Customer Service Training PLAN

Mara Rodas - Paul Simon - Junaid Karodia - Khang Nguyen

the role of Customer ServiceCustomer service plays a vital role in any type of business’ success.

It is very important to teach staff about exceptional customer services; when done right, the outcome is usually positive generating ‘repeat business’, and essentially leading to customer loyalty and incredible return on investment – revenue.

CUSTOMER SERVICE DEFINED:Service is hard to define, measure and control. However, how you manage and perform your services is what will separate you from your competitors.

What does Good Service Look like??

It is easy to say that…..

“An attentive employee assisting a customer is a good service.”

But that is too vague isn’t IT?

What do you notice in these two photos?

to achieve good customer serviceAn EMPLOYEE MUST…..

★ Be professional○ Use professional language at all

times○ Must be dressed according to the

standard of the company○ Service must be executed in a

timely manner

★ Must show interest in catering to the customer○ By nodding and maintaining eye contact○ Again, ALWAYS SMILE!○ Use phrases such as

■ “I will be happy to assist you today”,

■ “Welcome to [company’s name]”,■ “Thank you for calling [….], how

may I help you?”, etc.

★ Be Happy○ Smile and greet each customer

★ RESPECT EACH CUSTOMER DESPITE ANY CIRCUMSTANCES○ Address each customer with courtesy

or English Honorifics (if possible) such as Miss, Mr., Mrs., Dr., etc.

An employee who looks engaged and proud of the company that he or she is working for while

assisting a customer by catering to a customer’s need, and/or solving the customer’s issue is WHAT A GOOD

CUSTOMER SERVICE LOOKS LIKE!

REMEMBER!

good service daily checklist

THE STAFF MUST BE APPROACHABLE AND ACCOMMODATINGAPPEARANCE.The entire staff must be well-groomed and dressed according to the standards of the company. Proper hygiene must be practiced.

BEHAVIOUR.Customers should be welcomed with a smile. Employees must maintain proper posture. Aside from avoiding injuries, your body language says a lot about you to your customers. First impression is key!

ATTITUDE.Employees should display positive attitude. A person who is happy and energetic while working can positively impact the guest’s experience.

AVAILABILITY.It is important to be visible to your customers to make it easier for them to find you if they need you, To show them that you are always available to help them will make them feel cared for and valued.

THIS IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE ATTITUDE!!!!

You don’t Want this from a customer

THE STAFF MUST HAVE GOOD COMMUNICATION SKILLS

EYE CONTACT.Employees must always maintain eye contact. It shows that the customers have the employees’ undivided attention.

LISTENING.You can be the best speaker in the world but if you do not know how to listen then you would not really know what your customer needs. Also, hearing is different from actually listening to gather information and understand what the other person is saying.

VOICE/TONE.Having a clear voice, and using the right tone will create a huge impact in your interaction with your guests. It is also important to use words or language that your guest will understand. At the end of the day, it is important to be concise and clear so you can give the right message to your customers.

THE STAFF MUST SHOW EMPATHY TO THEIR CUSTOMERS

CONCERN. CARE. EFFORT.To create a total customer satisfaction experience, employees must learn to show empathy towards their customers. Focus and attend to the customer who requires your help. Always acknowledge your customer’s concern then express your sincere desire to help.

CREATE SOLUTIONS.Showing willingness to help and find solutions will be appreciated by your customers. In order to find the right solutions, listen to them.

FOLLOW UP.Just because you found solutions for the customer’s problems does not mean that you stop right there. You have to follow up and make sure that the customer is fully satisfied with the solution that you offered them.

THE STAFF MAINTAIN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE CUSTOMERS

SAFE AND COMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT.Employees must make sure that the physical environment of their business is safe, comfortable and appealing to their customers. Also, the staff must be trained enough to handle large crowds and try to avoid having customers wait for a long time. Properties like fine dining restaurant, and hotels must have less to no noise to create a relaxed and secure environment for the guests to experience and enjoy.

Good Customer ServiceIn order to implement this plan, employees and managers

must be carefully selected. Only hire the ones who are fit for the job, the ones who share the same values and

philosophies as the business and the ones who possess the traits that complement the business’ purpose.

Does service stop at customers? No, service does not stop at customers. Both internal and external customers should be held of high regard and importance since both customers are vital to making the business successful. If a business does a great job in valuing both their internal and external customers, this will result in engaged employees, and happy customers – thus leading to higher productivity levels and profit for the company.

What you treat your employees will affect how they deal with customers. Take a look at the world of Hospitality for example; the service never stops at all - the industry is constantly providing services to the customers.

How employees influence customer’s experience….For instance, front office agents provide rooms, housekeepers provide cleaning services, and sales and catering provide event services. In other words, each employee in a business is the brand ambassador. How they treat the customers will reflect a business’ success, and will definitely influence their interaction with the customers.

Therefore, a business must start from its employees!

★ ENCOURAGEWell-managed employees are proven to do a better job in customer service/interactions than employees who are not motivated.

★ VALUETraining employees and providing good feedback, appreciation such as employee of the month. Giving departmental weeks such as free massages, Christmas Parties and gift bag of goodies.

★ EMPOWERGiving employees the voice of opinion, supporting their independence, appreciating their efforts, encouraging self-failure and rewarding self-improvement.

Make Memorable experiences for customersStaff can make memorable experiences by giving their quality work to the customers; aside from following the good service daily checklist provided in this presentation, using their knowledge of the business as information for the customers, and going above and beyond customers’ expectations will definitely impact a customer’s experience positively and memorably.

For example, in hotels, front office agents can suggest room(s) that would please the guest from views to type of rooms. They can even offer room upgrades if the occupancy is not that high. Staff who are trained well and who are knowledgeable about the organization that they work for reassures the customers’ doubt giving that feeling of security for choosing the establishment over the other.

Little details such as remembering your guests’ names, offering personalized services, inviting your guests back to your establishment, showing consideration and attentiveness to their needs, all of these will make customers feel important and valued - thus creating a memorable experience for the customers.

THE NECESSARY STEPS in solving customer problems:“SHARE-I “ STEPS

1. SITUATION – Identify and analyze the situation the customer is in. Be realistic - can you provide a solution or is it beyond your control? Do you call a manager? If you are the manager, what would you do?

2. HELPFULNESS – Sense the need of the customer by showing facial expressions and initiate a conversation by knowing more about the customer is feeling. If the customer has to vent his or her feelings, let him or her be. This will help you help the customer better.

3. ACTION– Once you figure out the best way to solve the customer’s problem, take action.4. RESULT - What is the aftermath of the solution?5. EVALUATE- How did it go? Is the customer satisfied with the outcome? What can you do next time a

situation like this happens again? Are there alternatives to the situation? Did it cost you time or money to solve this issue? Any ways to prevent this situation from happening again? What would you do differently?

6. IMPLEMENT- If the issue is on-going and the solution worked, implement and tell the entire staff about it. Always seek to find ways to prevent chaotic situations from happening again.

INSPIRATION COMPANY

Virgin America is a successful company with a great service culture.

Virgin America is voted as Top Domestic Airline in the U.S. because of their QUALITY, not only in their products but also in their services!

Richard Branson Reveals His Customer Service Secrets

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fy4lYDN1gz4

Virgin America’s Service CultureVirgin America’s founder Richard Branson have created a service culture like no other. This large organization’s management operates every aspect of Virgin America with 7 lessons in mind.

1. A good leader does not get stuck behind a desk. It is important to visit the front lines to find out what works well and what can be done from the very people that deliver and consume your product or service.

2. Express a passionate commitment to serving guests. A superior customer experience is the key ingredient to success in a global competitive economy, regardless of the type of business.

3. Features & amenities might get customers to try your business once but it is the quality of the interaction they have with your people that encourages them to return.

4. Hire for ATTITUDE!5. Empower your employees. Train them the basics then let them use their imagination and skills. The quote

“Better to ask for forgiveness than for permission” was brought up - they want all their employees to do what they do best, if they make a mistake, they will sort it out later.

6. ‘Social media with a genuine voice’ - the company has a team that responds to every guest’s comment. This shows how much they value their customers.

7. Richard Branson wants all his staff and employees to have fun!!!! An employee who is proud of the establishment that he or she works for will do 10 times better than the one who is not!

ACTIVITY #1BODY LANGUAGE

Objective: To show how body language can reinforce verbal communication, however it can also be stronger than verbal communication – it is important that we are aware of our body language in order to ensure we are projecting the right message.No materials required.

Time: 10 minutes

instructionS

1. Explain to the group that you are going to give them a series of instructions.. which you would like them to copy as fast as they can

2. State the following actions as YOU do them..For example:

Say “Touch your right elbow” while you touch your nose as you tell your sentence to your participants.

3. Observe the number of group members who copy what you did rather than what you said.

ACTIVITY #2cut the cake

Objective: A fun yet challenging way to end a team building, creativity or a problem solving class. It also shows the value of collaboration of all team members to try and come up with a solution together and get a piece of the cake.

The trainer brings in a cake to celebrate the end of a successful session. Participants cannot eat it until they have cut it. They cannot make more than three cuts and they must divide the cake into eight pieces.

Materials: A 8-10 inch round cake and a cake knife

Time: 15-20 minutes

instructionSRULES: The participants cannot make more than three cuts and they must divide the cake into eight pieces.

Allow participants to have 12-15 minutes to come up with a solution. If no solution found, demonstrate the answer.

Solution: Cut the cake twice on top (once in either direction) and once horizontally through the middle.

ALWAYS REMEMBER THIS!!!!

Customer service is not just important, it is also vital. The way you execute your services is what makes you different from the rest of your competitors. At the end of the experience, it is the services provided that the customers will remember. And the fact that your services reflect heavily on your business, you need to be aware about the needs of both your internal and external customers. If you show that your business cares about them, your employees will stay, and your customers will become back; meaning your business will more likely succeed. With little extra efforts for your employees and customers, your business will reap the benefits.

Customer service is vital.

http://sbinfocanada.about.com/od/customerservice/ss/8-Rules-for-Good-Customer-Service.htm

http://www.inc.com/oscar-raymundo/richard-branson-companies-should-put-employees-first.html

http://www.business2community.com/customer-experience/4-reasons-good-customer-service-vital-0934198

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/food/inspection/dairy/1-eh.htm

http://www.eptica.com/blog/importance-empathy-customer-service-interactions

Kadampully, J. A. (2007). Services Management The New Paradigm in Hospitality. Upper Saddle, New jersey: Pearson. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fy4lYDN1gz4

http://www.trainingcoursematerial.com/free-games-activities

SOURCES