Keys to Customer Service

10 Keys of Customer Service I – Trust Your Customers Most Important Trait Trust is the highest form of human motivation Understand Your Role to Play Greeting is so important (Name)

10 Keys of Customer Service (Greeting Customers Builds Trust) Eye Contact Thank them for coming to you Tune the world out and them in Put them at ease – they’re visiting Customers make 11 decisions about you in the first 7 seconds

Is Body Language Important? Face to Face Body Language 55% Tone of Voice 38% Words 7% Over the Phone Tone of Voice 86% Words 14%

10 Keys of Customer Service II - Positive Can-Do Attitude, Positive Values, Clear Motives Energetic, Not Fake Infectious, Honest Walk Your Talk with Customers/Leaders You must not deal negatively with negative people

10 Keys of Customer Service The big three factors: Attitude – Way you think and how you relate to others Motives – Reason why you do things Values – Inner guidelines that direct behavior Values are critical

How to develop a Customer Friendly Attitude Viewing customers as the most important part of the business Sincere appreciation What if you were taped one day? The “Golden Rule” applies here Waiter and the Doctor

10 Keys of Customer Service III - Be a Good Teacher Customer Service needs to be taught Teach employees carefully Teach customers Share insights and experiences with customers

Questions about the First Three Keys Do you really trust yourself at work to handle customers? Is your attitude mostly can do and positive? Are you a good teacher or do you allow customers, and peers to struggle?

10 Keys of Customer Service IV. Find out What Customers Want Identify needs and expectations Ask open ended questions Six questions – Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How?

10 Keys of Customer Service (Generic needs) To be valued by you To feel comfortable To have your undivided attention To focus more on them than your work To not show favorites Don’t make problems

It Does Pay to Please Customers will spend +10% - good service Good service - Tell 9-12 people Poor service - Tell 20 people 82% approve of your organization if complaint handled

10 Keys of Customer Service V. Begin Each Day With Failure in Sight (Listen) Closing the Business Underpromise and Overdeliver always Prevent failure throughout the organization Battleship and Fog Story

10 Keys of Customer Service Listen to the –words –tone of voice –body language Listening is not just hearing but understanding Seek First to Understand, Then be Understood, You don’t have to agree

10 Keys of Customer Service VI. Understand your Customers, Peers, and Leaders Gender Race Generational Education Families Others

Questions about the Second Three Keys Do you really know what your customers need and expect? Are you really listening to your customers? What does the differences of your customers mean to you? The organization?

10 Keys of Customer Service VII. Make your Business (ETDBW) Time Management First Things First – Be customer-centered Badd Systems stop Good People 85% vs 15% rule?

10 Keys of Customer Service To be ETDBW Accessible Accurate Integrated (one source for information) Customer-Driven Fast Totally transparent (seamless to customer)

10 Keys of Customer Service VIII. Live the “Golden Rule” “Walk the Talk” Live the Example Take care of your people who provide good customer service Praise/Reward carefully

10 Keys of Customer Service Measure frequently Survey the customers Benchmark competitors Secret Shoppers Connections between organizational results and individual performance

Survey Your Customers Written Questionnaires with Yes/No questions Telephone Surveys Focus Groups Face-to-Face Interviews Communicate Results Publish results

10 Keys of Customer Service IX – Provide Customer Service Training Common Sense isn’t Clear Standards Address the needs and expectations of customers – internal and external

10 Keys of Customer Service Four Skills needed for customer service 1) Technical 2) Interpersonal 3) Product/Service Knowledge 4) Customer Knowledge

10 Keys of Customer Service X. Develop Yourself Spiritually Mentally Physically Social/Emotional Continually Evaluate/Renew Racehorse/Jackass

Questions of the last four Keys Is your system customer-focused? Are you measuring your success/failure? Does your organization provide customer service training? Are you growing or dying in your development?

Recap: Ten Customer Service Habits to Develop (Willingham) #1 Be on Time #2 Follow Up on Promises #3 Under Promise and Over Deliver #4 Go the Extra Mile #5 Offer Customer Options #6 Express Empathy

Recap: Ten Customer Service Habits to Develop (Willingham) #7 Treat Your Customers as the Most Important Part of Your Job #8 Treat Your Co-Workers as Customers #9 Give Your Customers Your Name and Time, Personalize #10 Smile and Use Inflection on the Phone and In Person

10 Keys of Customer Service: The Bottom Line Never Forget This – They will not remember what you did, they will not remember what you said, they may not remember your name, but they WILL remember how you made them FEEL! Make them feel important!