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Guide Customers with the Right Words

Often reps must ask customers to take action in order to resolve a problem or answer a question — respond by a certain time, complete an essential form, provide a missing document, etc. This month in Customer Communicator, the training and motivation newsletter for frontline reps, authors Val and Jeff Gee say that the best…Continue reading

 

Use Spot Recognition in the Service Center

On-the-spot recognition is one of the most powerful ways to reinforce positive behaviors and ensure that they will be repeated. Now, everyone can use spot recognition with the Customer Service Group’s Thank You Kit. It includes everything you need to recognize and reward frontline staff on the spot — an easy to use recognition guide, 25…Continue reading

 

Make the Most of Your Time

If you add up all of the things you have to do, and all of the things you want to do, there will never be enough time to get it all done. In the March issue of Customer Communicator, the training and motivation newsletter for frontline reps, Donald E. Wetmore of the Productivity Institute says that…Continue reading

 

Hone Your “People Reading” Skills

Are you working with a dominant customer or a steady customer? Knowing your customer can make a difference in how you present yourself. In the March issue of Customer Communicator, the training and motivation newsletter for frontline reps, trainer Lillian Bjorseth explains the four basic personality types and how to work with each. Fortunately, she says,…Continue reading

 

Delivering Bad News to Your Boss

Giving a customer bad news can be hard. But giving bad news to the boss can be even more difficult. The February issue of Customer Communicator, the training and motivation newsletter for frontline reps, includes practical tips on delivering bad news to customers, coworkers, and even the boss. "Telling your boss that there&rsqup;s a problem can…Continue reading

 

Read Between the Lines for Email Success

Quick, courteous communication via email can boost productivity and enhance customer relationships, while careless and unprofessional email can frustrate customers, coworkers, and others. In the training guide, Effective Email Communication, the authors point to a dozen ways to make email more complete, timely, and effective. The first step is to "Read between the lines." "Just as…Continue reading

 

Delivering Bad News to Your Customers

When bad news is delivered the wrong way it can lead customers to a sense of hopelessness, frustration, and anger. But when it is delivered the right way, it can lead them to feel in control and empowered to participate in finding a solution. The February issue of Customer Communicator, the training and motivation newsletter for…Continue reading

 

Dealing with Difficult Customers

It’s happened to every customer service rep. They answer the phone or say hello and the customer seems angry or upset right from the start. It's easy to fall into the trap of taking things personally and becoming defensive or angry. But that never helps. In the training guide, Handling Difficult Customers, the authors take readers…Continue reading

 

Asking Customers to Clarify

When customers become upset, they won’t always communicate clearly and calmly, so reps may have to ask them to repeat themselves. Proceed with caution! In the January issue of Customer Communicator, the training and motivation newsletter for frontline reps, Keith Bailey and Karen Leland, authors of Customer Service for Dummies, remind reps to make sure there…Continue reading

 

Sounding Great on the Phone

Speaking from prompts or scripts, or at the end of a long day, can leave customer service reps sounding mechanical and insincere. The solution, say the authors of the training guide, Sounding Great on the Phone, is to add interest to the voice by focusing on the three Ps: Pitch, Pace, and Pause. Pitch refers to…Continue reading