Customer Service Excellence How to Win and Keep Customers

Introduction

Achieving customer service excellence is not accomplished by accident, nor is it attained without effort and teamwork. It requires well–trained customer service professionals who have a passion for providing quality service. This dynamic, five-day course emphasizes the professional communication skills and actions that create the foundation for continuous improvement.

In today’s customer-oriented business environment, “people skills” are critical for career advancement and organizational effectiveness. The program emphasis the importance of providing customer service excellence in a competitive environment, proven strategies for service recovery, and negotiation techniques for dealing with difficult customers in a professional manner.

• Identify key components that promote customer retention and loyalty
• Describe the practices of a world-class customer service provider and model their own performance on those practices
• Utilize interpersonal skills as vital tools in the provision of customer service
• Develop a customer-focused mindset for continuous improvement
• Improved conflict resolution skills
• Learn about Customer Service and Quality Management Tools
• Learn how to improve Customer Satisfaction
• Improve your people skills
• Learn how to proactively manage and control expectations
• Acquire a six-step process which you can use to plan your negotiations so that you can be sure that you have all the bases covered
• Develop and refine the 5 key skills crucial for expert negotiations: creating rapport, sensory acuity, yes sets, needs definition & sending positive messages
• Gain a structure within which you can effectively apply your new-found skills
• Understand how you can build on your own strengths and overcome your weaknesses in a negotiating situation
• Acquire a blueprint which you can apply for each negotiation you attend
• Know how to avoid common pitfalls and effectively handle "dirty tricks"
• Learn about Customer Service and Quality Management Tools
• Learn how to improve Customer Satisfaction
• Improve your people skills
• Learn how to proactively manage and control expectations

Objectives

Establish the importance of setting and reviewing customer service standards

• Develop an understanding of internal and external customer expectations
• Communicate more effectively by utilizing active listening and questioning skills
• Demonstrate how to deal with difficult customers effectively
• Set SMART objectives and goals to increase daily productivity
• Utilize stress management techniques to reduce tension
• Describe how to use Quality Management tools and methods
• Build strong customer relationships
• Help influence and set customer expectations
• Measure their own degree of customer focus and be able to apply a variety of methods to get closer to the customer
• Implement improved people skills to enhance customer service
• Improve service to internal customers as well as external customers
• Use skills to build effective relationships

Training Methodology

This is an interactive course. There will be open question and answer sessions, regular group exercises and activities, videos, case studies, and presentations on best practice. Participants will have the opportunity to share with the facilitator and other participants on what works well and not so well for them, as well as work on issues from their own organizations. The online course is conducted online using MS-Teams/ClickMeeting.

Who Should Attend?

• All professionals in customer facing positions or with specific responsibilities for Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction
• Frontline customer service representatives (CSR)
• Team supervisors
• Department managers
• Account managers
• Field service representatives

Course Outline

DAY 1: Setting the Standards for Customer Service Excellence

• The benefits of providing excellent customer service
• Breakout session: How to use customer service to promote customer loyalty
• Case study: The best and worst customer service providers
• The WOW Factor: Going the extra mile…and then some!
• The importance of managing internal and external customer expectations
• First impressions: What do your customers see and hear?
• Understanding and working with the four customer styles
• Practical exercise: What is your individual personality type?

DAY 2: Communicating the Customer Service Message

• How well does your organization communicate the importance of customer service?
• Understanding your customer’s nonverbal communication
• Tips for building trust and rapport quickly…face-to-face or on the telephone
• What is your preferred learning style?
• Developing your active listening skills to enhance communications
• Use questioning techniques to identify a customer’s expectations and service requirements
• Telephone tips to promote a professional image
• The dos and don’t of written communication

DAY 3: Service Recovery: Handling Complaints and Difficult Customers

• The importance of customer complaints and why they should be encouraged
• Six steps to service recovery
• Case Study: Best Practices of Scandinavian Airlines and The Disney Corporation
• Strategies to help calm upset customers
• Managing emotions during stressful situations
• Empower employees to get the job done
• Breakout session: Step-by-step process for handling a customer complaint
• Role-play exercise: Dealing with upset customers

DAY 4: Principles of Persuasion

• Requesting feedback from customers and colleagues
• The art of giving and receiving feedback
• Case study: Best practices - Xerox’ Five Pillars of Customer-focused Strategy
• Negotiating mutually beneficial outcomes
• Words and tones to avoid
• The RATER Model: Five dimensions of customer service excellence
• Best practices for call handling, documentation, and quality assurance
• Measuring and monitoring customer satisfaction

DAY 5: Getting the Right Customer Service Attitude

• The importance of attitude and teamwork
• Focusing on continuous improvement
• Stress management tips to increase productivity
• Practical exercise: What are your biggest “timewasters” that block productivity?
• The customer service mission and vision
• Setting personal and professional goals
• Practical exercise: What is your Action Plan?
• End of course review and delegate feedback