing a product or service that satisfies the needs/wants of customers and keeps them coming back. ♦ Excellent customer service requires going beyond the basic needs of customers. ♦ The three key elements of customer service are: 1. Expanding Your Definition of Service 2. Identifying Your Customers 3. Developing a Customer Friendly Approach ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ There are five basic customer service needs: 1. Friendliness 2. Empathy 3. Fairness 4. Control 5. Information When providing customer service it is extremely important to make a positive first impression. Statistics demonstrate that customer service practices provide huge returns for businesses. It is essential to be well dressed and groomed when dealing with customers. Businesses should answer the telephone in the correct manner in order to start the customer-client relationship on the right foot. Exceptional customer service demands that e-mail be answered promptly. Good Customer service entails communicating effectively with customers. When a customer reports a problem you must always stake responsibility for that problem. After you have taken responsibility for the customer service problem you must begin the problem solving process using the correct procedure. When a customer is unsatisfied you should utilise communication techniques to win their support and loyalty. Initiative is a key component of good customer service. MODULE 3: PROVIDING EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE Learning Outcomes After completing this module you will be able to: * Define a customer service role model and identify a role model within an organisation * Utilise the 6 essential actions to create a culture of excellent service * Maintain a standard of excellent using the five p’s of customer service * Use customer complaints as an opportunity to renew customer loyalty * Use the 6 key Steps to increase customer loyalty. What is Excellent Service? In the first module we learned the basics of customer service. This module will introduce the practices needed to provide excellent customer service in an organisation. The good news is this: excellent service is not magic. It is something every organization can and should do. And when you deliver superior service to your customers, they will notice. Because you’ll be giving them what they want. And you’ll be doing it consistently. Customers remember this and they like it. So they’ll come back and they’ll tell others to do business with you. Here’s even better news: Most companies do not deliver exceptional service. They never will. So if you choose to deliver excellent service then your company will stand out. Customer Service Role Models It makes sense that if you improve customer service, you will increase customer loyalty. But improving customer service is not easy. It takes effort and time to make a sustainable improvement in the level of service you deliver to your customers. Dr Alan Weiss of Summit Consulting Group recommends that “if you want to improve customer service in your company, get a role model”. Almost every business has someone who stands out in how they care for customers. They listen well and they are focused on helping customers get what they want. They follow through and they follow up. They are the people your customers ask for when they come back. And they're the employees your customers write letters about, telling you how wonderful they are. They are your customer service champions. They are your role models. Identifying the Role Model First, define the personality traits and behaviours that you want in your customer service role model. Then prioritize them (because you'll never get them all). Paint a picture of your ideal employee, from your customer's perspective. These are your customer service standards. You should include employees and customers in this process. Get their input. Ask them to share their views on what they should expect from your company. They will give you an incredible amount of valuable information. Next, watch, listen and learn. Pay attention to your employees as they take care of your customers. Watch what they do and how they do it. As you do this, remember the ideal employee profile you created in step one. Make notes of how various employees measure against your customer service standards. Then list these employees and rank them. If you have one employee who is a perfect (or almost perfect) fit this is your first role model. If not, pick a couple who offer the best match. Make sure the people you select cover all the customer service standards you created earlier. This way you will be able to articulate your customer service standards to the rest of your employees. If you don't have any employees who come close to meeting your standards, then you need to think about adding or replacing staff. CREATING A CULTURE OF EXCELLENT SERVICE INTRODUCTION: Once you have one or more role models, you need to find ways to transfer their customer service behaviours to the rest of your employees. Below are the 6 actions needed to create a culture of excellent service in your organization. Step 1: Publish Your Customer Service Standards Print, distribute and post your new customer service standards. Make sure all your employees know what they are and what they mean. Let your customers know what your customer service standards are too. Use them to make a statement about what they can expect from your company. Use posters, emails, flyers. Make laminated cards to give to every employee. Put them on customer receipts, signs, menus, brochures, and websites - anywhere your customers and employees will see them. Step 2: Record Your Role Models in Action Use audio or video to record your excellent service role models working with customers. Show these in staff meetings on a regular and consistent basis. Highlight when and how the employee is doing things that meet or exceed your customer service standards. Note: avoid focusing on what they do wrong in these sessions. No one likes to get criticized by a group of their peers. It will make the process less effective. Step 3: Have Regular Coaching and Role Playing Sessions Schedule regular meetings with your staff and coach them on your customer service standards. Pick one standard each meeting. Use role playing as a coaching tool in these sessions. Prepare several staff before the meeting to play the parts. Let them know you're serious about using it as a tool for improvement. Make it fun but useful. Step 4: Reward Employees Who Deliver Excellent Service Set up a program to reward and recognize employees who are “caught” delivering Amazing service. Create ways to acknowledge their efforts publicly. Give prizes, plaques or other incentives to employees who demonstrate the service standards you are looking for. Step 5: Reward Employees For Noticing Other Employees This is key. As an owner or manager, you can't be everywhere, so you need to engage all your employees to help. Develop ways to reward employees for observing and “turning in” other employees who deliver great service. If employees are looking for excellent service, it means they're thinking about it. Plus, it means they're engaged in the process. To observe a fellow employee delivering customer service, they need to know what it is. They need to understand your excellent service standards. Step 6: Get Your Customers Involved Engaging employees to observe and report excellent service is good. Getting customers to do it is great. Find ways to get them involved in the process. Let them know what your standards are. Encourage them to nominate employees for recognition and rewards. Make it easy for them to do this. The more engaged your customers are in this, the more loyal they will be. When we think of improving customer service, we usually think of training. But that will only take us so far. To have a measurable and sustainable improvement, you need to focus on it constantly. Finding and using role models is an effective way to do this. MAINTAINING A STANDARD OF EXCELLENT SERVICE In the previous unit we learned how to create a culture of excellent service in an organization. Once that culture has been established it is important that management takes steps to ensure that level of excellence is maintained. A standard of excellence can be maintained in a company in the following ways: 1. Utilising the five P’s to preserve customer loyalty. 2. Providing your customers with details. 3. Using customer complaints as an opportunity for renewing customer loyalty. Preparation is a key to maintaining a standard of excellent customer service and preserving customer loyalty. You must be prepared to take care of your customers better than anyone else can or will. If every customer you work with is impressed at how knowledgeable you are, they'll tell others. If you are able to help them get what they want every time without fail and without hesitation, they'll come back. For you to be prepared to help anyone, you need to learn and understand a mountain of information. To do so effectively you should utilise a method known as the Five P's of Customer Service. 1. THE FIVE P'S OF CUSTOMER SERVICE The five P's provide an easy way to group everything you need to know about your company. They help you sort and organize the many things you should understand about your company so you can help your customer better than anyone else. The five P's of customer service are: 1. People 2. Products and Services 3. Policies 4. Procedures 5. Places People Nobody can do everything on their own. We all need help from others to do our jobs the best we can. That's why teams are so important. The more people you know in your company (not just on your team) the better you will be able to serve your customers. Get to know people throughout your company. Make sure you know people at all levels and on every team, in every department. Having good relationships with people in every department can help you cut through red tape and get right to the answers you need as you work to help your customers. Products and Services You need to know your products and services. You need to know their features, benefits, prices, and competing products. You also need to know what problems they solve or what opportunities they can help create. The more you know about all your company's products, the better you can suggest and advise your customers. A great way to get to know your products is through customer application examples. Collect stories about how your company's customers have used its products to meet their needs. Document these examples so anyone in your company can use them. This information is valuable and will help you do more for your customers than anyone else. Policies Your company's policies tell you what you can and cannot do for your customers. They give you boundaries. Knowing your company's policies can save your customers time. Some things simply cannot be done. If you know this upfront, you can help your customer understand what you can and cannot do. Other policies might be flexible. If you are aware of where the rules can be bent, you can help your customers have a more realistic expectation of how you can help them. You can show them you're working for them and maybe prevent them from being disappointed. Procedures It's almost impossible to help a customer if you do not understand how your company does things. Procedures are the life blood of a business because they tell us how to get things done. And, if things are not working well, established procedures provide a place to start to fix the problem. Know all you can about the procedures your company uses to deliver its products and services. Only then can you help your customers navigate the maze and get what they want. Places If your company has more than one location, you need to know about it. Sometimes, different locations are similar, as with retail stores. Often they have different functions, such as a warehouse and a showroom. Either way, you should know about every location your company has and what they do at each one. Find out how each location plays a part in helping your company deliver its products and services. Then you can put that knowledge to work as you help your customers. As you increase your company knowledge across these five categories, you'll find that your confidence and credibility grows. More people will come to you for answers because you'll be able to help them. You'll become the “go to” person others look to for help. And, you'll find more customers want to work with you because you're able to help them get what they want better than anyone else. That's how you keep customers coming back. 2. PROVIDE YOUR CUSTOMERS WITH DETAILS One of the best ways to keep your customers coming back is by providing them with details. The more specific you are, the more your customers will appreciate your efforts. When you offer customers details, you're telling them you are willing to be thorough and complete as you help them. And you're telling them you know what you’re doing. Details give you credibility. Think of details like this. If you sit down in a restaurant, look at the menu and notice there are no prices, how does that make you feel? Does it make you want to stay? Or would you rather have the prices on the menu so you know what your options are? Of course, in most restaurants, we expect prices on the menu. But many people in many businesses leave their customers wondering on a regular basis without ever giving it a second thought. Often people's voice mail says: “I'll call you back as soon as possible” but that says you’re focused on your schedule, your needs and your priorities. A better approach would be to tell callers when you will be returning calls or offer them another way to reach you. There are many ways we can serve our customers better by offering them more details, more specifics and more help. This means more work but it's worth it. People don't like wondering or wandering. If your service prevents them from doing either, they'll come back more often. 3. Using Customer Complaints to Renew Customer Loyalty Although a customer complaining may initially seem like a negative reflection on the company but it is an opportunity to provide excellent customer service. When customers contact a company with a complaint they are speaking to someone who is trained to represent the company and maintain its standards of customer service. Following a positive experience with a customer service representative a customer can feel appreciated and more loyal to the company than ever before. Check the steps below to learn how to utilize customer complaints as an opportunity for renewing customer loyalty. Listen Completely Give them your complete attention. Don't multi-task. Don't “half-listen”. Write down what they are telling you and get specifics from them. Then confirm that you understand. Focus only on them. Let Them Vent * Don't interrupt. Don't explain, defend or justify. * They don't care why the problem occurred and they don't want your side of the story. * They are angry and they want to vent, so let them. Apologize This is often hard especially if you did not cause the problem. When you apologize in this situation you are not necessarily taking blame for causing the problem. You are apologizing for the customer having a bad experience. Put yourself in their shoes. Be sincere Ask Them How You Can Make Things Right And Then Do More. Too many employees have either no response to complaints or a generic, stock response, like taking money off the bill. But those risks making the customer even angrier if that's not what they want done. In fact you might even offend someone by offering them a discount. A better strategy is to ask them what they want. You have to be genuine and polite. Most people don't want much. They usually just want you to listen. But whatever they say always do it and more. If they ask for their meal free your response might be “Mr Smith, of course your meal tonight is on the house. But I'd also like to buy you and your family dinner the next time you join us. Would that be okay?” Assure Them You’ll Fix the Problem Because you listened and you confirmed their complaint you know why they are upset. Take the next step and assure them you will take action to see it does not happen again. Otherwise, why would they come back? Thank Them Without customer feedback we have no idea if we are delivering what our customers want. When they tell us we have failed they are offering priceless information on how to improve our business. They are telling us what we need to do to keep them. So thank them for their help. It’s a rare customer who will take the time and effort to offer feedback. Thanking them will go a long way toward winning their loyalty. CREATING CUSTOMER LOYALTY We all know it’s important to have loyal customers. But do you know how important it is? A study by Bain & Company suggests that a 5% increase in customer loyalty can improve profitability by anywhere from 25% to 95%. It shows us there are big opportunities available for owners and managers who are willing to do what it takes to increase customer loyalty. The good news is, it’s not hard. And you can do it with the people and resources you have right now. It takes time, effort and patience to make it successful. But you can make a huge impact on your business. The 6 Key Steps to Loyal Customers The 6 key steps to loyal customers are: 1. Ask your customers what they want 2. Tell your customers what to expect 3. Create easy ways for your customers to offer feedback 4. Listen to what your customers say 5. Act on what your customers tell you 6. Repeat 1. Ask your customers what they want This is different than what they expect. What customers expect is usually less (often a lot less) than what they want. But you need to know what they want. What do they want in general? What are they trying to accomplish (or avoid)? Why did they choose you instead of your competition? What are their priorities and preferences? Keep in mind different customers’ focus on different aspects of what your business does and how you do it. But if you talk with enough customers, you’ll see patterns and trends. You should develop some profiles of what various customers want. Also look for how your customers want to be served. This will vary a lot and is harder to discover. Most people focus on what they want because it’s easier to talk about. But people like to be treated well. We all have different definitions of what being treated well means. You need to learn what it means to your customers. 2. Tell your customers what to expect Some companies try to be all things to all customers. They do too much and none of it well. Your company should focus on what it does best. Every company has a unique set of resources that gives it a competitive advantage. These are your company’s strengths. Learn what they are. Use them to determine what your company can do better than anyone else in your market. Once you know what your company does best, compare that list with what your customers want. These two lists should overlap. (If they don’t, you have a problem!) Where they overlap is what your company should focus on. These are the things you need to do for your customers: The combination of what they want most and what you do best. From this list you need to develop your message. You might call it a brand promise. You might call it your Customer Service Standards. What you call it is not as important as what you do with it. Use it to tell your story. It tells people why they should do business with you. And it helps them know what to expect when they do business with you. Then make sure your customers, employees and management all understand your message. Do everything you can to share your message with these three groups. Post it in your store, on your web site, on your business cards, in your ads and anywhere else your employees, management and customers will see it. Get it noticed! 3. Create easy ways for your customers to offer feedback This is where many companies stumble. They focus so much on getting new orders and delivering the product or service, they forget what happens afterward. The only way you can consistently get better at what you do is with a steady flow of honest and direct feedback from your customers. Find many ways for your customers to let you know what they think. Brainstorm with your employees. Make it a contest. Copy other businesses. Ask your customers. Do a Google search! Try different communication channels and keep trying until you find some that deliver the amount of feedback you need (which is a lot). Make sure this step is done by your employees. Don’t rely on outsiders (consultants, survey companies, etc.) to do this for you. They are your customers and you need to communicate with them directly. You’ll learn more from them this way and you’ll develop closer ties with your customers. You’ll also get another benefit. Customers love it when a company pays attention to them after the sale. They feel important because you’re asking them what they think. Your employees can do this better than any outsiders can. Finally, make sure your customers know how they can contact you. Publish and promote the many ways customers can connect with you. Encourage them to reach out to you often. 4. Listen to what your customers say Many companies talk about customer feedback. Some do it well. Most don’t. Because they don’t work very hard to hear what customers are saying about them. They might hear the obvious, like complaints and “thank you” but nothing else. If you want to increase customer loyalty, you need to do better. You need to make a special effort to find out what customers are saying about your company, your products and your service. This includes more than the feedback mechanisms you create (Step 3). It includes the many other ways people communicate about your company. The Internet is full of people’s comments about their customer experiences. Make sure you are mining this resource on a regular basis. Are you doing what you said you would? If not, what’s missing? Are they getting what they want? Is the message you’re sending the right one? If you have developed a brand promise, is it really what your customers want? And since things change, you need to stay abreast of changes in what your customers want. Look for the gap in your customer service. This is the difference between what you promise your customers and what you’re actually delivering. Their feedback is how you know what your gap is. So listen for ideas on how to do better. Find ways to close the gap. In addition to listening to your customers, you need to gather and store what they tell you. Most companies have plenty of contact with customers. But they never keep track of what their customers say. And if they do keep track, it’s often hard to access because it’s in a file drawer somewhere or buried in a database nobody knows how to use. Make sure the feedback you gather is stored in a way that people can get to. In fact, you should publish it. Make it available to everyone in your company. The more people who see it, the more ideas you can generate to use it. By having a lot of people look at it and talk about it, you’ll be able to see your customers more clearly. Conduct regular and frequent meetings to talk about the feedback and draw conclusions about what it means. Look for trends and patterns. Also, look for what’s not there. Are there things you think are issues or concerns but that do not appear in any customer feedback? If so, what does that tell you? If it’s not important to your customers, should it be important to your company? 5. Act on what your customers tell you Information is no good if ignored. Beyond listening to your customers and considering what they say, you have to use it. This doesn’t mean you act on everything. Remember step 2, you can’t do everything everyone wants. So you need to pick and choose what feedback to act on. Focus on what will help your company do what you do best. Choose ideas that will help you close the gap in your customer service (Step 4). You might find feedback that takes your company in a different direction. Your brand promise (Step 2) might be missing the mark. Maybe you have a changing customer base or a changing market. If your feedback suggests this you need to consider how it affects your business. Then either act on it or make an informed decision to not act on it. The bottom line in Step 5 is to do something with your customer feedback. It’s a gift from your customers so treat it as such. Make sure you thank every customer every time they offer feedback. And, let customers know what you do with the feedback. If they know it gets used they’re more likely to keep offering it. Help them get involved and stay involved as your partners. 6. Repeat Customer service practices should be continuously repeated. This is a never ending process of learning, sharing, and working together. Managing your company is no different than practicing a sport or hobby. The more you do something, the better you get. And since people and situations change constantly, this process needs to keep repeating so you don’t miss these changes. Keep cycling through again and again. You’ll get better at knowing what your customers want and at giving it to them. Your customers will see you are truly focused on helping them get what they want. They’ll have little incentive to go elsewhere. FIVE WAYS TO INCREASE CUSTOMER LOYALTY There are many things you can do to deliver good customer service. Often it depends on the customer and the situation you’re facing. That can make it hard to create customer service rules that are carved in stone, because every situation is unique. But there are some general guidelines that can help. And if you follow them consistently with every customer you’ll find the quality of your service will improve and it will keep improving. In this unit you've learned the ways in which you can gain loyal customers. However, gaining customer loyalty does not ensure that customers will remain loyal. You must constantly improve customer service to ensure the continued loyalty of your customers. Below are the five ways you can increase customer loyalty: 1. Serve Your Customers Serving your customers means putting them first. It means helping them get what they want. Remember, your customers come to you to accomplish something they want or to avoid something they don’t want. They believe you can help them. (Otherwise they would have gone somewhere else.) Honour their choice by doing everything within your ability to help them. This means focusing your attention and efforts on discovering what they want and helping them get it. You put their interests and desires first. It means your sole motivation is helping them get what they came for. 2. Connect With Your Customers Connect with your customers means getting to know them as people. You develop a relationship with them. Of course you keep it professional and in the context of your business. But it’s okay to learn about them as you help them. In fact, the better you get to know them, the better you can help them. As you develop a relationship with them, you build trust in each other. They trust your ability and motivations. You trust what they tell you. This helps you help them. It improves communications. This does not have to take long. Sometimes a “social chemistry” can develop within minutes. It shouldn’t be phony or manipulative. It needs to happen naturally. If you care about your customers then you’ll develop a great rapport with them quickly. 3. Have Fun One of the biggest reasons customers don’t return is they have no reason to. Sure they might get what they want but they often get it with no personality. Their experience is unmemorable. Or worse, employees are crabby, grouchy or even angry and they show it. On the other hand, companies that enjoy tremendous customer loyalty offer their customers something they can’t get anywhere else: FUN. They provide them an unexpected, positive experience. They have fun with them. The employees enjoy their work and each other and their customers. They find ways to bring joy into their work and they bring their customers along for the ride. 4. Be Flexible Your goal should be to help the customer get what they want, within your resources. So you always need to look for alternative ways of achieving a particular goal. You need to be creative. You need to think beyond the first solution that comes to mind when we’re working with your customers. Being flexible means offering customers more than one solution. By offering choices you're making it more likely they’ll get what they want. There are few things worse than being a customer and someone says “that’s the only way you can do it”. Being flexible also means being willing to try new things and go the extra mile for customers. It means being a problem solver rather than an order taker. Customers know the difference and so do managers. Make Them Happy This is the most important thing you can do with your customers. If they are happy with your service they will come back. They will help increase your job security because they’ll stick with you and your company. Note, this does not mean you do anything and everything to make your customers happy. You’re always limited by the resources and policies of your company. But it does mean you do everything within your ability to make them happy. Get creative and look for ways to give your customer a great experience. You want your customers to leave happy. That’s your bottom line. Make that happen and everything else will follow. SECURING LONG-TERM CUSTOMER LOYALTY Poor customer service seems like the norm in many companies but it doesn’t have to be that way. A lot of organizations have big challenges that can be obstacles to providing great customer service. But so do many other companies. Yet they find ways to provide amazing service to their customers. They choose to overcome their challenges. They take care of their customers very well. And they do it consistently. In this unit we've learned methods of securing and increasing customer loyalty. These methods gain the loyalty of customers in the short-term and medium-term. However, securing long-term loyalty from customers involves an extremely high level of customer service. Below are the lists of things your organization can do to gain the long-term loyalty of customers: Get Management in Direct Contact with Customers All levels of management should be exposed to customers. And I’m not just talking about focus groups or round-tables. Members of management need to roll up their sleeves and do the work of their employees once in a while. And they should talk to customers. In most cases, it's not hard. (If you don't know where to find your customers, maybe you shouldn't be in management.) Many customers would be happy to spend a few minutes chatting with an executive from the company they do business with. The work of any business happens at the point of customer contact. It does not happen in executive offices or board rooms. Customer-facing employees and their customers are the two groups of people who know exactly how your company does business. As a company leader, you’ll never know this by reading reports. You need to get this information by experiencing it. There is no substitute for direct customer contact. Get Customers Involved in Creating Customer Service Standards No one knows more about what your customers want than they do. So get them involved. And I don’t mean lengthy surveys or phone calls by consultants. Talk to them like real people. Get your employees out where your customers are and talk to them. Buy them coffee or lunch and get them talking. Doing this one on one using your employees will produce much better results than using consultants or survey companies. If you want your customers to be honest with you, start by being authentic with them. Then use their input to create meaningful standards in how you will serve your customers. Not that you’ll do everything they want. But you should do everything you can within your mission, your resources and the context of your business. Too many companies disregard and disrespect their customers. They think all the answers reside at the corporate headquarters. That arrogance will ruin a company. Talk to the people who know. Talk to your customers. Get Employees Involved in Implementing Standards Customers will tell you what they want. Employees will help you figure out how to do it. Employees do the work of the company day after day. They see (and hear and feel) how things work. They know what works and what does not. They see how the business is changing. They see this all at the point of service, which is where your company produces its revenue. Everything in the company should support what happens at the point of service. Anything that does not support a successful point of service needs to be questioned. As you gather information from your customers about how to best serve them, make sure your employees are part of the process. Get them involved from start to finish. Include them in planning, information gathering, customer service standard setting and implementation. Leadership Must Show Everyone Customer Service is a Priority There are many examples of employees who deliver fantastic service. Some people will do this no matter who leads their company. But these people tend to be exceptions. I’ve never seen a company that delivers great service consistently without 100% support from the top leaders of the company. The leaders set the tone and direction for a company’s culture. If the top leaders expect great service for every customer every time, then they will naturally do what it takes to create a culture that breeds such service. Ultimately for a company to deliver Amazing Service consistently across their organization, the top leaders need to make it a priority. There are no alternative paths to getting this done. The company’s leadership must decide to make service a priority. Then they need to demonstrate this in their words and their actions. It needs to be at the core of everything they do. Steps one, two and three are tactical. Any company can do them. And if you do them well, you will see positive results. But for long-term results, step four must happen first. Without it, most service gains will be short term. They will not live beyond employee turnover. Eventually the motivation that drives them will fade away as they lose their champions and other issues take priority. For true, sustainable improvement in customer service quality, an organization must make a commitment at the highest level of management to deliver the best service they can to every customer every time with no exceptions. PROVIDING EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE LESSON SUMMARY ♦ ♦ A customer role model is an employee that displays most or all of the personality traits and behaviours of an ideal customer service employee. A culture of customer service is created in an organization with the following steps: * * * * * * ♦ A standard of excellence can be maintained in a company by utilising the five p’s * * * * * ♦ ♦ ♦ Publish Your Customer Service Standards Record Your Role Models in Action Have Regular Coaching and Role Playing Sessions Reward Employees Who Deliver Excellent Service Reward Employees For Noticing Other Employees Get your customers Involved People Products and Services Policies Procedures Places One of the best ways to keep your customers coming back is by providing them with details. Customer complaints are an excellent opportunity to provide excellent customer service. The process for dealing with customer complaints is: 1. Listen Completely. 2. Let Them Vent 3. Apologize 4. Ask Them How You Can Make Things Right and Then Do More 5. Assure Them You’ll Fix The Problem 6. Thank Them ♦ ♦ A study by Bain & Company suggests that a 5% increase in customer loyalty can improve profitability by anywhere from 25% to 95% The 6 key steps to loyal customers are: * * * * * * ♦ ♦ Ask your customers what they want Tell your customers what to expect Create easy ways for your customers to offer feedback Listen to what your customers say Act on what your customers tell you Repeat The five ways of increasing customer loyalty are: * Serve Your Customers * Connect With Your Customers * Have Fun * Be Flexible * Make Them Happy The Long Term Loyalty of Customers can be secured in the Following Ways: * Getting Management in Direct Contact with Customers * Getting Customers Involved in Creating Customer Service Standards * Getting Employees Involved in Implementing Standards * Leadership Showing Everyone That Customer Service is a Priority. MODULE 4: FIRST ASSESSMENT MODULE 5: CUSTOMER SERVICE IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY LEARNING OUTCOMES After completing this module you will be able to: List and describe the needs of hospitality customers List and describe the 12 steps of superior hospitality service Name and explain the preparation and personnel standards needed to provide excellent customer service in a restaurant Describe the essential customer service techniques that should be carried out during restaurant service Understand and define the role of the manager in the hospitality industry THE HOSPITALITY CUSTOMER In the previous units we learned how to achieve exceptional customer service in any organization. This unit will focus on the philosophies and practices needed to achieve the highest level of customer service in the hospitality industry. Customer service is especially important in the hospitality industry as it is the industry’s main product. Therefore, unlike almost every other industry, hospitality offers a non-tangible good which relies totally on the personality and skill of those providing it. For this reason it is crucial that hospitality employees are trained to maintain a standard of superior customer service at all times. In the hospitality industry, employees must keep the mood of those receiving the service in mind. They must be empathetic and try to think like customers. Employees should remember that hotel guests usually arrive tired, and all they want is to get to their room, get comfortable and take a shower. Reception staff ensures that check-in is brief and effective. Restaurant clients arrive hungry and they expect to find a choice they like. Sometimes foreign customers like to try new things and are usually easier to please; others are not adventurous and expect to find their regular fare. The Needs of Hospitality Customers Management and staff in the hospitality industry need to keep the unique needs of the hospitality customer in mind at all times. Check below to explore these needs in detail. A Clean, Safe and Secure Environment The primary need of a hospitality customer is for a clean, safe and secure environment. Customers want to feel they have the security and comforts of home during their stay. It is the responsibility of hotel/guest-house staff to ensure that this need is being met in every area of the hotel. Good Food and Drink Following security, customers, chief requirement is for nourishment. To meet this requirement all restaurants, bars and cafés in the location must serve a variety of well-prepared and presented food and drinks. All kitchen staff must strictly adhere to health and safety laws. Furthermore, all food and drink must match the standard set by the establishment’s star classification and any awards which it has received. Respectful Service Customers pay a premium to stay in a hotel. The customer is always aware of this and expects to be treated with politeness and respect by all members of hotel staff. This is especially important to remember in hotels with a high star classification and hotels that have won prestigious awards. Customers will have a very specific idea of the manner that they will be treated in these establishments and will constantly be comparing the service to their expectations. Satisfaction of All Other Needs Every customer will have questions for hotel staff during their stay. These questions are often very common such as “what are the best restaurants nearby”. Residents very much appreciate it when these questions are answered clearly and with enthusiasm. As well as questions, customers often make requests of hotel staff. Requests are often specific and unique to each customer. While customers will be aware that their request may be out of the ordinary they will expect hotel staff to meet their needs promptly and enthusiastically. Common requests include asking for an extra pillow or for transport to be arranged to the airport. THE 12 STEPS OF SUPERIOR HOSPITALITY SERVICE In the previous unit we learned about the needs and mind-set of the hospitality customer. Once a hospitality manager is confident that his/her employees fully comprehend these needs, he/she should aim to provide the highest level of customer service possible. This can be achieved by teaching staff the 12 steps of Superior Hospitality Service. These steps are as follows: 1. Maintain a Pleasing Environment Staff must ensure the establishment is decorated in an agreeable and identifiable style. All furniture in the building must be comfortable. Furthermore, background music and lighting should be used when and where appropriate. It is important that every area of the building be kept clean and sanitized as well as being tidy and presentable. 2. Make a Favourable First Impression Upon arriving at the hotel/guest-house customers should be welcomed by employees that are smiling and polite. Staff should be dressed in appropriate attire and conduct themselves with a professional composure. Following check-in, an appointed employee should escort the guest to his/her room and make any adjustments the customer may need for his/her comfort. Also, every employee must acknowledge current residents as they pass them. If an employee is familiar with a customer they may address him/her with their formal title e.g. Mr/Mrs Smith. When a staff member does not know a patron he/she should simply nod his/her head to the customer. 3. Train New Employees To ensure that all employees are sure of their duties and responsibilities, detailed job descriptions should be created for all positions. These will provide a guide for new employees and serve as a reference for more experienced employees. On their first day of work new members of staff should receive a workplace orientation from the HR Manager. This will help to relieve any confusion or uncertainty the staff member may have about the new organization. Initially, new staff should be paired with experienced and dependable employees that can provide help and guidance when necessary. This will allow new employees to learn “on the job”. Furthermore, it will prevent new staff from making mistakes which reflect poorly on the business. Staff should only be allowed to have unsupervised contact with customers when they have received a sufficient amount of training. 4. Develop the Professionalism of Management and Staff Experienced members of staff should be re-trained in their core responsibilities as well as trained in new skills. This will prevent staff from adopting poor habits as well as constantly improving their skill set. This policy will create an environment in which staffs constantly aspire to provide excellent service. Experienced employees will create a loyal following and will be asked for customers by name. 5. Establish Systems of Flawless Communication in the Business Systems of communication should be established between all departments in the business. This ensures that any request or purchase a customer makes can be fulfilled as quickly as possible. Furthermore, all departments should keep and update a list of information which they need to make other departments aware of. For example, if a customer informs a member of reception staff that he/she has a food allergy, that employee should take note of this information and inform restaurant and kitchen staff immediately. 6. Answer Clients’ Questions The entire staff must be well-versed in hotel and restaurant terms and know the answers to all possible clients’ questions about the area, the establishment and the range of services offered. The restaurant staff must know the menu well, including details such as availability, recipes, main ingredients, preparation time, etc. If an employee does not know the answer to a question, he must excuse himself to find out the answer and return with it in a timely manner, or ask the manager to respond. 7. Accommodate All Reasonable Wishes of the Customer Employees must make every effort to accommodate the needs and wishes of the customer relating to the scope of their job, and do it with a smile. Employees must do this even when the request sounds strange (for example, a guest asking for a coffee at an unusual hour). 8. Encourage Team Spirit Management should create work groups in every department that work together harmoniously. Members of these teams should help and support each other. If a member of the team is unexpectedly absent, another member should complete his/her duties for the benefit of the entire team. 9. Amenities and Presents for the Customer Small value items or which the guest does not have to pay for are a very welcome gift. Traditionally hotels, in accordance with their star classification, provide the guest with amenities in the guest room and bathroom (pen and writing paper, shampoo, air conditioner, soap, etc.). Some larger hotels place chocolate mints on the pillow during turn in service; others offer free coffee at departure. Restaurants frequently offer free drinks (mostly to the customers who wait for a table) and sometimes small appetizers, relishes, crudités, etc. You may want to offer a small glass of local juice upon welcoming a client. Customers remember and appreciate free items, become free advertisers and often return. 10. Offer Incentives for Personnel Several hotel and restaurant chains in Europe and the U.S. have established incentive programs for their staff to reward quality of performance. The award usually consists of a leisure activity such as dinner for two or tickets to a show. Another incentive would be to award a title such as “Employee of the Month”. A less frequently used incentive is to give the employee a monetary award. Such incentives have been used in hotels for decades and have proven results. Another mode of incentive is to have employees vote for the “Employee of the Month”. This method is notable in that it makes staff feel appreciated by their co-workers as well as management. Regardless of the incentive method used, awards should be taken into account when an employee is considered for a promotion. 11. Supervision When first starting to implement a quality program with the training of the employees, the owner/manager/supervisor must continually observe and discreetly correct the staff. As the service improves and the new system gains roots, he/she can begin delegating parts of the supervision, while always maintaining the position of ultimate authority. 12. Management Inspections The best way to evaluate the progress in quality service is by inspections, both at regular intervals and by surprise. The manager must create an inspection sheet for quality of performance; where on the left side will be the names of all employees by department, and on the right columns with dates on the top, where he/she will evaluate employee’s performance with ratings for quality, ranging from 1 (unacceptable), to 5 (superb). When filled without bias, this sheet will clearly show progress from each inspection to the next. In addition to quality evaluation, it can also serve as a guide for promotion and dismissal decisions. CUSTOMER SERVICE IN RESTAURANTS The previous units of this module described the methods of achieving excellent customer service in the hospitality industry. This unit will explain how to achieve the same level of service in a specific area of the industry; restaurants. Perhaps more than any other industry, delivering high quality service in hospitality is dependent upon preparation. This remains true in restaurants. For this reason, restaurant staff must always follow the preparation and personnel standards detailed on the following pages. Preparation and Personnel Standards 1. Personal Hygiene Nothing is more off-putting to restaurant customers than an employee that appears unclean. Such employees reflect very poorly on the restaurant and will likely have the customer question the health and safety standards of the kitchen. With this in mind, the following rules of hygiene must be enforced: Staff must be showered before work Employees must maintain superb oral hygiene, brushing their teeth as well as using mouthwash Hair must be kept neat and combed Male staff members must shave before they begin work Staff must avoid using overpowering smelling cologne, perfume or other cosmetics Tattoos must be kept covered at all times 2. Dress code Dress code is the next most essential restaurant personnel standard. As with hygiene, customers will view the dress of restaurant staff as reflective of the whole establishment. The rules of dress for restaurant staff should be as follows: Uniforms should be perfectly clean and pressed Clean, dark comfortable shoes should be worn with clean socks A cotton t-shirt should be worn under the uniform shirt No jewellery is appropriate except for a wedding bands, engagement rings and small earrings Name tags should be worn at all times 3. Mise en Place Just as employees should appear prepared to customers, so should the restaurant table settings. The mise en place procedure for restaurants should be as follows: Before Opening: All tables should be set with clean tablecloths, polished silverware, glassware and china. Salt and pepper dispensers must be re-filled and chairs should be placed in their proper positions. During Service: Following a sitting, the table-top should be crumbed and placemats should be changed before seating the next guests. Do not seat guests if the table is not completely set. After Service: All tablecloths should be replaced in preparation for the following service. 4. Maintain Responsibility for Your Section It is very important that restaurant floor staff maintain responsibility for their own section. As well as seating and taking orders this also includes cleaning tables after every sitting and service. Staff should not expect co-workers to perform supplementary duties in their section. This will result in their co-worker becoming overstretched and their performance as a whole will suffer. 5. Follow Instructions: During service, workers must follow instructions without questioning the supervisor’s judgment or motivation. Sometimes the manager may have to take-over from a staff member that makes a mistake. If this happens the staff member must not take offence and understand that the manager is acting in the business’s best interests. 6. Deal with Disputes Calmly and Discreetly If a number of employees have a disagreement they must be deal with it calmly and without offending each other. Furthermore, they must deal with in private and away from the customer. Staff should never confront each other on the dining room floor and never make a scene in front of customers. Restaurant Service Essentials Once the staff and dining room are prepared service can begin. For the customer to experience excellent service specific methods and techniques of work must be followed. Check the below for a detailed description of these methods: Welcome the Guest Every set of customers that arrive at the restaurant should be welcomed. The employee nearest to the door at the time of entry must welcome the guest and ask to take their coats. If it is the employee’s role to escort customers to a table he/she should do so right away. If not, he should inform the floor manager of their arrival. Acknowledge the Client Before being seated, every guest should be acknowledged by all floor personnel passing by, even when waiters are carrying trays at the time. A light nod of the head is sufficient especially in a more formal restaurant. Nothing upsets the customer more than feeling ignored. Table Service As the patrons arrive at their table their waiter should pull out their chairs. The menu should be presented to the right of the customer and opened on the correct page. Bread and butter should be placed on the table as soon as the drink order is taken, and replenished as soon as the bread and butter are consumed. As beverages or water are consumed, refill and take orders for additional beverages. Be Knowledgeable The waiter taking the order should be able to describe every item on the menu. He/she should know what the food looks like, the recipe, the taste, and the method of preparation. He/she should also know the history and statistics of the establishment. Move Gracefully Servers should not move around the dining room clumsily but rather try to move as gracefully as possible. Graceful staffs add an atmosphere of sophistication and professionalism to a dining room. This element of service is given such importance that many three Michelin star restaurants hire choreographers to teach staff to move with elegance. Be Discreet During service servers should try to be almost invisible. Address the guest only when necessary such as when taking orders, serving food and beverages, and collecting the check. When re-filling glasses, clearing used dishes, replace ashtrays and silverware, staff should try to be as unobtrusive as possible. Customers prefer when these tasks are done quietly and swiftly. Use an Under-Liner For everything brought to the table except china, use an under-liner. Under-liners add elegance to the dining experience and alleviate any concerns the customer may have about the passing of germs. The following under-liners should be used in a restaurant: A beverage tray for glasses A lined caddy for condiments A lined plate for silverware A tray for tea/coffee cups and saucers, etc. MANAGEMENT IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY As with all aspects of a business, management dictates the quality and standards of customer service. It is management that set the customer service goals and create a customer service program. Furthermore, they ensure that employees are constantly achieving the required customer service standards. This unit will describe how a manager should introduce and implement a customer service program within a hospitality business. Building a Team The manager should encourage the creation of teams. Teams in a hospitality business should have a hierarchy. The team at the top of this hierarchy will consist of the heads of department with the manager as the team leader. In turn, each head of department will create teams in their own department. These teams will all have an equal level of importance in the organization. This team hierarchy serves a number of functions. In corresponding with all the heads of department, the manager can delegate and ensure that the customer service program is being implemented effectively. Such a structure also allows each head of department to maintain a level of responsibility and authority. This will help each department head to feel that they are a major contributor to the customer service program. Finally, employees within each department can also feel they are making a worthy contribution as they are assigned responsibility by their team leaders. 3 Types of Teams in a Hospitality Business Within a hospitality business there are 3 types of teams: 1. Formal Work Groups 2. Informal Work Groups 3. Leisure Groups These teams are all very different and each plays a unique role in ensuring a high-level of customer service. Check to learn more about these teams: Formal Work Groups Formal Work Groups are those formed by the manager and department heads for the implementation of the customer service program. They meet at set intervals and when properly geared and motivated by the management could become invaluable because of the exchange of information and the communication between groups and members within each team. Informal Work Groups Informal Work Groups are created when teams intermingle. Such interactions help to improve the team spirit within an organization. As these teams are formed organically they tend to be formed by employees with a natural sense of cooperation. Leisure Groups Leisure groups are groups of employees who meet outside of work to share a common interest in a hobby. Although these groups do not have a direct effect on the customer service they do help to foster a sense of camaraderie between members hence creating a more positive work dynamic. Conducting Meetings A customer service program based on a hierarchical team structure requires a hospitality manager to conduct a lot of meetings with his/her heads of department. To ensure that these meetings are focused and facilitate effective communication managers should follow the meeting procedure described below. This process should also be followed by heads of department when they meet with their teams. During a meeting managers should: Arrange for someone to take their phone calls Prevent interruptions by other employees, unless it is an emergency Have their desk neat and free of distractions Keep focused: avoid being distracted by stimuli in the room Maintain eye contact with employees Maintain control of the dialogue Stick to their agenda: Defer other subjects which are brought up to the next meeting Avoid taking notes Managing Change As with all aspects of life, change is a constant in the hospitality industry. Managers must be able to accept this change and ensure that it does not negatively affect the customer service of their business. Indeed, they can use change as a catalyst for improving customer service. Change could be due to external forces, such as new laws, taxes, regulations, and changes in government, or internal forces, such as change of management, technological, organizational structure, etc. The manager/supervisor’s role will be overcoming resistance to change. In order to do so, he/she must analyse change from the employees’ views, establish trust, and involve employees. Then he/she must assess the employees’ response to change, evaluate the change, and implant the implementation of change. Quality Control Systems Another method of ensuring excellent customer service in a hospitality business is Quality Control Systems (QCS). There are a number of different QCS including TQM, (Total Quality Management), QOS, (Quality of Service) and SASQ, (Systems Approach to Service Quality), etc. While all of these systems have their own unique aspects, they are quite similar and have the same aim; increasing the efficiency of a business’s customer service program. The way these systems work is mostly through surveying customers, either by collecting and analysing survey cards at the property, or by answering questionnaires by phone, mail and internet. Another way to collect feedback is to have an expert pose as a guest and review the customer service. Some businesses hire specialized companies to implement these systems as their conclusions will be unbiased. The majority of hotels and restaurants use an in-house system. However, in-house system are easy to corrupt and not very accurate. Nevertheless, they are the most economical choice. Quality Control Systems (QCS) succeed when the entire team is consciously and continuously applying all the principles of quality. Managers should implement QCS in the following way: 1. Each manager must know his role in-depth and perform his duties perfectly, leading his subordinates by example. 2. Orientation of new employees and training of new and existing staff must be ongoing. 3. Demand the highest level of work performance each worker is able to achieve. 4. Perform in-house quality inspections at regular intervals, as well as surprise check. CUSTOMER SERVICE IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY Lesson Summary ☞ Providing excellent customer service is especially important in the hospitality industry as it is the industry’s main product. ☞ The needs of the hospitality customer are: A Clean, Safe and Secure Environment Good Food and Drink Respectful Service Satisfaction of All Other Needs ☞ Once a hospitality employee is familiar with the needs of hospitality customers he/she should be taught the 12 steps of Superior Hospitality Service. ☞ The 12 steps of Superior Hospitality Service are: 1. Maintain a Pleasing Environment 2. Make a Favourable First Impression 3. Train New Employees 4. Develop the Professionalism of Management and Staff 5. Establish Flawless Communication with the Client and Between Departments 6. Answer Clients’ Questions 7. Accommodate All Reasonable Wishes of the Customer 8. Encouraging Team Spirit 9. Amenities and Presents for the Customer 10. Offer Incentives for the Personnel 11. Supervision 12. Management Inspections ☞ To provide excellent customer service restaurants should aim to reach the highest standards in the following areas of preparation and personnel: Personal Hygiene Dress code Mise en place Maintaining Responsibility in Each Section Following Instructions Dealing with Disputes ☞ The essentials of providing customer service in a restaurant are: Welcome the Guest Acknowledge the Client Table Service Be Knowledgeable Move Gracefully Be Discreet Use an Under-Liner. MODULE 6: CUSTOMER SERVICE IN THE RETAIL INDUSTRY CUSTOMER SERVICE IN THE RETAIL INDUSTRY LEARNING OUTCOMES After completing this module you will be able to: Describe the philosophies and practices needed to achieve the highest level of customer service in the retail industry List and explain the four types of communication skills needed for retail customer service State the correct training process for new retail employees Define positive reinforcement and explain how it can be used to sustain excellent service behavior in employees Discuss the four ways that retail managers can maintain a positive working environment. THE PHILOSOPHY OF RETAIL SERVICE Retail employees spend more time in direct contact with customers than employees in any other industry. Because of this, customer service is an integral part of any retail business. To serve the customer is the purpose of the retail industry. The industry is reliant upon sales from individual customers. Such an attitude should inform every aspect of a retail business. Customers should be viewed as a part of the business, not an outsider. Retailers should constantly remember that customer service is fundamental to their business. It should become an integral part of their daily routine. Excellent customer service is what separates a retailer from their competition. This unit will focus on the philosophies and practices needed to achieve the highest level of customer service in the retail industry. The customer experience is influenced by their first impressions of the store front, the ease of locating and availability of merchandise, and their interaction with store personnel. These are all factors we can positively influence the customer. Attention must be paid to the outside appearance of your stores and parking lots. Every morning as you come to work, look at your facilities through the eyes of a first time customer. Does it look cared for, does it invite you to stop and come in? If you were visiting for the first time, would you feel comfortable and want to come inside this store? What can you do to improve and maintain a positive appearance? How does your store look when you first enter the doors? Is it neat and clean; are the aisles clear, does signage help you find where you need to go? Does it invite you in? Do the personnel in the store meet and greet customers as they come into the store, or into their departments? Do they understand that no matter what their present task is, their first priority is greeting and helping the customer? Do they understand that their interaction alone may influence how the customer perceives the store? Their attitude, their welcome, and willingness to help each customer will be the impression that the customer will hold in their minds. All personnel should understand that while they are at work and on the sales floor, or on the phone, they are representing the store. Even if they only work 10 hours a week, during those 10 hours they may be the factor that makes or loses a new or repeat customer. Every retail employee should aim to make a difference, to interact positively with their customers, to feel that they are an important part of the store. If you make your customers feel appreciated, they will follow your lead. Think of the times when one person in a business or company has influenced the way you perceive that business (despite what you may know about the company or may have experienced in the past). Use this experience to influence the way you treat customers. You do not want any customer to form a negative opinion of your store because they have to interact with someone working there who is having a “bad day”. All personnel should think in terms of the impression they are giving each time they interact with a customer. Smile, be positive, be helpful, pay attention, and be sincere. Every employee in the retail industry should understand that they are expected to provide excellent customer service and be aware of the consequences should these expectations not be met. It is an absolute given that the first priority of every employee is customer service. Expectation: Employees are expected to be courteous, attentive, and helpful. Rudeness and avoiding or ignoring a customer should not be tolerated. The commitment to deliver excellent customer service is not just a policy, it is a job requirement. Failure to meet customer service expectations is a failure to do your job! Involvement: Everyone must be involved in focusing on the customer, providing positive customer service, and in reinforcing that behaviour throughout the store. It is not just the job of the person at the service counter to provide good customer service,