3 KEY SKILLS FOR QUALITY CUSTOMER SERVICE .ppt

Find the skills that are required in order to deliver on top quality customer service for your emerging business

2. Customer Service Person
Know your
organisation
Know your Product
& Service
Know your
Customer

4. Know your Organisation
Organisation mission and vision
Organisation culture
Customer interaction, policy and procedure
Company support for product and service

5. Know your product and service
Products (Full Range)
Know the prices (including promos)
Who to speak with on any customer
complaint
Remember the hotlines –
Discounts available (if any) and conditions
Major information about improvement
process

6. Know your customers
Customer needs
Customer concerns
Customer personality

7. Excellent Communication Skills
Excellent Verbal communication
skills
Excellent Non-verbal skills
Excellent listening skills
Productive
relationship with
customers

8. Verbal communication... Communicating
Positively
Plan your messages
Greet customers warmly
and sincerely
Be specific
Use ‘small talk’
Use simple language
paraphrase
Ask positively phrased
questions –
Communicate to your
customer’s style
Agree with customers
Solicit customer feedback and
participation

9. Verbal communication... Communicating
Positively
Words & phrases that build
relationship:
Please
Thank you
I can or will
How may I help?
I understand how you feel
You’re right
May I?
Would you mind…
I apologise for …
I don’t know but I will find
out for you
Words & phrases that damage
relationship:
You don’t understand
You don’t see my point
Hold on a second
Our policy says (prohibits)
That is not my job or
responsibility
What you need to do is...
Why don’t you
The problem
But
No
I just work here

10. Clear
Concise
Correct
Complete
Courteous
Concrete
Six Cs of giving good information to customers
Verbal communication... Communicating
Positively

11. Non verbal communication (Including Behaviours)
Body Language
•Eye Contact
Posture
Facial
Expression
Gestures
•Pitch
•Volume
•Rate of
speech
•Articulation
•Pauses
•Silence
Volume cue
•Hygiene-
Regular wash,
Hair, mouth,
deodorant
Clothing and
accessories
Appearance &
Grooming
•Personal Habit
•Proper
Etiquette and
manners
Miscellaneous
cues

12. Communication Behaviour
Brief eye contact
Eyes wide open
Smile
Nodding
Expressive body gestures
Open body stance
Listening
Clean, organized work area
•Yawning
•Frowning or sneering
•Attending to other matters
with customer before you
•Leaning away from customer
•Subdued /minimal gestures
•Interrupting
•Pointing finger or object at
customer
•Disorganised, cluttered work
space
Positive Negative

13. Listening Skills
Empathy
Understanding
Patience
Attentiveness
Objectivity
Characteristics of Good
listener
Strategies for improved
listening
Stop talking
Prepare yourself
Listen actively
Show willingness to listen
Show empathy
Send positive non verbal cues
Don’t argue
Ask questions when you need
to clarify
Attend physically
Attend mentally
Check it verbally

14. Dealing Assertively with customers
Look into their eyes when you speak
Grasp firmly without crushing
Think, plan, speak a specific question
Stop, gather thoughts, speak
Apologize if you make a mistake
Increase volume, sound firm and convincing
Take responsibility, resolve the problem

15. Customer focused behaviour
Act promptly
Guide rather than direct
Don’t rush the customer
Offer assistance
Don’t keep customer waiting
Avoid unprofessional actions

16. Winning the Customer
Excellent
Listening Skills
Excellent Non-
Verbal skills
Excellent Verbal
Skills
Productive
relationship
with customers

17. THANK YOU

18. Telephone
Etiquettes

20. The Telephone and You
Provide helpful hints and proven techniques
Part of doing business means doing business over the
phone
Phone is an important instrument in daily business

21. Ways to Sound as Good as You Really
Are!
Alertness
Show that you are wide-awake, ready to engage in a conversation
Pleasantness
Put a smile in your voice 
Naturalness
Use, simple, straightforward language & avoid technical
terms/slangs
Distinctiveness
Speaks directly into the phone; Use a normal tone of voice, the
louder you are, the louder everyone else becomes
Expressiveness
Talk at a moderate rate and volume, but vary your voice tone

22. Don’ts
Frown 
Mutter
Sound Tired
Speak in a Shrill Voice
Speak Negatively
Ramble

23. Do’s
Smile  (they really can hear it!)
Speak Clearly and Concisely
Be Enthusiastic
Lower the Pitch of your Voice
Talk in a Positive Mood
Listen/Discuss

24. Mental P.I.C.T.U.R.E.
P – itch
High or low? Low carries better and is also more pleasant
I – nflection
Use voice to express ideas or moods
Don’t talk in a monotone
The voice naturally rises on a questions or inquiry
Voices fall at a “period,” decision or completion

25. Mental P.I.C.T.U.R.E.
C – ourtesy
Common, everyday applies the same as face-to-face
conversation
T – one
Many times it is not what you say, but how you say it
Voice should reflect sincerity, pleasantness, confidence, and
interest

26. Mental P.I.C.T.U.R.E.
U – nderstanding
Avoid talking with anything in your mouth (gum, pencil)
R – ate
Rate of speech should be adapted to personality of contact
“Fast talkers” can arouse suspicion
“Slow talkers” can be irritating
E – nunciate
Clear enunciation will help avoid misunderstanding and
need to repeat yourself

27. Keys to Good Listening
Limit your talking
Can’t talk and listen at the same time
Don’t Interrupt
A pause doesn’t always mean the individual is finished
speaking
Concentrate
Focus on the conversation. Practice shutting out outside
distractions and personal concerns

28. Keys to Good Listening
Take Notes
Helps you remember important points
Listen for ideas….not just words
Get the whole picture, not isolated bits and pieces
Interjections
An occasional, “Yes,” “I see,” etc. shows that your
listening. However, don’t overuse them

29. Create a Good First Impression
Try to answer the phone on the SECOND ring
Answer with a friendly greeting
Smile  - it shows, even through the phone
Ask the caller their name, even if their name is
not necessary for the call, and use it!
Keep the phone two-finger widths from your
mouth

30. Leaving a Voice/Phone
Message
Phone Message should always include:
Your name and company name
Time and Date of call
What the call is regarding (brief)
If a follow up or return call is needed
Phone number (office or home) speak SLOWLY even
repeat the phone number – include area code

31. Last Impressions
Before ending the call, always…
Make sure you answered all the caller’s questions
Always end with e pleasantry:
Have a nice day
It was nice speaking with you
Let the caller hand up first

32. Interviewing and Phone Etiquette
- Telephone Interviews
Used for:
– Relocation
– Screening process
– For more detailed answers to
application questions
Over the phone, 86% of communication
is determined by the tone of your voice!

33. Telephone Interviewing – Get
organized!
Work out message-taking system if you
have multiple residents in household
 Keep a list of jobs you have applied to.
 Make sure you can concentrate in a quiet
atmosphere and that your phone is charged.
 What if you miss the call?
 What if you don’t have time for the
interview when the company calls?

34. Telephone Interviewing Pros
 No time to work yourself up/get nervous
 No need to dress up
 Can be comfortable in your own home
 They cannot see body language/facial
expressions
 Usually not the only interview in a hiring
decision

35. Sample Questions for Employers
What is the timeline for the interview process?
What would be the next step in your process?
When do you expect to make a decision?
What would a typical day look like?
What is your favorite part of working for this
company?
Will there be any formalized training for the
position?
Any other questions you can think of! They want
to know that you are thinking critically about
the position!

36. Telephone Etiquette Summary
Think about if you were the person on
the other side of the line; how would you
want to be treated?
 Give respect, get results.
“Smile” while you’re on the phone – it
will make a huge impact on your
communications!
Customer service can be hard work!

37. THANK YOU