Bulletins

"It’s important to be consistent with customers," says author Naomi Karten. "Once a customer’s expectation is set through an experience, that forms their new service expectation until it’s shifted again." So, for example, if a customer comes to a frontline rep with a request that your organization typically would not meet or provide, and in…Continue reading

 

You may not be able to give customers everything they want, but meeting their "human expectations" will help you keep customers happy, satisfied, and loyal. "Customer expectations shift constantly, and they shift easily," says Naomi Karten, author of Managing Customer Expectations. "And just because you know what they are today, doesn’t mean you necessarily know…Continue reading

 

When frontline reps answer customer email or chat, they can build rapport with the same type of mirroring they use on the phone. "For example," says Marvin Sadovsky, a leadership consultant, “if the customer’s email is brief and to the point, that’s what they will respond to most positively in a response. If they send…Continue reading

 

Now that you’ve moved back to the office, do you find yourself arriving home with a stiff neck and an aching back? In some cases, a few simple changes in your work habits can help you feel more comfortable. For example: If you use a single monitor, position it directly in front of you and…Continue reading

 

During the first few moments of each call, reps must demonstrate that they are knowledgeable, competent, and confident. But that can be difficult to do in just a few moments. Voice trainer Jay Miller. recommends the following techniques: Use a big voice. If you speak too softly, the perception can be that you lack confidence.…Continue reading

 

With more and more reps working from home, the possibility of unexpected background noise is real -- Think dogs barking, babies crying, smoke alarms blaring, and more. Craig Idlebrook, content manager for ICMI, calls on reps to use these awkward moments to humanize the service experience. After speaking with a rep who ignored the noise…Continue reading

 

Occasionally, everyone has to deal with the delicate situation of disengaging from a chatty customer who simply doesn’t want to hang up. “We’re in the habit of waiting for permission to terminate a conversation,” says Richard Gallagher of Skills Development International. However, “there are some people who will never give you that permission.” To get…Continue reading

 

If the language you and your coworkers use to talk about customers and your work is predominantly negative you’re probably contributing to your overall stress levels as a result. What can you do about it? JoAnna Brandi of JoAnna Brandi & Company offers this solution: Spend a week paying close attention to the language that…Continue reading

 

In the book Loyalty for Life, author John Tschohl outlines a process for handling mistakes and regaining the customer’s trust after an error has occurred. In addition to acting quickly, taking responsibility, apologizing, fixing the problem, and following up, he also recommends thanking the customer. This last step, "thanking the customer" is extremely important, he…Continue reading

 

Voice trainer Jay Miller, encourages frontline reps to focus on voice quality for greater clarity and improved customer service. One of the most common problems that he sees is rapid-fire speech. "Some people feel that speaking quickly makes them sound knowledgeable and that it moves the conversation along quickly," says Miller. "Unfortunately, the exact opposite…Continue reading