Module 1 (Customer Relations) LECTURE FOR MMIDTERMM PDF

lOMoARcPSD|28632104 Module 1 (customer relations) LECTURE FOR MMIDTERMM Business Management (University of Manila) Studocu is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university Downloaded by Staff Balingbi...

lOMoARcPSD|28632104 Module 1 (customer relations) LECTURE FOR MMIDTERMM Business Management (University of Manila) Studocu is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university Downloaded by Staff Balingbing ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|28632104 MODULE 1 I ntr oduct i on Cult i vati ngcustomerrel ati onsi scr uc ialtot hes uccessofanybusiness.I nthi s l esson,y ou'l ll earnaboutcust omerrel ati onsincl udi ngsomeofi t skeyconcepts. WhatI sCust omerRel ati ons? Cust omerr elat ionsi sthepr ocessandmannerbywhi c habusi nessdevelops, establi shes,and mai ntainsrelati onshipswit hi t scustomers.Businessesr i se and fal l throughthesuppor toftheircustomerbases.Consequentl y,itisabsol utel yessenti althat you dev el op effect ivec ustomerr el ati ons.On a pract icallevel,c ustomerr el ati onsi s effect ivel ycommuni cat ingwi t hy ourcustomersandpromptlyaddr essingcompl ai ntsand treati ngthem asoppor t uni t iesfori mpr ovement.I not herwor ds,li stent oy ourcust omer s! Onamor est rat egicl evel,manybel i eveplacingc ust omersatt hecent erofal lof your bus i nessactivit i es-includi ngpr oductdesign,qualit y,andpri ci ng-i sacent r al componentof buil di ngeffecti vecustomerr elati ons.Inotherwords,youneedt o seethewor l dthroughthe eyesoft hecustomer,wi t ht hem att hecenterandy ourr ole asservingtheneedsofy our cust omer s. Cust omerRel ati ons-ABusi nessCase: Thebusi nesscasebelow i sdesignedtohelpyouapplyyourknowledgeonCustomer Relat ions( andt heiri mpor t ance)i nar eal -l i fescenari o.Youaretaki ngont herol eofa consult antthati sassi stingamobileappdevel opert hatmakesmobilevideogames. Case: You receiv e a callf rom Nate,t he ChiefExecut i ve OfficerofBoomerGames,an appl icati ondev el opmentcompanythatdesi gnsandlaunc hesmobi levi deogameson bot hAndr oidandiOS. "Ourfir stgame,ClashOfAr mies,wass uchanamaz ingsuccessthats ur pris edallofus. Ourdev el opersdesignedt hegameov erat eam dinner,anditturnedoutt obeex actl y whatcustomerswant ed.Seeingt hatCl ashOfAr miesisgetti ngabi told,wedeci dedto l aunchanew gamef orthe Hol i dayseason:Sant aRun,agamewher eSant amust del ivergif tstoallhomesi nt hev il lageonChr i stmasEv ewhilerunningawayf rom the Gri nchwhowant stor ui nChr istmas.Ourt eam developeditt hes amewayasCl ashOf Armies:Weor der edpi zzaoneni ght,andwedes ignedt heappli cati on'sbluepr intwit hin afew hours.Ilovethistypeofdev elopmentbecaus ewedon' thavet oaskany onefor advi ceorwai tsolongbef orel aunchingt hegame.Thegamewasr el easedi ntheapp Downloaded by Staff Balingbing ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|28632104 stor eamont hbeforeChrist mas.Wewer eshockedwhenwesaw t hatpeoplewhot r ied thegameact ual lyhatedit.Someofourmostl oy alClashOfAr miesplayer swr ot eus messagessayingthatitwasoffensivetothem toseetheGrinchcatchi ngSant aClaus asitrui nedtheirChri stmasspir it.Itissafetosaythatwemadeabi gmi st ake,andwe wantto change ourway s.ButI ' m outofi deas.Can you expl ai nt o me 2 possibl e acti vi ti eswecandonextt i metobet terunder standwhatourcustomerswant?" Sol uti on: St udent scanans werthi screat i vel y(i tisact ual l yencour aged)asl ongast heyr efert o t hecasefact s.Pot enti ali deascani ncl ude:  Est abli shi ngaf ocusgr oupof5- 10l oyalcustomerst ogatherthei rthoughtson pot enti algamesandcont ri butet hei rowni deastothedevelopmentteam.  Rel easingabet av ersi onandcol lecti ngc ustomerfeedbackbeforereleasi ngthe offici alversi on.  Per form mar k et r esearch on cust omer pr ef erences f or video games and sent imentst owar dstheholidayseason. Di ffer encebet weenCust omerr elat i ons ,Cust omerSer viceandPubl i crel ati ons The Main Difference Customer Relations Customer relations generally includes looking after customers once they have purchased a product – for example, handling repairs, returns, complaints or other questions. Customer relations focuses on both solving problems and building and maintaining customer relations, while customer service focuses on ensuring that customers get the best experience from the business. Cust omerSer vice Cust omers ervi cei sthesuppor tyouoffert oyourcust omer s— bot hbef oreand af tert heybuyandusey ourpr oduct sorser vices— t hathel pst hem hav eaneas yand enj oyabl eexper iencewi t hyou.Offer ingamaz ingcust omerser vicei simpor tanti fyou wantt oret aincust omer sandgr ow y ourbusi ness.Today’ scust omerser vicegoesf ar bey ond t he t radi t ionalt elephone suppor tagent.It ’ s av ail abl e vi a emai l ,web,t ext message,and soc ialmedi a.Many compani es al so pr ovi de sel f -ser vice s uppor t,so Downloaded by Staff Balingbing ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|28632104 cust omer scanfindt hei rownans wer satanyt i medayorni ght.Cust omers uppor tis mor ethan j ustpr ovi di ng ans wer s;i t ’san i mpor tantpar toft he pr omi se y ourbr and mak est oit scust omer s. Publ i cRel ati ons Public relations is about communicating to all of an organisation’s publics, from customers to employees, from journalists to shareholders. Public relations tends to be more focused on informing people about a company’s news, its position on certain topics, or its success in certain areas, whereas customer relations tends to be more about supporting customers with aftercare, specifically about products and services supplied by the company. Difference between customer service representative and public relations specialists The key distinction between the two careers lies in who the representative works with. A customer service representative, as the name implies, works directly with customers while public relations specialists most often deal with members of the media and other organizations. Customer service representatives answer customer inquiries, resolve complaints and make suggestions. The representatives work in a variety of environments, according to the nature of the company. A customer service representative may work inside a retail store, at a call center, at an office or even at home. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that because almost every industry needs customer service representatives, it is one of the U.S.' largest occupations. Public relations specialists contact members of the media and write press releases to announce how clients plan to serve the community. Public relations specialists also organize functions such as speaking engagements and conventions to Downloaded by Staff Balingbing ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|28632104 keep the organization in contact with the public and press. Public relations specialists might conduct interviews or prepare speeches for clients. Business, nonprofit organizations and government agencies all hire public relations specialists. Proactive VS Reactive Customer Service: Which One Should You Choose? Traditionally, the customer service industry revolved around the idea of waiting for a customer to encounter a problem and then offering the required solution. It’s the same as closing the barn door after the horse has bolted. Now, here is the modern approach to customer service called proactive customer service that says- why wait for a customer to get unhappy in the first place? Proactive customer service does not rely on a reactionary response to a customer problem. Instead, it lets you solve problems even before your customers know they have them. If you are an entrepreneur looking to build a proactive service culture or a manager looking to brush up on key proactive service techniques Excellent customer service starts with a proactive mindset.. Whati spr oact i vec ust omers erv ice ? Proact iv ec ust omerserviceisdel iv er i ngwhatcust omersneedbefor etheyknow theyneedi t.It ’ sgoing(atl east! )ones t epfur t hert hanwhatthecust omerwoul dex pect , provi di nghel p,advi ce,oreducati ontoassistcust omer sbeforet heymak earequestor complain. Here’ sanex amplemostpeopl ehav eexperi enced:Youtrytousey ourc reditcar d atthe grocer ys tor e,and i tgetsdecli ned.Why ? Because yourcredi tcard company spott eds omefraudul entact i vit yandproacti vel yfrozeyouraccount. That ’s prett y good serv ice.Bef orey ou even not iced t haty our car d was compromi sed,thecardcompanyhelpedyouout.Itwoul dhavebeenmuc hworseifyou hadfoundt hei ssuey our sel fandhadtoprov et hatt herehadbeenfraudul entacti vi tyto gety ourmoneyback. That’ sgood,buther e’sones tepfurt her:Ratherthanwait ingfort hecustomerto i ni ti ateatransact i onandhavet hei rcarddecli ned(andposs i bl ycaus i nganembarrass ing si t uati on),manycompaniesalertt hec ust omerv i atext,appaler ts,orcal l sthatanissue Downloaded by Staff Balingbing ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|28632104 exi st swit htheircar d.Thecust omercanthenresol vethethr ougharespons einsi dethe apporwi thatext— ori ni ti ateacal li fthesi tuat i onrequi resamorecomplexr esol uti on. Butproact iv ec us tomerser vice i s notlimi ted t o digi talsol uti ons.The best ex ampl esactual l ybringhumani tyi ntotheexper iencebecaus et hat ’swhatourcus tomers ar e— humans. What is reactive customer service? Businesses that adopt reactive customer service, respond to customer issues only after they have occurred. In other words, a reactive approach requires the customer to reach out to the business first. For example, when a customer communicates his problem via phone support and is told by the agent that his problem has been registered and would be resolved in 2 business days, this is reactive customer service Di ffer encebet weenPr oact i vev s.r eact i vec ust omers erv ice Thedi ffer encebetweenproacti v eandr eact ivecust omerser vicei sal linthetiming.Wit h reacti ves uppor t,customers er v ice tr adit i onall y wai tstorecei vear equestfrom a customerwho needs s omething.The agentt hen r epl i es tothe cus tomerwi t hthe necessar yinf ormat ion,andt her equesti sc l osed. Proact ivesupportr emovestheneedf oracustomertocont actcust omerservi ceinthe fir stpl ace.Inmanycases,t hecustomermaynotev ennoti cethatt herewasanissue.I f theydo,res olut i onbecomesmuchs mootherf orbot hthecust omerandtheagent. Thebenefi tsofpr oact i vec ust omers erv ice Pr oact i vec ust omers erv icehasmanybenefit s:  Increased effici ency.Feweri nbound cust omer swithi s suesneedi ng resol uti ons result si n a mor e effici entoperat ion.Freeing up thi s bandwidth all ows your companyt of ocusont hemorec hall engingissuesc ust omersf ace— andal so all owsf ormor eoverallti met of ocusonpr eventi ngissuesfrom occurr ing.  I ncreas edc ustomerl oyal ty.Pr oacti vecust omers er viceshowsthatyoucareand payat t ent i ontothedet ail s:Thesearetwoqual it iest hatcustomerslov etoseeina business.Beyondthegoodbr andimage,sol vi ngy ourcustomer’ sneedsbefor e t heyhav et oactmakestheiri nter act ionwit hyourcompanyeas ier ,keepi ngthem aroundf orlonger.  Increased r evenue.Adopt ing a needs-based appr oachto upsel li ng can boost revenue bymor et han 30%.Thesuppor t- dri ven gr owt hmi ndsetencour ages agent stobeproacti veaboutunderstandingyourcust omers’needsandoffering soluti onsattheri ghtti me. Downloaded by Staff Balingbing ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|28632104 Fi nal l y,proact i ve cus tomers ervi ce c reat es ex cit ementf ory ourc ust omer s and y our empl oyees. CapitalOne famousl y has t he conceptofSur pr ise & Deli ght.Duri ng a c ust omer i nteract ion,employeesmak enoteofspec ialornot ablemoment sinac ustomer ’slife. Using thatas i nspirat ion,employees send a smallgif tornot e acknowledgi ng that moment ,suchasacol l egepennantforaf amilywhomentionedthei rchil dwasheadi ng offt oauni ver sit y. Proactive customer service is thinking wisely about problems that the customers may face in the future and resolving them before the customers start facing them. So, this approach can be defined as an anticipated effort to identify and resolve customer's issues even before they perceive them or have them. 1. I ntegr it y I mpor tanceofI ntegr it yinBus iness “ Togi verealser viceyoumus taddsomethi ngwhichcannotbeboughtormeasur ed wit hmoney ,andthati ss i ncer it yandint egr it y”.–Dougl asAdams I rrespect i veofsi z e,orr angeofpr oduct sort hes eemi nglybestcust omers ervice ther ei s,a companyi snot hing i fi tdoesnotmai ntaini ntegr it yin busi nessdeal i ngs. Compani esmustr emembert hats tarti ngorr unni ngabusi nesswi t ht hes olepur poseof maki ngmoneyi snotasust ainabl eorev enmor alwayofdoi ngbus iness.Cus tomer sar e ver y easi l y abl et os ee t hrough t he farce of‘ poli teness ’t hati s cov ering unet hical deal ingsand di shonest y.I nt egr i tyi n busi nessorot her wi se cannotbe equat ed wi t h anyt hingel se,butwhenacompanydi splay si ntegrit y ,itincr easesi tsc hancest ogr ow andmak ehugepr ofit sandhav eal oyalcust omerbase.I ntegr it yinbus inessi seas yto ov erlook buti tsr epercussi ons can hav ef arr eachi ng negat ive effects ,whi ch any company woul d nev erwantt of ace.We know t hatcust omer s ar e happi erdoi ng bus inesswi t hpeopl et heyl ikeandt r ustandi ntegrityinbusi nessy ieldsenhancesbot h trustandl i keabi l it yi ncust omer s.I tisaboutt akingowner shipf orbot hthegoodandbad, bei ng consi stentin whaty ourcompanysay sordoesand t r eati ng bot hi nternaland exter nalcust omer swithr espect. I ntegrityinbusi nessi snotj ustabout‘ sayi nganddoi ngt her i ghtt hings ’wheny ou know t hatsomeone i swat chi ng orwi llr ealize ot herwi se. I ntegrit yi n busi ness( and other wise)i saboutdoi ngwhati sr i ghtev enwhennoonewi llknow thedi ffer ence.I na company ,itwoul dmeanmaki ngi tacor epar toft hec ulture,t hev eryai rthatev ery one breat hesandahabi tt hati si ngr ainedi neachone.Wi thi ntegr ityatthehel m ofbusi ness , compani es can ensur el ong t erm success and sust ained pr ofit s,si nce notonl y cust omer sbutal soempl oyeeswi l lseei tsv alueandst ayonwi t hthecompanyf oral ong ti me. Downloaded by Staff Balingbing ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|28632104 Wi th digiti zation and t he sur ge oft he i mpor tance oft he internetand onl ine transact ions ,integrityi nbusi nessdeal ingsandpr otect i onofdat ahast akenonanew meani ng.Cust omer spr ovideconfident ialinformat i onaboutt hemsel vest ocompani es forthepur poseofbusi nesst ransact i onsandunl esst hecompanyt reat st hi si nfor mat ion as sacr osanct ,t here can be no i ntegr ity ,t rustorr eli abilit y.No cust omerwoul d do bus iness wi t h a company t hatcannotsaf eguar di tsi nformat ion and i nt he pr esent mar k etscenar io,c ust omer sar ei nundat edwi t hchoi cesnotj ustofpr oduct sbutal so compani eswi lli ngt odoany thingt oat tractmor ecust omer sandbusi nessandsohav e nor eas ont oacceptanyt hingbutt hebest. Integrit yi nbusi nessori nani ndi vidualisnotsomet hingt hatcanbe‘ lear ned’.Itis notasubj ectt obet aught–r atheri tmustexi stasanessent ialtraiti nt heper sons wor kingi nacompanyt omak et hewhol es etupoft hecompanyt rustwor thy.I ntegr i tyi n bus inessmust ,l i keal lvi taltrai t s,st ar tatt het op.Aswedi scussed,empl oyeesemul ate whatt heys eet heleader sdoi ngandi ftheyper ceivet heirleader sbei ngdi shonestand l acki ng i ntegrity,thisi st he cul tur et hatwi llper meat et hroughoutt he company and wi t houtdoubtbeext endedt ocust omer s.Integrityisnotat act i corst r ategy–i tmustbe agi v en–i tisaboutdeal ingwi thcust omer s,wi thaconsci encet hatsi ft st her ightf rom wr ongev eni fthecust omeri sunabl et omak eoutt hedi fference.Howev er,l ongt erm bot hi ntegrit yanddi s honest ysur face–whi leonei sext remel yappeal ingt ocust omer s , theot herwi llensur et hatcus tomer sl eav eandl etot her sknow ofy ourcompany’ s‘ grey ’ deal i ngs.Whathappenswhenev enonecust omerpost sani nstanceofdi shonest yon social medi aforal ltosee ?Wor ththi nkingabout ! Itisstranget hatacompanywoul di ndulgei nunet hical practi cesanddi gressf rom i nt egr i tyi nbus iness.St rangebecausecus tomer sar easmar tgr oupandcaneasi l ysee throughandwi lll osenot imet oensur et hatev er yoneel seknowst ooandt henegat ive affectwi l ltarnisht hei rr eput ation,caus emassi velossesfinanci all yandmak ei thar df or them t oat t ractorr etai ncust omer sendanger ingt hev er ysur vivaloft hecompany.Woul d your isksomuchf oroneunet hi calt rans action?Asacompanyar ey ouawar eofwhat const itutesintegr i tyi nbusi ness ?  Aswesai d,i ntegr it yinbusi nessf oracompanybegi nsatt het op.Thel eader sof t hecompanymusts tri vef ori ntegr it yinev ery thi ngt heydo.Theymustbeopent o suggest i ons and use t he f eedback t o gr ow t he company and t he cul t ure of i ntegr it yandt rust wor thi ness.Theymustbewi l li ngt otak eresponsi bi li tyf ort he act i onsoft hecompanyasawhol eandt reatev ery onewi t hrespectandhonest y.  Compani est hatknow andl i vebyt hef actt hatcust omer swi l ldobus inessonl y wi t h peopl ethey can t rustand depend upon wi l lensur ethati ntegr it y and t ranspar enc yindeal i ngsar ethei rhal l mar k.I tisnothar dforcust omer stodet ect di shonest yori ntegr it yandt heywi l lexpr esst hei rvi ewsonbot h.Compani est hat appl yint egr it yinbus inessar est eadf ast ,don’ tneedt owast eti met ryi ngt ocov er Downloaded by Staff Balingbing ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|28632104 upt hei rmi sdoi ngsandhav emor eti met ofoc usonbusi nessvi t alsl i kei nnov ati on andcust omerser vice.  Despi t eacompany’ sbesti ntent i onsandhi ghl evel sofcust omerser vice,t her e wi l lbet i meswhent hingsgowr ong.Thecompany’ sint egr it yinbusi nesswi l lbe putt othe t esti nthese c ircumst ances and t he t rul y honestones wi l ltak e compl eter espons ibi l it yoft hel apseanddowhat everi ttak est omak eitbet ter. Theywi l lhonoural lthei rcommi t ment stot he cust omeri rr espect i ve oft ough si t uat i ons–t hisi sboundt omak ethecust omersmi l e.  Ensur ethatal lyourdocument s,agr eement s,pr intadv ert i singandsoci almedi a cont entar eunambi guousands pel loutcl ear lyev erysmal ldet ail.Thi sensur es t hatt her eisnor oom f oranyi nfor mat i ont obemi sconst ruedormi sread.  St ri ctgui del i nesandmeasur esmustbei npl aceespec ial l ywhi l einaccount i ng andbook -keepi ng.Theser ecor dsmustr emai ner rorf reeandbeabl etoser veas acr yst alcl earex ampl eofy ourcompany’ sint egr it yandet hicalpr act i ces.They shoul dbeopent oaudi t sandscr uti nywi t houtanyf earorr easont ohi de.  I ntegr it yin busi ness al sot ransl ates t o each per son i nthe company t reat i ng ev ery onewi t hthehi ghestl evelofr espect.Thi smustt rans cendl evelandposi t ion i nthecompany ,ti t les ,back groundoranyot herpos sibl edi ffer ences.Eachper son mustmai ntai napr ofessi onalandr espect fuldemeanourandanydevi ati onsmust bedeal twi t hsev erel y–butt hisi sonl yposs ibl ewhent hepeopl eint hehi ghest r ungspr act i cei ntegr it ywi t hal l.  Gi vi ngbackt osoci etyandr emai ni ngmi ndf uloft heenvi ronmenti sal soacr uci al par tofi ntegr it yinbusi ness.Bot hempl oyeesandc ust omer svi ew ‘ responsi bl e bus iness ’asext remel yal l uri ngandar emor ewi l li ngt owor kwi t hacompanyt hat under standsi t sres pons ibi l it ybey ondi t sbusi nessandbui l dingconfines. I ntegri tyinbusinessorotherwiseisami nd-set–y ouei t herhav eitordonotand nonumberofconsequenceswi l lgetyout hereunlessitcomesf rom withi n.Successi s pre-det ermined forcompani es t hatpr act ice i ntegri ty – betterpr oducts ,hi gherand sustai nedl evel sofc ustomerser vi ceandawi l li ngnesst ot aker esponsi bil it yt ok eep i mpr ovi ngal mostguar anteesuccess. Whenc ust omer strusty ourcompanyt heyar e suretogetmor epeoplet odobusinesswi t hyou.Acust omer’st r ustiswor t hitswei ghtin goldandact uall yhasnol i mit sonwhatacompanyc anachi evewhent herear eal arge numberofcus t omerswhocant r ustyourcompanybl i ndly.Foracompanyi talsomeans thatyourempl oyeeswi l lbepeopl ewill ingtoputi nmor et hant heirbesttohel py ou Downloaded by Staff Balingbing ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|28632104 succeedbecausetheys eethebenefit softrust i ngyourcompany.Ther eisnodoubt , thati ntegr it yinbusinessgoeswayabov eanymeasurabl estr ategi esandbr ingswi t hit i nfini t eoppor t uni t iesthatwi llal ll eadtosuccess. 2. Empat hy Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. It is the act of putting yourself in others' shoes and seeing a problem from their point of view. In customer service, empathy is the ability to have a human interaction with a customer. Ho wtoUs eEmp athySt at eme ntst owi nCus tome rs Successfully building a rapport with customers over the phone is very important to providing a good service or increasing sales. Whether customers call about a problem or complaint, your job is to make them feel heard, respected and understood. Acknowledging customer concerns shows empathy and understanding, and is essential to great communication and great service. Managers need to constantly remind their team to imagine themselves in their customer’s shoes, in order to be able to make the customer’s problems their own, and meet their expectations. What is an Empathy Statement? Researchers define empathy as the ability to sense other people’s emotions and be able to imagine what someone else might be thinking or feeling. Studies also show that these skills can be learned, and therefore people can increase or restrict their natural empathic abilities. An empathy statement is simply using these skills when talking and interacting with others. Contemporary researchers often differentiate between two types of empathy: “Affective empathy” refers to the sensations and feelings we get in response to others’ emotions while “Cognitive empathy,” (sometimes called Downloaded by Staff Balingbing ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|28632104 “perspective taking,”) refers to our ability to identify and understand other peoples’ emotions. When it comes to sales and customer service, cognitive empathy plays a huge role. Dealing with customers, especially if they have a problem or complaint, can be solved much faster and easier by using empathetic statements, being patient, and showing consideration. Phrases That Convey Empathy to Customers It’s often challenging to help customers who are lost in emotions and seem unable to be receptive. What should you say to customers who express unhappy or even downright angry? While this situation can sometimes be scary, there are great many ways to address your customer concerns and questions. Here are some key phrases to help assure your customers that you’re taking their problem seriously: “I can understand how frustrating it is when…” “I realize how complicated it is to…” “I imagine how upsetting it is to…” “I know how confusing it must be when…” “I’m so sorry to hear that…” Use empathy statements to win customers You can drastically improve the customer experience by taking a few seconds to build a rapport by simply expressing genuine empathy. Here’s how: 1. Listen carefully Be a good a listener and try to repeat what the customer says to assure them that you are listening and that you understand their concerns. 2. Smile Downloaded by Staff Balingbing ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|28632104 It may sound cheesy, but smiling when talking to customers can make a huge difference. It comes across over the phone and they will feel it in your voice. 3. Make it your problem Take ownership of the customer’s questions, especially if it is a complaint. Have a one-to-one relationship with your customer so that they have a point of contact that they can come back to. 4. Allow them to ‘get it all out’ When the customer is angry, allow them to vent without interruption. Listen to the person carefully while using the time to figure out what you can do to fix their issue. 5. Be respectful Make sure you talk to the customer with respect. Never talk down to the customer or talk over them. Approach it like a regular, professional conversation and they will appreciate you for it. 6. See it through their eyes Share your customers perspectives and try to see what their struggling with and why. What is their end goal, and what can you do to help them achieve it? 7. Understand their priorities Every customer, particularly in an emergency situation, will have a list of priorities. Make them your priorities too and address them in the right order (mirroring them). This will reassure the customer that you know what they want and are taking care of them. 8. Show that you care You can build rapport by showing a personal interest in the customer. For example, if a customer says they have been sick, show that you care by asking them about their recovery. 9. Begin with a positive statement If the customer has spent some time explaining a frustrating problem, then beginning your response with a short, direct statement of intent can gain their confidence. Downloaded by Staff Balingbing ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|28632104 Something like “Okay, we can fix this…” or “Right, let’s get this problem sorted for you…” will reassure the customer that you are taking ownership of the problem. 10. Avoid assumptions Don’t make assumptions about what the customer is telling you – actively listen! 3. Sympat hy Most customer service teams respond to customers with sympathy. A sympathetic response could be: “I'm also unhappy with the way that product works.”... Sympathy doesn't communicate to a customer that you understand WHY they feel the way they feel – it only allows you to communicate that you understand their problem. 4. Compassi on Good Customer Communication is Compassionate Compassion is the ability to feel for another human, and it results in the desire to “relieve their suffering.” To show compassion, consider how the customer feels, their current situation, consider their needs in the situation, and how you can help fix the problem. ACTIVITY 1 Cust omerRel ati ons-ABusi nessCase: Thebusi nesscasebel owisdesignedtohelpyouapplyy ourknowl edgeonCustomerRel ati ons(and t heiri mport ance)i nareal- li fescenar io.Youaretaki ngontherol eofaconsul t antthati sassis ti nga mobil eappdevel opert hatmakesmobi l evideogames. Case: You recei ve a cal lfr om Nate,the ChiefExecut i ve OfficerofBoomerGames ,an appli cat i on dev elopmentcompanythatdesi gnsandlaunchesmobi l evi deogamesonbot hAndr oidandi OS. 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Sol uti ons: MODULE 2 History of Customer Service - Passion for the art of service A history of customer service Humans figured out trade very early on. By 3000 BC, humans were setting out on missions of waterbound trade, and by 1000 BC, merchants were becoming a part of societies. There were ideas about how to treat customers. The butcher, the baker and the local perfumier had to meet the needs of the customer with custom products as well as nascent marketing techniques. The beginning of the industrial age brought the vast new challenge of a customer base the proprietor would likely never meet in person. The Internet makes that problem more extreme but it also offers new opportunities to bridge the gap. Here is a brief overview of some of the milestones in Customer Service and where we might go in the future. 1760-1820: The industrial revolution creates the concept of "scale" and the need for customer service teams. 1776: Adam Smith publishes the Wealth of Nations, establishing the basic ideas of competition in the marketplace. 1868: Watkins Liniment became the first company to offer a money-back guarantee. Downloaded by Staff Balingbing ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|28632104 1876: Alexander Graham Bell patents the electric telephone. Customer service takes a leap forward as customers can avoid having to travel long distances for product information or to arrange for repairs. 1887: Coca-Cola issues the first discount coupon. 1946: The International Organization for Standards formed in Geneva, Switzerland. 1965: MIT's CTSS Mail becomes the first host-based electronic mail program. Email becomes the primary way of interacting with customers online when the Web emerges in the 1990s. 1960s: Private Automated Business Exchanges (PABX) began to be used to handle large numbers of calls. These became the "call centres" we're more familiar with now, where a large number of operators handle customer conversations in one location. Early 1980s: The invention of Interactive Voice Response (the thing that lets you say "yes" or "representative" to the telephone and automatically connects you). 1980s: Database software, which would evolve into Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, evolves to be used in customer service. 1983: The term "call center" is created. 1980s: The help desk emerges to deal with a host of new DOS-wielding office workers. By around the year 2000, these had evolved into the "service desk" concept that could help users with the integration of all of their business technology, though the term help desk" still is applied. Late 1980s: Quantum Link creates On-Line Messages (OLM) for the Commodore 64, paving the way for instant messaging and later, live chat. Q-Link later became AOL. Early 1990s: Computer Telephony Integration (CTI), works with IVR technology to collect information about customer behavior in telephone systems. Early 1990s: People begin to use the Internet. You may have heard of it. 1992: Customer Service Week established as the first week in October by President George H. W. Bush Mid-1990s: The CRM as we know it began to emerge, led by software company Gartner, though many others also competed. As a result of more sophisticated customer data tracking, more companies began providing gifts for customer loyalty, such as cash back on credit cards, frequent-flier miles and discounts for multiple purchases. Downloaded by Staff Balingbing ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|28632104 1998: Jeremie Miller invents Jabber/XMPP, the open-source technology that most live chat is built on, including GTalk, Olark, and others. 1998 LivePerson, now the largest live chat company, launches their service. Late 1990s-early 2000s: Outsourcing customer service to offshore locations gains popularity as the dotcom bust occurs and companies overall look to cut costs. 1999 Salesforce.com launches and grows to be the global leader in CRM. Mid-2000s The rise of the online help desk, with the launch of Zendesk, Freshdesk, Zoho, Desk.com and others. 2006: Twitter launches. By 2011 65 million tweets are sent each day and companies begin to find Twitter a good platform to respond to customers quickly when they have issues (or compliments) and to have a sense of the person's "social relevance" based on number of followers. Late 2000s: Some companies turn against offshoring customer service as customers feel alienated by agents who they can't relate to or don't seem to have agency within their organization. 2009: Olark creates the first live chat that stays on-page, eliminating the need for the annoying "pop-out." Live chat brings back the immediacy of human interaction to the internet. 2015: Facebook launches Messenger for Business, and sets the pace for companies using messaging technology to contact customers on their mobile devices. 2016 and beyond: You can read what I have to say about what to expect in customer communication in 2016, but here's the tl;dr: AI - artificial intelligence - speeds innovation; Slack becomes an even stronger support tool; Mobile chat gets way better; Even small businesses get in on the customer support act. 2017: The chat world becomes differentiated by Live Messaging and Live Chat. Current Customer Service Programs and Industry Standards Example Customer Service Standards Downloaded by Staff Balingbing ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|28632104 Most know that successful organizations have great customer service. And we all know that it is our employees who take care of those consumers who pay the bills. I find it interesting when I interact with an organization and employees are curt, uninformed or simply rude. I seem to scratch my head and think, “how can you possibly have a profitable business with employees who chase customers away?” Every organization should have a basic expectation for employees to provide good customer service. Many businesses will define their standards of service as part of its customer service strategy, and train employees on how they are expected to behave when interacting with customers. This is also known as customer service standards. But before we can discuss customer service standards, we first need to identify and understand the different customer groups. Every organization has two kinds of customers: External Customers: Those who purchase a product or service. For instance, if you own a dry cleaner, the external customer would be anyone who pays for the dry cleaning service. Internal Customers: Anyone within the organization who at any time, is dependent on anyone else within the organization. For instance, Call center operators rely on working technology and if their technical issues are not addressed, they have a difficult time doing their job. If you operate a call center, the employee who supports the IT function of your office would provide service to the employees who answer the phone. For each of these customer groups, there are behaviors that can add to a positive service experience. Following are some examples of service standards of behavior that will affect (if consistently demonstrated) great customer service. Many of these standards can have measures attached to them for performance appraisal purposes. Downloaded by Staff Balingbing ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|28632104 This example can be used as a training tool and should be reviewed with the employee. As with many training tools, it is always good to have the employee sign a copy and keep it in their file so there is a record that the expectation was discussed. Customer Service Standards Example External Customers We will greet our customers in a courteous and professional manner. We will listen effectively to our customers’ requests and promptly take the necessary actions to assist them. We will keep our customers informed of unexpected delays in service. We will inform our customers of normal process time, when they can expect completion and any delays that may arise in the process. We will touch base with our customers to update them as to where we are in the process. We will respond to website questions/requests within 24 hours during normal business hours. We will respond to applicants (employee/volunteer) within 24 hours of normal process time to let them know when they can expect completion and any delays that may arise in the process. We will finish our encounters with our customers in a courteous and professional way. Internal Customers We will interact with each other in a courteous and professional manner. We will inform our internal customers of normal process time, when they can expect completion and any delays that may arise in the process. We will touch base with our internal customers daily, either by e-mail or phone, to update them as to where we are in the process. We will work to resolve issues with coworkers and other departments by discussing problems directly and working toward agreed-upon solutions. Downloaded by Staff Balingbing ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|28632104 We will be considerate, cooperative, and helpful to every staff member to assure quality services. We will hold ourselves and each other accountable for addressing inappropriate comments and behavior. Telephone Etiquette When at our desks, we will answer the phone within two rings. We will identify ourselves when we answer. We will listen to the caller’s request and assist the caller accordingly. If we cannot assist the caller, we will direct the call to the appropriate person. Before transferring the call, we will obtain the caller’s permission and provide the caller with the name and extension number of the person who will be helping the caller. We will obtain the caller’s permission before placing the call “on hold” by asking and waiting for a response before initiating the hold function. We will end the conversation in a courteous and professional way by thanking the caller. We will wait for the caller to hang up first. We will notify our customers that someone is unavailable by saying, “He/She is unavailable. Is this an urgent issue or may I take a message?” Voice Mail We will respond to voice mails within 24 hours during normal business hours. We will update our voice mail greeting, advising callers when we will be out of the office for an extended period of time (1/2 day or longer), informing callers of when we will return and who they may contact with questions (if applicable). E-mail We will respond to e-mails within 24 hours during normal business hours. We will update our e-mail notification message when we will be out of the office for an extended period of time (full day or more). We will indicate our expected return date and indicate a contact person (if applicable). General We will make our goal to exceed the expectations of all of our customer groups. Downloaded by Staff Balingbing ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|28632104 We will work to anticipate the needs of those we serve by proactively working to meet their needs. We will hold ourselves and each other accountable for our service commitment. We will be conscious of our communication style (ie; audible voice, eye contact when speaking to someone, tone of voice) and communicate in a professional manner. We will make a conscious effort to compliment coworkers when their actions comply with these standards. I have read and understand the above Service Standards. I also understand that it is my responsibility to comply with the standards and that my performance appraisal will reflect my compliance. Employee Signature: ______________ Date: __________ Tip: Use weekly or monthly staff meetings to highlight one of the standards. Discuss it and ask employees to give examples of how it can be used. Business success depends on the care that is given to all customer groups. Invest the time to create service standards, and hold employees accountable for adhering to standards. This is a basic management practice that should be incorporated into a structured performance management process. What standards of service does your organization adhere to? SAMPLE service standards MODULE 3 ANALYZE THE ATTRIBUTES OF A CUSTOMER SERVICE ORIENTED BUSINESS Ten Must-Have Attributes of a Customer Service Oriented Company Customer service isn’t just about meeting and greeting people with a smile. Although that’s very important, there’s a whole lot more to the game than just a simple smile and a “how do you do”. Here are ten customer service related attributes that will make your company a success. 1. Follow-Through Downloaded by Staff Balingbing ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|28632104 Just as if you were throwing a football, follow-through is crucial to customer service. If you don’t have follow-through, you’re not going to get anymore. If you say you’re going to do something, do it. Nothing is more frustrating to a customer than a sales person or customer service representative who says, “I’ll call you back with that information” and never does. Make notes and spread sheets if needed, in order to assure that you don’t let any of these things go by the wayside. 2. Lend a Listening Ear This may sound like a very simple attribute but after a long day of listening to customers complain over and over about things, it can be hard to listen to yet another customer. However, most customers just want to be heard. So, if they have a complaint, hear them through. Give customers the satisfaction of leaving the store happy because their problem was heard and you helped find a solution. 3. Make It up to Them The same way you want your girlfriend or boyfriend to make up the date they blew you off on, customers want the same satisfaction. If you screwed up, make it right. That doesn’t mean that if they had a bad shopping experience that you have to give them a 100 gift-card, but rather you can call them and apologize for their negative experience. Whether you decide on a large or small gesture, make it up to them. 4. You’re Always Wrong Remember this like the plague: In customer service, you’re virtually always going to be wrong—even when you’re not. For example, a customer walks into a store and is greeted but not in the exact way that they wanted, and so they complain to the manager. Although a natural inclination would be to be defensive, remember that “the customer always right!” So simply acknowledge the customers issue, apologize, and move on. It’s as simple as that. 5. Go the Extra Mile No, we’re not talking about running a 10k race here. Good customer service involves representatives putting their foot forward and going the extra mile. For example, let’s say that you don’t have something in stock that the customer wants. Instead of just leaving it at that point, go the extra mile and find another store that carries that item. 6. Patience We’ve all had bad days—days where we don’t want to get out of bed and certainly, we’ve all had days where the last thing we want to do is be friendly to people we don’t know. However, when it comes to customer service, it’s important to leave all of your personal problems and issues outside, and focus on the customer. Be patient and understanding of their needs—even if it takes three-times longer than usual. Downloaded by Staff Balingbing ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|28632104 7. Knowledge Be knowledgeable in your product. For example, if your company sells rubber- bands, make sure that your employees know everything about rubber-bands—how they bend, where they were made, the different sizes, etc. That way, they are always prepared to meet and answer any and all customer demands. 8. Persuasion Once you know what your customer wants, you have to persuade them why they want it, need it, and why they should close on the deal today. Persuading them will give your customers the satisfaction that their wants, needs, and desires were taken into consideration and in return, were acted on. 9. Surprise! In a perfect world, surprises would simply be left to the fun stuff: surprise parties. But in the real-world and particularly in the world of customer service, understanding how to react and deal with the unexpected surprises is something that is better when learned quickly. For example, if a customer calls your store an unexpectedly starts yelling, know how to react. This will prevent any further problems or customer service oriented complications. 10. Leave a Lasting Impression There are two ways to leave a lasting impression on a customer: you can be a jerk and make them never want to come back or you can leave a good impression that’s worth remembering. Good impressions are how companies build clientele—they get recurring customers who in return, refer friends and colleagues. From learning how to handle the unexpected to understanding that the customer is always right, these ten attributes will help give your company the extra customer service edge needed to leave a lasting impression and help build a larger client list TRENDS OF CUSTOMER SERVICE Customer service trends to follow in 2021,2022 Here are the seven customer service trends that are helping companies up their support game through 2021 and beyond. Meeting changing customer expectations Downloaded by Staff Balingbing ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|28632104 According to Zendesk's 2021 Customer Experience Trends Report, customers care most about: 1. Quick resolutions 2. Helpful and empathetic agents 3. 24/7 support 4. Being able to use preferred channels 5. Proactive support What are customer trends? Buying from brands on Instagram. Texting with a company. Seeking out businesses that promote inclusion or environmental stewardship. Customer trends capture everything about customer behaviors, including: where they’re shopping; what they expect from companies they’re buying from; and what channels they’re using to reach out. Customer service trends 2021 After a volatile year, one thing is certain: customer service matters more than ever before. Here are the seven customer service trends that are helping companies up their support game through 2021 and beyond: 1. Customer service becomes the brand 2. Speed up your digital timeline 3. Customers expect companies to lead with their values 4. The rise of messaging 5. Automation improves experiences for customers and agents 6. Emphasis on agility 7. The data transparency advantage Downloaded by Staff Balingbing ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|28632104 9 Customer Service Trends That Will Matter for Success in 2022 1. Mobile customer service is on the rise In 2019, mobile accounted for 65 percent of all ecommerce traffic and 53 percent of sales. Mobile adoption is expected to rise, too: according to Insider Intelligence, m- commerce (as it’s often called) will rise at a 25.5 percent CAGR from 2019 to 2024. Mobile also won’t remain a trend solely for purchasing. Consumers increasingly use it to enhance their in-store experience, by checking product reviews, comparing prices, and looking up product information. Also, with the rise of mobile, voice search has been on the rise, too. This means that you need to pay attention to mobile optimization for both your website and customer support operations, for both text and voice searches. 2. Social media is a hub for engagement Social media is always part of customer service trends, because they evolve constantly. Social media has also been a great place for brands to use humor and build up their brand, and we saw that tendency intensifying during the pandemic, when many people took to the web instead of going out. 3. AI-based chatbots become more popular Chatbots have been touted as the next big thing in customer support since 2016 at least. And so far, predictions about their popularity have been generally accurate — more and more businesses opt to implement chatbots to automate routine questions, aid lead generation, and enhance the agent experience by triaging customer requests. Downloaded by Staff Balingbing ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|28632104 And, this customer service trend will likely continue. That’s especially because artificial intelligence and machine learning advancencements have made chatbots more powerful and more likely to understand users and learn over time. 4. Customer service teams will work from home You may have heard of the “Great Resignation” — one of the workplace shifts the 2020 pandemic caused (or accelerated). People are increasingly looking for jobs that will allow them to work from their own space, and are quitting those that don’t. Customer service teams may be right to bring this shift into customer service trends — their job can easily be done remotely, and with the help of technology, they can have every tool they need at their fingertips, at home. Plus, customer service reps do a stressful job since they often have to deal with difficult customers or complex requests. Having the comfort and quiet of their homes may help increase morale and productivity. 5. Real-time support gets real Speed impacts today’s customer service experience. Customers increasingly expect quicker answers and support. For example, 42 percent of social media users expect a response within an hour of their post or message, 32 percent expect a response within 30 minutes, and 11 percent expect a response immediately. For live chat and chatbots, whose very design hinges on real-time support, customers may understandably expect almost immediate answers. Yet, some suggest that it’s not about speed exactly, but about actually replying to a request or complaint no matter the channel. In 2017, research found that for every 100 people who demand more information about a product, service or brand, only about 13 of them will get a response. And that left a dent on overall customer satisfaction. Companies have now gotten better at responding to customers, but there might still be some room for improvement. Be sure to have your customer service team monitor every channel where customers interact with you, and make sure no question or complaint will be lost. Downloaded by Staff Balingbing ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|28632104 6. Video is great for marketing and customer service Video, and especially video chat for customer service, is on the rise. While it has always been a popular medium, video exploded during the pandemic, and this trend may well continue. That’s because video can enhance online experiences in ways that no other channel can. What’s more personable than actually seeing another person’s face? So, companies have been increasingly using video chat software to bridge online and offline experiences. For example, automotive companies have used video to offer real time tours of showrooms, while furniture retailers have used video to remotely assess damages and repairs. 7. Personalization to the fullest Personalization isn’t a new concept, but it has reached buzzword status the past couple of years. People want more personalized online experiences, and are sometimes willing to pay more for them. Hyper-personalization is also trending as many businesses have tried their hand in it. Success of different personalized tactics varies, but in general, marketers report benefits such as increased open rates through email personalization and an average increase of 20 percent in sales when using personalized experiences. Personalized service takes it a step further than marketing — it’s about knowing who each customer is and their interaction history when they contact support. This is one of the more subtle customer service trends, as many businesses learned the value of unifying customer data long ago. What’s important now is to walk the talk and show customers you treat them as individuals, by eliminating data silos and centralizing support processes. 8. Self-service is evolving Downloaded by Staff Balingbing ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|28632104 Online self-service has been a steady customer preference. For example, most B2C and B2B customers are likely to look up the answer to a question in a knowledge base or help center before they consider contacting the company. But, with new technologies, self-service becomes even more complex and powerful. For example, according to a study, 73 percent of shoppers were in favor of self-service technologies, such as automated checkout, to improve the retail shopping experience. Chatbots are also a great tool for self-service. Customers can ask anything and receive answers for routine questions even after hours when human agents are offline. So, look into self-service options you can use for your customers and monitor impact on customer loyalty and satisfaction. 9. The future is digital and Omni channel With all the customer service trends we looked at, one thing is clear: digital is a big part of customer experiences even for traditional brick-and-mortar businesses. And this means that customer conversations will happen over an increasing number of digital channels, from social media to live chat to email to video and more. The real challenges here are being able to service customers wherever they are and making sure that interaction history from every channel will be available at a single customer profile. This is the true Omni channel strategy that enables faster service and personalization. So, to drive customer success and engagement in 2022 and beyond, go omnichannel: it’s the only way to ensure your customers will remain happy and keep coming back to your business. MODULE 4 BEST PRACTICES IN CUSTOMER SERVICE Downloaded by Staff Balingbing ([email protected])  lOMoARcPSD|28632104 You may have a fantastic product, but if your customer service is unhelpful, unreliable, or just plain hard to get in touch with, folks will hear about it, and you’ll l