People & Culture Department Meeting Vestas Americas April 2010 Going the Extra Mile People & Culture Department Meeting Vestas Americas April 2010

Course Outline What is CUSTOMER SERVICE? Who are Your Customers? What do you provide? Clarifying requests Going the extra mile Tough customers Personal promise of service Tips

“Customer Service” defined Assistance or resources that are provided Series of activities designed to enhance the level of customer satisfaction– that is, the feeling that a product or service has met the customer expectation From Wikipedia

What is Good Customer Service? Service that results in a customer feeling satisfied Service that treats the customer the way you would want to be treated Characteristics: Listening attentively Responding with empathy Exceeding expectations

Destroying Customer Service Customers have memories. They will remember you, whether you remember them or not. Customer trust can be destroyed at once by a major service problem, or it can be undermined one day at a time, with a thousand small demonstrations of incompetence. From Rules to Break and Laws to Follow, Don Peppers and Martha Rogers, PhD.

What is a Customer? A person who purchases goods or services from another A person accommodated, given hospitality Anyone under the patronage of another; a dependent

Who are Your Customers? To whom do you provide services? Think about your customers within P&C Think about your customers within Vestas Think about any other customers you have Write down 3 - 5 different types of customers on the Going the Extra Mile worksheet.

What do you provide? Ask yourself– Do I provide a service or a product? Service: an act of helpful activity; help; aid; assistance Product: a deliverable that satisfies a need or contributes to a solution Some examples: Answers Reports Assistance Advice Data

What do you provide? For each type of customer on your Going the Extra Mile worksheet, write down the service or product you provide. You may provide more than one. Examples: Customer: Vestas field technician Service/product: technical training Customer: SAP Trainer Service/product: LMS support, scheduling support

Communication Basics FILTERS: Personal perceptions, ideas, experiences, preferences 1. Message 2. Feedback 3. Clarification 4. Validation NOISE: Culture, expectations, stress, nonverbals, environment, etc.

Clarifying Requests How can we be sure we understand our customers’ expectations? Ask for more information Clarify assumptions Discuss your questions tactfully Focus on the other person’s point of view Provide detailed process information only when necessary

Clarifying Requests What can you do to clarify your customers’ requests? Add questions you should ask for each customer type in the Going the Extra Mile worksheet. Share with the person sitting next to you.

Going the Extra Mile: Empathy What is Empathy? Intellectual identification with the feelings, thoughts, and attitudes of another person The recognition and appropriate acknowledgement of another person’s emotional state Putting yourself in your customer’s position so you can understand his/her frustration

Empathy What does empathy have to do with customer service? Empathy is conveyed when you listen for hidden meaning in what a customer is saying and offer caring assistance Empathy can diffuse emotion “Customers don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

Empathy Easy Empathetic Responses: “I can hear how frustrated you are.” “I can see how that would annoy you.” “That’s fantastic!” “I understand that this is very time-critical.” “That would upset me, too.”

Going the Extra Mile: Anticipating Needs What does it mean to anticipate someone’s needs? Recognizing what someone might need next and suggesting or providing it before they ask Examples: The waitress that keeps your coffee cup full The concierge that offers directions (or a taxi) to dinner after making your reservation

Anticipating Customer Needs How can you anticipate your customers’ needs? Make a list of your everyday requests. Review the steps in your interactions with customers. What are some of the logical needs at each step? Get creative by asking about what else you could offer. Start implementing! Begin with one thing at a time. Ask for feedback to ensure you’re heading the right direction.

Going the Extra Mile What can you do to go the extra mile with your customers? Does it involve more empathy or anticipating their needs? Is there something else you can do? Write down your ideas for each customer in the appropriate spot on your Going the Extra Mile worksheet.

Dealing with Tough Customers Tips for handling that upset customer in the moment: Let him vent. He’ll feel better after and therefore be easier to talk with. Don’t take it personally. It’s not you he’s mad at– it’s the situation. Be empathetic. Acknowledge his feelings and the reasons for them. Don’t over-promise. If you can’t deliver, it will only make the customer more upset.

Steps for Dealing with Upset Customers Listen actively. “Backtrack” some of the words used. Try, “What I’m hearing is that you’re…” Clarify situation particulars and the desired outcome. Summarize your understanding of the situation and what you intend to do. Confirm your understanding and suggested solution. Follow up! Send an email after the discussion to summarize the agreement.

Personal Promise of Service Having a Service Promise can: For you: Focus your responses Clarify priorities For your customer: Set expectations Explain what you do (and don’t do)

Personal Promise of Service What does Good Customer Service mean to you? Responses within 24/48/72 hours? The right answer the first time? Keeping your promises? Think about it! Consider developing and displaying a Personal Promise of Service for your customers. Even a Service Level Agreement (SLA) can clarify customer expectations.

Customer Service Tips Always know your customers’ expectations. Give more than expected. Help customers understand your systems. Discuss concerns around filling a request tactfully. Always keep customers informed on request status. Get out of your “silo”. Get regular feedback. Open your vision to the big picture.

How to Be a Good Customer Discuss expectations openly and honestly. Use effective time management. Provide all necessary information. Always be professional.

Thank you for your attention Bonnie Howden