Ask the Panel • Customer Communicator • Customer Service Week Bulletin • Service Starters • Skillsharpener • Web Extras - Customer Communicator • Web Extras - Skill Sharpener
For better or worse, conflicts are an everyday occurrence when serving customers. Handling those conflicts skillfully can mean the difference between losing a customer and gaining a long-term partner who knows that you, and your organization, can be counted on. For almost 50 years James Creighton, Ph.D. has been training people to resolve conflict in…Continue reading
Is your team moving back to the office this month? Or next? Randi Freidig, an expert on business relationships, offers the following gentle reminders for getting along in close quarters. Courtesy and respect are the basis for all of her suggestions: Keep your voice low when talking to visitors or on the phoneEnter a coworkers…Continue reading
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"Reverse paraphrasing" is a technique reps can use to make sure they’ve been understood. Instead of paraphrasing what the customer has said, ask the customer to paraphrase something you have said. Nance Guilmartin, author of The Power of Pause, recommends using this technique when you are passing along important information or instructions, or if you…Continue reading
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Sometimes, the best way to meet customer expectations is by NOT doing certain things. Here are some ideas for creating a personal not-to-do list. A list like this is a useful tool and refresher for starting each day. DO NOT get distracted when talking to customers. DO NOT interrupt before the customer has completed their…Continue reading
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When your job involves serving customers, you listen to problems and deal with negative situations every day. And, it’s human nature to remember the bad things — lost orders, delayed shipments, incomplete paperwork, and angry customers. To overcome the inevitable slump you may experience from time to time, create a folder (physical or electronic) labeled…Continue reading
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Unfortunately, there are the customers who try to dominate a service call from the start. They want to control the situation and intimidate the rep into giving them what they want. They can be rude and manipulative — and they assume that the only way to produce results is by threatening. What can you do?…Continue reading
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No one wants to hear the word "No." And with service consultant Richard Gallagher’s can-can approach you can say "no" without ever uttering that dreaded word. Here’s how it works: The can-can is a two part response in which you acknowledge what you can acknowledge and offer what you can offer. For instance, if you were working in a retail setting…Continue reading
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Have you ever done everything a customer asked - yet they don’t seem satisfied? Unfortunately, it’s a common problem. The cause, say service consultants Karen Leland and Keith Bailey, is that customers don’t tell you everything they need. "Customers do ask for what they want, but they have basic needs that they don’t ask for.…Continue reading
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