Customer Service Training: Achieving Excellence in Customer Service

Customer Service Course Outline

• Customer Service Excellence: Why It Matters

  The importance of How

  • Focusing on the how as well as the what
  • Developing a relationship of mutual trust
  • The Five Key Values of Customer Service
  • Creating a definition of excellence

• Creating the Customer Experience

  Emotional aspects of the customer experience

  • Making the initial connection with the customer
  • Presenting a positive first impression
  • Influencing customer perceptions
  • Exceeding customer expectations

  Identifying the differentiators of excellence

  • Taking responsibility for demonstrating customer care
  • Navigating the customer through the process
  • Instilling confidence with a personal approach

  Fostering long-term relationships

  • Adopting a positive mental attitude (PMA)
  • Small actions that ensure attention to detail

• Communicating Effectively with the Customer

  Developing excellent communication skills

  • Establishing rapport with your customer
  • Personalising the message
  • Matching words and non-verbal signals

  What you say and how you say it

  • Verbal and vocal techniques that work
  • Avoiding the quirks and distractors
  • Banishing jargon to create clarity

  Adopting a problem-solving approach

  • Turning active listening into problem solving
  • Employing questioning techniques that focus on outcomes
  • Encouraging a spirit of enquiry rather than adversary
  • Moving to a team approach with the customer

  Achieving results for the remote customer

  • Choosing and using appropriate media
  • Applying best practises in call centre etiquette
  • Top tips for e-customer care

• Dealing Constructively with Tough Situations

  Calming upset customers with active listening

  • Demonstrating emotional intelligence
  • Displaying empathy and showing neutral support
  • Establishing rapport and defusing anger
  • What you should not say to an upset customer

  Techniques for dealing with difficult people

  • Remaining objective in challenging situations
  • Personalising and depersonalizing messages
  • Asserting your position through polite repetition
  • Handling the obstinate customer

  Transforming complaints into opportunities

  • Generating useful feedback and learning
  • Turning a negative situation into a loyal customer
  • Tapping into the potential advocate within your customer

• Contributing to a Customer Service Culture

  Demonstrating leadership in customer service teams

  • Mapping the internal customer network
  • Strengthening weak links in the chain
  • Influencing a customer-centric corporate culture

  Measuring customer satisfaction

  • Setting and monitoring performance standards
  • Tracking progress with internal indicators
  • Enabling customers to express satisfaction
  • Constructing a customer service charter

  Monitoring the team's development

  • Seeing customer service as an attitude, not an accident
  • Coaching your team for success

• Making Excellence a Habit

  The characteristics and practises of excellence

  • "Sharpening the saw" to hone your customer service skills
  • Projecting a professional image with internal and external customers
  • Ten rules that epitomize success
  • Measuring personal growth and achievements

  Executing your personal action plan

  • Constructing personal development goals
  • Committing to immediate action