Customer Service Training

The Customer Service Training Institute has enjoyed over 25 years of successfully specializing in interactive, fun, skill based customer service training workshops. At the conclusion of our customer service training workshop you will know and understand what the ideas are behind the skills and how to use them in business situations to build customer satisfaction and loyalty.

The focus of our Effective Customer Service Training workshops is to train your staff to:

Understand what your customers want and how that affects your job
Understand your own behavior and how to manage your customer's behavior better
Improve your communications skills
Learn to handle upset or angry customers
Implement proper phone skills
Understand and implement proper body language
Tell the customer what you can do and not what you can't

For more information and pricing on our customer service training seminars, please complete this form

Customer Service Training: Customer Service Workshops - 4 Ways You Can Handle Customer Service Better

It should come as no surprise that customers continue to rate excellent customer service high on the list of things they look for when choosing a company to do business with. The amazing thing is that most companies, in spite of customer demand, continue to offer customer service that is mediocre, or worse. It would seem that some companies just prefer to insult customers and lose business on purpose. The more likely answer is that they just don’t have a good customer service management training plan in place. We DO understand the value of great customer service training, and our Customer Service Management Training classes will empower you to train your customer service staff to give great service all the time, and keep your customers coming back to you.

Problem solving for Customer Service Professionals is really based on the attitude that you WANT to help the Customer. Without this attitude, it becomes impossible to help in any way and in most cases ends up making the Customer feel as if "you have done them a favor" which is, as we know, not at all what makes a Customer come back and ask for us by name. If your attitude is right, read on.

Let's look at a 4 things you can do that will give you control, confidence and success in dealing with Customer Service issues.

1st. Do not become fearful.

It is easy to see why some personnel feel as if they must solve every issue, perfectly. It does not happen that way at all. In fact, many times you only handle the most urgent or most troublesome issues. The best CSPs know this and do not try to "solve" every issue. What they do, is offer alternatives. When you try to solve every issue and deal with everything that comes your way, it has a tendency to make you hesitant and fearful after awhile because you have found that you cannot handle every situation. Once you have lost that confidence, it's all over. Like a Popsicle on a hot sidewalk, you just melt away.

The goal is to have several alternatives that you can offer. In some cases it may not address the entire situation. What it does though, is give the Customer a chance to make a decision based on their interests.

For example, your Customer calls you and says that the billing on your current invoice is incorrect, and in fact they had made a change on their account last month to change a feature that they felt they no longer needed. You take the call, acknowledge their frustration about making the call, and tell them something like this. "Mr. or Mrs. Customer, I see where you made the change on your account last month. I would like to take a minute and point out that you have had this feature for the past 3 years and although I can certainly remove it, I would be remiss if I did not let you know that by removing this feature you would actually be increasing your costs by not taking advantage of the discount this feature provides. Would you still like me to remove it?" The decision is the Customers and you have given them an alternative.

It is simple to say and the choice remains with the Customer. The very action of providing an alternative gives the Customer the service they are asking for. And you remain a valuable resource to them. So, don't become fearful, become "Alternative Driven!" and watch your Customers respond with loyalty and repurchase.

2nd. Think of ways around it.

There is always something you can do. Sometimes it's as simple as telling your Customer that you will follow up with them in 1 week, personally, and then doing it. Sometimes you will have to make changes in an account status, give a discount, send a gift package, change an order status, provide an expedited delivery date, have someone deliver something, order a new one, provide a loaner service, call the manufacturer and then call the Customer back, have the Customer meet with a senior manager or CSR, make arrangements for a demonstration and whatever else you have in your toolbox to take care of your Customers. Here is the real rub though.

Most of you don't. You want someone else to make a decision. Don't wait. Make a decision and follow it through. It's not your reputation here, it's the COMPANY'S!

You are acting on behalf of and in the name of your COMPANY! They are counting on you to help their CUSTOMER! YOUR CUSTOMER! The one person they are in existence to provide goods or services to. And by you not reaching into your toolbox and pulling out a solution, you are sabotaging the effort! If you don't have the authority, find out HOW you can get it! Do that by demonstrating that you want the authority to handle the situation. Then, use the tools you have to handle the situation. Don't get caught up in worrying about making a mistake. It's better to make a mistake in handling the interests of the CUSTOMER than doing nothing.

3rd. Think Practically.

It's a matter of common sense. Yours! You have to think in terms of what is best for the Customer and how you can best accomplish it. I like to do of this by applying a 3 step process.

A. Does it provide a solution or service that requires a minimum of effort and fuss by the Customer?

B. Can it be accomplished in the time frame required by the Customer?

C. Can you implement it? Immediately! (if not sooner)

Your goal is to provide a service solution which is seamless and smooth. Think of it as giving a present to someone in a package that is attractive to look at and contains something they want or need. Now make the package easy to open and filled with goodies. Lastly, make the present easy to use and returnable. Every time you provide a solution or service, think of it a giving a present.

4th. Think Patience.

Real Patience comes from you allowing your Customer to tell you what is going on in their own time! All too often we get caught up in providing the solution or service in OUR TIME not in the CUSTOMERS! You might start by practicing active listening skills. This skill requires you to be quiet, turn off your judgments, pay attention and stop texting, e-mailing and talking to someone else. By practicing these "moments of patience" you can actually begin to listen and hear what is really going on. Then you can take a minute and think "How would I want this situation handled?" and "How does my CUSTOMER want this situation handled?" Focus on the Customer 1st and yourself second.

You can also ask "How long would I want my Mom to wait in this situation?" or "How long would I want my Grandparents to wait in this situation?" These are easy questions to ask and sometimes difficult to answer.

By taking the time to listen first and act second, more often than not, you get it done right the first time and provide your Customer with the solution or service they really need.

If you follow these simple steps, you can have control over the situation, confidence that you can handle anything that comes your way and success in applying these steps in your Customer Service career.

Source: Leonard Buchholz link

Related: Customer Service Workshops