1. AWWA Customer Service Certificate Program Course 2: The Business of Customer Service

2. Essentials of Customer Service Excellence Relationships Communication

3. Business Leader Quotes "It's all about expectations," J.C. Penney chairman and chief executive Mike Ullman said. "Southwest Airlines has never been considered a full-service airline, but it has a high delivery on its promise. It has high customer satisfaction because it fulfills its promise.” “Merchants Struggle to Define Customer Satisfaction - In a New Era of Service, What Does it Mean to Satisfy Consumers?” 07:53 AM CDT on Monday, July 30, 2007 By MARIA HALKIAS / The Dallas Morning News dallasnews.com dallasnews.com

4. Business Leader Quotes Merchants struggle to Define Customer Satisfaction In a New Era of Service, What does it Mean to Satisfy Consumers? 07:53 AM CDT on Monday, July 30, 2007 By MARIA HALKIAS / The Dallas Morning News dallasnews.com dallasnews.com J.C. Penney is working hard to improve its customer satisfaction scores by retaining good employees and teaching them to make shoppers feel welcome. Its marketing message, "Every Day Matters," shouts that it wants to supply the daily needs of life. At the same time, Penney is one of the industry's biggest users of technology designed to have the right product available at the right price. Its cash registers are wired to the Internet, so if housewares doesn't have the color you want, the sales assistant can order it right there for delivery to your door. Customer service "is easier said than done, and it's a lot of different pieces," Mr. Ullman said. "If the register doesn't work, it doesn't matter how friendly the person is. If the price isn't right, the restroom isn't clean and the dressing room isn't tidy, those are all disqualifiers."

5. Business Leader Quotes “For decades, sultans of standardization, like Wal- Mart and McDonald's, have ruled the consumer markets. But their formula of rigorous consistency is now reaching a point of diminishing returns. U.S. communities have grown more diverse—in ethnicity, wealth, lifestyle and values. Many areas are saturated with big boxes, and consumers are rebelling against cookie-cutter stores that threaten the uniqueness of their neighborhoods. Attempts to build new chain stores often face fierce resistance. More of the same is tapped out as a strategy. The same applies internationally.” “MacDonald’s in China” Customer Service - Micro Case Study Asia’s Most Popular Source of Business Case Studies http://www.icmrindia.org/

6. What is Customer Service Excellence? “Being treated with courtesy.” “Receiving a prompt response to your request.” “Being personally acknowledged.” “Receiving fair treatment.” “Dealing with an individual who cares about your problem.” “Receiving follow-up when the problem requires it.” “Focus First on Service: The Voice and Face of Your Utility” AWWA Publication

7. Directions: As all CSRs know, it is a common occurrence to have a customer call with what he or she thinks the problem is when in reality, the real issue is something else. For example, a customer may call to complain because the water is shut off. This may or may not have anything to do with payment. There could be a service interruption due to a water main repair. CSRs must be able to assist the customer by identifying the real underlying issue. Not doing so can impact the indicators of customer service excellence and reflect poorly on the water utility’s public image. In the activity on the following page, you will be presented with 6 typical situations where customers are calling and you cannot tell what the real issue is. You will identify open-ended questions that can be used to help the customer share more information so the real issue may be identified. Survey: Open-Ended Questions *Survey: Open-Ended Questions *The Attitude Survey is from the assessment Everyday Skills for High Performance Organizations and is used with permission by Dr. Tony Ingram. © 1995 Dr. Tony Ingram

8. Directions: On the previous page, you looked at statistics about race, culture, the generations, and the types of households in America today. Sometimes, it’s easier to think about these dimensions using something familiar, like your own world. Please complete the “Survey: Dimensions of Diversity.” The survey is for your eyes only. Please use Column A to record how many of your coworkers, family, friends, and neighbors represent the Dimensions of Diversity listed in Column B. Make sure you complete the survey parts1, 2, and 3. Resources related to “Dimensions of Diversity” are located in the appendix of your workbook. Survey: Dimensions of Diversity Survey: Dimensions of Diversity Survey

9. Gentle Reminder: Please Complete Parts 2 and 3. Thank you. Survey: Dimensions of Diversity Survey

10. Directions: This exercise is for your eyes only. Be honest with yourself. Do you have a positive attitude toward customers? Please rate yourself using the following scale. Then review the Scoring Guide to see how you did. 1 = Never 2 = Rarely 3 = Sometimes 4 = Frequently 5 = All the Time The Attitude Survey *The Attitude Survey *The Attitude Survey is from the assessment Everyday Skills for High Performance Organizations and is used with permission by Dr. Tony Ingram. © 1995 Dr. Tony Ingram

11. Advantages of Listening Demonstrates Respect Diffuses Potentially Volatile Situations Basis of Learning Foundation of Civility Prerequisite for Problem

12.  Good Tone of Voice ___  Attitude ____________  Being “Open” ____________  Body Language ______________  Non-Verbal Expression ___  Sensitivity ____________  Providing Info When Asked ___  Willingness to be Helpful ___  Tactfulness ____________ Directions: We all have many excellent “tools” for demonstrating and expressing our professionalism and interest in our customers. During lunch see how many of these behaviors you are able to observe in your fellow participants. Each behavior is positive and supports customer service excellence. Simply check each behavior you saw demonstrated sometime during lunch. A place for a quick note is provided as well. The Take Away Lunch Time Activity What is the Japanese word for customer?

13. You are a member of a group of CSRs who work as a team in a utility call center. The supervisor is Pat. Your call center just installed a new Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system. The CSRs are very capable and skilled in their own capacity. The CSRs have received appropriate training and orientation to the new IVR. At a regular staff meeting, Pat announces two weeks of scheduled time off. Pat makes it clear that during this time CSRs are to work in teams of two. The assignment is a weekly status report on how the new IVR is working. Special problems with the new IVR are to be identified. The potential root cause(s), corrective, and preventative action(s) are also to be identified. Pat asks you to ensure that all teams provide this weekly report. You accept the assignment. The staff meeting ends with Pat giving you the list of teams. Charles and Mary are assigned to work together. Sometimes they do not get along. They have different approaches for handling assignments. Charles prefers to meet weekly and discuss as a team what is working and what is not. At their first meeting, Mary believes that Charles does not agree with the root cause she identifies. Mary also believes Charles is really complaining and dissatisfied with the new IVR. Mary believes that Charles does not believe Mary really knows how the new IVR works. Mary withdraws into herself. Meanwhile, Charles types up “their” weekly status report. This breakdown in teamwork is increasing hostility between Charles and Mary. It is also having a negative impact on the group. The Scenario *The Conflict Quiz *The Conflict Quiz is from the assessment Everyday Skills for High Performance Organizations and is used with permission by Dr. Tony Ingram. © 1995 Dr. Tony Ingram

14. The Conflict Quiz *The Conflict Quiz *The Conflict Quiz is from the assessment Everyday Skills for High Performance Organizations and is used with permission by Dr. Tony Ingram. © 1995 Dr. Tony Ingram

15. How do I Handle and Manage Conflict? *How do I Handle and Manage Conflict? *The Conflict Quiz is from the assessment Everyday Skills for High Performance Organizations and is used with permission by Dr. Tony Ingram. © 1995 Dr. Tony Ingram

16. How Do I Handle and Manage Conflict? *How do I Handle and Manage Conflict? 0 to 6 Points – You handle and manage conflict well. You seldom interfere by splitting up an argument between your team members. There may be several reasons. 1. You and your fellow work team members are compatible with one another. 2. You have the skills for helping co-workers and team members sort out disagreements when they do occur. 3. You and your co-workers see handling conflict as an ongoing process and not a “once in awhile” occurrence. Good job! 7 to 10 Points – There are probably occasional conflicts among members of your work team, even though you handle conflict when it impacts assignments and tasks given to you. Your work team may benefit from conflict training so the team is strengthened and common goals are clearly identified. 11 to 16 Points – It seems as though conflict may be a pattern within your work team. The environment may often be tense and this can hinder getting assignments done. Team building is needed ASAP. And it may be that assignments need to be aligned (or re-aligned) by the supervisor based on everyone’s competencies. *The Conflict Quiz is from the assessment Everyday Skills for High Performance Organizations and is used with permission by Dr. Tony Ingram. © 1995 Dr. Tony Ingram. *The Conflict Quiz is from the assessment Everyday Skills for High Performance Organizations and is used with permission by Dr. Tony Ingram. © 1995 Dr. Tony Ingram

17. The Bill of Rights For Customer Service Assertive Responders You have the inalienable right to be assertive when engaged in conversation. Civility is an appropriate expectation of all customer service professionals and customers. You have the right to express yourself at any particular time and point out when you feel or believe your rights as a human being have been compromised by another person’s behavior and/or actions toward you. You have the right to respond to any question in your own time frame that is comfortable for you. You have the right to be treated professionally throughout the utility organization with work responsibilities that complement your employment status. You have the right to expect that customers and coworkers will treat you with respect.

18. ACD - Automatic Call Distributor AMI - Advanced Metering Infrastructure Backflow Prevention Database Billing Systems CAD - Computer Aided Design CIS - Customer Information System CSR Information Page CMMS - Computerized Maintenance Management System (Work Orders) Document Management System CRM - Customer Relationship Management GIS - Geographical Information System Internet Intranet IVR-Interactive Voice ResponseRonse LIMS - Laboratory Information Management System SCADA - Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition VoIP - Voice over Internet Protocol Workload Management, Forecasting, and Staff Schedule Modeling Online Credit Card Processing TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS Related to Customer Service AMR - Automatic Meter Reading = Customer Service Representatives Typically Use These Applications Softphone CMS - Call Management System E-mail Call Logging, Reporting, Monitoring

19. It’s All About Water! A Team & Knowledge Building Activity Designed for: In this activity, you will be participating in a game styled after the popular TV Game Show, Jeopardy®. The purpose of “It’s All About Water” is to strengthen your knowledge of the water utility business by using the answers you sought in the “Scavenger Hunt.” This knowledge is essential to customer service effectiveness. During this activity, you will be in a team because it takes everyone working together to focus first on customer service excellence. Course 2: The Business of Customer Service

20. Today’s Participating Teams Table 1 Table 3Leader Member Table 2Table 4 Leader MemberMember

21. Rules of Play The Host will read the question. No one may speak until given permission by the Host. Each team must ring the bell when they know the answer. The team who first rings the bell will be given the opportunity to answer.

22. Rules of Play If the answer is incorrect, that team will lose the point value of the question and the other teams will be given a chance to answer the question. The team with the highest final score is the winner.

23. The Categories Meter Reading Billing Sewerage Miscellaneous

24. It’s All About Water Meter ReadingBillingSewerageMiscellaneous 10 20 40 50 75 100 Tie Breaker Question Go to

25. Meter Reading Why is water metered? Return

26. Meter Reading Name two reasons that a meter may not be read on the scheduled reading day. Return

27. Meter Reading Explain how to read a meter to a customer. Return

28. Meter Reading Why is water measured in specific units? Return

29. Meter Reading Some utility accounts are unmetered. Name one reason why. Return

30. Meter Reading What is one benefit of Automatic Meter Reading? Return

31. Billing Name two reasons why a customer’s bill could be high. Return

32. Billing Give an explanation for “Extension on payment” (including your utilities’ parameters) for customers who are unable to pay their bills. Return

33. Billing Name one reason a customer is charged for a disconnect fee even though the water was not turned off. Return

34. Billing Explain what is meant by “Equal or Budget” billing. Return

35. Billing Name two potential billing issues for tenant-occupied properties. Return

36. Billing Name one reason why customers would receive an overdue charge on their bill. Return

37. Sewerage When can customers use their own septic or waste system if a sewer main is available? Return

38. Sewerage What is the difference between a combined sewer system and a sanitary sewer system? Return

39. Sewerage Name one reason why a customer may pay more for sewer charges than for water. Return

40. Sewerage By what means is sewer usage measured? Return

41. Sewerage Name one reason why a customer’s sewer usage may be lower than water usage. Return

42. Sewerage What is meant by Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO)? Return

43. Miscellaneous Why should people have to pay for water? Return

44. Miscellaneous What are two reasons that a customer’s water may be shut off? Return

45. Miscellaneous Name one common reason that customers call their water utility. Return

46. Miscellaneous What is meant by the term “Conservation” rates? Return

47. Miscellaneous Name at least one place where a customer can get some help paying his/her bill. Return

48. Miscellaneous Name two indicators or signs that a customer's water may not be normal. Return

49. Tie-Breaker Question What is the difference between volume and pressure? Return

50. Thank You and Congratulations to the Winners!