1. Foster positive relationships with customers to enhance company image.

2.   A clear focus on the customer  Makes customer feel special  Satisfies customer A Customer Service Mindset is….

3.   Talk about positive customer interactions more than negative.  Take negative customer interactions as an opportunity to learn more about customer’s needs and expectations.  Create opportunities for customer contact.  View from the customer’s perspective  Define your function with the customer in mind.  Tell customers what you can do for them – NOT what you CAN’T DO.  All irate customers like to vent. (Let them finish before you start to talk.)  Apologize to an angry customer.  Your tone of voice must be in sync with your words.  Listen, Listen, Listen – don’t make customers repeat especially when they are mad.  Always say “Thank You”  Follow up on solutions – make a call to customers to make sure they are satisfied with products/services. How to Exhibit a Customer Service Mindset

4.   TRUST – you want customers to trust the company and company employees.  KNOWLEDGEABLE – Employees must be educated on products/services – KNOW THE PRODUCT YOU ARE SELLING.  TIME – Do not waste customers’ time.  FRIENDLY – Go the extra mile for customers.  EDUCATE employees (how customers should be treated)  Give EXAMPLES (proper communication techniques)  Customer Service MINDSET is required of all employees  Must DELIVER appropriate customer service (if not manager should deal with ASAP) Guidelines for Positive Customer Service

5.   Listening to and understanding the customer  Anticipating customer needs  Giving high priority to customer satisfaction. Service Orientation is….

6.   Communication is the exchange of thoughts, opinions.  Service is supplying an activity rather than products or goods  Effective communication allows you to meet or exceed their expectations because you have a clear understanding of their needs.  Ask the right questions and listen to your client in order to provide the CORRECT SERVICE.  How can you provide what is needed if you haven’t listened AND heard what is being communicated? Relationship between communication and service.

7.  Ways employees can demonstrate service orientation Greet promptly and courteously. Pay attention. Ask questions. Listen. Offer relevant information. Summarize understanding. Tries to do better than expected. Follows through. Thanks individual. Takes surveys to determine needs courteous. Quality – Responsiveness – Courtesy – Follow through

8.   Honesty  Availability  Responsiveness Procedures for reinforcing service orientation

9.   Requested information about a product or service. Customer Inquiries

10.   Initial information.  Additional information.  Resolution of a problem. Types of Customer Inquiries

11.   Employees should know product knowledge, policies, history of product, and capabilities.  Service cannot be provided if you don’t know what you are talking about or doing!  Ignorant/unlearned employees lose customers! Product Knowledge

12.   When a customer calls and has a problem that requires a call back, how long does it take on average to call them back? Do you call them back if you don’t know the answer?  Yes, call the customer back even if you don’t know the answer – let them know that you are still working on the problem. Product Knowledge Question

13.   What are the policies regarding responding to customers?  How do you handle an irate customer?  Training employees to respond to irate customers, time management and prioritization is a must in customer service. Handling Customer Inquiries

14.   Culture is the different ways in which people behave, act, or think towards themselves and other in society.  Knowing and identifying cultural differences can make a difference between successful negotiations and rejections.  Knowing the importance behind words is critical in international business. Why adapt communication to a client’s cultural or social community?

15.   Listen with open mind.  Develop listening skills – learn to listen and hold your tongue.  Verbal and nonverbal behavior.  Gestures. Ways to adapt to a client’s cultural or social community.

16.   A predetermined course of action which is established to provide a guide toward accepted business strategies and objectives. Business Policy

17.   Identifies the key activities  Provides a general strategy to decision- makers on how to handle issues as they arrive  Provides limits and a choice of alternatives that can be used to “guide” their decision Characteristics of an Effective Business Policy

18.   Offers a framework upon which a company can operate to insure efficiency of operations.  Gives a competitive advantage in today’s economy by keeping focus on customers who are lifeblood of the business.  Customers exert final judgment if not happy by penalizing the company with the loss of the sale. Therefore, the policy must have the end user of the company’s product as its focus. Why have a Business Policy?

19.   Return  Exchange  Cash only  Children allowed  Smoking  Coupons Types of Business Policies that Affect Customers

20.   Policies & procedures are required when there is a need for consistency in your day-to-day operational activities.  If it is a well written procedure will also help eliminate common misunderstandings by identifying job responsibilities and establishing boundaries for the job holders.  Provide clarity when dealing with accountability issues or activities that are of critical importance to the company, such as, health & safety, legal liabilities, regulatory requirements or issues that have serious consequences.  If it is a good procedure, allow managers to control events in advance and prevent the organization (and employees) from making costly mistakes. Guidelines for Business Policies

21.   First, employees are provided with information that allows them freedom to carry out their job and make decisions within defined boundaries.  Second, employees understand the constraints of their job without using a "trial and error" approach.  Third, policies & procedures enable the workforce to clearly understand individual & team responsibilities.  Finally, clearly written policies & procedures allow managers to exercise control by exception rather than "micro-manage" their staff. Employees Interpreting Business Policies

22.   From an employee perspective the guidelines provided in policies and procedures allow workers to perform their jobs with respect and dignity.  Polices provide guidance on how to handle issues properly as well as clearly identifying their job constrains.  The organization benefits by allowing managers the freedom to concentrate on strategic issues because policies and procedures are in place to guide the normal-day-to-day operations. Benefits of Policy Guidelines