2 - Introduction To Customer Service Skills

Introduction to Customer
Service Skills
1
1 || Introduction
TELUS Health to Customer
& PaymentService Skills Training
Solutions
Session Objectives and Agenda
▪ Understand why putting our customers first is important to our strategy
OBJECTIVES ▪ Introduction of how to put our Customers First every day
1 Introductions
2 Defining Customer Service
3 The 3 As
4 Tone of Voice
5 Components of a Call
Call Opening
Identifying Customer Needs
Providing Solutions & Ensuring Understanding
Call Wrap-up
6 Difficult Calls
7 Making it happen
2
2 || Introduction
Solutions
Virtual Session
Service Skills
Remain attentive
● Turn off all distractions
● Several breaks during this session
● Let's keep subjects on the right track
Keep an open mind

● Put aside all preconceived ideas
● Let’s all leave our egos at the virtual door
● No offered idea is a bad idea
Let's participate together

● Everyone participates. This is why we call you folks “participants”.
● If you need clarification, just say so! This session is nourished by discussion and collaboration
Ice Breaker
Service Skills
What does great customer

service mean to you?
?
Customers First for TELUS Health
Service Skills
“Advancing TELUS leadership in healthcare information management”

delivering better health outcomes for Canadians by enabling doctors, clinicians, pharmacists and consumers with highly reliable
information technology, tools and applications.
• What does putting our customers first mean to physicians, medical office assistants,
pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals that we support?
“…in pursuit of better health outcomes for Canadians”
• What does putting our customers first promise mean to Canadians seeking
healthcare outcomes?
5 | Introduction to Customer Service Skills Training

What do you hope to take out of today’s session?
Service Skills
Enter text here:
WHITEBOARD

Acknowledge, Align, Assure
Customer Service Skills
The unhappy customer
Service Skills
Share a time when you had to

work with a disgruntled customer.
What did you do?

Acknowledge – Align – Assure
Service Skills
ACKNOWLEDGE
Accept that the customer
perceives there is a problem –
whether it is a real problem or
not
Suggested Phrasing
o I understand your problem very well
o Ah yes, I recognize your problem
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9 || Introduction
Solutions
Service Skills
ACKNOWLEDGE ALIGN
Accept that the customer Demonstrate that they are not
perceives there is a problem – alone in their issue
whether it is a real problem or
not
Suggested Phrasing Suggested Phrasing

o I understand your problem very well o I also dislike when this happens
o Ah yes, I recognize your problem o Others have had this problem recently
o My colleague had a similar call just
yesterday
10
10 || Introduction
Solutions
Service Skills
ACKNOWLEDGE ALIGN ASSURE

Accept that the customer Demonstrate that they are not We assure our customers by
perceives there is a problem – alone in their issue demonstrating that they have
whether it is a real problem or called the right place
not
Suggested Phrasing Suggested Phrasing Suggested Phrasing

o I understand your problem very well o I also dislike when this happens o I assure you that we can help you
o Ah yes, I recognize your problem o Others have had this problem recently o You’ve come to the right place! Let
o My colleague had a similar call just me help you.
yesterday o I am happy to reassure you on that
11
11 || Introduction
Solutions
Service Skills
ACKNOWLEDGE ALIGN ASSURE

Accept that the customer Demonstrate that they are not We assure our customers by
perceives there is a problem – alone in their issue demonstrating that they have
whether it is a real problem or called the right place
not
Suggested Phrasing Suggested Phrasing Suggested Phrasing

o I understand your problem very well o I also dislike when this happens o I assure you that we can help you
o Ah yes, I recognize your problem o Others have had this problem recently o You’ve come to the right place! Let
o My colleague had a similar call just me help you.
yesterday o I am happy to reassure you on that
I understand your problem! It’s true that when these

situations come up it can be very frustrating – I too get
frustrated! I assure you that you’ve called the right place.
12
12 || Introduction
Solutions
Exercise - Acknowledge – Align – Assure
Service Skills
Putting “Acknowledge, Align and Assure into practice!
Recall Practice your

suggestions for A new scenario delivery of
INSTRUCTIONS Acknowledge, will be shown
Align, Assure Acknowledge,
on screen Align, Assure!
phrasing

Service Skills
Scenario 1
“I am unhappy because my
printer will not print properly! It
is always wasting labels.”
14
14 || Introduction
Solutions
Service Skills
Scenario 2
“My !@#$ computer will not
turn on and I have a patient
waiting! Help me!”
15
15 || Introduction
Solutions
Service Skills
Scenario 3
“I tried to schedule an
appointment for a patient and I
keep getting errors!”
16
16 || Introduction
Solutions
Service Skills
Scenario 4
“My software isn’t responding

again. Please help!”
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17 || Introduction
Solutions
Service Skills
Scenario 5
“I just learnt this software and I
can’t remember where to find a
certain menu. I feel real dumb.”
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18 || Introduction
Solutions
Service Skills
And so? How did that go?

Tone
Reading a customer’s tone
Service Skills
Tone helps us to understand

how a customer is feeling the
moment they speak. Whatever
emotions they are experiencing
in that moment will come across
in their voice without fail!
When you understand how your customer is feeling on the call, you are empowered to help change their
attitude!
21
21 || Introduction
Solutions
Your tone of voice
Service Skills
Tone of
Message Voice &
Content Body
Language
Tone of Voice = 38%

Body Language = 55%
Source: Albert Mehrabian

Your tone of voice
Service Skills The 6 components of tone of voice
Tone of Volume
Message Voice &
Content Body
Language
Emotion Pitch
TONE
Enunciation Pace
Tone of Voice = 38%

Body Language = 55%
Source: Albert Mehrabian Inflection

Exercise - Tone of voice
Service Skills
Physical impacts to tone
One person closes

Find a The team member with
INSTRUCTIONS partner and
their eyes, the other
greets them while
their eyes closed must
guess how the other
You will have 5 minutes for sit facing adopting one of the
was sitting or
each other below activities that
this activity. impacts tone
attempting which tone
✔ Sit upright and smile – it comes

across in your tone 🗶 Slouch down in your chair
✔ Use a positive and upbeat tone

🗶 Speak in a downbeat or bored tone
Can you think of other things that might impact your tone? Try it out with your partner and see if they can tell the difference!
24
24 || Introduction
Solutions
Tone of voice - Tips & Tricks
Service Skills
✔ 🗶
Listen to the customer’s tone
Ignore the customer’s tone so
to gauge their mood and tailor
that they don’t feel understood
how you will talk with them
✔ 🗶
Encourage the customer to Fail to ask questions so that
move to the diagnose stage so the customer simply talks at
they feel you are in control you
Don’t forget - confidence is key!
25
25 || Introduction
Solutions
Components of a call
Components of a call
Service Skills
❶ Welcome
• Greet the customer
• Verify the customer
❷ Diagnose
• Understand why customer has called
• Gather relevant information
❸ Deliver
• Resolve the issue or provide customer with relevant
information
❹ Close
• Summarize key actions
• Thank the customer for calling
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27 || Introduction
Solutions
Call Opening
For Consideration - Greeting
Service Skills
How would you like to

be greeted when calling How should we greet our
a support center? customers based on
what your preferences
are?

Call Opening
OVERVIEW: We all know that first impressions count. Starting the call positively and assertively helps put the
customer at ease and means we’re in the driver’s seat from the beginning.
Your role Our customer

Greet the customer with a confident,
professional and positive tone
Listen for clues in the customer’s

tone, what are they saying and how
are they saying it? Tailor your tone so
that it is appropriate to the customer
scenario.
Call
experience
Remaining confident, tailor your tone
so that it is appropriate to that
customer
If the customer has been transferred, tell

them what you already know (demonstrating
they haven’t been blind transferred)
30
30 || Introduction
Solutions
Call Opening
REVIEW: We all know that first impressions count. Starting the call positively and assertively helps put the customer
at ease and means we’re in the driver’s seat from the beginning.

professional and positive tone
From the start it was like, ‘ok great, I
have someone who is going to be able to
Listen for clues in the customer’s help me.”
that it is appropriate to the customer
scenario.
Call
experience
Remaining confident, tailor your tone “It’s
so frustrating when I have to explain
so that it is appropriate to that myself over and over so I was glad that the
customer agents had actually spoken to each other
before transferring me.”
If the customer has been transferred, tell
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31 || Introduction
Solutions
Understanding Customer Needs
Why do we probe?
Service Skills
?
In Customer Service, why do we
ask questions?
What is the point?

The 2 Question types
Service Skills
OPEN ENDED CLOSE ENDED

o Questions that o A question that can be
require more than answered with either a
one word single word or a short
answers. phrase

OVERVIEW: Finding out why the customer has called and getting all the right information from them is key to
providing great service. That means asking the right questions and really listening to what the customer is saying.

Use available information to decide whether
to use an open or closed-ended question.
Listen to the answer, ensuring that you are

really ‘hearing’ what the customer is
saying.
Call
experience
Use further open / closed-ended
questions to gather the information you
need.
Once you have confirmed the needs of the

customer, start transitioning to the next step
of the call: Resolving Customer Needs.
35
35 || Introduction
Solutions
REVIEW: We all know that first impressions count. Starting the call positively and assertively helps put the customer
at ease and means we’re in the driver’s seat from the beginning.

professional and positive tone “I really felt they were listening to what I was
saying”
Listen for clues in the customer’s

that it is appropriate to the customer “I was worried because I didn’t know what
scenario.
Call had gone wrong but the agent knew what to
experience ask me so he could figure it out”
Remaining confident, tailor your tone

so that it is appropriate to that
customer
“I knew they understood what the problem was, so
If the customer has been transferred, tell I felt confident that the solution was the right one”
36
36 || Introduction
Solutions
Identifying Customer Needs - Tips & Tricks
Service Skills
✔ Use questions to test any

assumptions 🗶 Assume we know the answer
Know when and how to ask
✔ open or closed ended

questions to move the call
forward
🗶 Ask open questions when we
need specific information
✔ Actively listen to pick up clues

about what has happened 🗶 Focus on systems/ our next
question instead of listening
✔ 🗶
Know when to jump in and do
it in a way that makes sense to Interrupt the customer in a way
the customer that causes frustration
37
37 || Introduction
Solutions
Exercise - Call Opening
Service Skills
Identifying customer needs using open and close ended questions
Other participating Trainer determines which

INSTRUCTIONS A word will be sent to agents must ask
only Open or Close
type of questions to ask.
you via Slack. The responding agent
Undetermined time ended questions to cannot answer if the
guess the word. question is wrong type.
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38 || Introduction
Solutions
Resolving Customer Needs
Providing Solutions
OVERVIEW: We don’t need to use big words or jargon just to sound knowledgeable. By explaining solutions, policies or
processes in a simple way that is tailored to the customer, we can make it easier for them to understand how our business
works.

Know what you want to say before you
start. What does the customer need to
know?
Avoid jargon or internal terms as much as

possible! If you need to use them, make
sure to explain what they mean.
Call
experience
Describe the solution or provide the
information as simply as possible to the
customer.
If the customer is having difficulty

understanding you, try to find a different way
to explain.
40
40 || Introduction
Solutions
Providing Solutions
OVERVIEW: We don’t need to use big words or jargon just to sound knowledgeable. By explaining solutions, policies or
processes in a simple way that is tailored to the customer, we can make it easier for them to understand how our business
works.

“It wasn’t the usual ‘I’m going to quote a
Know what you want to say before you bunch of policies’ that you get with some
start. What does the customer need to companies, they explained it really
know? simply to me so I know exactly what’s
going on now”
Avoid jargon or internal terms as much as

possible! If you need to use them, make
sure to explain what they mean. “I’m not great at computer stuff but
Call the agent really put me at ease so I
didn’t feel stupid for not knowing what
experience to do”
Describe the solution or provide the
information as simply as possible to the
customer.
If the customer is having difficult

“What a refreshing change! Just a simple
understanding you, try to find a different way answer to my questions instead of over-
to explain. complicating things”
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41 || Introduction
Solutions
Providing Solutions - Tips & Tricks
Service Skills
✔ 🗶
Launch into an explanation
Decide on the best explanation
which is not tailored to the
before you start customer
✔ 🗶
Fail to give important
Explain complex information as
information because it’s too
simply as possible hard to explain
✔ 🗶
Avoid jargon and internal terms
– having alternative ways of Use jargon or internal terms
describing them
Test that the customer
✔ 🗶
understands what you have Assume that the customer has
said – explain again if understood and moving on
necessary without testing
42
42 || Introduction
Solutions
Ensuring Understanding
OVERVIEW: We know when to educate our customers and when to just move on. Sometimes the customer doesn’t want
to or isn’t ready to listen to information on how we work. We only educate customers when it makes sense for them and for our
business.

Use what you know about the customer and what
may trigger a call back, to decide whether you should
educate them, complete the action on their behalf, or
give them instructions.
If appropriate, give the customer the

option of whether they want further
education.
Call
experience
Explain the policy or process as simply as
possible – check in regularly for
understanding.
If the customer is struggling to understand

consider whether you should continue or
offer to send details by email.
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43 || Introduction
Solutions
Ensure Understanding
OVERVIEW: We know when to educate our customers and when to just move on. Sometimes the customer doesn’t want
to or isn’t ready to listen to information on how we work. We only educate customers when it makes sense for them and for our
business.

Use what you know about the customer and what “I really liked that the agent took
may trigger a call back, to decide whether you should the time to explain how I could
educate them, complete the action on their behalf, or avoid limitations in future”
give them instructions.
If appropriate, give the customer the

option of whether they want further
education. “I was in a hurry so I was glad the
Call
Call agent could just fix the problem
experience
experience for me”
Explain the policy or process as simply as
possible – check in regularly for
understanding.
If the customer is struggling to understand

“I got enough information to fix the problem and
consider whether you should continue or then a good email that I can go back to if it
offer to send details by email. happens again”
44
44 || Introduction
Solutions
Ensuring Understanding - Tips & Tricks
Service Skills
✔ Tailor your explanation to the

customer’s needs 🗶 Use standard explanations
regardless of the customer
✔ Use judgment on when to

educate and when not to 🗶 Educate all customers no
matter what
✔ 🗶
Give every single detail that
Only educate as much as is
relates to what the customer is
needed
asking about
✔ 🗶
Know when to stop educating Keep explaining when the
and direct the customer to customer doesn’t understand,
other sources of information despite you rephrasing
45
45 || Introduction
Solutions
Call Wrap-Up
Call Wrap-Up
OVERVIEW: Finishing the call means that we can move on to helping the next customer in the queue. By finishing
decisively, confirming the customer’s question has been answered and building loyalty where appropriate, we can finish on a
positive note.

Let the customer know what you have done to
address their question or summarize the information
you have given to them
Confirm that the issue has been resolved or

the customer has all the information they
need.
Call
experience
If there is a major outstanding account issue
that the customer has not mentioned bring
this to the customer’s attention.
Thank the customer for calling. Tailor what you say

to what you know about the customer from the
call.
47
47 || Introduction
Solutions
Call Wrap-Up
OVERVIEW: Finishing the call means that we can move on to helping the next customer in the queue. By finishing
decisively, confirming the customer’s question has been answered and building loyalty where appropriate, we can finish on a
positive note.

Let the customer know what you have done to “I liked how quickly the agent got
address their question or summarize the information through everything, it was like ‘great,
you have given to them problem handled, we’re done’”.
Confirm that the issue has been resolved or

the customer has all the information they
need. “I found it helpful that she went
Call
Call through what she had covered at
experience
experience the end as a reminder”.
If there is a major outstanding account issue
that the customer has not mentioned bring
this to the customer’s attention.
Thank the customer for calling. Tailor what you say

to what you know about the customer from the “I didn’t feel rushed off the phone at the end”.
call.
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48 || Introduction
Solutions
Call Wrap-up - Tips & Tricks
Service Skills
✔ 🗶
Finish the call abruptly when
Conclude by summarizing the
you feel you have answered
call everything
Go into details on the account
✔ Highlight if significant account

issues exist 🗶 that customer hasn't
mentioned and are not of real
significance
✔ 🗶
Ask a closed-ended question Ask an open-ended question
to confirm issue has been which can drive further
addressed unnecessary questions
✔ 🗶
Tailor your close to the Use a standard close for all
customer and the call type customers – be overly positive
at the end of a difficult call
49
49 || Introduction
Solutions
Difficult Calls
Difficult Calls
OVERVIEW: Sometimes we have to give our customers bad news, and sometimes they are emotional from the start. We can’t turn
every call around, but when we actively manage difficult calls we can provide the best possible outcome for the customer and for our
business.

Assess the customer’s emotional state from the
beginning of the call. Listen for clues in what they are
saying and how they are saying it.
Acknowledge the customer’s emotions and

empathize with them. Reflect the customer’s
pace and (where appropriate) tone to build
their sense that you understand them. Call
experience
Take accountability where appropriate,
speak positively about TELUS policies or
processes and explain why they are in place
Once you have taken time to move the customer

to understanding what has happened, move to
close. Summarize and follow up by email if
necessary
51
51 || Introduction
Solutions
Difficult Calls
OVERVIEW: Sometimes we have to give our customers bad news, and sometimes they are emotional from the start. We can’t turn
every call around, but when we actively manage difficult calls we can provide the best possible outcome for the customer and for our
business.

Assess the customer’s emotional state from the
beginning of the call. Listen for clues in what they are
saying and how they are saying it.
“The agent took the time to listen to me. I
felt like she understood where I was
Acknowledge the customer’s emotions and coming from and why this upset me so
empathize with them. Reflect the customer’s much”.
pace and (where appropriate) tone to build
their sense that you understand them. Call
Call
experience
experience
Take accountability where appropriate,
speak positively about TELUS policies or “I’m still angry that the dispute went against
processes and explain why they are in place me, but I know why TELUS Health decided it
that way and what I need to do so it doesn’t
Once you have taken time to move the customer happen again”.
to understanding what has happened, move to
close. Summarize and follow up by email if
necessary
52
52 || Introduction
Solutions
Call Wrap-up - Tips & Tricks
Service Skills
✔ 🗶
Listen for clues from the start
Ignore emotions until the end
of the call and start managing
of the call
the difficulties right away
✔ 🗶
Acknowledge the customer
Talk negatively about TELUS /
and empathize with them about
the situation TELUS Health
✔ 🗶
Make it personal, but don’t React to the customer’s anger
take it personally or upset by becoming angry or
withdrawn yourself
✔ 🗶
Recognize where a call has
reached an end point and Engage in long debates with
move to close the customer
✔ Identify and manage that all

customers are people too!
53
53 || Introduction
Solutions
Exercise - Difficult Calls
Service Skills
How to manage difficult calls
You will have 10 minutes

to discuss the below
INSTRUCTIONS questions and generate
ideas on how to deal with
challenging calls
Discussion questions:
▪ Why is it important to deal with
the human/emotional part of the
interaction first?
▪ What techniques can you use to
neutralize this dimension?
▪ How do you know when it’s safe
to proceed
54
54 || Introduction
Solutions

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Introduction to Customer

Keep an open mind

Let's participate together

What does great customer

“Advancing TELUS leadership in healthcare information management”

“…in pursuit of better health outcomes for Canadians”

5 | Introduction to Customer Service Skills Training

Enter text here:

6 | Introduction to Customer Service Skills Training

Share a time when you had to

8 | Introduction to Customer Service Skills Training

Suggested Phrasing Suggested Phrasing

ACKNOWLEDGE ALIGN ASSURE

Suggested Phrasing Suggested Phrasing Suggested Phrasing

ACKNOWLEDGE ALIGN ASSURE

Suggested Phrasing Suggested Phrasing Suggested Phrasing

I understand your problem! It’s true that when these

Putting “Acknowledge, Align and Assure into practice!

Recall Practice your

13 | Introduction to Customer Service Skills Training

“My software isn’t responding

And so? How did that go?

19 | Introduction to Customer Service Skills Training

Tone helps us to understand

Tone of Voice = 38%

22 | Introduction to Customer Service Skills Training

Tone of Voice = 38%

23 | Introduction to Customer Service Skills Training

Physical impacts to tone

One person closes

✔ Sit upright and smile – it comes

✔ Use a positive and upbeat tone

Don’t forget - confidence is key!

How would you like to

29 | Introduction to Customer Service Skills Training

Your role Our customer

Listen for clues in the customer’s

If the customer has been transferred, tell

Your role Our customer

What is the point?

33 | Introduction to Customer Service Skills Training

OPEN ENDED CLOSE ENDED

34 | Introduction to Customer Service Skills Training

Your role Our customer

Listen to the answer, ensuring that you are

Once you have confirmed the needs of the

Your role Our customer

Listen for clues in the customer’s

Remaining confident, tailor your tone

✔ Use questions to test any

Know when and how to ask

✔ open or closed ended

✔ Actively listen to pick up clues

Identifying customer needs using open and close ended questions

Other participating Trainer determines which

Your role Our customer

Avoid jargon or internal terms as much as

If the customer is having difficulty

Your role Our customer

Avoid jargon or internal terms as much as

If the customer is having difficult

Test that the customer