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 emphasizes 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
Conference Objectives of Achieving Excellence in Customer Service
- 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
Conference Methodology of Achieving Excellence in Customer Service
This dynamic, 5-day seminar is highly interactive and encourages delegate participation through a combination of group discussion, videos, role-play exercises, case studies, and breakout sessions. This seminar will include benchmarking best practices to model world-class customer service excellence. The comprehensive course manual has been designed to be practical, easy to use, and facilitate learning. Delegates are provided a comfortable, enlightening learning experience that gives them the latest insights, techniques, and best practices to promote long-term customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Organizational Impact of Achieving Excellence in Customer Service
- A shared organizational customer service vision
- A streamlined customer service feedback system
- Improved Intra/ interdepartmental communication
- A highly motivated and focused workforce
- Increased competency and communication skills
- Increased customer retention and revenue growth
Personal Impact of Achieving Excellence in Customer Service
- An increased appreciation for their role in helping their organization achieve customer service excellence
- Up to date techniques and methods to help them provide world-class service
- Enhanced leadership and communication skills required to excel in their career
- Increased confidence in their abilities to work professionally with difficult or upset customers
- The insight to adjust their own temperament style to become more versatile, adaptable and highly successful
- Improved time management skills and increased productivity
Conference Outlines of Achieving Excellence in Customer Service
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
