Customer Service Training 101: Quick and Easy Techniques That Get Great Results »

RENÉE EVENSON has worked in the customer service management field for 25 years, 15 of them as a customer service manager at BellSouth Telecommunications, where her duties included staff training and development.

Evenson, a customer service management professional, provides step-by-step lessons and worksheets that can be adapted for any business and for learners of any experience level. The lessons will help employees communicate verbally and nonverbally, establish rapport, and handle difficult customers in face-to-face, telephone, and e-mail situations. The lessons are supplemented with case scenarios, discussion questions, and key points. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Retail News

"A great resource for beginners looking to save both time and money while providing their employees with the training they need."

Acknowledgments

Introduction 1

Tips for the Trainer 5

Tips for the Student 13

PART I PUTTING YOUR BEST FACE FORWARD

1 Taking Your First Steps: The Basics 21

Customer Service is the Basics 22

Step 1 First Impressions Matter 25

Step 2 Courtesy Counts 27

Step 3 Attitude Is Everything 30

Step 4 Doing the Right Thing: Ethical Issues 32

Key Points 37

Practice Lesson 38

Doing It Right! 39

How Do I Measure Up? 40

2 Tossing the Ball Back and Forth: Effective Communication 41

Customer Service is Effective Communication 42

Step 1 Saying What You Mean and Meaning What You Say 46

Step 2 What You Don't Say: Nonverbal Communication 48

Step 3 Putting Words Together: Grammar Usage 51

Step 4 Asking the Correct Questions and Answering the Questions Correctly 52

Step 5 When the Customer Says No 56

Step 6 Listening Actively 59

Key Points 63

Practice Lesson 64

Doing It Right! 66

How Do I Measure Up? 67

3 Jumping in with Both Feet: Relationship Building 68

Customer Service Is Building Relationships 69

Step 1 Establishing Rapport 74

Step 2 Interacting Positively with Customers 77

Step 3 Identifying Customers' Needs 79

Step 4 Making the Customer Feel Valued 82

Step 5 Maintaining Ongoing Relationships 83

Step 6 Different Strokes: Handling Different Types of Customers 86

Key Points 93

Practice Lesson 94

Doing It Right! 96

How Do I Measure Up? 97

PART II PUTTING YOUR CUSTOMERS FIRST

4 Seeing Eye to Eye: Face-to-Face Contacts 101

Customer Service Is Face-to-Face Contacts 102

Step 1 Saying Hello: Greeting the Customer 106

Step 2 Between Hello and Goodbye: Helping the Customer 109

Step 3 Saying Goodbye: Ending the Interaction 111

Key Points 117

Practice Lesson 117

Doing It Right! 118

How Do I Measure Up? 120

5 Saying It with a Smile: Telephone Contacts 121

Customer Service Is Telephone Contacts 122

Step 1 Putting Your Best Ear Forward: Listening Carefully 126

Step 2 Saying Hello: The Opener 127

Step 3 Between Hello and Goodbye: Helping the Customer 129

Step 4 Saying Goodbye: The Closer 133

Key Points 138

Practice Lesson 139

Doing It Right! 140

How Do I Measure Up? 142

6 Looking Before You Leap: E-Customer Contacts 143

Customer Service Is E-Customer Contacts 144

Step 1 What Does the E-Customer Expect? 147

Step 2 Hanging the Open Sign: Being Accessible 150

Step 3 Writing What You Mean: E-Mail Communication 152

Step 4 Speaking Around the World: Cross-Cultural Etiquette 155

Key Points 158

Practice Lesson 159

Doing It Right! 160

How Do I Measure Up? 161

7 Giving When Getting Is Not Expected: Self-Service Contacts 162

Customer Service Is Self-Service Contacts 163

Step 1 Saying Hello: Greeting the Customer 167

Step 2 Between Hello and Goodbye: Looking for Opportunities to Help 169

Step 3 Saying Goodbye: Ending the Interaction 171

Key Points 176

Practice Lesson 176

Doing It Right! 178

How Do I Measure Up? 179

8 Calming the Storm: Difficult Customer Contacts 180

Customer Service Is Difficult Customer Contacts 181

Step 1 What Is Going On: Determine the Reason for the Problem 184

Step 2 What Caused the Problem: Identify the Root Cause 188

Step 3 What Can I Do: Rectify the Situation 191

Step 4 What Can I Say: Restore the Relationship 194

Step 5 What Needs to Be Done: Fix What Needs to Be Fixed 197

Key Points 201

Practice Lesson 202

Doing It Right! 205

How Do I Measure Up? 207

PART III PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

9 Hitting the Ground Running: Ready, Set, Go 211

Customer Service Is Being Ready and Set to Go 212

Your Customer Service Training Quick Reference 215

10 Being the Best You Can Be: The Total Package 218

Customer Service Is Being the Best You Can Be Every Day 218

Always Be Your Best! 221

Index 223