CHAPTER 6: COMMUNICATIONS IN CUSTOMER SERVICE

OUTLINE
I. What is communication?
A. Customer service requires the ability to communicate effectively.
B. Communication is the process in which information, ideas, and understanding are shared between
two or among more people.
C. The element of understanding must take place.
II. Building customer intelligence:
A. Customer intelligence is the process of gathering information, building a historical database, and
developing an understanding of current, potential, and lapsed customers.
B. Customer intelligence allows organizations to better serve customer groups.
C. Customer intelligence can enhance the possibility of improved relationship marketing.
D. Relationship marketing is cultivating a lasting, mutually beneficial connection with customers.
E. As with any personal or business relationship we have, the more we get to know and understand
our customers, the better we can communicate with them.
III. Methods of communication:
A. Listening is the ability to hear and understand what the speaker is saying.
B. Writing is communicating by using the written word in a manner that others can understand the
intended message.
C. Talking is speaking by using words and terminology that others can comprehend.
D. Reading is the ability to read and comprehend the written word.
E. Non-verbal communication includes tone and inflection of ones voice, facial expressions, posture,
and eye contact. Non-verbal communication may contradict verbal communication.
IV. Listening:
A. It is not easy to be a good listener.
B. Listening is a skill that must be continuously developed.
C. Barriers to listening:
1. Distractions.
2. Closed mind to the speaker and message.
3. The listener wont stop talking.
4. Uncommitted to listening.
D. Listeners need to pay attention and focus on what is being said.
E. Avoid becoming visually distracted.
F. A good listener considers what is being said and avoids jumping to conclusions.
G. A good listener:
1. Conveys sincerity.
2. Doesnt interject his or her own thoughts.
3. Nods head.
4. Doesnt finish the sentence for the speaker.
5. Paraphrases what was said.
CHAPTER 11:
TECHNOLOGY AND CUSTOMER SERVICE
OUTLINE
I. Todays changing marketplace.

A. Todays marketplace is full of changes.

B. Suddenly emerging are Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, communication by texting, blogs,
membership/reward programs, e-mail, and the list goes on!
C. Customers are embracing new opportunities with an enthusiasm that sometimes exceeds business
ability to deliver.
D. Customers may expect businesses to offer services that they are not quite ready to offer.
E. This results in either offering services ahead of schedule or not offering them and being perceived
as being behind the competition.
F. Customers are intrigued by using new technologies to enhance their lives.
G. Social Media: Electronic communication used by consumers to share ideas, information, opinions,
and personal messages.
H. When using social media to interact with customer it is helpful to remember the following:
Express appreciation to customers for referrals. Congratulate them on successes or new
opportunities and affiliations.
Share information, not a heavy sales pitch.
Use status updates to remind customers of upcoming deadlines, events, and opportunities.
Link to other resources whether offered by you or not. Especially, You Tube videos, articles that
mention your business or product, important links, etc.
Share what is trending in your market, such as, books, products, topics, new information, and
interesting tie-ins to your business.
II. Understanding the customer of the 21 st century.
A. Customers in the 21st century are sophisticated in the ways that they search for and make
purchases.
B. Customers will expect from service providers:
1. Availability: services designed to meet the customers schedule;
2. Accessibility: when the customer needs to talk, the provider can be reached; and
3. Accountability: customers prefer quick and accurate answers to service questions.
III. Embracing new technologies.
A. Technology is progressing at a rate that is staggering.
B. Customers respond positively to technologies that are user friendly.
C. Some of the most rapidly advancing technologies that customers are seeking out and using are
customer service call centers, customer service over the Internet including online bill paying, buying
and selling goods and services, online tutorials, webinars (online collaboration or training), technical
and email.
D. Smart phones are helping customer service to be on the go, and the ability to acquire knowledge
is highly portable.
E. To prepare others to greet the opportunities of new technologies with an open mind take the
following steps:
1. Prepare your staff.
2. Train supervisors and team leaders first and get them to buy in.
3. Develop a group of change champions who will act as advocates for the new technology.
4. Sell your vision. Convey your enthusiasm and share how much easier work will be.
5. Praise successful use of the new technology.
6. Resist the temptation to complain.
7. Celebrate small successes. Celebrate small milestones along the way to keep all involved excited.

8. Avoid the shelfware syndrome. The temptation to give up and put the new technology on the
shelf, never to be used.
IV. Call Centers.
A. One of the most dramatic growths that have been seen in customer service is the service offered
via the customer service call center.
B. According to U.S. Direct Marketing Today, approximately 60,000 U.S. based call centers exist
today and the number is growing all of the time.
C. Call centers have a unique advantage. They can be located just about anywhere that has a
sufficient worker base and one call center site may handle a number of different companies calls.
D. Call centers allow service costs to be reduced from the costs involved in face-to-face encounters.
E. Customers are accepting less one-on-one service for increased convenience of being able to talk to
a call center.
F. A current trend in call centers is to locate them in foreign countries with eager work forces that
accept a much lower rate of pay than the average American worker.
1. Companies are weighing the benefits of this business practice.
2. Costs may be lower but customer satisfaction has, in some cases, suffered.
3. When this type of call center is effective, the customer has no idea that they are not interacting
with a customer service provider just around the corner.
G. Call centers include the area of teleselling.
H. Teleselling is selling products, providing services, or information via the telephone.
1. Inbound calls are calls that originate with the customer that may include catalog ordering, billing
questions, technical support, product use or other information.
2. Outbound calls are calls that originate from the call center to the customer usually intended to sell
products or services, conduct market research, or respond to customer inquiries.
3. Many call centers handle both inbound and outbound calls.
4. Automatic call distribution is when calls are routed to the next available service provider.
5. Automatic number identification allows the call recipient to identify the incoming number and
caller. Additional background information or historical information may be displayed to enable them
to better serve the customer.
I. Individuals with excellent telephone skills, ability to handle stress, good computer skills or the
aptitude to learn new computer systems, ability to stay at their work station in-front of a computer,
enthusiasm, positive attitude, motivation, good problem solving skills, professionalism, and the
ability to see a call through to the end would be excellent candidates for call center positions.
J. Candidates may be interviewed by telephone to identify their telephone techniques.
V. Customer service over the Internet.
A. The growth of the Internet has exceeded most of the experts predictions.
B. Companies must attempt to identify whether or not a web site would enhance their service
offering.
1. Additionally customers are engaging in:
2. Online bill paying: offering customers the opportunity to receive and pay bills online.
3. Buying and selling of goods and services: EBay, product web sites, retailers, etc.
4. Online tutorials: online orientation or training.
5. Webinars: online collaboration or training.
6. Technical assistance: easy assistance with a variety of technical questions.
7. Email

C. A web site can supplement what the call center is doing.

D. By offering information via the Internet, companies may cut down on hold times for customers
with inquiries that could be answered via the Web Site.
E. The telephone call center and the Internet can complement each other.
VI. Enhancing service experiences and building customer loyalty.
A. Customer loyalty will be one of the defining areas of success or failure for service providers.
B. Every service interaction is an opportunity to better understand customers and to build a
relationship with them.
C. If handled properly that relationship becomes a loyal one where the customer comes to think of
the company as the only one for them and then continues to vote with their business.

Development of negotiation skills.

Successful negotiation is necessary when attempting to resolve customer complaints, requests, or
problems.
A. Negotiation is the evaluation of the possible solutions to a challenge and the selection of the
solution that is mutually beneficial.
B. To improve negotiation skills as a customer service provider, remember the following suggestions:
1. Know your customer.
2. Ask questions and listen to the spoken and unspoken messages.
3. Know the policies of your organization and in which areas flexibility is allowed.
4. Demonstrate the willingness to be flexible.
5. Learn to handle your anger and your customers anger appropriately.
6. Consider what the customer may lose in the negotiation process.
7. Determine mutually beneficial solutions to challenging problems and situations.
VIII. Professional approaches to apologizing and conveying bad news. As customer service providers
attempt to assist their customers in problem solving, they may become aware of errors or oversights
that were made by their own company, coworkers, or themselves.
A. Apologies are not signs of weakness, but instead they are productive methods of continuing the
opportunity to communicate.
B. When apologizing to customers, consider the following suggestions:
1. Acknowledge the customers feeling.
2. Express to the customer that you share the responsibility for the problem.
3. Convey sincerity.
4. Ask for the opportunity to correct the problem.
5. Request the opportunity to continue doing business in the future.
IX. Barriers to problem solving and decision making:
A. Several barriers may exist that affect the actuality of problem solving and decision making.
B. Frequently, decision makers are not aware that barriers are detracting from the decision-making
process.
C. Some of the most common barriers to problem solving and decision making are:
1. Resistance to change.
2. Habits.
3. Individual insecurity.
4. Past history.
5. Fear of success or failure.
6. Jumping to conclusions.
7. Perceptions.

X. Importance of follow-up in problem solving:

A. Once a problem or problems have been solved or decisions have been made, it is vitally important
for follow-up to occur.
B. Follow-up is checking back to determine whether or not a situation is operating according to the
initial plan.
C. Follow-up is a safeguard to ensure that customers continue to be satisfied with a company and the
companys ability to meet the needs of its customers.
D. Through effective preparation, the reality of problem solving and decision making in customer
service can become an active opportunity to convey to customers how valuable they are.
H. To improve your listening skills:
1. Focus on the speaker and what he or she is saying.
2. Look at the speaker and make eye contact; make notes as you listen.
3. Listen with an open mind.
4. Rephrase what was said to clarify your understanding.
5. Control your body language; dont show impatience or disapproval.
6. Leans toward the speaker.
7. Shares positive comments.
8. Shows good eye contact.
V. Voice inflection is a customer service tool.
A. Voice inflection is a variation in the pitch, timing, or loudness of the voice.
B. Pitch is made up of the highs and lows of your voice.
C. Many people are unaware that they possess unpleasant vocal characteristics.
D. Characteristics revealed by the voice:
Level of job satisfaction
Attitude
Gender
Education
Knowledge level
Speed that you work and react
Confidence
The part of the country you are from
Status
Energy level
Mood
E. To experiment with voice inflection read the following sentence in your normal voice: John
solved the software problem.
1. Now repeat it as a question.
2. Now repeat it as a secret.
3. Now repeat it with surprise.
F. To improve your voice inflection, try the following:
1. Tape yourself.
2. Ask friends for their honest assistance.
3. Make a conscious effort to improve.
4. Keep listening to yourself; avoid slipping into old habits.
VI. Telephones and customer service:
A. Any time you are on the telephone, you are selling yourself.

B. Customer service providers must have excellent telephone skills.

C. Seven steps to answering a call:
1. Smile!
2. Answer with an enthusiastic and professional greeting.
a. Greet the caller.
b. Identify your organization or department.
c. Introduce yourself.
d. Offer your assistance.
3. Ask questions; ask for additional information.
4. Give answers and assistance as quickly as possible.
5. Thank the caller.
6. Conclude the call in a positive manner.
7. Follow-up the call!
D. Organization on the telephone is very important!
1. Always have a notepad handy.
2. Know the companys policies.
3. Tell the customer your name.
4. Practice great listening skills.
5. Check back to make sure that the customers requests were completed.
VII. Words to Use/Words to Avoid:
WORDS TO USE WORDS TO AVOID
* please * cant
* yes * never
* may I * dont
* consider this * you have to
* do * dont tell me no
* lets negotiate * wont
* will * not our policy
* thank you * not my job
* you * profanity
* us * vulgarity
* appreciate * problem
* can * sorry
* use their name * love slang (honey etc.)
* would you like * well try
* opportunity * havent had time
* challenge * I dont know
* regret * hang on for a second
VIII. Power phrases:
A. Due to your specialized knowledge.
B. What a unique suggestion!
C. Id like your considered opinion.
D. Please.
E. You are absolutely right!
F. If I could borrow just a moment of your time.
G. May I?
H. As you, of course, know.
I. Id like your advice.

J. I would appreciate it if....

IX. Power of eye contact:
A. Eye contact is allowing our eyes to make visual contact with someone elses.
B. Eye contact can convey sincerity and interest, or suggest a lack of concern or lack of honesty.
X. Appealing to the senses in communication:
A. When attempting to communicate with customers, it is helpful to appeal to as many senses as is
possible.
B. An example is a waiter painting an attractive picture of food as he describes it, shows it, and offers
the aroma.
XI. Communication and technology.
A. The customer service industry has been greatly impacted by technology.
B. Customer service providers must become proficient in using the technologies available to them.
XII. Voice Mail.
A. Customer service providers must be comfortable speaking with customers voice mail systems and
must understand their own system.
B. When leaving a voice mail message:
1. Speak clearly and slowly, identify yourself, your company, the day, and date, and time.
2. State the reason for your call.
3. Suggest to the customer what the next step should be. Does he or she need to call you back or wait
for more information?
4. Leave your name and the phone number where you can be reached. You have already given the
customer your name, but in case he or she didnt write it down, give it again with your phone
number.
5. Close with a positive farewell.
C. If a customer claims that your voice mail system is not working properly, call it yourself.
XIII. Fax machines:
A. When using a fax machine, always use a fax cover sheet.
B. When creating a fax cover sheet, include the following:
1. Your name.
2. Title.
3. Department.
4. Company.
5. Address.
6. Phone number.
7. Fax number.
8. Number of pages in your fax (including the cover sheet).
9. Introductory message
10. A warning statement (if faxing confidential information).
C. A faxed signature is in many cases considered to be as valid as a witnessed signature.
D. When possible, fax after hours.
XIV. Electronic Mail (or e-mail):
A. Electronic mail is probably most beneficial when interacting with internal customers.
B. Users of electronic mail should become familiar with the usage policies of their company.
C. The following are common e-mail practices:
1. Never type in upper case.
2. Periodically clean out your mailbox.
3. Avoid sending personal messages over the system. (It could go to the wrong mailbox.)
4. Remember that e-mail does not convey emotion.

5. Ask for confirmation of the readers having received the mail.

XV. Texting:
A. Businesses need to create a method to help customers to communicate in the
method that they prefer. This may be by using their cell phone and receiving or
sending a text.

CHAPTER 7: COPING WITH CHALLENGING CUSTOMERS

OUTLINE
I. Who are challenging customers?
A. A reality of life is that some people are easier and more enjoyable to be around than others.
B. Challenging customers are those customers with problems, questions, fears, and personalities that
require us to work to achieve true communication.
C. Individuals are unique and, therefore, may not all be seen as challenging customers.
D. Regardless of how difficult we find our customers to be, it is still our responsibility to serve them.
II. Why are customers challenging?
A. Customers may have personalities or communication styles with which we find difficulty in
interacting.
B. Customers may be perceived as challenging because of the following reasons:
1. They do not speak your language.
2. They do not have expertise or an understanding of the specific product or situation.
3. They may be openly hostile.
4. They are visibly upset about something (and it may not have anything to do with you or your
company).
5. They are very quiet and non-communicative.
6. They show an attitude of superiority.
7. They are impatient.
8. They imply that they are doing you and your company a big favor by doing business with you.
9. They appear to embody the type of person against whom you have a bias.
10. They are so nice that you hate to give them bad news.
11. They are extremely angry.
12. They have difficulty in making decisions.
C. Everyone is someones challenging customer!
D. Any customer with whom we interact deserves to be treated extremely well and appropriately
based on the circumstances.
III. Are you creating challenging customers?
A. Some customers are challenging, no matter what we do or do not do for them.
B. The reality is that we may create many of the customer problems that we experience.
C. Five tips to keep from creating challenging customers:
1. Respect the customers time.
2. Do not impose your bad or negative mood on anyone else.
3. Recognize regular customers with a smile and try to learn their names.
4. Avoid destructive remarks.
5. Show initiative.
IV. Ten characteristics of challenging customers and how to interact with them:

A. Non-English speaking and/ or cultural barriers:

1. Speak slowly and clearly.

2. Avoid using slang terms.
3. Try illustrating with hand motions.
4. Dont pretend that you understand if you dont.
5. Ask questions and repeat what you said.
6. Write your message out.
7. Keep appropriate language dictionaries handy.
8. If all else fails, suggest that the customer come back with an English speaking friend.
9. Identify the languages that you encounter most often.
10. Consider taking a class in a foreign language.
B. Older: (Todays 50+ customer is independent, active, self-sufficient, and is living life to the
fullest.)
1. Treat them with respect and attention.
2. They may have difficulty reading fine print, may respond more slowly, or may have hearing
difficulty.
3. Always show a high level of respect.
4. Recognize their individual need for self-respect.
5. Never talk down to them.
6. If they are having difficulty reading, move to a better lit area.
7. Look at them while you are talking.
8. Speak clearly, but dont shout.
9. If they are unsure of how to use equipment, assist them.
C. Impatient.
1. Always remember that a customers impatience is probably due to some outside circumstance.
2. When calling customers on the phone, ask if you are calling at an appropriate time.
3. Stress that your goal is to work as efficiently as possible.
4. Stay on the task and complete the business quickly and accurately.
5. Strive to show that your company is worth the investment of their time.
D. Angry. (Unfortunately anger is a common emotion in customer service.)
1. If not dealt with, anger between internal customers can create a war between departments.
2. Try to calm the customer.
3. Avoid responding with anger.
4. Ask customers to explain their situation.
5. Acknowledge their emotions, but find out the facts.
6. Attempt to find effective solutions to the situation.
7. Always approach customers with respect even when they are behaving unprofessionally.
8. Attempt to gain control of the conversation.
9. Remember that customer anger provides the opportunity for a new relationship and can have a
positive result.
E. Analytical. Analytical customers desire facts and the opportunity to interact with knowledgeable
individuals.
1. These customers like consistency and proof.
2. Treat them with respect and give them what they want.
3. Explain in detail answers to their questions.
4. Ask for additional questions.
F. Non-committal. These customers may have difficulty in making decisions. They may be seeking
information from a variety of sources before they make a decision.

1. Non-committal customers may have been too quick to commit in the past and then regretted their
decisions.
2. They may have financial restraints.
3. They may have to consider the reactions of others.
4. To help non-committal customers, make a decision and detail the possible options.
5. Ask if there is anything that you have not explained.
6. Suggest that they make a decision today.
7. Suggest a timetable for them to make a decision.
G. Superior. Some customers may convey the impression that they are in some way superior. In
reality, this type of customer is frequently very insecure, and they feel as though they can seem better
if they put others down.
1. Customer service providers must recognize their own self worth.
2. Dont become competitive with the customer.
3. Praise the customers accomplishments and importance.
4. Suggest that a speedy resolution will enhance their position.
H. Immature. Immature customers are extremely common in customer service.
1. Listen to their explanation of the situation.
2. Be frank about the consequences of their actions.
3. Answer their questions completely.
4. Stress that their actions affect others.
5. Be firm.
I. Talkative.
1. Approach talkative customers in a positive and open manner.
2. Allow them to share questions or concerns.
3. Help them stay on the subject by asking specific questions.
4. Show appreciation for their knowledge and abilities.
5. Use humor to keep them focused.
6. Conclude by reminding them that you know they are on a time schedule.
J. Special needs. This group includes all customers who, due to individual circumstances, would like
to have our productive cooperation.
1. Treat special needs customers with respect.
2. Strive to understand their questions and concerns.
3. Provide appropriate solutions.
IV. Respect: A classic idea that still works!
A. Respect is to give someone special recognition or special regard.
B. To respect and to show respect for someone else does not minimize our own self worth.
C. It allows the opportunity for us to learn from someone else and to row in ways that we would not
if we only interacted with others just like us.
V. Understanding the positive power of empathy.
A. Empathy is the ability to understand and to take action to assist in resolving the situation.
B. Empathy is productive.
C. The main focus of empathy is problem solving.
D. Through empathy a customer service provider can help a customer to resolve his problem rather
than dwelling on it.
VI. Responsibility check.

A. Since businesses must be managed with profitability in mind, customer service providers must be
able to recognize unjustified requests.
B. Responsibility check is assessing a situation and determining who should have responsibility and
who really does have the responsibility.
1. Accountabilities must be created and enforced.
2. The goal in performing a responsibility check is to clarify what went wrong in a situation and to
shift the responsibility to the responsible party.
VII. What do you do when you are wrong? When you believe that you have treated a customer
inappropriately, try the following:
A. Review the situation.
B. Observe the customers reaction.
C. Admit the mistake.
D. Apologize for your actions or error.
E. Find a solution and implement it.
VIII. Six super ways to cope with customers:
A. Listen.
B. Ask questions.
C. Show empathy.
D. Solve the problem.
E. Follow-up.
F. End on a positive note.
IX. The payoffs of coping with challenging customers:
A. Customers must be thought of as long-term assets.
B. It is much easier to retain established customers than it is to recruit new customers.
C. We learn to deal with conflict by confronting it.
Barriers to problem solving and decision making:
A. Several barriers may exist that affect the actuality of problem solving and decision making.
B. Frequently, decision makers are not aware that barriers are detracting from the decision-making
process.
C. Some of the most common barriers to problem solving and decision making are:
1. Resistance to change.
2. Habits.
3. Individual insecurity.
4. Past history.
5. Fear of success or failure.
6. Jumping to conclusions.
7. Perceptions.
X. Importance of follow-up in problem solving:
A. Once a problem or problems have been solved or decisions have been made, it is vitally important
for follow-up to occur.
B. Follow-up is checking back to determine whether or not a situation is operating according to the
initial plan.
C. Follow-up is a safeguard to ensure that customers continue to be satisfied with a company and the
companys ability to meet the needs of its customers.
D. Through effective preparation, the reality of problem solving and decision
making in customer service can become an active opportunity to convey to
customers how valuable they are.

CHAPTER 5: EMPOWERMENT
OUTLINE
I. What is empowerment?
A. Empowerment is enabling or permitting customer service providers to make a range of decisions
to assist their customers.
B. Empowerment gives customer service providers the discretion to make decisions to further assist
their customers.
C. If customer service providers are empowered, they can decide (within limits) how to resolve the
situation.
II. The importance of mission and purpose statements:
A. Empowerment must be reflected in the culture of a business.
B. In an empowered culture, employees know the range of their power.
C. All businesses that deal with customers should have official mission and purpose statements.
D. Purpose statement is the reason for the organizations existence.
E. Mission statement is the means by which the organization will fulfill its purpose.
III. Empowerment = Opportunity:
A. Empowerment is a true opportunity!
B. Empowerment frees the time of supervisors who are less productive because of constantly having
to deal with routine questions that require their approval.
IV. Examples of Empowerment:
A. Compensating customers for being inconvenienced with flowers, tickets, small gifts, dinners, etc.
B. Approving revised payment plans.
C. Sending cards to customers to say Thank you, Congratulations, We messed up, etc.
I. Steps to empowering customer service providers:
A. Empowerment does not just happen. It is the result of a companys focused efforts to establish
guidelines, train employees, accept the consequences, and celebrate positive results.
B. When creating an empowerment program:
1. Paint a picture of what you hope to accomplish.
2. Allow workers to own their empowerment choices.
3. Reward and recognize positive examples and results of empowerment.
4. Commit for the long haul.
VI. Coproduction of customer service:
A. Another way to think of empowerment is to empower our customers.
B. Coproduction exists when the customers participate in providing at least a part of their own
service.
C. Customers are often willing and interested in participating in the process.
VII. Examples of coproduction:
Self checkout
Build your own anything
Online warranties
Instructions
How-to-videos
Automatically texted available bank balances
Online bill paying
Shipping tracking information
Prescription fulfillment via bar code scanning

VIII. Why coproduction works:

A. Coproduction works because when customers participate they have a sense of ownership over the
situation.
B. Customers stay occupied instead of having to wait with nothing to do.
C. Coproduction is not making the customer do all of the work!
D. It is creating a partnership.
E. Coproduction is not abandoning your customers, being unwilling to assist them, or letting the
blind lead the blind.
F. Techniques to help customers become better coproducers:
Ask telephone callers to be prepared.
Repeat important information.
Train customers to be coproducers.
Tell customers why they should want to be coproducers.
IX. Designing systems:
A. Empowerment and coproduction do not automatically happen.
B. They must be a part of a carefully planned customer service system.
C. Customer service system is any set of procedures that contributes to the completion of customer
service.
D. Numerous customer service systems are in place because someone in the past created them, and
they have never been updated.
E. Frequently, the person who has created a system is not the person who has to work with it.
X. Guidelines for system design:
A. Identify an area in need of a new procedure or a system update.
B. List the steps necessary to create or improve the system.
C. Review the mission and purpose statements to make sure you stay on track with the companys
goals.
D. Seek to empower those involved, both providers and customers.
E. Create a culture that supports empowerment.
F. Evaluate the systems effectiveness after it has been in operation for a
specified period of time.