Communication Essentialsin Customer Service

Fantasy LodgeSamboan, CebuMarch 28, 2016

For: Local Resort Employees

• Introduction – Activity 1

Discussion Overview:

Excellent Customer Service Through:

- Effective Communication

- Listening

- Feedbacking

Assessment/Review

Charles E. Philippines 8

Sun 05 Apr 2015

great place to relax and unwind

view, kawa bath, room (the dome)

We recommend this for couples, great setting for a romantic getaway. The French owner is accomodating. There were just a few mix up with some of our orders but not the kind that would spoil our stay. They were able to address the issues right away.

Agoda.com

“Relaxing staycation amidst chasing waterfalls and whale shark encounters ” 5

Reviewed February 4, 2016 via mobile Simplykarina

Our family rented 4 rooms in fantasy lodge sambaoan. We enjoyed our stay here. The staff was very friendly and the place had a great view. Although a fan room, the place was breezy. We loved the Kawa hot bath and the spa its a must try. Plus, its 30 minutes to oslob and 5 minutes to Aguinid and 45...

Tripadvisor.com.ph

The Fantasy it true!!! This place is amazing!! 5

Couples by 451stewartr from Laguna Beach, California

Posted 22 Jul 2015

From the moment we arrived we were greeted with nice smiles by the staff at Fantacy Lodge. They took our bags and made us feel so welcome, with a great attitude and genuine attention, made us feel at home right away. The dome room is amazing, overlooking the ocean with a privet breakfast every morning on our exclusive balconi with a stunning ocean views. The hot tubs are so unique as they are wood fired and you are given a choice of exotic oils to choose from. The hot tub and the massage tables overlook the ocean as well! The swimming pool is beautiful and the beach offers Crystal clear water and has easy access from a few steps.The location Is very close to beautiful sights like water falls, swimming with whale sharks and dolphin watching. They offer gourmet food and a wonderful asortment of drinks! I would recommend this wonderful exclusive place for your next vacation for couples and families.

www.expedia.com.ph

cecile B. France 8.7

Sun 20 Mar 2016

séjour au Fantasy Lodge

Vue exceptionnelle, très bon accueil, cuisine savoureuseNous avons séjourné deux nuits en janvier 2016 au Fantasy Lodge, le cadre est exceptionnelle, vous pouvez assister à de beaux couchers de soleil, la nourriture est excellente grâce à la touche française ! L'hôtel propose diverses activités ou excursions à des tarifs raisonnables. Le fantasy Lodge vaut le détour ! Les chambres manquent un peu de modernisme plus particulièrement la salle de bain, mais la literie est très bonne ! Un membre du personnel a eu la gentillesse de nous mener à la station de bus la plus proche afin de prendre un bus pour Cebu. Personnel très serviable et à l'écoute

Agoda.com

Nice and quiet place.. Just have some suggestions… 3

Couples by melaiiski from Cebu City, Philippines

Posted 22 Jun 2015

1. Upon arrival, the entrance gate is closed and just seemed to be private residence since there were no door bells or might be good having a portion of gate opened for potential walk-in guests. 2. The staff are locals and are good but needs more training in handling guests as they tend to be gone as usual. No standby personnel by the dining area or may have front desk for the guests may have concerns at room. This will also serve as an opportunity of upselling what is written in the menu (aside from food,drinks, there are fun activities or excursion packages as well). 3. We passed by the spa area and it seemed to be unattended and a bit mess. Yes it is a low occu season for the hotel but maintenance unto the facilities should still be maintained.

Expedia.com.ph

“Ok - but not our fantasy” 3 Dan P.: Reviewed January 10, 2016 via mobile We stayed here in December 2015 (photos provided):

Positives: - Nice view of the ocean/sunset from the common terrace - Food in the restaurant was quite good- Staff were attentive and the service was good, Benji was good fun- Nearby to excursions including waterfalls, canyoneering (the highlight), and whale shark watching

Negatives/considerations- Room condition was very basic, no toiletries provided, shower dribbled very slowly and we had to wash our hair in the sink - Unless you get the one dome room, there is very little privacy as the rooms are located about 6 feet away from the pool and common dining area. From our bed we could here most conversations at the lodge- Small access to beach, but we did not swim because the sand was covered in seaweed and shoreline is rocky - Embarrassingly, the staff were made to sing Xmas carols during dinner time, felt pretty bad for them - There is also a monkey chained-up on the property which broke our hearts. We wish we paid someone to let it free somewhere safe

We left a day early to upgrade our hotel. If your looking for a place just to sleep and eat, this is a decent option, but don't count on any fantasies being fulfilled

https://www.tripadvisor.com.ph/ShowUserReviews-g7351247-d6023420-r338860532-Fantasy_Lodge-Samboan_Cebu_Island_Visayas.html#

Review score Based on 20 hotel reviews - 8.2

Score breakdown Cleanliness - 7.8

Comfort - 8.1

Location - 8.3

Facilities - 8.4

Staff - 8.8

Value for money - 8.1

Free WiFi - 6.3

booking.com

Fantasy Lodge Samboan Cebu ratings based on 2 Verified Reviews

3.5 out of 5 Overall Rating

4 - Room cleanliness

2.5 - Service & staff

3 - Room comfort

3 - Hotel condition

expedia.com.ph

In customer servicewe want:

Everybody pleased and happy

Gain more customers/clients

Keep them happy and satisfied

Keep them coming back Invite others

Excellent Customer Service is connecting with customers/ clients through effective

communication

Strong interpersonal

COMMUNICATION skills

Customer Service starts with the very first contact and ends when he leaves with your product or services completely satisfied

Communication Types

Verbal-Oral/Spoken face to face speech discussion voice over phone/cellphone internet voicemail trainings/seminars tv/dvd/movie programs

- Written letters electronic billboards email ads text/messages logo social media

Non Verbal -Facial expressions-Body language-Gestures/movements-Tones of voice-Eye contact -Proximity-Touch-Silence-Distracting habits

A

B

A

B

For one to have excellent customer service,

The Communication Process

Feedback

sends Listens/attends

Communication is a two-way process

Improves communication

Activity 2MR

How to communicate effectively

Know Your Product

Clear Communication Skills

When it comes to important points that you need to relay clearly to customers, keep it simple and leave nothing to doubt.

Use "Positive Language”DON’T SAY SAY

“I don’t know “I’ll find out.”

“No” “What I can do is…”

“That’s not my job” “This is who can help you”.

“You’re right – this stinks” “I understand your frustration

“That’s not my fault”. “Let’s see what we can do about this.”

“I can’t do that.” “I wish I could.”

Be Attentive

Ability to Read Non-Verbal Communication

-Body language

-Facial expressions

-Tone of voice

Look and listen for subtle clues about their customer’smood, patience level, personality, etc., and you'll go far in keeping your customer interactions positive.

Listening

Effective Listening1. Pay Attention

Give the speaker your undivided attention, and acknowledge the message. Recognize that non-verbal communication also "speaks" loudly.

• Look at the speaker directly.

• Put aside distracting thoughts.

• Don't mentally prepare a rebuttal!

• Avoid being distracted by environmental factors. For example, side conversations.

• "Listen" to the speaker's body language .

2. Show That You're Listening

Use your own body language and gestures to convey your attention.

Nod occasionally.

Smile and use other facial expressions.

Note your posture and make sure it is open and inviting.

Encourage the speaker to continue with small verbal comments like yes, and uh huh.

3. Provide Feedback

Our personal filters, assumptions, judgments, and beliefs can distort what we hear. As a listener, your role is to understand what is being said. This may require you to reflect what is being said and ask questions.

Reflect what has been said by paraphrasing. "What I'm hearing is," and "Sounds like you are saying," are great ways to reflect back.

Ask questions to clarify certain points. "What do you mean when you say." "Is this what you mean?“

Summarize the speaker's comments periodically.

4. Defer Judgment

Interrupting is a waste of time. It frustrates the speaker and limits full understanding of the message.

Allow the speaker to finish each point before asking questions.

Don't interrupt with counter arguments.

5. Respond Appropriately

Active listening is a model for respect and understanding. You are gaining information and perspective. You add nothing by attacking the speaker or otherwise putting him or her down.

Be candid, open, and honest in your response.

Assert your opinions respectfully.

Treat the other person in a way that you think he or she would want to be treated.

ListeningDO’sBe mentally prepared to listen

Evaluate the speech not the speaker

Be unbiased to the speaker by depersonalizing your feelings

Fight distractions by closing off sound sources

Be open mindedAsk questions to clarify and not to overshadow intelligence

Paraphrase from time to time

Send appropriate non-verbal signals time to time

Don’tsNot to pay undue emphasis on vocabulary as you can use the context to understand the meaning

Not to pay too much attention to the accessories and clothing of the speaker

Not to prepare your responses while the speaker is speaking

Avoid preconceptions and prejudices

Not to get distracted by outside influences

Not to interrupt too often

Not to show boredom

You do not listen with just your ears. You listen with your eyes and with your sense of touch. You listen with your mind, your heart, your imagination. (Egan Gerard)A good conversationalist is popular, a good listener even more so. Talk only if you have something to say.

Feedbacking

Feedbacking - Customer feedback is a marketing term that describes the process of obtaining a customer’s opinion about a business, product or service.

Importance of Feedback

• It can help improve a product or service• It offers the best way to measure customer

satisfaction• It provides actionable insight to create a

better customer experience

Activity 3GF/RF

How to Give Feedback

The purpose for giving feedback is to improve the situation or performance. You won't accomplish that by being harsh, critical, or offensive.

Number One Rule: Try to Make it a Positive Process and Experience

Be Timely

The closer to the event you address the issue, the better. Feedback isn't about surprising someone so the sooner you do it, the more the person will be expecting it.

Tip:The exception to this is if the situation involved is highly emotional. Here, wait until everyone has calmed down before you engage in feedback. You can't risk letting yourself get worked up and risk saying something you will regret later.

Make it Regular

Feedback is a process that requires constant attention. When something needs to be said, say it. People then know where they stand all the time and there are few surprises.

Prepare Your Comments

You don't want to read a script but you do need to be clear about you are going to say. This helps you stay on track and stick to the issues.

Be Specific

Tell the person exactly what they need to improve on. This ensures that you stick to facts and there is less room for ambiguity. If you tell someone they acted unprofessionally, what does that mean exactly? Were they too loud, too friendly, too casual, too flip or too poorly dressed?

Remember to stick to what you know first hand: You'll quickly find yourself on shaky ground if you start giving feedback based on other people's views.

Tip:Try not to exaggerate to make a point. Avoid words like "never", "all," and "always" because the person will get defensive. Always discuss the direct impact of the behavior and don't get personal or seek to blame.

Criticize in Private

While public recognition is appreciated, public scrutiny is not.

Establish a safe place to talk where you won't be interrupted or overheard.

Use "I" Statements

Give the feedback from your perspective. This way you avoid labeling the person.

Say, "I was angry and hurt when you criticized my report in front of my boss" rather than "You were insensitive yesterday."

Limit Your Focus

A feedback session should discuss no more than two issues. Any more than that and you risk the person feeling attacked and demoralized.

You should also stick to behaviors the person can actually change or influence.

Talk About Positives Too

A good rule is start off with something positive. This helps put the person at ease. It also lets them "see" what success looks like and this helps them to take the right steps next time.

As long as it's not forced, it can also help to give positive feedback at the end of a feedback session too. Otherwise, people can finish feeling despondent and worthless.

Provide Specific Suggestions

Make sure you both know what needs to be done to improve the situation. The main message should be that you care and want to help the person grow and develop.

Set goals and make plans to monitor and evaluate progress. Motivate people to deliver the change you want.

Tip:You may not agree on everything so it is a good idea to ask the person to provide their perspective. Use phrases like, "What is your reaction to this?" or "Is this a fair representation of what happened?"

Listen actively to what he or she has to say and try to get him or her to offer some suggestions for improvement. This way they have an opportunity to own the solution and are much more likely to follow through with it. To avoid sounding like you're preaching, stay away from words like "good," "bad," "must," "need to," etc.

Follow Up

The whole purpose of feedback is to improve performance. You need to measure whether or not that is happening and then make adjustments as you go.

Be sure to document your conversations and discuss what is working and what needs to be modified.

Key PointsFeedback is a two way street.

You need to know how to give it effectively and at the same time model how to receive it constructively.

When you make a conscious choice to give and receive feedback on a regular basis you demonstrate that feedback is a powerful means of personal development.

Done properly, feedback need not be agonizing, demoralizing, or daunting and the more practice you get the better you will become at it.

It may never be your favorite means of communicating with employees, co-workers, or bosses but it does have the potential to make your workplace a much more productive and harmonious place to be.

How To Receive Feedback And Criticism

1.      Practice active listening.

Feedback, however painful, is truly a gift so treat the “giver” appropriately.

While receiving feedback, maintain good eye contact and keep your body language open—no crossed arms or legs! Summarize what you heard and ask clarifying questions.

2.      Never argue; just say thanks.

Your natural tendency may be to turn your “clarifying questions” into a spirited defense. The problem is that even if you’re right—even if the feedback is wrong or off-base—defending yourself sends the signal to the giver that you are unreceptive. You don’t want to shut down future criticism or get labeled as “uncoachable” within your organization. There is only one appropriate response to constructive criticism and that is, “Thank you.”

3.      Evaluate it, slowly. Just as you shouldn’t summarily reject feedback, you shouldn’t automatically accept it either.

Get in the practice of evaluating the feedback slowly. Chew on it for a day or more. Does the criticism seem true; is it something you already knew was a limitation?

Does the giver have expertise or credibility to make their observation? Have other people said similar things to you?

4.      Be mindful. Develop meta-awareness around the areas that you received feedback or criticism. Look for opportunities to stop doing or start doing critiqued behaviors. If you feel the criticism was justified and you are better off for it, don’t forget to close the loop and share your progress with the feedback giver.

I once had a business partner who automatically asked, “Thanks but tell me just one thing you think I could do better” every time someone gave him a compliment. He knew that while positive feedback feels good, it’s the constructive criticism that can be invaluable.

Feedback, can be used to help one grow and get closer to achieving your full potential.

Constructive criticism is an important ingredient for personal and professional development and for strengthening relationships. Whether it’s from your boss, a mentor, an executive coach, or even from anonymous surveys, being receptive to feedback is essential.

But let’s face it, criticism hurts. We all say we want feedback, but we don’t really. What we truly want is to be liked, to be loved, to fit in, to have our boss think we’re awesome. And criticism, by definition, is letting us know that we still have some work to do. It puts a ding in our self-worth and ego.Yet we must embrace feedback if we are to get better. Keep these steps in mind the next time someone tries to give you some helpful feedback.