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Customer service is
becoming increasingly important as competition in the
marketplace threatens to take away your business.
Unfortunately, however, your organization can
NOT provide quality
customer service! That's right. Providing positive
experiences with your customers is all up to your employees!
Each person that has a face-to-face or phone conversation
with someone who would like to do business with your
organization plays an important role in creating your
company's reputation.
Customer service is
provided each time you do business with or for someone else.
The quality of service is often determined by the customer.
For instance, at the end of a dining experience in a
restaurant, the basis for the "tip" you leave behind is
based not only on the quality of the food, but
HOW the server waited on
you. His or her desire or attitude towards meeting your
needs contributes to your satisfaction. What if your
customers "tipped" you at the end of a project or
transaction based upon the quality of your service? How
would you do? By creating a "value" upon the relationship
you create with both your external and internal customers,
you will be more apt to please them.
The following are five
steps for Serving Your Customers a Can-Do Attitude:
Step One: Put a Smile on
Your Face and in Your Voice
Let the customer see and hear how glad and prepared you are
to help them. This creates a positive first impression of
you and your capabilities to meet their needs.
Step Two: Ask, "How Can
I Help You?"
Communicate your willingness to help them. Your customer has
chosen to come to you because they:
- Believe you can help
them.
- Trust your product or
service knowledge.
- Believe you can do
something better than someone else.
- Trust you will keep your
promises.
Step Three: Understand
the Customer's Request
It's obvious that your customer has called upon you for
something…a product, service, solution, or a correction.
Your job is to listen to their situation and find out what
they want you to do for them.
Step Four: Describe How
You CAN Help
There isn't anything worse than hearing someone say, "I
can't do that…it's not my job!" Certainly there is some
action you can take to help them (i.e. transfer the call,
complete the request, or follow-up with more information).
Step Five: Say, "Thank
You."
Final impressions are just as important as first
impressions. Strive to leave the customer feeling
appreciated and pleased they chose to do business with you.
These five customer service
techniques can help you meet your customers' needs, so they
don't find someone else or some other organization who will!
Michele Matt, author of
Attitude: The Choice is Yours, created
Bad Apples™: How to Deal with
Difficult Attitudes, a video training program she uses
to help clients enhance individual performance and team
relationships.
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