Achieving Excellence in Customer Service - Providing a Quality 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 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