Superior Customer Service

on the Telephone
Chris Carter
Training Coordinator
Office of Human Resources
Employee Development Center (EDC)
Goals
Improve comfort and confidence on the
phone
Use customer-service strategies that get
results
Enhance the publics image of the
University by providing superior customer
service over the phone
Objectives
At the end of this training, you will be
able to define and describe:
1. A Customers Basic Needs
2. 5 Dimensions of Customer Service
3. How to Manage a Call
4. Projecting a Positive Image
5. Techniques for handling difficult
phone situations

Keep Them Calling: Superior
Customer Service on the Phone

By: Sherry Barrett





Questions to Ask Yourself
Do my current skills help reduce my
stress when dealing with difficult calls?
Do I enjoy being at work when I make a
valuable contribution to the university?
Does the university save money when I
provide accurate and responsive
customer service on the phone?
Do I feel personally satisfied when Im
doing a great job?

Why Should You
Improve?

Every call is an opportunity to enhance customer
relations, your image, and the image of the
university.

Remember: The typical person tells 20 people
about a negative experience and tells only 5 people
about a positive experience.


The Basic Needs of the
Customer on the Phone
To be recognized and remembered
To feel valued
To feel appreciated
To feel respected
To feel understood
To feel comfortable about a want or need
View each caller (both internal and
external) as a customer

Satisfying customers over
the telephone is often more
challenging than serving
face-to-face.
5 Dimensions of
Customers Service
1. Professionalism
2. Speedy Responses
3. Accurate Information
4. Genuine Concern
5. Reliable Follow-through

5 Dimensions
1. Professionalism - use thank you and please,
control background noise, dont use office-
specific jargon or acronyms
2. Speedy Responses - predict follow-up time,
dont pad conversation with idle chatter,
dont take more than 24 hours to return a
call, time is money
5 Dimensions (Cont)
3. Accurate Information - use easy-to
understand examples, dont blame others,
dont use outdated material
4. Genuine Concern - use empathy, dont
judge callers feelings, dont let one
negative call bleed into another
5. Reliable Follow-up - responsibility to carry
out promised action
Positive Attitude
The Engine that drives
excellent service
forward.

The key ingredient in providing the
5 Dimensions of Customer Service.
1. Creates goodwill with caller
2. Reduces the potential for irritating the
caller
3. Lessens stress for you
4. Helps you enjoy your job more
5. Creates a more productive work
environment
Advantages of a Positive Attitude
Projecting a Positive Attitude
Keep organized work space
Make conscious effort to be
positive
Link being positive with
consequences
Choose role model who is positive
Focus on the callers needs instead
of your own
Feelings are a choice
Managing the Call
Answer Promptly (within 3 rings)
Greet the Caller and Identify Yourself
Offer to Help
Listen Carefully
Use Callers name


Example
XYZ Financial Services, this is Jan, how
may I help you today?

Yes, Mary, I will check on the status of
your application. Would you like to hold, or
would you prefer I call you back in a few
minutes with an answer?
Applying Positive Attitude to
Create Positive Impressions
Word choices seem simple, but small
changes make a dramatic difference
Positive phrasing creates an
environment where caller can respond
with an open mind

Hold on a minute? positive?
Turn Negative Into Positive
Shes not in yet.
Its a computer problem.
Your file must be lost.
Thats not my job.
We never received your application.
Managing the Call
Avoid blind transfers
Ask the caller whether he or she can hold
Tell caller to whom theyre being transferred
Briefly introduce the caller to the coworker
Closing the Call
Close Call Formally
Repeat action you agreed to take
Say Good-bye instead of Bye-bye


How to Give Bad News
The Sandwich Technique:

Insert the bad news
in-between two pieces
of good news
Case Studies Sandwich Technique
Sales Rep
Auto Repair Shop
Voice Mail
Keep it short
Suggest person get something to take
notes on
Give your availability
Repeat name and phone number at the end
Close with Thank-you
Angry Callers
Recognizing the Signs of an Angry Caller:
High-pitch speech
Long pauses
Sighs
Demands
Short-terse answers
Volume gets louder
2 Problems of the Angry Caller
1. A relationship problem with the University
Universitys relationship with the customer is
broken
Usually because basic needs arent being met

2. Specific problem that needs attention

7 Steps for Resolving the
Angry Customers Problem
1. Deal with feelings first. Listen and respond with
empathy.
2. Ask questions to get specifics about the complaint
3. Summarize callers problem to get agreement
4. Offer a choice of alternatives to fix the problem
5. Let the customer decide which alternative to use
6. Follow through on what you agree to do
7. When possible, do something extra
Abusive Caller
Definition:
A caller who goes beyond expressing
anger about a problem and begins
attacking the person handling the call
Often includes swearing and personal
attacks
Handling Abusive Callers
Abusive Callers:
Stay Calm
Youre not the target
Give caller warning
I beg your pardon?
I dont appreciate the language you are using.
If you arent able to talk with me without swearing, I
will have to end this call.
If the call terminates, inform supervisor
immediately
Handling Other Difficult Situations
Two or more calls at once: ask if one
can hold, thank for patience
Caller angry about being
transferred/put on hold: brief,
blameless apology
Caller hangs up: tell supervisor
Caller is crying: use empathy and slow
your pace, use take your time

More Difficult Situations
Caller uses another language-dont
increase volume, try simple phrases
Caller is mentally challenged-gear level
of language, focus on critical
information, summarize for agreement
Caller asks for manager- try to address
the problem yourself, ask if they can
hold, inform manager