A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 4e Solutions 3-1

Chapter 3 Solutions
Review Questions

1. That calls are handled in a prompt, courteous, and consistent manner.

2. Consistency builds trust and teaches your customer what they can expect and how to
prepare when they call.
3. (1) Its size. (2) The goals of the company. (3) The nature of the business it is in. (4)
Customer expectations.
4. With VoIP an organization can reduce its costs by using its existing data network to route
phone calls. Other benefits include integration with existing data systems and analyst
mobility (e.g., analysts are able to work at home).
5. (1) Customers must be given an idea of when their call will be returned. (2) Messages must
be returned in the time frame promised.
6. Yes. All incidents must be logged.
7. They (1) answer calls, (2) route or distribute the calls to the next available analyst, (3) place
calls in a queue if all analysts are busy, and (4) provide a wealth of statistical information.
8. Skills-based routing matches the requirements of an incoming call to the skill sets of
available analysts or analyst groups. The ACD then distributes the call to the next available,
most qualified analyst (as opposed to simply routing the call to the next available analyst).
9. Obtain information or to perform a function. For example, a VRU can collect a unique
identifier, such as a customer’s employee ID or product number, and then use it to verify
that the customer is entitled to service.
10. By having the caller use the keys on their touch-tone telephone, or, when speech
recognition is available, speak their input into the telephone.
11. Information about the caller appears, or pops up, on an analyst’s monitor based on caller
information captured by the telephone system and passed to a computer system.
12. (1) Telephone technologies, such as voice mail and fax, enable service desk analysts to
periodically have time away from the telephone. (2) ACDs can broadcast messages, thus
reducing the number of calls that analysts must handle. (3) When ACDs use information
collected from the caller to route the call to the analyst best suited to handle the customer’s
request, analysts receive calls they are able to handle, thus reducing their stress.
13. (1) Answering the telephone. (2). Handling calls about unsupported products and services.
(3) Taking a message. (4) Closing the call.
14. Scripts enable analysts to focus their energies on resolving incidents and service requests and
handling unique situations (rather than figuring out what to say or how to say it). They also
help analysts find a positive way to say something they do not feel comfortable saying such
as saying “No” to a customer.
15. (1) Put a smile on your face. (2) Take a deep breath.
16. (1) The name of your company or department. (2) Your name. (3) The first question.
A Guide to Customer Service Skills for the Service Desk Professional, 4e Solutions 3-2

17. False. Listen carefully to how a customer offers his or her name. If the customer uses a title,
address the customer with that title until you are given permission to use a first name or a
nickname.
18. It teaches customers what information you need.
19. You may not always be there. It’s also disrespectful to your co-workers. You want to
communicate to the customer that anyone on the service desk can assist.
20. They receive training, documentation, procedures, and they typically have a copy of
supported software and may have access to a lab that contains supported hardware.
21. (1) Analysts who assist customers with incidents relating to unsupported products
undermine the ability of the entire team to handle work that is within its scope of
responsibility. They also may (2) waste time and effort working on the incident, (3) delay
the finding of a solution, or (4) waste the customer’s time as the customer may have to
repeat their explanation with another group or company.
22. Ask if there is something you can do.
23. (1) The caller’s name. (2) Preferred contact method such as a telephone number or email
address. (3) The required time frame for a response. (4) The message.
24. (1) Recap. (2) Repeat any action steps that you are going to take. (3) Be specific about the
time frame within which the customer can expect a resolution. (4) Share any information
that will enable the customer to be more self-sufficient in the future. (5) Ask the customer if
there is anything else that you can do. (6) Thank the customer for calling. (7) Let the
customer hang up first.
25. No longer than the time frame indicated in the company’s policy.
26. Wait for customers to respond before placing them on hold. If customers do not want to be
placed on hold, ask what they would prefer.
27. With a hot transfer, you stay on the line. With a warm transfer, you stay on the line long
enough to introduce the customer and the service provider and relay information you have
collected thus far. With a cold transfer, you simply transfer the call.
28. The customer may perceive you weren’t listening.
29. (1) Take advantage of any training programs that are offered at the service desk where you
work. (2) Check out books, CDs, or DVDs from your local library.
30. Consistent handling of contacts.
31. Customers’ perceptions about the support services they receive.
32. (1) Listen actively to your customers. (2) Record your calls and listen to how you sound.
(3) Ask a co-worker or your team leader for feedback.
33. They may be uncomfortable or they may begin to mistrust the responses they receive.
34. There is always something you can do.