Achieving customer service excellence is not accomplished by accident, nor is it attained without effort and teamwork. It requires well–trained customer service professionals who have a passion for providing quality service. This dynamic, five-day course emphasizes the professional communication skills and actions that create the foundation for continuous improvement.

In today’s customer-oriented business environment, “people skills” are critical for career advancement and organisational effectiveness. The programme emphasis the importance of providing customer service excellence in a competitive environment, proven strategies for service recovery, and negotiation techniques for dealing with difficult customers in a professional manner.

• Identify key components that promote customer retention and loyalty
• Describe the practices of a world-class customer service provider and model their own performance on those practices
• Utilize interpersonal skills as vital tools in the provision of customer service
• Develop a customer-focused mindset for continuous improvement
• Improved conflict resolution skills

Objectives

• Establish the importance of setting and reviewing customer service standards
• Develop an understanding of internal and external customer expectations
• Communicate more effectively by utilizing active listening and questioning skills
• Demonstrate how to deal with difficult customers effectively
• Set SMART objectives and goals to increase daily productivity
• Utilize stress management techniques to reduce tension

Training Methodology

This dynamic, 5-day seminar is highly interactive and encourages delegate participation through a combination of group discussion, videos, role-play exercises, case studies and breakout sessions. This seminar will include benchmarking best practices to model world-class customer service excellence. The comprehensive course manual has been designed to be practical, easy to use and facilitate learning. Delegates are provided a comfortable, enlightening learning experience that gives them the latest insights, techniques and best practices to promote long-term customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Organisational Impact

• A shared organisational customer service vision
• A streamlined customer service feedback system
• Improved intra/ inter departmental communication
• A highly motivated and focused workforce
• Increased competency and communication skills
• Increased customer retention and revenue growth

Personal Impact

• An increased appreciation for their role in helping their organisation achieve customer service excellence
• Up to date techniques and methods to help them provide world-class service
• Enhanced leadership and communication skills required to excel in their career
• Increased confidence in their abilities to work professionally with difficult or upset customers
• The insight to adjust their own temperament style to become more versatile, adaptable and highly successful
• Improved time management skills and increased productivity

SEMINAR OUTLINE 

• DAY 1 : Setting the Standards for Customer Service Excellence
  • The benefits of providing excellent customer service
  • Breakout session: How to use customer service to promote customer loyalty
  • Case study: The best and worst customer service provdiers
  • The WOW Factor: Going the extra mile…and then some!
  • The importance of managing internal and external customer expectations
  • First impressions: What do your customers see and hear?
  • Understanding and working with the four customer styles
  • Practical exercise: What is your individual personality type?
• DAY 2  : Communicating the Customer Service Message
  • How well does your organisation communicate the importance of customer service?
  • Understanding your customer’s nonverbal communication
  • Tips for building trust and rapport quickly…face-to-face or on the telephone
  • What is your preferred learning style?
  • Developing your active listening skills to enhance communications
  • Use questioning techniques to identify a customer’s expectations and service requirements
  • Telephone tips to promote a professional image
  • The dos and don’t of written communication
• DAY 3 : Service Recovery: Handling Complaints and Difficult Customers
  • The importance of customer complaints and why they should be encouraged
  • Six steps to service recovery
  • Case Study: Best Practices of Scandinavian Airlines and The Disney Corporation
  • Strategies to help calm upset customers
  • Managing emotions during stressful situations
  • Empower employees to get the job done
  • Breakout session: Step-by-step process for handling a customer complaint
  • Role-play exercise: Dealing with upset customers
• DAY 4 : Principles of Persuasion
  • Requesting feedback from customers and colleagues
  • The art of giving and receiving feedback
  • Case study: Best practices - Xerox’ Five Pillars of Customer-focused Strategy
  • Negotiating mutually beneficial outcomes
  • Words and tones to avoid
  • The RATER Model: Five dimensions of customer service excellence
  • Best practices for call handling, documentation and quality assurance
  • Measuring and monitoring for customer satisfaction
• DAY 5 : Getting the Right Customer Service Attitude
  • The importance of attitude and teamwork
  • Focusing on continuous improvement
  • Stress management tips to increase productivity
  • Practical exercise: What are your biggest “timewasters” that block productivity?
  • The customer service mission and vision
  • Setting personal and professional goals
  • Practical exercise: What is your Action Plan?
  • End of course review and delegate feedback