HANDLING IRATE CUSTOMERS 102: LASER LISTENING - WHAT ARE THEY REALLY SAYING?

1. Review the Principles Driving Your Team’s Customer Service Mission

2. Introduce the Lesson

SCRIPT: At our last meeting, we focused on one of the biggest challenges you face when confronted by irate customers: keeping your cool. Today we’re moving on to the next challenge: making sure that we’re

clear on the real problem or issue so we can address it quickly and effectively. To do that, we’re going to sharpen our listening skills. [Distribute copies of Handout 4B.]

3. Explain and Discuss the Skill(s) to Practice

SCRIPT: There are two related listening tactics I want you to be aware of and start to practice this week.

These will make you a great listener in every area of your life, not just here at work, and are particularly important to practice when emotions are running high. Basically, they’re the “laser surgery” that cuts through the anger the customer is throwing at you, so you can get to the real problems underneath.

LEADER’S NOTE:

SCRIPT: Those tactics are (1) check for understanding, and (2) repeat or paraphrase the complaint to acknowledge you heard it correctly. These tactics may sound simple, but they’re not easy to put into practice. Let’s take a closer look.

First, check for understanding. Picture an irate customer who is either babbling or saying almost nothing.

In either case, you have no idea what the real problem is. It’s hidden in the fog of the customer’s emotions.

Of course, you keep your cool and acknowledge their feelings—and how are you going to do that? [Elicit responses based on the previous lesson.] Then, you prepare to check for understanding.

LEADER’S NOTE:

SCRIPT: There are several strategies for drawing more information out of the customer. For example, you can simply say, “Tell me more about ...” and fill in the blank with the appropriate words. [Offer examples from your own experience; for instance, “Tell me more about why this product isn’t serving your needs.”]

Or, you can say, “I want to make sure I’ve got this right. Would you repeat what happened one more time?” Another possibility is, “Help me to understand the situation so we can get this resolved quickly.

Would you run that by me one more time?”

Are there any strategies that you have found useful? [Have the team add these additions to the handout.]

LEADER’S NOTE: Show Slide 102.3.

SCRIPT: Once you’ve checked for understanding, go on to the next tactic: Repeat or paraphrase the complaint to acknowledge you heard it correctly. You want to assure customers that you heard them clearly and have

really got it right. This will calm them down and position you as someone who’s there to help, not hassle.

Our lead-in statements are simple. You might say, “Let me make sure I heard you correctly”; or “Let me make sure I understand the problem correctly”; or “Let me see if I have all the facts here.” Then comes the hard

part: “What you’re saying is ...” Depending on your ability at laser listening, what follows makes or breaks the conversation. Did you really nail it? Did you really understand the problem or the situation? And, there’s no doubt about it, most customers will give you immediate feedback to let you know how well you did.

4. Conduct a Team Activity

LEADER’S NOTE: Create several role-plays based on situations in your business that might conclude with these customer statements: • “This store [or business] always messes up!”

• “That’s not what I was told the last time I called [or was in here].”

• “If I don’t get better service, I’m going to call the Better Business Bureau!”

Ask one member to play the irate customer, and call on others to respond using the tactics you just presented. Make this interchange fun and fast-paced.

5. Set Goals for the Week

LEADER’S NOTE: Ask members to look for as many opportunities as possible to practice these tactics with customers and one another during the coming week.

Distribute scorecards—large index cards will do— and a strip of fun stickers. Ask the team to “stick it to” members who are caught handling an irate customer well or who respond effectively to instant practice sessions. Challenge them to do on-the-spot role-plays throughout the week based on their own experiences or on scenarios you and your peer leaders create and distribute randomly. Finally, ask them to bring their scorecards and examples of what did and what didn’t work to the next meeting.

6. Assign Accountability for Follow-Up

LEADER’S NOTE: Everyone on the team is accountable for this assignment.

7. Announce Contest and Prizes

LEADER’S NOTE: The person who has the most stickers by the next team meeting receives a prize or is entered into a drawing.

 Handling Irate Customers 102: Laser Listening—What Are They Really Saying?

Laser Listening: Two Basic Tactics

1. Check for understanding.

• Strategies:

— “Tell me more about ...”

— “I want to make sure I’ve got this right. Would you repeat what happened one more time?”

— “Help me to understand the situation so we can get this resolved quickly. Would you run that by me one more time?”

— Other strategies:

2. Repeat or paraphrase the complaint to acknowledge that you heard it correctly.

• Lead-ins:

— “Let me make sure I heard you correctly.”

— “I want to make sure I understand the problem correctly.”

— “Let me see if I have all the facts about the situation.”

• Then:

— “What you’re saying is ...”

ASSIGNMENT OF THE WEEK

Practice and stick it to ’em!

WHAT TO DO WHEN A CUSTOMER JUMPS AHEAD IN A LINE OF WAITING CUSTOMER

WHEN A CUSTOMER JUMPS AHEAD IN A LINE OF WAITING CUSTOMER - WHAT TO DO?
A Tutorial On What To Do When A Customer Jumps Ahead In A Line Of Waiting Customers



THE SITUATION
One of the most frustrating things for customers is when someone pushes ahead of them in a line and for the
employee to serve the more aggressive customer first, ignoring the fact that the aggressive customer has pushed in.

To ignore the situation almost ensures that the customer being delayed is going to blame the employee for the aggressive customer's rude or oblivious behavior.

TECHNIQUES USED
■ Verbal Softeners (1)
■ Face-Saving Out (2)

DIALOGUE
This situation could occur in any context where people line up for service—grocery stores, other retail establishments, banks, hotels, restaurants.There's a line of five people waiting to be served and a sixth person steps into the middle of the line. Before any of the other customers says anything, the employee intervenes.

Employee: [to the customer who has pushed in] Perhaps you didn't notice that the line actually ends after this gentleman. (1) If you could move to the end, I'll be glad to serve you in turn.

Customer: Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't see that.

Employee: No problem. It's easy to miss. (2)

EXPLANATIONS
In this situation it's important to point out that the customer has jumped the line without doing anything that

might humiliate or embarrass him or her. In (1) the employee uses a very gentle way of letting the customer
know about the line, careful not to accuse the customer.

The word "perhaps" is a good example of a verbal softener. Notice the difference in tone between what the employee said and the following: "Hey, you jumped the line. Get back to the end." Quite different.

In (2), you can see an example of a similar technique, providing a face-saving out. Since the customer has apologized, the employee can soften any embarrassment by making it OK, indicating that it's a mistake that's easy to make. That ends the interaction on a positive note.

HINTS
It's important that an employee who deals with situations where customers line up make a conscious effort to monitor the line in order to address "pushing-in" issues before another customer does.

You don't want two customers arguing about something that is ultimately your
responsibility.

When a customer cuts in, you can't know whether it is an intentional act of rudeness and inconsideration or
simply a result of inattention.

For this reason, you should always give the benefit of the doubt. To accuse a customer of pushing in intentionally is almost always guaranteed to start an argument.

Even if you have a strong suspicion it was intentional, you must start with a gentle approach.

GET THE FIRST FIVE (5) SECONDS RIGHT - CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THE INITIAL IMPRESSION RIGHT
How Important Is The First Impression?

The little things that go into the first five seconds are critical. All human beings have sophisticated sensing devices built into their genes.

These are essential for differentiating friends from enemies, and also for distinguishing between safe opportunities and dangerous situations. Without them we become vulnerable and expose ourselves to undue risk.

These sensing devices are working at full stretch when customers move toward a potential service encounter. They will sense almost instantly whether the experience they are about to have will be positive or negative.

They can tell by the look in a front-line employee’s eyes, by the tone of his or her voice, by every microbehavior. “I walked into a coffee shop yesterday,” recounted Tom Gardner, “and knew instantly I was going to get bad service.

There were a couple of empty tables, both of which were dirty and full of clutter. Behind the counter were three assistants chatting to each other and unaware of me as a customer entering the shop.

When I ordered my cappuccino there was minimal interaction and hardly any eye contact. I asked them to clean one of the empty tables. They did so, removing the dirty cups but failing to wipe the spillage on the table or pick up the discarded napkins on the floor.

It’s the last time I will go there.” The “first five seconds impression” applies equally to telephone encounters. Within seconds of calling a company a customer can tell whether or not it buzzes with good service.

“I can telephone 20 different call centers,” asserts Mary Callaghan, “and get 20 different responses. As soon as they try to railroad me through a set procedure I know I am going to get bad service.

Before I open my mouth they are asking me for my account number, password, and other information. Yet on rare occasions I reach an individual who actually sounds like a human being. You can tell immediately by their friendly tone and their genuine interest in what I have to say.”

If a customer’s instant feeling is bad, there is a risk that they will walk away. The converse is obviously true: when customers detect a buzz they will want to stay and then come back time and time again.

Here are some little things you can do to ensure a perfect first five seconds:

✔ Step outside your premises and then enter as if you were a customer. What is the first thing you notice? Do people look up and smile as you come in? Is the floor clean? If you notice

anything substandard during the first five seconds, take the necessary action.

✔ During your break call your company telephone number and ask for yourself. What is the first impression a customer would have on ringing that number? Is it easy to get through? Does the person answering sound friendly? Is he or she helpful? If the response is in any way poor, initiate the required improvements.

✔ Ensure that there is some positive engagement during that vital first five seconds as a customer approaches. For example, it could be a simple little signal with the eyes to indicate that you have acknowledged the customer’s presence. Or it could be a nod or a little gesture with the hand.

The first five seconds can make a big difference to your business, but the challenge of getting them right is exceptionally demanding.

 PRACTICE

Today, work hard with your colleagues to focus on the first five seconds with your customers. Role play encounters with customers where the first five seconds are absolutely fantastic—and then put your ideas into practice for real.

BUZZ QUOTE

The buzz starts with the first five seconds of any encounter with a customer.

ENERGIZE YOURSELF – BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE

ENERGIZING ONESELF FOR EFFECTIVE CUSTOMER SERVICE

How An Energize Individual Can Provide Better Customer Service?

Keeping your energy level steady throughout the day helps you perform consistently rather than seesawing between highs and lows. Food is your body’s fuel, and what you eat is important in maintaining a consistent energy level.

Exercise boosts your energy level, and sleep is your rejuvenator. Eating well, exercising, and getting enough sleep are key to maintaining high energy.

Performance Prompts

• Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You heard this before, and you heard correctly.

• Your body needs refueling in the morning and throughout the day with healthy and nutritious food.

• Include whole grains, protein, fruit, vegetables, and low or no-fat dairy products in your daily diet.

• You can still eat nutritiously, even when on the run. Grab a piece of fruit, a whole grain muffin, a yogurt, a handful of nuts. . . .

• Balance, moderation, and variety are important to your nutrition.

• Control fat and sugar intake.

• Incorporate regular exercise into your daily plan.

• Park away from your office, and walk.

• Take the stairs rather than riding the elevator.

• When you start feeling drowsy, stand up, stretch, walk, or take deep breaths to pump up your energy level.

• When you eat a healthy diet, exercise, and get enough sleep every day, you will receive psychological benefits by decreasing stress and tension.

When This Happens . . .

Getting up, getting the kids and yourself ready for the day, making sure everyone eats breakfast, getting out of the house and to school and work on time . . . picking the kids up from school, running errands, running the kids to soccer practice, eating a rushed dinner, making sure the kids do their homework, getting them ready for bed, falling into bed from exhaustion.

With such a schedule, you have no time for you. Does this sound similar to your day? Even if you do not have kids or all of these responsibilities, you most likely still live a rushed life.

Fast forwarding through life has become part of our culture. The bottom line is that you probably feel you are far too busy—and stressed out—to worry about eating right. And exercise? Forget about that. You have no time.

Try This

Make time! That is the bottom line. If you do not make time to eat a healthy diet, exercise, and sleep, your body is not going to receive the fuel and energy it needs to keep going. You will go through each day too exhausted to enjoy life.

You will eventually run out of fuel and become ill. So, replace unhealthy foods with healthier choices. You will feel better. Get enough sleep. You will feel better. Schedule time every day to exercise.

You will feel better. Do all these things, and you are taking a huge step toward feeling great.

Schedule time for you every day.

HONESTY IS ALWAYS YOUR BEST CHOICE – CUSTOMER SERVICE

HONESTY FOR BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE

Why Is Honesty Important In Customer Service?

When you make a habit of always telling the truth and doing the right thing, life becomes less complicated. When you tell the truth, you do not have to remember what lies you said to whom.

When you are dishonest, people find out. Maybe not right away, but the truth always has a way of coming out. When people find that you have been dishonest, they will no longer trust you.

Performance Prompts

• Always be honest. Period.

• In situations where honesty is going to hurt someone, saying nothing may be the best policy. You are not lying. Rather, you are protecting someone’s feelings.

• Do the right thing. Think before making decisions to be sure that what you are doing is right and ethical.

• Do what you say you will when you say you will. Become a person others can rely on.

• When you give someone your word, mean it. Let your word be your bond.

• Never knock your competition. You will be the one who looks bad.

• Always be truthful about your products, services, and policies. Never make misleading claims.

• Be accountable for your actions. When you make a mistake, be up front and admit it. When you take responsibility for your actions, people will respect you.

When This Happens . . .

Sally, a great employee and your close friend, is telling everyone she is being promoted to a position in Frank’s department, but Frank told you he is promoting someone else.

He knows that Sally is a great employee, but there is something about her he just does not like. He cannot put his finger on it, but a promotion for Sally is not happening.

Try This

Telling Sally that Frank does not like her would be hurtful, but so is allowing her to continue telling people she is getting a promotion when she is not, particularly if she finds out you knew she was not. Say this: “Sally, Frank told me that he’s decided to promote someone else.

I know you are a great employee, and I believe in your abilities. I’m sure another opportunity will come up.” You did not sugar coat the situation, and you did not lie.

If Sally asks you if you know the reason she is not getting the promotion, you could say, “Frank told me he knows you are a great employee, but he doesn’t feel you are the right person to work in his department.” You protected her feelings by telling her a kind version of the details.

Do everything with integrity. Everything.

PRESENT YOUR BEST FACE FORWARD – CUSTOMER SERVICE

PRESENTING YOUR BEST FACE FORWARD FOR CUSTOMER DELIGHT

Why Presenting Your Best Face Forward Is Important In Customer Service?

In face-to-face situations, people see you first and hear you second. When people see you for the first time, they quickly size you up and begin forming their first impression.

At work, your appearance tells your customers, manager, and coworkers who you are and what you think about yourself. Work is not the place for a radical or extreme statement.

Cleansing, grooming, and dressing properly may take a little extra time but the pay off is worth it. When you look good, you feel good about yourself.

Performance Prompts

• At work, dress professionally. When you look professional, you will act professionally.

• Dress appropriately for your work environment. Work is not the place to stand out in the crowd.

• If you are uncertain how to dress, stay on the conservative side.

• You do not have to spend a fortune on business clothes to dress professionally. How much the clothes cost is not important; how they look is important.

• Make sure you are clean before you leave home. Take a shower, wash your hair, scrub your fingernails, and brush your teeth.

• Make sure you are groomed before you leave home. Style your hair, wear wrinkle-free clothes, file your fingernails, and shine your shoes.

• Look in a full-length mirror before you leave home. If you do not have one, buy one. A full-length mirror is a good investment.

• Check yourself during the day. Also, ask a close friend or coworker to tell you when something is amiss with your appearance.

• Select your outfit the night before to avoid the morning rush or any surprises. When you are rushed, you might not choose wisely.

When This Happens . . .

Tomorrow is your first day on a new job. You will be a frontline customer service employee in a call center. You are excited about this new job, but you do not have a clue what to wear.

Try This

Tomorrow you will make a first impression with your new coworkers, as well as with your manager. Think about how your manager dressed during your interview. If you took a tour of the call center, think about how the employees were dressed.

If you still have no clue what to wear, select something conservative. A pair of dress slacks and a nice sweater or shirt should suffice for your first day. Rule out anything loud or faddish until you have time to size up your new office environment.

Plan to wake up a little early to allow for personal hygiene and grooming. Tomorrow morning you will most likely feel a little nervous, and you do not want any last minute surprises.

Looking good—appropriate for your environment— can help boost your confidence.