1.1.1 Presentation on Front Office Management (Customer Service)

Content Table Introduction Need for good customer service Key to good customer service Skills to excel in Customer Service Summary 1.1.2

Who is customer? One who buys any goods or services. Customer is the king. Reason for our existence. One whom we depend on. Source of revenue 3

What is Customer Service ? Customer Service is a series of activities designed to enhance the level of Customer Satisfaction The feelings Customer Expectations 4

Customer Service Why required? Department has built a positive, trustful relationship with the public Department has spent huge amount in marketing its product and services Department is creating a brand image by offering best product and services All of that hard work can be undone in a few minutes with bad customer service 1.1.5

Why customer care…. To face increased competition To increase our productivity Save our operating cost Obtain gains of a satisfied customer Obtain the TRUST of the customer Save our time and energy Enhance our reputation Have job satisfaction 6

Why customer care… To create customer loyalty Development of mutually satisfying long term relationships It is more expensive to win new customer than to retain existing customer 7

Thumb Rule.. Rule 1: Customer is always right. Rule 2: If Customer is ever wrong, Reread Rule 1 8

Our needs from customer care… Integration of customer, technology and staff Identification of profitable customer by understanding their needs Improving delivery standards and reducing transaction cost 9

Key to good customer service The key to good customer service is very simple To treat the customer as you would wish to be treated if you are a customer To treat the customer as you would wish to be treated if you are a customer Putting yourself in the position of the customer will help in understanding customer problem- empathy- “What if it were me?” thought will help in finding solutions at a much quicker rate

Advantages Everybody is different and customers will have different aspirations, motivations and reasons for choosing our department. By understanding the needs of our customers we can achieve a higher level of customer satisfaction, continued business and a more enjoyable working experience. If you give a good customer service, they will become loyal returning customer Through conversations they can become an ambassador for our department Good customer service skills can make a significant difference to the success of our department

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The customer service skills Some important skills that every employee can master to become “customer friendly” are: 1. Patience2. Attentiveness 3. Communication 4. Knowledge 5. Positive Language6. Behavioral Psychology 7. Honesty8. Confidence

1. Patience Patience is equally important as customer It is important to maintain your cool Remember great service beats fast service Patience shouldn’t be used as an excuse for lazy service Time spent with the customer will make us to understand their problems & needs

2. Attentiveness Ability to really listen to a customer is crucial It helps in providing great service It is not only important to pay attention to individual customer interactions but is also important to be attentive to the feedback You should be able to read the minds of the customer what are your customer telling you without saying it

3. Communication Skills Effective communication with your customer helps to build your credibility as a good customer service representative You should be capable of knowing when to listen and when to speak Simple but an effective communication helps in building good customer relations Experience in speaking helps in good marketing

4. Knowledge of the Products & Services Counter staff should have indepth knowledge of products and services offered by the dept. It will help to suggest various options to the customer for a particular service. For eg : Money Remittance It helps to market the product across the counter It helps in guiding the customer to choose the best suitable product or service It also helps in handling customer grievances It helps in quicker service

5. Ability to Use “Positive Language” Language is a very important part of persuasion Customers create perceptions about the department on the language you use Positive language can greatly affect how the customer accept your response Negative language on the other hand can affect adversely

5. Ability to Use “Positive Language” For example, A customer enquires about booking of a speed article. He may ask a question “When this article will reach the destination?” If counter PA replays “I don’t know when it will reach, my job is only to book” then customer may hesitate to book the article. On the other hand if counter PA replay “Sir, It will be delivered day after tomorrow positively ”, Customer will be more confident to book the article

6. Ability to “Read” Customers Understanding some basic principles of behavioral psychology You should look and listen for subtle clues about current mood, patience level, personality of customers If you mis-read, you may end up losing them due to confusion and mis -communication If you know your customer well you can serve them better

7. Be Honest Be Honest and transparent with customers It helps in persuading customer to get our products and service Honesty and Integrity proves that you truly care for customer Honesty is also necessary and important even when the message you are sharing is not positive

8. Be confident Showing you are confident proves your customer that you believe in the products and services of the department The More confident you appear, the easier to convince the customer

Five Cs of customer care Clear Concise Courteous Complete Correct 23

Other skills Time Management Skills A Calming presence Goal oriented focus Ability to Handle surprises Persuasion skills Willingness to learn

Queue Management Ensure Post Offices are provided with spare counters Postmasters to visit public hall at frequent intervals to see if there is a rush at any counter Postmaster can open additional counters whenever required Spare counters can be used in case of seasonal rush Forms for use by customers should be made available in the public hall itself It should be ensured that customers do not need to form a queue to obtain form

Queue Management Extension or change in counter working hours wherever required Separate facilitation/enquiry counter where feasible Separate transaction times for savings bank agents Plan for lunch breaks so that breaks are not concurrent for counter staff Devise a system for transfer of cash between counter and treasury Prepare and circulate a list of telephone numbers of all support agencies

Group discussion Can you recall your good/bad experience as a customer List the points where the customer care person has gone wrong 27

Quote Customer is business Business is people People are customers Customer is the profit … everything else is overhead 28

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