Customer Service Answer Guide

$79.95

Your training package includes 10 booklets, plus a downloadable leader’s guide, and certificates of participation.

SKU: AC0001 Category:

Description

In an engaging Q&A format, the Customer Service Answer Guide provides brief, meaty answers to frontline reps’ most frequently asked questions.

Your reps will learn how to bounce back after a nasty call, how to stop stress in its tracks, how to overcome anxiety about selling, and more.

Your package includes 10 copies of the Training Booklet plus downloadable Leader’s Guide, and Certificates.

The Training Booklets may be used on their own for self-study or you may conduct more formal training sessions with the Leader’s Guide and Certificates.

Training Booklet

Over the years our panel of frontline reps has fielded questions on just about every aspect of customer service.

Now, we have gathered answers to 10 of the most frequently asked questions into a practical booklet that should be on every frontline rep’s desk.

The answers provide a combination of personal experiences, real-world techniques, and insider tips, which make this a useful resource for both the novice and the experienced rep.

Read the table of contents and sample below to see how much useful information is packed into this brief booklet.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction: 10 questions that make a difference

  1. Handling customer complaints
  2. Bouncing back after a difficult call
  3. Delivering bad news to customers
  4. Reducing stress
  5. Maintaining a positive attitude
  6. Keeping your energy level high
  7. Responding to criticism
  8. Using a service-oriented selling approach
  9. Working with non-English speaking customers
  10. Coping with untidy coworkers

SAMPLE
How to handle customer complaints

Question: Complaints are relatively common in our business, and many times customers have a legitimate gripe. What’s the best way to handle customer complaints?

Answer: Listen, listen, and listen some more. That’s the best way to handle complaints. Most of the time customers with a complaint simply want to voice their issue and know that it will be resolved. When listening is not enough, however, it’s time to practice your straight A’s: Acknowledge, Apologize, Affirm, Answer, and Act.

  • Acknowledge the customer’s complaint by repeating back what you heard and by asking confirming questions. Both techniques are important in reassuring the customer that you are listening and actively engaged in helping resolve the problem.
  • Apologize for the situation that has led to the customer’s call. A specific rather than a vague apology will increase the customer’s confidence in your ability to resolve the problem. For example, “I’m very sorry that you received the red pens rather than the orange.”
  • Affirm the customer’s concern and empathize with his or her feelings by using words like “feel,” “felt,” and “found.” For example: “I understand how you feel.” “In working with others, I’ve found a good solution to be….”
  • Answer the customer’s questions and concerns. Address each issue as completely as possible, using straightforward, non-technical language.
  • Act on the information provided by the customer. Whenever possible, offer the customer a choice of options for solving a problem, then take action and do what you’ve committed to.

Scott Nichols
Society for Human Resource Management

Leader's Guide

To help you get the most from your training materials, you’ll receive a copy of the Leader’s Guide. It will show you how to introduce the materials to your staff in a positive and motivating way. How to reinforce important points in the booklet. Plus techniques to keep the message fresh long after the booklets have been distributed.

Best of all, you don’t have to be a professional trainer. The Leader’s Guide includes discussion topics, activities, trainer’s tips, and more.

Read the sample below to see how much useful information is packed into a brief section of this Leader’s Guide.

SAMPLE
Healthy lifestyles

Several of the questions and answers in the guide focus on a healthy lifestyle and its role in making a positive impression, dealing with stress, and maintaining high energy levels. Many people don’t recognize this powerful connection, so it is often worth spending some additional time reviewing this advice. In particular:

  • Leave your workstation at breaktime
  • Stay organized
  • Get plenty of rest
  • Choose healthy snacks
  • Exercise or stretch every day
  • Think positively
  • Remind yourself that you are a professional.

A related activity is creation of a lifestyle group for your service center. This team is often made up of frontline reps and can become a coveted assignment. The lifestyle group may be responsible for the following types of activities:

  • Keeping the breakroom filled with healthy snacks
  • Providing educational materials on the benefits of exercise and proper nutrition
  • Hosting training sessions in yoga and other stress reduction techniques
  • Organizing healthful break activities such as walking groups.

Often, the human resources department is able to provide support for these activities.

Certificate

Use these certificates to acknowledge significant learning and development, and to provide motivation to put new skills into action.

Certificates may be downloaded, personalized, and printed.

Guarantee

Customer Service Answer Guide is guaranteed. We want you and your reps to use this valuable resource and put its ideas to work in your department. Then, if you are not 100% satisfied, you may return your materials within 30 days for a full refund.

About the Publisher

The Customer Service Group provides ready-to-use tools for customer service training and frontline motivation including a monthly newsletter, training packages, DVDs, and Customer Service Week celebration materials.