Time management and customer service

Career Development Training Course

Time Management and Customer Service

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Enabling Objectives

Upon successful completion of this topic, the trainee will be able to:

LIST time-wasting activities that affect the working environment.

IDENTIFY the time conservation methods in the working environment.

LIST the four tasks required to conserve time in the workplace.

DESCRIBE how to assess time spent in the workplace, including the four-step time-assessment process.

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Enabling Objectives (cont.)

IDENTIFY how to manage time using the Swiss Cheese Method of time management.

LIST productivity terms in the workplace environment.

IDENTIFY how to set goals using the SMART Process.

DESCRIBE how to prioritize goals using the ABC System and the 80/20 Rule.

DESCRIBE the value of face-to-face contact in customer service.

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Enabling Objectives (cont.)

IDENTIFY the procedure to respond to customer needs.

LIST the pitfalls to avoid when dealing with the customer.

DESCRIBE the techniques to use when dealing with extreme and unusual situations in customer relations.

IDENTIFY the procedure for handling customer records.

LIST the benefits of using the Team Approach when providing customer service.

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Reference Publications

OPNAVINST 1040.11(series), Navy Retention and Career Development Program

NAVPERS 15878(series), Career Counselor Handbook (CCH)

NAVEDTRA 14056(series), Navy Customer Service Manual

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Time Conservation

Time-Wasting Activities Affecting the Working Environment:PaperworkImproper management of information

– too much, too littleUnrealistic deadlinesUnderestimated time requirementsUnclear goals

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Time Conservation (cont.)

Time-Wasting Activities Affecting the Working Environment (cont.):Poor concentration, lack of focus,

jumping from job to jobStandards – failing to meet them or

greatly exceeding themPoor interactions with people (get

what you need the first time, be prepared)

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More Time-Wasting Activities:Work overloadProcrastinationPhone callsUnscheduled breaksReading/Writing e-mailNon-essential Internet use

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Time-Conservation Methods:Keep a list of “in-between items”Multi-taskDelegate tasks when possibleGet up earlierHandle mail and papers only onceDo personal work after work

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The Big Four Tasks to Conserve Time

Learn to say NO!Prioritize!Pad your schedule for

interruptions.Schedule time when you cannot be

disturbed.

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Time-Spent Assessment

Examine your daily activities to determine how you spend your time

Determine your most efficient time at workThis is a four-step process

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Time-Spent Assessment (cont.)

Step 1: Record Use of TimeStep 2: Analyze ResultsStep 3: Eliminate Time-WastersStep 4: Overcome Psychological

Barriers:AffiliationAchievementPower

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The Swiss Cheese Method of Time Management

Info Sheet 1-9-2The Swiss Cheese Method means

punching a bunch of small holes in a large task.

You punch holes in the task by getting started and spending whatever time you have on the task.

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The Swiss Cheese Method of Time Management (cont.)

Even if you only have 10 or 15 minutes to spend on it just before a meeting or just before going home, do it! Soon you will find that 20 minutes here and an hour there finishes the job.

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Productivity Terms

Goal-Setting

Prioritizing

Activities

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Goal-Setting: Time-Specific Goals

For goals to be of value, they must be time-specific:DailyWeeklyMonthlyEtc.

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Goal-Setting: SMART Goals

SpecificMeasurableAttainableRealisticTrackable

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Goal-Setting: SMART Goals (cont.)

Specific: Clear end result No room for misunderstanding Specific time frame

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Measurable:You need to know when you get there.

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Attainable:I have the knowledge.I have the resources.I have the support.

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Realistic:Be sure your goals are realistic and

relevant to your skills.

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Trackable:Have someone who will help you be

accountable and offer some constructive criticism during your progress.

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Prioritizing: The ABC System

“You must learn to set priorities to your goals and complete the goals according to priority. This will allow you to complete the most important goals each day, even if you can't complete all your goals.”

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Prioritizing: The ABC System (cont.)

Step 1:Place an A next to the items on your

list that must be done. Then place a B next to items of

medium value and a C for items of lowest value.

Don’t get wrapped around the axle on this; remember, it is a subjective rating system!

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Prioritizing: The ABC System (cont.)

Step 2:Break down the priority groups by

assigning numbers to each item in a group according to the priority within the group.

Example, A-1, A-2, A-3, and so on. Events may require that a C item

become an A item or vice versa. This means you are going to be required to set priorities continually.

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Prioritizing: The 80/20 Rule

“If all the items are arranged in order of value, 80 percent of the value would come from only 20 percent of the items, while the remaining 20 percent of the value would come from 80 percent of the items.”

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Time Management and Customer Service Quality Customer Service

NAVEDTRA 14056, Navy Customer Service Manual:“Everyone in the Navy is directly or indirectly responsible for providing efficient customer service. However, of the many ratings in the Navy, only a few provide direct services to other personnel—NC is one of those ratings.”

CCC is a customer service job.

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NAVEDTRA 14056, Navy Customer Service Manual

Overview

Face-to-Face Contact (Chapter 1)Customer Needs (Chapter 2)Pitfalls to Avoid (Chapter 3)Extreme and Unusual Situations

(Chapter 3)Customer Records (Chapter 3)The Team Approach (Chapter 4)

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Face-to-Face Contact

NAVEDTRA 14056, Navy Customer Service Manual:“Although you can’t always provide customers with everything they may request, you can always give them good service.”

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Face-to-Face Contact (cont.)

To provide quality customer service, you must provide the customer with:Knowledge and skillsA positive attitudeA sense that you have pride in what

you doCourtesyCooperativenessThe ability to keep how you are feeling

personally out of how you treat customers

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Customer Needs

Apply what you learn in the Navy Counseling Techniques Lesson to determine customer needs.

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Pitfalls To Avoid

Avoid jumping to conclusions.Avoid letting personal feelings

about a customer interfere with service.

Avoid stereotyping for any reason.

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Pitfalls To Avoid (cont.)

Failing to Communicate:Cultural differencesPhysical problems (i.e. speech

impediments)Prejudicial language (i.e. snipe and

twigget)Confusing terminology (i.e. customer

doesn’t know what you know, so keep it simple)

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Blatant disrespect excluded, don’t respond in kind to a bad attitude from a customer.

Don’t give the customer the runaround; if you don’t know something, tell them and find the correct answer.

Don’t make promises you can’t or won’t keep.

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Don’t overstep your bounds by:Criticizing coworkers.Criticizing policies, procedures, or

instructions.Encouraging complaints by the

customer about his/her job or life by responding with your own list of problems.

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Don’t be apathetic to a customer’s needs.

Don’t keep a customer waiting unnecessarily.

Don’t break routines; have your office open when it’s scheduled to be open!

Never discuss personal information about a customer with anyone who doesn’t have the need to know!

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Extreme and Unusual Situations

The best way to handle extreme and unusual situations is to understand:The rights and privileges to which a

Sailor is entitled.Instructions, manuals, and directives.

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Extreme and Unusual Situations (cont.)

Know your limitations.Know the alternatives; where

there’s a will, there might be a waiver.

Above all else, don’t make statements or promises that are beyond your capability to deliver.

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Customer Records

Make clear and accurate entries; the errors you make will, in the long run, be more of a problem for the customer than for you.

Safeguard customer records against loss or exposure to persons who don’t have a need to know (Privacy Act).

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Customer Records (cont.)

File customer records correctly so they can be found the next time.

File a copy of correspondence pertaining to a Sailor in his/her service record as well as in the general file.

When holding forms for future action, attach a note to them indicating what action is required and when.

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The Team Approach

The Team Approach to customer service provides the customer service representative (and the customer) with the following benefits:A broader knowledge base for dealing

with customer issues.A ready source for advice and assistance.Consolidated goal-setting and prioritizing.Oversight to prevent mistakes.Mutual encouragement and support.

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Summary and Review

Time Management:List five time-wasting activities that

affect the working environment.What are the four tasks required to

conserve time in the workplace?What is the 4-step process to

determine your most efficient time at work?

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Summary and Review (cont.)

Customer Service:What reference provides instruction

on how to deal with customers?List 4 pitfalls to avoid when dealing

with a customer.What are the benefits of the Team

Approach to customer service?

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