Customer Service Training

Workbook
A free resource provided by Apropos Productions Ltd.
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Customer Service Is It Important to you?
Think about a time when you received excellent customer service.
What made it so excellent? How did the individual or company
make you feel special?
List all the things you can remember about the experience below.
Be prepared to share your experience with a partner.
ood service looks like!
"ow think about a time when you received appalling customer
service. What made it so bad? #gain list your recollections below
and be prepared to share your experience with a partner.
Bad service looks like!
$id you complain about the poor customer service? %es
"o
$id you acknowledge the excellent customer service?
%es "o
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Caracteristics of !"ce##ent Customer Service
Communication supplying needed information in a
clear&convenient way
Consistency service one day being like service another day
$ependabi#ity doing what you say you will
%riend#iness positive and supportive
%airness trying honestly to do what's in the customer's
best interest(
keeping the interest of your company in mind
%#e"ibi#ity willing to ad)ust service to *t customer need
&esponsiveness moving +uickly and e,ectively to meet
customer need and re+uests
&espectfu#ness not wasting the customer's time( listening
without interruption
Sincerity being honestly and truly concerned with serving
customer needs
Specia#ty meeting specialised needs
Sensitivity treating customers as important and being alert and
caring
So#ving Prob#ems taking action +uickly and decisively
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-our Types of .ervice
'a#ancing your Procedures (it te Persona#
%ree)er
message *We don+t care+
/rocedural
slow( inconsistent( disorganised( chaotic(
inconvenient
/ersonal
insensitive( cold&impersonal( apathetic(
aloof( uninterested
%actory
message *,ou+re a number+
/rocedural
timely( e,icient( uniform
/ersonal
insensitive( apathetic( removed( aloof
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%riend#y -oo
message *We try ard. but don+t
rea##y kno( (at (e are doing+
/rocedural
slow( inconsistent( disorganised( chaotic
/ersonal
friendly( personable( welcoming(
interested( tactful
%ocused
message *We care and de#iver+
/rocedural
timely( e,icient( uniform
/ersonal
friendly( personable( welcoming(
interested( tactful
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#dapted from! 0uality 1ustomer .ervice( William B. 2artin( /h.$
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Spot te comp#aint
The cash machine outside isn't working( can you cash a
che+ue for me?
There are no brown loaves on the shelf( do you have
anymore in stock?
The petrol pump handle was dirty( do you have any
tissues?
3'm not happy about the service 3've received today( 3
want to speak to the manager.
3've been standing in this +ueue for seven minutes.
4Telephone5 Hello( this is 2rs .mith( the engineer still
hasn't arrived to *x the washing machine.
4Telephone5 Hello( this is 2r 6ones from number six(
please tell the postman to stop dropping elastic bands
on the doorstep.
This kettle is faulty( the switch doesn't stay down.
3 did ask for an aisle seat on the 7ight.
The carriage was really noisy with all those mobile
phones going o,.
3 was disappointed with the last lot of plants 3 bought
from here( they had withered within the month.
These carrier bags are useless( the handles keep
snapping 8 3 dropped a full bag of shopping last week
and bruised all my apples.
3 tripped over that paving stone on the street outside
your shop( do you have a tissue that 3 can clean myself
up with?
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The wine appears to taste funny 8 is it okay( do you
think?
2y meal isn't hot enough( do you think you could
reheat it for me?
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/anaging $i0icu#t Customers
&eact vs &espond?
Te emotiona# brain
"atural behaviours
Te tinking brain
Learned behaviours
3nstinctive 1onstructive
3mmediate /roblem solving
3mpulsive 1ontrolled
3rrational 9ational
:3;centred' :We;centred'
The situation controls us We are in control of ourselves
and can therefore guide the
situation
#ggressive&passive&submissive
behaviours
#ssertive behaviour
&!ACT &!SP12$
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Conveying te *&igt Image+
etting your image right the *rst time can be di,icult in
the workplace. Whether you are on a building site( in the
reception of a large multi;national corporation or working
at a local *sh < chip shop( your customers 4internal and
external5 will make some pretty strong )udgments about
you 4positive or negative5( through your :professional
image'.
That is why it is important to be slightly :self aware'
about how you are coming across at all times.
&ate yourse#f3 Circ#e 4 if no improvement is
re5uired. circ#e 6 or 7 if you need considerab#e
improvement. 'e onest and if uncertain a#so ask a
co##eague8friend for teir opinion.
=xcelle
nt
oo
d
-ai
r
Wea
k
/oor
Hairstyle( hair grooming
4appropriate length <
clean5
> ? @ A B
/ersonal habits of
cleanliness
4body5
> ? @ A B
/ersonal habits of
hygiene
4hands( *ngernail <
teeth5
> ? @ A B
#ttire and )ewellery
4appropriate5
> ? @ A B
"eatness
4shoes( boots( suitable
and tidy5
> ? @ A B
eneral grooming
4appear professional5
> ? @ A B
#ppropriate words <
tone
4swearing( :hu,ing'(
screaming5
> ? @ A B
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Wen it comes to my image at (ork. I (ou#d rate
myse#f3
p#ease circ#e
!9C!LL!2T :11$ SATIS%ACT1&,
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Prob#em So#ving
Being an excellent service organisation is the key to success in
business. Cver the past decade the DE economy has been
transformed from being led by manufacturing to being able to
deliver service excellence. Today( and in the future( the key to a
company's success is how well they deliver .=9F31=.
1ustomers will even pay extra for the same product if you have a
reputation of delivering that product with better service.
=xcellent customer service should almost be invisible( our
customers will only notice when things go wrong.
How do we cope when the last thing we want to do is deal with a
tedious complaint?
%ACT or %ICTI12?
T;! C<ST1/!& IS ALWA,S &I:;T=
$ISC<SS=
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><$:!/!2T
versus
%!!LI2:S ? 2!!$S
LIST!2I2: @ coices
When you listen to a customer( you often hear what is being said in
terms of )udgementsG )udging whether what is being said is true or
false( right or wrong( good or bad.
However( once you become aware of your )udgements( you can then
look at every message as an expression of the customer's present
feelings and needs.
.o any message can be listened to in the following four ways!
6 ><$:I2: 1<&S!LA!S 4true&false&right&wrong&good&bad5
7 ><$:I2: 1T;!&S 4true&false&right&wrong&good&bad5
B /, %!!LI2:S ? 2!!$S 4How am 3 feeling( what do 3 need
in this situation5
@ T;!I& %!!LI2:S ? 2!!$S 4How are they feeling( what
do they need in this situation5
Listening in terms of )udgements is likely to lead to
misunderstandings and con7ict( and to needs not being met.
Listening in terms of feelings and needs is likely to lead to
understanding and harmony and to needs being met.
Cnce we are aware of this and know how to listen in these ? ways(
we can then have a better choice about how to receive what is
being said.
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!"amp#e3 /essage I have been waiting ages to speak to
someone!
6 ><$:I2: 1<&S!LA!S 43 am right&wrong( this is
true&false&good&bad5
CInterna##yD Oh no, why am I always so disorganised? I start
the day out relaxed and then suddenly everything falls
apart!
C1ut #oudD Im sorry but I am a bit stretched at the moment! I
dont have the time to speak to you!
7 ><$:I2: 1T;!&S 4They are right&wrong( this is
true&false&good&bad5
CInterna##yD What a pain in the neck! Whats wrong with
them? ant they see I am busy and stressed!
C1ut #oudD !lease dont be so pushy! "oure not the only customer
we have!
B S!2SI2: 1<& %!!LI2:S ? 2!!$S
Cconnecting (it ourse#ves si#ent#y or a#oudD
Im disappointed because I wish could have given better
service to the customer# I also hate it when I am stuck
waiting around#
@ S!2SI2: T;!I& %!!LI2:S ? 2!!$S
Cguessing si#ent#y or guessing a#oudD
Im sorry that no one has been here to help# I know its not
nice waiting# $ive me %ve minutes to %nish with this other
customer and then I can get straight onto you#
!9!&CIS!
Think of a message that you hear often from a customer( or one
that is hard for you to receive. Write it down below. Then write
how you would respond in each of the ? ways. .pecify whether you
imagine this as a silent response or as something you might say
aloud.
/!SSA:!3
6
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7
B
@
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!9!&CIS!
9efer to your examples of poor telephone service and
e,icient&friendly telephone service and create your checklist.
:ood Te#epone !ti5uette Poor Te#epone !ti5uette
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&ea#ity ceck ;o( (e## do you communicate?
The Dniversity of 1ambridge has identi*ed H key behavioural skills
that are demonstrated by e,ective communicators. 3n the table
below( score yourself in each of the H areas.
E Fey 'eaviours Sca#e 6 G 6H C6 I very poor to 6H I
e"ce##entD
B. #ctive Listening
A. .peak =,ectively
@. #sk Cpen
0uestions
?. /ositive #ttitude
>. Build 9apport <
Trust
I. Body Language
J. 9ich Focabulary
H. /rofessional
3mage
#dd up your total score out of a possible HK points
.core! LLL&HK
9e7ect back throughout your working day to consider when you
are using these key skills. %our personal impact will make a
positive di,erence to your professional relationships.
=,ective communication is a core skill 8 it is learnable and re+uires
an investment of time and energy to get results.
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Active Listening !"ercise
-ind a practice partner. Take turns telling events from your lives.
#s you listen to your practice partner( sum up your practice
partnerMs overall experience and feelings in brief responses during
the telling!
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Learning from te past (it te too#s of te present.
Think of one or more conversations in your life that went badly.
3magine how the conversations might have gone better with more
responsive listening. Write down your alternative version of the
conversation.
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/anaging $i0icu#t Situations
PAC&!
P#D.=
don't take it personally
hold back on your impulsive response
di,use your tension by breathing out
give the other person a chance to let o, steam
A1E"CWL=$=
show you are listening
work hard to see the situation from their perspective then N
re7ect back what they said and how they might feel
use their name 8 it's a great di,user and personalises the interaction
L#93-%


ask +uestions to fully explore their problem
check back your understanding of the situation
7ag +uestions and personalise them
e.g. M.o 2r 9edford( 3'd like to make sure 3've understood the problem
correctlyM
take notes to help you concentrate
R=./C"$
keep an assertive and sympathetic tone( but match their pace 4initially
at least5
o,er suggestions con*dently
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if you cannot do something say why not and immediately link it with a
can e.g. :We are not able to do .... because ....however( what 3 can
suggest is N.'
if the person still insists on what you can't do 8 re;instate the
constraint and work together for a suitable situation
get agreement
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PAC& Prep Seet
P#D.=
A1E"CWL=$=
CL#93-%
&=./C"$
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1bservers ceck#ist
Tecni5ue
<sed3 ,es82o <sefu# prase8(ords
&mpathy
Dse the
customer's
name
C,er options
and
alternatives
1heck for
agreement
Dnder;promise
and over;
deliver
.mileO
Cthers
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;and#ing $i0icu#t Customers
Te aggressive customer3
$on't take it personallyO .tay calm and professional 8 imagine
the customer is a large over;in7ated balloon with no knot at the
neck. %ou have control over releasing all that hot air from inside
the balloon by releasing the pressure( or you can keep the
pressure on and the balloon will eventually explodeO
=xplain that you really do want to help 8 say something like( :3
really want to help you( but 3 need to take down some details
and it would help if you would calm down'.
3f the customer's abuse continues( keep cool and repeat the fact
that you are there to help.
3f the customer's abuse still continues( suggest that you call
them back shortly when they have had a chance to calm down(
or o,er to get a supervisor to make the call if you feel that this
would satisfy the customer.
Te ramb#er3
Be ready to intervene as soon as they take a breath and ask
them to explain brie7y the reason for their call.
#sk speci*c closed +uestions in order to elicit necessary
information.
Dse gaps in the conversation to bring the customer back to the
point 8 and stay on track yourselfO
Be polite but *rmG say something like( :3'm going to get on to
this straight away for you( 3 must go'.
Te accent3
Listen attentively and minimise interruptions
Dse simple language and don't shoutO
9epeat important points to show understanding( or clarify.
.peak more slowly.
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Action P#an
Actions Timesca#es
&ed 8 things 3'm
going to stop
doing
Amber 8 things
3'm going to
continue doing
:reen 8 things
3'm going to start
doing
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21T!S
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