Course Objectives:
At the end of this course the participants will be able to:
- Describe the best practices of a world-class customer service provider
- Develop a customer-focused mindset for continuous improvement
- Identify key components that promote customer retention and loyalty
- Measure customer service standards
- Develop an understanding of internal and external customer expectations
- Use the phone more effectively and leave professional voicemail messages
- Communicate more effectively by utilizing active listening and questioning skills
- Apply the principles of persuasion to key negotiation situations successfully
- Give and receive feedback in a constructive manner
- Understand the importance of written and electronic communication
- Use nonverbal communication to make a positive first impression and build rapport quickly
- Set SMART goals to increase productivity
- Understand the importance of customer and organizational confidentiality
- Utilize stress management techniques to increase job satisfaction
- Use conflict resolution skills to work with difficult or demanding customers in a professional manner
- Manage their emotions during stressful situations
- Appreciate the importance of teamwork and maintaining a positive attitude
- Work effectively with difficult or demanding customers in a calm and professional manner
- Use body language to build trust and instant rapport with customers
- Encourage customer feedback and measure customer satisfaction
- Use effective negotiation principles to promote win-win outcomes
Course Content:
Unit 1: Principles for Delivering World-Class Customer Service:
- How do customers define quality customer service?
- What are the benefits of providing world-class customer service?
- Breakout session: How to use customer service to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty
- Benchmarking exercise: Best and worst rated customer service companies
- Creating a positive first impression: What do your customers see and hear?
- Creating customer service ‘touchpoints’ to enhance the “customer experience”
- The WOW Factor: Going the Extra Mile to exceed customer expectations
Unit 2: Developing Effective Communication and Interpersonal Skills:
- The power of nonverbal communication
- Practical exercise: The Body Language Quiz
- How to use body language to build rapport and create a favorable first impression
- Understanding the four customer temperament styles
- Practical exercise: Determining your temperament style
- Developing your active listening skills to enhance communications
- Practical exercise: Active Listening Evaluation
- Use questioning techniques to identify a customer’s expectations and service requirements
- Determining your customer’s “preferred learning style”
- Keys to effective telephone and voicemail communication
Unit 3: Principles of Superior Customer Service and Organisational Procedures:
- Does the ‘customer experience’ align with your organization’s vision/mission statement?
- Identifying internal and external customer expectations
- The benefits of teamwork and cooperation
- Teambuilding and leadership exercise
- Guidelines for customer and organizational confidentiality
- Dos and don’ts of written and electronic communication
- Empowering employees to better serve their customers
Unit 4: The Importance of Customer Feedback and Service Recovery:
- Why is it important to encourage customer complaints and feedback?
- Establishing customer service satisfaction measuring and monitoring standards
- Best practices for recording and monitoring customer service issues
- The supervisor‘s role in service recovery
- The art of giving and receiving constructive feedback
- Negotiating win-win outcomes
- Managing emotions during stressful situations
- Strategies for working with difficult and demanding customers
Unit 5: Leading the Way to Customer Satisfaction and Continuous Improvement:
- Your attitude makes a difference
- Stress management tips for maintaining peak performance
- The importance of personal development
- Setting SMART goals for continuous customer service improvement
- Practical exercise: What is your Action Plan?
Targeted Competencies:
- Persuasion and negotiation skills
- Conflict resolution skills
- Nonverbal communication skills
- Written communication skills
- Listening and questioning skills
- Teambuilding and leadership skills
- Stress management skills
- Phone calling effectiveness skills
Targeted Groups:
- Customer Service Professionals
- Managers and Supervisors who want to improve customer relationships
- Marketing executives and managers who are interested in customer retention, Social Media and word-of-mouth marketing
- Anyone responsible for or contributing significantly to the development and implementation of customer relationships
