Putting The Care in Customer Service

PREFACE “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” –- Aesop One thing that we often forget is that we all have an opportunity every day to be a “customer”. Whether we walk into a grocery store or call the cell phone company to complain about our bill, we are in the role of a “customer” at those times. Therefore, what I’ve learned while serving customers over the years is that it is best to provide outstanding customer service whenever possible. Why? Because that’s the kind of customer service we all expect when we dine at restaurants, shop at retail stores, or call utility companies. After all, without customers, there is no purpose for being in business! To stay in business--and believe me, competition is alive and well--it’s all about making the customers feel like you sincerely care about their unique concern, problem, or question when they call. the phone. The telephone can be a very cold, impersonal way to communicate for you and the customer. The phone can be a barrier because the customer cannot see you or make an appointment with you to discuss their concerns. Furthermore, in day-to-day communication we communicate verbally and nonverbally. Without the nonverbal cues such as nodding the head, eye contact, and other body language, we are significantly limited. When we talk with customers via the telephone, we lack the use of 55% of the nonverbal cues. This book details some special skills to help you overcome the barriers that the telephone presents. These skills will help you to establish rapport with customers quickly and communicate that you care about them, understand their problem, respect them, and appreciate their business. Many of the skills and techniques that I will discuss in this book have been developed over my 26 years in customer service positions. In addition, these skills and techniques are geared mainly for employees who work in call centers. In a call center you have to have special techniques to stay engaged in each customer’situation no matter whether they are the first customer of the day or the fiftieth customer of the day. These techniques which I have used successfully have become a natural part of my behavior. The more you practice these techniques, the more natural they become, and you may even see yourself changing the way you view the customer. It’s just like learning to ride a bike. Once you get proficient at it, you don’t have to tell yourself to sit up straight on the seat and pedal. It just comes naturally. As you read this book, feel free to start with the chapters that interest you the most. Remember, the overall intention of this book is to help you become more sensitive to customer needs and learn some effective techniques for improving your rapport with them.