STANDARD-3.2 & 3.3 Customer Service

Satisfied –vs- Dissatisfied Customer

Well-trained employees are the key to satisfied customers Customers=Revenue=Wages=Employees If customers are not happy, they will take their business elsewhere. Customers are the reason that employees have a job!

Handling Customer Complaints When a customer complains, look at it as an opportunity to improve. Share as a class some scenarios or experiences when a bad customer experience happened. Customers may be difficult for several reasons: upset because something was mishandled by the company frustrated about a delay in handling a request Impatient about a companys response time Just having a bad day

5 Steps for handling customer complaints Step 1 – What is going on?: Assure the customer you can help and then listen carefully. Determine the reason for the problem without assigning blame. Apologize Restate the Customers opening statement Listen Carefully Write down key details Display empathy Remain Composed

Step 2 – What caused the problem?: Identify the root cause. Investigate the situation. Determine if the customer has a valid complaint. Apologize again, if necessary. Explain what happened: stick to the facts. Keep emotion out of it.

Step 3 – What can I do?: Thank the customer for the opportunity to fix things. Rectify the situation. Tell the customer what you are going to do to solve the problem. Focus on What You CAN do. Offer the best solution you can.+ Never Assign blame. Show Compassion. Offer an alternative solution.

Step 4 – What can I say?: Restore the relationship. Follow up to make sure customer is now satisfied. Thanks the customer for allowing you to make things right. Tell what you will do to avoid future problems. Offer some sort of compensation or restitution. Make a follow-up call or visit.

Step 5 – What needs to be done?: Fix any practices or procedures so the problem doesnt occur again. Analyze what went wrong. Review companys policies & procedures Change to make things better.

Relationship Building: Customer Expectations Customer exchanges can be quick and small or complex and complicated based on the following business: Service business Product business Wholesale/vendor business Multi-Dimentional business Price point Quality/prestige pricing

Categorize the following customer transactions into small & quick or intimate & complex: Purchasing home insurance Buying pack of gum Doctors visit Buying dinner at a restaurant Picking up dry cleaning Depositing money Purchasing a cup of coffee Buying a car

small & immediate : Buying pack of gum Picking up dry cleaning Depositing bank Purchasing a cup of coffee intimate & complex: Purchasing home insurance Doctors visit Buying dinner at a restaurant Buying a car Regardless of the type of transaction, customer contacts can result in relationships. Even when it is only one interaction, customers judge a company based on their relationship with that employee.

Repeat Business When customers offer repeat business, there is an opportunity to maintain on ongoing relationship & create loyalty by: Remembering their name. Remembering something about them. Learning their tastes & preferences. Making the customer feel valued. Tell them you appreciate their business. Find ways to give them more than expected.

Managing Customer Expectations Managing expectations in todays turbulent business world is indeed a challenge. Customer expectations affect a range of interactions between the company and the customer to include: Service Responsiveness Service Capability Product Functionality Project Success These types of expectations vary from one person to another, one situation to another & one day to another.

Listen to customers Customer want communication. Keep them informed of timetables Customers want what is promised. Dont promise more than can be delivered. Customers want a company to do what you say. Dont say one thing, and do something else.

How Customer Expectations Change Over Time CASE STUDY A few winters ago, a longtime customer called the Schmitt Furniture store in New Albany with an unusual request. She needed some firewood. Louis Schmitt, the company's vice president, said the store did what came naturally: It sent a truck out with a load of firewood. * Discuss how companies can respond to customer expectations and be proactive.

CHANGE When appropriate, a companys marketing mix must change according to the change in demand for the products and services. Being responsive to changes can increase customer loyalty & satisfaction. Increasing customer loyalty & satisfaction equals increased profitability!