Introduction

This five-day course focuses on achieving customer service excellence through professional communication and teamwork. Participants will learn strategies for customer retention, loyalty, and service recovery. Key topics include interpersonal skills, conflict resolution, and handling difficult customers. The program emphasizes adopting a customer-focused mindset for continuous improvement. Attendees will model best practices of world-class service providers to enhance performance.

Objectives

• 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

Target Audience

• Customer service representatives and frontline staff
• Sales and account management professionals
• Supervisors and team leaders in customer-facing roles
• Managers in charge of customer service operations
• Professionals aiming to improve their interpersonal and conflict resolution skills
• Anyone in the organization who interacts with customers and aims to improve service quality

Outlines

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 provdiers

• 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