1. Customer Service Skills for User Support Agents
CTS 217:
Computer Training & Support
CHAPTER 2
Customer Service Skills for User Support Agents

2. Chapter Objectives In this chapter, students will learn about:
The importance of communications skills and customer service relationships
Reasons support agents listen and read carefully
How agents build and communicate understanding
Aspects of effective speaking and nonverbal communication
How to develop a personal communication style

3. Chapter Objectives In this chapter, students will learn about:
Strategies for telephone communications
How to develop an incident management strategy
Understanding personality types and work styles
Strategies for difficult clients
Guidelines for client-friendly communications on support Web sites
How to build excellent customer service

4. Introduction
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are often more challenging for new support workers to learn and use than technical or business skills!
Users not satisfied with technical answers only
Goal for every request: customer satisfaction and excellent customer service
, F2F, chat, phone

5. Communication and CS Skills
Communication: 2-way process listening & responding
1-way: web sites and blogs
A customer-service ethic
an organization-wide philosophy
shared by everyone
viewpoint: client relationships and client satisfaction are the most important aspect of a business
Need communication skills for top notch CS
Hear and understand user’s problem and reflect your understanding

6. Communication and CS Skills
Satisfied vs. dissatisfied customers
Stress customer service excellence
Satisfied customers are likely to be repeat customers
Dissatisfied customer incidents usually take longer to handle
Dissatisfied customers generate:
Lengthy calls (escalates cost)
Repeated callbacks
Complaints and ill-will (word of mouth)
Incidents that must be rerouted
Product returns and refunds
Poor support staff productivity

7. Communication and CS Skills
Devoted to customer service
Provide clients with information, service, or solution they need
Explain to customers what can be done for them if the problem cannot be solved
Treat clients with respect and courtesy
Communicate to clients when they should expect to receive the service or information they need
Return calls or s when promised even if no progress has been made
Remember: attitude, reactions, voice, tone (customer value) build client satisfaction

8. Communication and CS Skills
Three essential comm. skills
Listen carefully
Build understanding
Respond effectively (communicate)

9. Listen Carefully Problem description
Listen, no interruptions (Table 2-1 p. 59)
Language used to describe the problem
Clues to caller’s experience level
Avoid language that is too complex/technical
How the caller describes the problem
Tone of voice (frustrated, angry, distracted)
Use of technical terms
Figure 2-2 (tips and obstacles) p. 61
Strategy: Look for a communication skills course to build listening skills

10. Types and Purposes of Listening
Listening type
Purpose
Discriminative
Learn about the user
Comprehensive
Understand the user’s message
Critical
Analyze and evaluate the user’s message
Therapeutic
Identify opportunities for positive support
Appreciative
Find enjoyment
Relational
Develop rapport

11. Build Understanding Develop empathy with a client
Empathy: An understanding of and identification with a client’s situation, thoughts, and feelings
We all started somewhere…
Why call is important (e.g., report for CEO)
Example: “It sounds like you’ve had a frustrating morning, but I think I can help you with this...”

12. Build Understanding
Try to express the problem in your own words; do they agree that you understand?
Communicate to a client that you view him or her as a person rather than a phone call or a problem
Techniques:
Visualization
Inclusive language: We, rather than I
Smile!

13. Respond Effectively It’s all about communication!
Recognize the importance of a sincere greeting
Begin with call greeting (icebreaker)
First impression of you and company
Example: This is Janet in Computer Support. Thank you very much for calling. How can I help you?
NOT fake or bored – be enthusiastic
Thank you – value the call/customer
Write down his/her name…..USE it. First or Mrs./Ms./Mr.

14. Use Scripts Appropriately
Prepared sequence of questions and statements used to handle parts of an incident
May include decision points and branches to handle different situations
Tip: Don’t read lengthy scripts or responses to questions; restate in your own words if possible
Know when to deviate from script
My call to HP

15. Use Tone and Style Effectively
HOW can be more important than WHAT
Top of p. 65 (dissatisfied vs. satisfied)
Formal vs. informal; casual or professional (blend)
Nonverbal behaviors (next slide) p. 66

16. Nonverbal Behaviors Use these Avoid these Posture Open stance
Face user
Fold arms or cross legs
Bow head
Facial expression
Smile
Interested expression
Frown
Show boredom, impatience
Eye contact
Frequent but not excessive eye contact
Focus on distance or at feet
Stare
Gestures
Use body movements
Stiff or limited gestures
Shift weight
Distance
Comfortable distance
Too close or too distant
Voice quality
Comfortable loudness
Normal pitch and tone
Shout or whisper
Monotone or sing-song

17. Effective Personal Comm. Style
Use clear, succinct (brief) speech
Speak slowly but not so slowly as to sound condescending
Use short sentences; avoid jargon
Avoid a rising inflection at the end of sentences
Avoid empty phrases
Pauses are okay
Phrase communication with clients positively p

18. Challenges of Telephone Comm.
Telephone clients evaluate:
Telephone menu system
Length of time to answer call
Initial greeting (1st impression)
Nonverbal communication also contributes to the success of telephone communication

19. Telephone Dialog Skills
Support agents need to learn effective ways to (dialog on p. 69):
Greet a caller
Put a call on hold
Transfer a call
Terminate a call
Role-playing scenario p

20. Develop Incident Mgmt Strategy
Incident management strategy
Techniques, tools and strategies that support specialists use to move through an incident effectively and efficiently from initial greeting to the end of the incident

21. Goals of Incident Management
Provide user with information she or he needs
Manage stress levels for both the user and support agent
Ensure that the incident progresses from start to finish in an effective and efficient way
Make the user more self-reliant

22. Resources for Incident Mgmt
Organizational policies on incident management and expectations
Strategies covered in training programs
Observation and imitation of respected senior support agents
Personal communication style
Feedback on strengths and areas for improvement

23. Incident Mgmt Guidelines
Policy knowledge, how to use phone and software, and guidelines
Ask goal-directed diagnostic questions (keep call moving forward, based on script or experience)
Be honest (don’t cover up problems)
“I don’t know” (watch tone, refer, research)
Apologize (run around, on hold, ill suited product)
“Thank you” (caller and call important)
Incident mgmt, not user mgmt
Can advise them but not force; don’t judge
Instill self-reliance (help themselves)

24. Customer Service and Personality Types
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
A personality analysis tool commonly used in business and industry to identify worker personality and work style preferences

25. Four Dimensions of Personality
Where do you direct your energy?
Introvert (I) versus Extrovert (E)
Private/quite expressive/social
How do you process information?
Sensing (S) versus Intuition (N)
Direct communication create ways to process
How do you make decisions?
Thinking (T) versus Feeling (F)
Logic/analysis personal values
How do you organize your life?
Judging (J) versus Perceiving (P)
Structured/well-organized flexible/explore

26. Understanding the MBTI
Use: helps agents understand how users and coworkers view the work world and behave differently in it
Two examples of 16 possible personality types
ISTJ (Introvert, Sensing, Thinking, Judging)
ENFP (Extrovert, Intuition, Feeling, Perceiving)
Each person is a mixture of the four types
No personality type is correct or best
Most people are a mixture of pure types
Most common IT personalities: ISTJ & ESTJ

27. Strategies for Difficult Calls
Difficult call is one that requires special handling strategies because the user is angry, not communicative, rude or abusive, or exhibits other challenging attitudes
Focus on:
the specific problem
getting the needed information to the client
providing excellent customer service in a respectful manner
getting on to the next incident

28. Users Who Complain
Give ample opportunity for the user to voice complaints
May be helpful to let them vent frustration
Use empathy (p. 79 at top)
Don’t take the complaint personally
Tip: Remember that complaints can be a valuable source of feedback

29. Contacts by “Power Users”
Power user is one who is technically knowledgeable, or thinks they are, or who believes they warrant special treatment
Use inclusive language that makes the user feel like a member of the team
Use an authoritative tone
Don’t diminish their self-importance

30. Incidents That Get Off Track
Refocus the incident
Apologize for lack of prompt resolution
Summarize the basic problem information
Offer to continue to work toward a solution
Examples on p. 80

31. Users Who Are Upset or Angry
Let users vent their anger
On hold too long, talked to many people, tired of explaining the problem
Reassure user that the problem is an important one and that you are willing to help resolve it
Remember that angry users may continue to vent
How can I help resolve this to your satisfaction?
Avoid defensiveness
Follow up to build trust

32. Users Who Are Abusive
Abusive user is one who is rude, uses inappropriate language, or makes personal attacks on a support agent
Goal:
Abusive  angry  successful call
Follow the support organization’s policies and procedures for this type of incident
Terminate or ask them to use more professional language?

33. Users Who Are Reluctant to Respond
User is confused, lacks confidence, or doesn’t understand the ?’s
Use very simple language
Avoid technical jargon
Try different kinds of questions
Open-ended vs. yes/no
Give positive feedback when the user provides useful information
Suggest exchanging information in a different mode ( , chat session, face to face)

34. Users Who Won’t Stop Responding
Use behavior that indicates the call is over
Summarize the incident and describe the conclusion
Thank the user for calling
Express your belief that the problem is solved
Use short answers that don’t provide a lead-in to additional conversation or communication

35. Client-Friendly Web Sites and Web 2.0
First generation (Web 1.0)
Primarily one-way communication with users
Cost-effective method of communication with users
Second generation (Web 2.0)
Promotes collaboration among users
Emphasizes social aspects of Web
MySpace & Facebook

36. Web Site Tools User forum: organized discussions Blog: message posts
Community members Dell web site
Blog: message posts
Make posts and community comments on posts
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
Knowledge base: information archive
Someone else has probably already experienced your problem
Web sites: should be easy to use and exhibit customer service (reflection of business)

37. Purposes of Support Web Sites
Provide product information
Take sales orders
Access technical support
Provide software updates and downloads
Facilitate communication with end users
Encourage communication and collaboration among users
Provide user forums and blogs as comm. media
Provide links to related sites

38. Criteria for Eval. a Support Web Site
Content
Organization
Format
Mechanics
Accurate
Up-to-date
Well-organized
Avoids information overload
Avoids graphics that download slowly
Organized by clients needs
Uses small units of information
Effective navigation aids
Correct spelling
Correct grammar
Let users know it exists – search engine, bus. cards

39. Comprehensive Client Service
Excellent customer service is based on specific values, attitudes, and actions
Clients are the primary reason for the support organization’s existence – keep them informed
Willingness to take extra measures to satisfy clients
Ability to provide client satisfaction depends on adequate support resources (staffing, equipment, budget) follow up surveys
Excellent client service skills apply to telephone, face-to-face, and written communications orientations!
Most important chapter in book
Have to be more than just knowledgeable

40. Chapter Summary
Communication and interpersonal skills are the foundations of excellent customer service
Listen carefully to a user’s problem description, language and tone
Build understanding by restating a problem and through empathy with a user
Respond effectively with a greeting, use of scripts and an appropriate tone and style
Nonverbal communication such as posture, facial expression, eye contact, gestures, and voice quality affect communication results

41. Chapter Summary Develop a personal incident management strategy
Practice to develop a personal communication style
Learn to use telephone dialog skills effectively
Basic personality types (the MBTI) can help explain differences in communication, learning, and work styles among users and coworkers
Difficult incidents and users require special skills and strategies

42. Chapter Summary
A support Web site is cost-effective, but its design should be client-friendly
All forms of communication with users benefit from a comprehensive approach to customer service