1. True Colors of Customer Service
Stephanie Blanck

2. Before You Can Give Great Customer Service…..
You Need to know your own style of responding to others in social situations.
This session will introduce you to your True Colors and then show you how to apply your true colors to customer service as an instructor and colleague.
True Colors

3. Introduction to True Colors
Color has been used to shape and describe our lives, our habits, our values, and our feelings throughout the ages. Who we are is based on gender, sex, life experiences, environment, class, religion, etc.
Research into the physiological effects of color has shown that it truly has an impact on our lives, often in unconscious and mysterious ways.
How much better it is to refer to and connect with color than with the highly technical formulas, symbols, words, and numbers generally associated with temperament/personality/learning theory.
After reviewing the research data, colors for True Colors were chosen for their direct association with the psychological and physiological needs of people.

4. What is YOUR Color?
Pull out the Discovering Our Personality Style paper – turn it over and fill in the boxes.
Each ROW should have a 1,2,3,4 with 4 being MOST like you and 1 being LEAST like you.
Do all 5 rows
Add the COLUMNS as indicated in the bottom box (No column should have less than a score of 5 or greater than 20
When done – come get your sticker!

5. Who are you?
Move to your color group – take a few moments to read about your color profile
Discuss – how are you alike in your dominant color? Do you find you have traits in common?
How do your WORK characteristics influence how you treat your customers? Colleagues?

6. Blue represents CALM
Thoughts of this color pacifies us as does a calm blue sea
It creates tranquility
Those with blue as a primary color value balance and harmony
They prefer lives free from tension…settled, united, and secure
Represents loyalty and a sense of belonging, and yet, when friends are involved, a vulnerability.
It is characterized by empathy, aesthetic experiences, and reflective awareness
In temporal terms, blue is present and future

7. YOUR STRENGTH IS AUTHENTICITY
Authenticity is your standard
You seek to express your inner you
Devotion to relationships
Cultivate the potential in others
Sensitive to subtlety
Want to make a difference in this world
Seek harmony

8. Expects from others… Expects others to express views
Assumes “family spirit”
Works to develop others’ potential
Individuals oriented
Democratic, unstructured approach
Change time allows for sense of security
Expects people to develop to their potential

9. GOLD represents need to be SOLID and RESPONSIBLE
Fulfill duties and obligations
Organize and structure out life and that of others
Practical and sensible
Believe people should earn their way in life through hard work and service to others
Reflects a need to belong through sharing the load
Represents stability, organization, efficiency, dependability
Embraces home and family with fierce loyalty
Gold is past and present

10. YOUR STRENGTH IS DUTY Steadfastness and loyalty are your trademarks
Generosity
Work ethic
Ceremony
A sense of history
A value of order
Home and family
Establishing and organizing institutions

11. Expects…. Expects punctuality, order, loyalty
Assumes “right” way to do things
Seldom questions tradition
Rules oriented
Detailed/thorough approach—threatened by change
Prolonged time to initiate any change
Expects people to “play” their roles

12. GREEN represents PERSISTENCE, DETERMINATION,FIRMNESS, CONSISTENCY
Value intellect, and capability above all else
Increase their own esteem by being assertive and intellectual
Tend to depend upon information rather than feelings
Values practical and creative theory and data
Green is the future - visionary
Objective
Seeking justice

13. YOUR STRENGTH IS KNOWLEDGE:
Developing models
Abstract thinking
Analytical processes
Exploring ideas
A variety of interests
Storing wisdom and knowledge
Abhorring redundancy
Handling complexity

14. Expects…. Expects intelligence and competence Assumes task relevancy
Seeks ways to improve systems
Visionary
Analytical
Encourages change for improvement
Constantly “in process” of change
Expects people to follow through

15. ORANGE represents POWER, ENERGY, AND STRENGTH
Will achieve results to win, to be successful
Desire all things that offer intense living and full experience
Is action: sport, struggle, competition, and productivity
Is the Present

16. YOUR STRENGTH IS SKILLFULNESS
Need freedom to take immediate action
Testing the limits
The need for variation
Be able to act in a crisis
Charm, wit, and fun
Taking defeats only temporarily
Excitement and light-heartedness
Consider waiting as emotional death

17. Expects Expects quick action Assumes flexibility
Works in the here and now
Performance oriented
Flexible approach
Welcomes change
Institutes change quickly
Expects people to “make it fun”

18. Implications for Customer Service
What are the implications for our understanding your colleagues?
What misinterpretations can be made using ?
What if your customer is a different color than you?
How can you tell what your customer is?
How will YOU be different for your customer?
Does this make you critically think about the way you behave towards others?
Do you think we can all adjust somewhat in what we offer different types of customers? Or will we be bothered by different customer requests?

19. Communicating with the Blue
When Blues listen, they focus on more than words.
Your message will not get through fully to a Blue if a relationship is not first established.
Blues don’t want to let anyone down, so we should be wary of overwhelming them.
Blues may portray the opposite of what they are feeling.
Blues get frustrated at the insincerity of the, “Hey, how are you?” ritual.
Blues are saying right now, “This is so cool! I love how this will help me relate to other people!”
More discussion here as this is very important in regards to collaboration.

20. Blue Attributes – see yourself
Mediators
Caretakers
Passionate
Enjoys symbols of romance
Sensitive to the needs of others
Cooperative rather than competitive
Need to feel “Special”
Motivate and encourage others

21. Communicating with Gold’s
Gold's can come across as businesslike.
In conversation, they want structure.
“Can we do it the way we have always done it?”
Gold's listen for details.
Gold's are thinking right now, “Slow down! I am still writing notes on Blues!”
A bit more information here for faculty.

22. Gold Attributes – see yourself
“Be Prepared”
Punctual, Predictable, Precise
Duty, Loyalty, Useful, Responsible
There is a RIGHT way to do everything
Love to plan
Conservative and stable
Rarely breaks rules/speed limit
Strong belief in policies and procedures

23. Communicating with Oranges
They are trying to accomplish a goal with all communication
When talking to an Orange, encapsulate your information into bite-size pieces
Give Oranges choices and ask for their suggestions
Right now they are thinking...now I know! I can get ahead with this knowledge.
Oranges are confident, loud, and casual
“Now” oriented
Oranges listen for entertainment, usefulness, and relevance
They are constantly looking for opportunities
They want forthright communication
Again, more emphasis is needed on this page.

24. ORANGE Attributes: see yourself:
Good negotiator, charming
Do many things at once
Curious, welcomes new ideas
Superior ability to discriminate among options, see shades of gray
Hands-on person
Problem-solver
Practical
Adaptable
Fun-loving, enjoys life

25. Communicating with Greens
Greens communicate for the purpose of gaining or sharing information.
Their favorite line is, “And your point is?”
Greens listen for information and want to know the purpose for that particular communication.
Greens usually don’t show emotion.
When talking to a Green, be prepared to defend your position!
Greens are thinking now, “How will this help me with people, again? I don’t need help with people. Why would I?”
Example of “punch line” card with a BLUE person.

26. Green Attributes – you see yourself as:
Superior Intellect
Powerful
Creative
Calm, not emotional
Under control
Objective
Precise, not repetitive
Visionary

27. Why is this important?
“It’s easy to get the players. Getting them to play together, that’s the hard part” (Baseball legend Casey Stengel).
We must understand in order to be understood (Stephen Covey).
Practice with scenario?

28. References
Miscisin, M. (2005). Showing our True Colors. Sacramento: True Colors, Inc.