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TRANSCRIPT
Customer Service: Skills for Success, 4th Edition
INSTRUCTORS MANUAL
Chapter 9 Customer Service via Technology
LESSON OVERVIEW
Chapter 9 focuses on dealing with technology in customer service. You may want to plan
a visit to a call center as part of the class meeting. Field trips in which students hear from
frontline people who use the technology each day can be powerful learning mechanisms.
Throughout the chapter, students are asked to analyze their current skill levels and to
think of new ways to implement the strategies outlined in the text. The features,
interactive exercises and ancillary materials provided with Customer Service: Skills for
Success, 4e are designed to facilitate better student comprehension and learning.
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CHAPTER OUTLINE
The textbook outlines the chapter with the following headings to focus and direct major
lecture topics.
Learning Objectives, p. 218
In the Real World –Technology, p. 218
Quick Preview, p. 219
The Increasing Role of Technology in Customer Service, p. 220
The Customer Contact/Call Center or Help Desk, p. 222
--Types of Technology, p. 222
Automated Attendant, p. 223
Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) System, p. 223
Automatic Number Identification (ANI), p. 223
Computer Telephony Integration (CTI), p. 223
Electronic Mail (e-mail), p. 225
Facsimile (Fax) Machine, p. 225
Internet Callback, p. 225
Internet Telephony, p. 225
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) or
Voice Response Unit (VRU), p. 225
Media Blending, p. 225
Online Information Fulfillment System, p. 225
Predictive Dialing System, p. 225
Screen Pop-Ups, p. 225
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Speech Recognition, p. 226
Teletype Systems (TTY), p. 226
Video, p. 226
--Advantages and Disadvantages of Technology, p. 226
Organizational Issues, p. 226
Employee Issues, p. 227
Customer Issues, p. 227
Additional Issues, p. 228
Technology Etiquette and Strategies, p. 228
--E-Mail, p. 228
--Facsimile, p. 232
The Telephone in Customer Service, p. 232
--Communication Skills for Success, p. 233
--Tips for Creating a Positive Telephone Image, p. 235
--Effective Telephone Usage, p. 236
--Voice Mail and Answering Machines or Services, p. 239
--Taking Messages Professionally, p. 240
--General Advice for Communicating by Telephone, p. 241
Summary, p. 242
Key Terms, p. 242
Review Questions, p. 242
Search It Out, p. 242
Collaborative Learning Activity, p. 243
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Face to Face, p. 243
In the Real World, p. 244
Planning to Serve, p. 244
Quick Preview Answers, p. 245
Ethical Dilemma Summary, p. 245
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CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
The objectives will help you and the students discover the concepts and information that
should be understood upon completion of the chapter. You may want to access the
PowerPoint (PPTs) slides for Chapter 9 when you begin the study of the chapter and
discuss each Learning Objective briefly. Each Learning Objective will be discussed
separately in the Lecture Notes below, but are shown here in total as an overview of the
sections being presented in Chapter 9. Use PPT1 and PPT2: Chapter Objectives in
discussing the Chapter Objectives. You may want to flip back to the PPT1 and PPT2 as
you discuss each objective in the next sections.
After completing this chapter, the students will be able to:
1 Recognize the extent to which customer service is facilitated by
the effective use of technology.
2 Use technology to enhance service delivery capabilities.
3 Communicate effectively via e-mail, the Internet and fax.
4 Deliver quality service through effective telephone techniques.
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KEY TERMS, p. 242
Key terms are posted in the student textbook margins and placed in bold in the copy.
They are listed alphabetically here for your quick reference.
automated attendants, p. 223 interactive voice response
automatic call distribution (IVR) system, p. 235
(ACD) system, p. 223 Internet callback, p. 225
automatic number identification Internet telephony, p. 225
(ANI) system, p. 223 iPod, p. 224
blind transfer, p. 237 media blending, p. 225
computer telephony offshoring, p. 221
integration (CIT), p. 223 online information fulfillment
customer contact center, p. 221 system, p. 226
electronic mail (e-mail), p. 225 predictive dialing system, p. 226
emoticons (emotional icons), p. 231 screen pop-ups, p. 226
facsimile (fax) machine, p. 225 spamming or spam, p. 225
fax on demand, p. 225 teletype system (TTY), p. 226
fee-based 900 numbers, p. 222 voice response unit (VRU), p. 225
help desk, p. 222
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LECTURE OUTLINE AND LECTURE NOTES
General Teaching Suggestions for Chapter 9:
Instructor Note 1:
This chapter focuses on trends and techniques involving the use of technology to
provide customer service. The chapter contains information about technology
used to provide service, some of the positives and negatives related to using
technology, and the skills required to effectively use technology to identify and
address customer needs.
Depending on the students’ level of knowledge or expertise, you may want to
bring in additional articles, handouts, and activities to supplement and reinforce
the text content.
Additionally, as suggested in the Search It Out activity on page 242 in the
chapter, you may want to have students do some Internet research and report
findings to the class. This research might be collecting other organizational
philosophies and material related to the topic helping with customer service
technology and telephone techniques as well as Internet, fax and e-mail
techniques.
Instructor Note 2:
Before the students arrive: Write the terms that you will be emphasizing in this
chapter on the board. When the students settle in, you may do a quick review of
the terms by asking students to provide an impromptu definition. This activity
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may serve to let you know what information students remember from reading the
chapter or from experiences in the business world.
Instructor Note 3:
First meeting of the class: Take attendance and take care of other administrative
duties or paperwork. Here are some optional activities to supplement those listed
in the chapter. Use these as you wish to supplement and enhance the content of
the chapter.
General Notes for Selected Activities: Use these as you have time and as students’
interest dictates:
1. Activity : Set up a panel of people to come in to discuss positive and negative
service experiences they have faced because of technology. For example, lost
files, lack of customer understanding or use of technology may be issues.
2. Activity : Begin the class by dividing learners into equal groups of 3 or 4 people
(depending on class size). Give each group a marker and sheet of newsprint
(flipchart paper). Ask each group to brainstorm a list of strategies they believe
contribute to good customer service via technology. Have them explain their list
to the rest of the class. Tie in their comments to chapter content.
3. Activity : You may want to gather additional reference material related to
organizations that have had technology that has been newsworthy in its efficiency
or that has created unusual problems for customers or employees to deal with. Get
personal experience input from learners. You may find interesting stories on
various company communication issues in The Wall Street Journal, U.S. News
and World Report, and your local newspapers.
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4. Activity : Assign an out-of-class activity for learners to gather additional articles
or information about chapter-related topics. Have them write a brief (no more
than one typed page) summary of the article properly documented.
5. Activity : Have learners conduct field research and write a brief report before the
next meeting. The focus might be on a visit to a local company, such as a call
center or television station, to interview personnel about the advantages and
disadvantages of using technology in the workplace.
6. Activity : During the discussion of message taking on page 240, you may want to
obtain telephone message pads from an office supply store. Distribute a few to
each student to practice taking messages with a partner.
If you have not secured the Video to be used with Customer Service: Skills for
Success, 4th Edition, you may want to order it now so that you can use it for the
end-of-chapter video scripts.
Chapter 8 Activities from last class meeting: Activities may have been assigned
to student groups from last week to turn in this week or at another time you have
designated. If you assigned or plan to assign any of the activities noted in Chapter
8 Lesson Notes, you may want to discuss them during this class meeting. You
may also want to spend some time reviewing the activities from the Search It Out,
Collaborative Learning Activity, Planning to Serve, and the In the Real World
sections, which are listed in the end-of-chapter materials. Note: Your students
may need additional time to do some of the research activities. If so, assign the
reports to be completed by another class meeting of your choosing.
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LESSON NOTES
The following are specific instructional strategies related to Chapter 9: Customer Service
via Technology.
Instructor Note 4:
Consider beginning with another brainstorming activity that generates a list of
factors that make technology excellent for customer service. As they do this,
capture their responses on a writing board or flipchart pad to make them visible.
Once you have a list, begin your discussion of technology and discuss various
means of using technology. Stress the need for workers to understand technology
and to focus on the similarities and positive factors that make it work rather than
on negative ones. The Quote on page 218 may stimulate some discussion: what
did Doug Warner mean by the statement, “In the world of Internet Customer
Service, it’s important to remember that a competitor is only one mouse click
away”? How does this relate to the study of customer service? (Student answers
will vary for all class discussions; you can contribute your interpretations of the
quote as well).
Instructor Note 5:
Show PPT1: Chapter Objectives to briefly introduce students to the topics in
Chapter 9. As you briefly introduce each objective, ask students for comments
about what they think each objective will involve.
Move quickly on to the In the Real World on pages 218-219. Review the
information about eBay. Review with the students how it started and how they
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rate customer service in the organization. What are some of the company’s
holdings? How is this company growing? Have they experienced a crisis in which
it had to apologize to its customers? Why did this happen if it did?
Ask students if they know anyone who is or has been an employee of eBay or if
they shop there; ask them what they think of the eBay philosophy (answers will
vary).
Quick Preview—Have students respond in (orally or in writing) to the Quick
Preview questions. The answers are located in the student text on page 245. A
show of hands will give you an understanding of these questions. Tie the
information to the objectives and the material in the chapter.
Instructor Note 6:
Learning Objective 1: Recognize the extent to which customer service is
facilitated by the effective use of technology.
Learning Objective Note: PPT 1, 2 should be used with Learning Objective 1,
page 220-221.
THE INCREASING ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN CUSTOMER
SERVICE, p. 220.
Students need to understand the concept of technology in customer service since it
is an importance trend in the workplace today. Use PPTs 1-2 as you introduce the
Learning Objective 1 and the definition of a customer contact center.
Stress how pervasive the use of technology has become in customer service. Refer
students to some of the statistics listed: as of June 2006, 93 percent of residential
end-users had access to cable modems, while 79 percent had access to high-speed
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cable or DSL services. Of the estimated $916.9 billion in retail sales in the first
quarter of 2005, $19.8 billion was from e-commerce sales. For a type of service to
be fairly new, this is a large amount. Add personal use examples from the
students. To say that technology has permeated virtually every aspect of life in
most developed countries would likely be an understatement.
Additionally, according to the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association,
over 233 million people in the U.S. subscribe to wireless telephone service. This
is in addition to the some 94 percent of US households that had telephones in
2005.
Instructor Note 7:
Learning Objective 2: Use technology to enhance service delivery
capabilities.
Learning Objective Note: PPTs 3, 4 should be used with Learning Objective 2,
pages 222-228.
THE CUSTOMER CONTACT/CALL CENTER OR HELP DESK, p. 222.
Students should understand the meaning of this concept regarding electronic
commerce. It is alive and well and growing at a rapid rate, according to research
and to the media. Discuss help desks, a term used to describe service providers
trained and assigned to assist customers with questions, problems or suggestions.
Show PPT3 as you begin the discussion on help desk use. Help desks are more
powerful and complicated than ever before. They also provide more functions
than their rather ineffectual predecessors. The influence is so significant in terms
of dollars that the way that organizations do business using technology has been
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labeled electronic commerce (e-commerce). With all of the advances in
technology, one thing remains clear: customers still appreciate old-fashioned
personalized customer service.
TYPES OF TECHNOLOGY, p. 224.
What types of technology are out there? Use PPT4 as you launch a discussion of
the types of technology available. It is advancing at such a rapid rate that the
typical organization and its employees are unable to cope with the changes.
Today, customer service representative have a vast amount of technology at their
disposal. Some of the typical systems are found in customer care centers. Review
page 223-226 with the class; perhaps some of the students are very well-educated
in computer and telephone systems and can provide some stories about the use of
various telecommunications equipment listed.
Business is looking constantly for new and more effective, efficient ways to do
business. This has been the norm for most of the last 20 or so years. Technologies
found on pages 223-225 and in Figure 9.2 will give students an idea of some of
the newer technologies being used. Of course, another list will come out quickly
and additional types will be on that list. Review the definitions and features of
Text Messaging, Podcasts, Cell Phones, Wikis and blogs that are now
commonplace items in most cities in the United States. Review the photos on
page 223. Ask students what are some innovations that have contributed to this
trend. (Students will likely say electronics, the computer, telecommunications,
wireless systems and better trained technicians.)
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF TECHNOLOGY, p. 226.
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Like anything else related to customer service and dealing with the public, there
are some distinct advantages and disadvantages associated with the use of
technology. The following is a brief overview of some of the issues resulting from
use of technology.
Organizational issues: Distinct advantages come to organizations that use
technology. Through the use of computers, software and various
telecommunication devices, a company can extend its presence without physically
establishing a business site with employees. Simply by establishing an effective e-
commerce Website, organizations can become known and establish a customer
base worldwide.
Information and services can be provided on demand to customers. In many
cases, multiple customers can be served simultaneously through the telephone, fax
on demand or any number of systems.
The challenge for organizations is to obtain well-maintained, state-of-the-art
equipment and qualified, competent people to operate it. In a low unemployment
era, this can be a challenge and can result in disgruntled customers who have to
wait on hold for service until an agent is available to help them.
Staying on top of competition with technology is an expensive venture. New and
upgraded software and hardware are developed every day. If a company uses a
six-month-old system, they are on their way to becoming obsolete.
Additionally, each new generation of technology typically brings with it a need to
train or retrain staff, requiring employees to be taken off the telephone or away
from their jobs for training.
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Refer students to page 227, Customer Service Success Tip. This bit of advice is
well worth remembering since usually one has to take care of his or her
equipment for minor things. Learn to use equipment correctly and find out any
service/maintenance tips so that you can keep the equipment running at optimum
service.
Employee issues: Technology brings many benefits to employees, the biggest
being that it frees them from mundane tasks such as taking information and
mailing out forms, information or other materials. This can be done by use of such
systems as fax-on-demand, IVR, or on-line information fulfillment systems.
Technology also allows employees to better serve more people in a shorter period
of time. The down side of technology for employees is that many organizations
see the investment in technology as a way to reduce staff costs and overhead
related to employees, and therefore eliminate positions. Additionally, as
mentioned before, new technology requires new training and skills. Some people
have difficulty with the use of technology and are not able to master its potential.
This in turn can lead to reassignment or dismissal.
To avoid such negative possibilities, you and your peers should continually work
to stay abreast of technology trends by checking out the Internet and taking
refresher courses through your organizational training department or local
community resources.
Another problem created by the introduction of technology into the workplace is
that employee and customer stress levels can escalate, in part to being able to
serve more customers quicker and the operation of the technology itself. This
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accounts for some of the high turnover rate in call center staff and customer
defection. But, it doesn’t necessarily have to be that way.
Customer issues: From a customer standpoint, technology can be a blessing.
From the comfort and convenience of a home, office, car, or anywhere a customer
may have a telephone and laptop computer, he or she can access products and
services. More people than ever have access to computers and the Internet.
Through all the technologies you read about earlier, a customer can get
information, order products, have questions answered, contact an organization
about billing or other issues and access virtually anything she or he wants on the
World Wide Web. However, this convenience comes with a cost, just as it does
for organizations. To have the latest gadgets is costly in terms of time and money.
For example, when calling an 800 or 888 support number or paying for a call to a
support center, it is not unusual to have to wait on hold for the next available
agent.
Additionally, technology does not always function as it is designed to. An
example of this would be a website that does not provide clear instructions or
information regarding how to enter an account number or how to gain a password.
Even though a customer follows the instructions exactly, he or she might
continually get a frustrating error message instructing him or her to reenter the
data. At some point, the customer may simply give up and go to another website.
Another example would be to get caught in voicemail jail. In this situation the
customer follows the instructions, punching the appropriate phone keys to get to a
representative, only to find that person has forwarded his or her phone to another
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voicemail box. Ultimately the instructions lead the customer back to the first
message he or she received upon calling the organization.
Additional issues: Just as with any system, there are people who will take
advantage of it. Technology, especially the Internet, has spawned a new era of
fraud and manipulation. This is a major concern for consumers and can create
many challenges for you and your peers working in a call center. One of the
biggest factors that you must overcome is the fear of fraud and violation of
privacy.
Instructor Note 8:
Lead a discussion on fraud and scams in customer services. Solicit examples that
students have heard of or experienced. Point out some ways that customer service
providers can reduce customer fears. Solicit a list of additional strategies for
reducing customer anxiety related to providing information.
Refer the class to Figure 9-3 on page 229. This figure contains strategies for
reducing customer fear in dealing with various company technologies. Review the
items on Figure 9-3 and bring into the class any thoughts or questions about any
of the information in the chart.
Instructor Note 9:
Learning Objective 3: Communicate effectively via e-mail,
the Internet and fax.
Learning Objective Note: PPTs 5, 6 should be used with Learning Objective 3,
pages 228-231.
TECHNOLOGY ETIQUETTE AND STRATEGIES, p. 228.
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Students should be well aware of the use of the Internet, e-mail and facsimile
(fax) machines. Because of the growth in technology, it would be difficult to find
an office of any size that does not have at least a computer, a printer and a fax
machine.
Just like any other interaction with people, you should be aware of some basic
do’s and don’ts related to using technology to interact with and serve your
customers. Failure to observe some common sense rules can land you and your
organization on the customer’s bad side. Show PPT5 to start the discussion
regarding e-mail and fax use.
E-MAIL, p. 228
The e-mail system was designed as an inexpensive, quick way of contacting
others on the World Wide Web. E-mail was not designed to replace formal
written correspondence. Additionally, e-mail has its own set of guidelines for
effective use to ensure that you do not create problems when dealing with
customers via e-mail. Review the E-mail Tips to Remember, as well as etiquette
for effective usage on pages 229-231.
Activity : Lead a discussion in which you talk about some common strategies for
making use of e-mail more effective, using the points outlined in the text. Add
any others that you can think of and solicit additional ones from students. Ask for
examples of situations in which students have seen the guidelines ignored and
what happened as a result.
Use abbreviations and initials: Since e-mail is an informal means of
communicating, usingacronyms (e.g., USA versus United States of America) and
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initials work fine in some cases. Just be sure that your receiver knows what the
letters stand for, otherwise miscommunication could occur. Figure 9.4 –
Common Abbreviations, page 230 lists some common abbreviations employed by
e-mail users who typically know one another and e-mail one another frequently
(e.g., internal customers). When communicating with external customers, you
may want to use them sparingly or eliminate them totally in order to prevent
confusion, communication breakdown or the perception that you are
unprofessional.
Refer students to the photo on page 229. What is happening in the photo? Ask
students to respond to the question under the photo. What are some things you can
do to avoid conflict and/or frustration? (Students will probably respond with some
of the tips they just read in this section.)
Proofread and spell check: Checking your message before hitting the “send”
button may help prevent damage to your professional image. This is especially
true when writing customers, since you represent your organization. Poor
grammar, syntax, spelling or other basic writing skills can paint a poor picture of
your professionalism.
Think before writing: This is especially true if you are responding when you are
upset or emotional. Take time to “cool off” before responding to a negative
message or when you are angry. Remember that once you hit “send” you cannot
take back your words and your relationship with your receiver is at stake.
Use short, concise sentences: The average person will not read extensive pieces
of information sent over an e-mail system. For that reason, put your question or
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key idea in the first sentence or paragraph. Scrolling up and down pages of text is
time consuming and frustrating. Keep your sentences short, use punctuation and
separate lines of text for easier reading. A good rule of thumb is that if the entire
message does not fit on a single viewing screen, consider whether another means
of communication would be more appropriate. An alternative option would be to
attach lengthy word-processed documents that can be printed and read off the
system.
Use both upper- and lowercase letters: Writing a sentence or message in all
capital letters is the written equivalent of shouting at the person and could offend
a customer or cause relationship problems.
Be careful with punctuation: As with all capital letters, you should use caution
with punctuation marks, especially exclamation points. The latter can lead to
anger since, like all capital letters, they indicate strong emotion.
Use e-mail only for informal correspondence: Do not use e-mail when a more
formal format is appropriate. For example, it would be inappropriate to send a
cancellation notice via e-mail. Using an e-mail message to do this may show the
receiver that the issue is not significant enough to warrant your organization
buying a stamp to mail a letter. This does not mean that you cannot attach letters
or other documents to an e-mail. Another important thing to remember about e-
mail is that it is often unreliable. If your message is critical and delivery is time-
sensitive, look for another option (e.g., a telephone call or express mail).
Sometimes people do not check their e-mail regularly, computer systems fail or
individuals often change service providers without notifying you. E-mail that is
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not delivered is not returned, so you will never know the reason that the customer
did not respond.
Use organizational e-mail for business only: Many companies have policies
against sending personal e-mail via the organizational system. Some have started
to monitor outgoing messages and violation of policy could cause problems for
you. Additionally, while you are sending personal messages, you are losing
productive time and your customers are potentially waiting.
Use care with the type of information you send: Avoid sending personal
information (e.g., account numbers, personal data and so on) or proprietary
information via e-mail. Unless you have security software to decode and mask the
information, it is accessible by hackers or others who do not have a right or need
to know such information. A good rule of thumb is to never send anything you
would not want to see in tomorrow’s newspaper.
Use blind courtesy copies sparingly: Most e-mail systems allow you to send a
copy to someone without the original recipient being aware of it. This could be
viewed as suspicious, bringing your motives into question. Depending on message
content, it could lead to relationship breakdowns if the original recipient finds out
or if the bcc misuses the information.
Copy only necessary people: Most people are overloaded with work in today’s
workplace and do not have time to read every e-mail someone sends them. If
someone does not need to see something you have written, do not send them a
copy.
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Get permission to send advertisements or promotional materials: As mentioned
earlier, people have little time or patience to read excessive e-mail, especially
from someone trying to promote or sell something. This is viewed the same way
as you may view unsolicited junk mail or telemarketing calls at home.
Be cautious in using emoticons: Emoticons are the face type characters created
though use of computer keyboard characters. Many people believe that use of
these in business correspondence is inappropriate and too informal. Also, since
humor is a matter of personal perspective and perception, these symbols might be
misinterpreted and confusing. This is especially true when corresponding with
someone from a different culture. Figure 9.5, page 231, shows some example
emoticons.
Fill in address line last: This is a safety mechanism to ensure that you have time
to read and think about your message before hitting the send button. The message
cannot be transported until you address it. You will have one last chance to think
about who should receive the message and its content.
Instructor Note 10:
Refer students to page 231. The Customer Service Success Tip has very
important information regarding the security of sending information via e-mail.
Discuss this with students, giving information about a secure line, which is
protected from illegal use by someone trying to get information (known as
hackers); usually only government and a few other types of businesses have
secure lines.
FACSIMILE, p. 232.
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Instructor Note 11:
Show PPT6 to discuss the proper use of the fax machine.
As with any other form of communication, there are certain do’s and don’ts to
abide by when using the facsimile to transport messages. Failing to adhere to
these simple guidelines can cause frustration, anger or a breakdown in
relationships between you and your customers or with others to whom you send
messages.
Be considerate of receivers: If you have a multi-page document to send to your
customer, telephone in advance to ensure it is okay to send it. This is especially
true when sending to a business number during the workday or if they have only a
single line for telephone and fax machine. Tying up someone’s fax machine with
a large document is very frustrating and irritating to customers. If you must send a
large document, try to do so after working hours (typically 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Also,
keep in mind geographic time differences. Following this tip can help maintain
relationships with coworkers who may also depend on the fax machine to conduct
business with their customers.
Limit graphics: Excessive graphic images that are not necessary to clarify written
text waste the receiver’s printer cartridge ink, tie up the machine excessively and
can irritate your receiver. Therefore, ensure that you delete any unnecessary
graphics. This includes your corporate logo on a cover sheet if it is heavily
colored and required a lot of ink to print. If the latter case exists, create a special
outline image of your logo for your fax cover sheets.
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Limit correspondence recipients: As with e-mail and memorandums, limit the
recipients of your messages. If they do not have a need to know, do not send them
messages. Check your broadcast mailing list (a predetermined listing of people
who will receive messages, often programmed into a computer) to ensure that
unnecessary people are removed. This is also important from an information
sensitivity standpoint. If the information you are sending is proprietary or
sensitive in any way, think carefully about your recipient. Also, remember that,
unless it is going directly to someone’s computer fax modem, it may sit in a stack
of other received messages that are accessible to people other than your intended
recipient.
Instructor Note 12:
Learning Objective 4: Deliver quality service through
effective telephone techniques.
Learning Objective Note: PPTs 7-12 should be used with Learning Objective 4,
pages 232-241.
THE TELEPHONE IN CUSTOMER SERVICE, p. 232.
Students are probably fairly proficient with the telephone use, especially cell
phones. However, this section provides information that will be important for
using the telephone and its several features pertinent to business use in customer
service.
Show PPTs7 and 8 to lead a discussion on the telephone in customer service and
its various important elements.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR SUCCESS, p. 233
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Not all service provided through technology, specifically the telephone, is
delivered from a call center. While many small- and medium-sized organizations
have dedicated customer service professions to staff their telephones, others do
not. In these latter cases, the responsibility for answering the telephone and
providing service falls on anyone who is available when the telephone rings (e.g.,
an administrative assistant, salesperson, driver, partner, owner or CEO).
Remember that in order to provide quality customer service, everyone in the
organization has to take ownership for customer satisfaction. This information is
further substantiated through reading Customer Service Success Tip on page
232.
Modern businesses rely heavily on the use of telephones to conduct day-to-day
operations and to communicate with both internal and external customers.
Effective use of the telephone saves employee time and effort. Effective telephone
use also increases organizational effectiveness and saves money. These results are
possible because when using the telephone employees can compress distance and
time. They no longer have to take time to physically travel to another location to
interact with customers and vendors. By simply lifting the telephone receiver or
dialing a number, your presence is instantaneously transported virtually anywhere
in the world. And with the introduction of the facsimile (fax) machine and
computer modem, documents and information can also be sent in minutes to
someone thousands of miles away—even during non-business hours.
With the potential for such success, more businesses are setting up inbound (e.g.,
order taking, customer service or information sources) and outbound (e.g.,
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telemarketing sales, customer service or customer surveys) telephone staffs.
Through these groups of trained specialists, companies can expand their customer
contact and likely increase their ability to obtain total customer satisfaction.
Instructor Note 13:
Use PPT9: Advantages of Telephone Service, p. 233 to lead a discussion on the
advantages of using the telephone to deliver quality customer service.
Stress the fact that while many other types of technology exist to deliver customer
service, the telephone is still a primary means of service delivery for
organizations. Provide appropriate examples and elicit other ones from students.
Refer to Figure 9.6 on page 233; review the advantages of telephone customer
service listed there. Ask students to think about these and try to discuss additional
examples.
TIPS FOR CREATING A POSITIVE TELEPHONE IMAGE, p. 235
Projecting a positive image about yourself and the business while you talk on the
phone is a necessity for quality service. When you feel good about yourself, you
normally project a confident and pleasant image. Here are suggestions (see pages
235-236) for helping your customers and leaving them thinking well of you and
your organization:
Use PPTs 10 - 12 to lead a brief discussion on these points:
Continually evaluate yourself
Use proper body posture
Be prepared
Speak naturally
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Be time conscious
Be proactive with service
Do more than the customer expects after a breakdown
(remember this from an earlier chapter); this is called
service recovery.
Conclude calls professionally.
Activity : Refer the students to Customer Service Success Tip on page 235. Ask
students for input as to why this is a good tip after they have read it and briefly
discussed it with a partner.
Instructor Note 14:
Have students read Ethical Dilemma 9.1 in groups of three. Then discuss it for
10-15 minutes while thinking about answers to the questions. Bring them back
together after the discussion to share their answers. Would a customer continue
doing business with a company when it is difficult to get a phone call answered?
Once they have shared their answers and you have given your input on the
activity, review the suggested answers to the activity on page 245.
EFFECTIVE TELEPHONE USAGE, p. 236.
Activity : One basic way to use the telephone properly is to know and use the
features of the phone correctly. Review Figure 9. 7, page 237, with the class. Ask
for input on each point, since many of the students have probably transferred
callers and/or put customers on hold. Many home telephone systems now have
similar capabilities. As a follow-up to Figure 9.7, have the students review pages
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237-238. Assign one of the strategies to a group of 3 (depending on class size) to
discuss and present the uses, including the advantages/ disadvantages of each one.
Use PPT12 to review strategies to prevent poor telephone messages. Direct
students to the Customer Service Success Tip, p. 238. Assign students to
demonstrate proper use of telephone equipment for when receiving and delivering
messages. Spend approximately 10 minutes having students demonstrate these
techniques and then answer questions from the rest of the class.
VOICE MAIL AND ANSWERING MACHINES OR SERVICES, p. 239.
Although voicemail is hailed by many as a time saver and as a vehicle for
delivering messages when an intended recipient is unavailable, many other people
have difficulty dealing with voicemail, including answering machines.
Managing incoming calls: To effectively use voicemail you must first understand
the functions of your system. Check the manuals delivered with your system or
speak with your supervisor and/or the technical expert responsible for its
maintenance. One key to getting the greatest advantage from such a system is to
keep your outgoing message current, indicating your availability, the type of
information the caller should leave and when they can expect a return call. If
your system allows the caller to access an operator or alternate person, this should
be indicated early in your outgoing message, to save them from having to listen to
unnecessary information. See Figure 9.8, page 239, for a sample outgoing
message. Ask students for input on outgoing messages they have heard recently.
Refer students to Work It Out 9.1 on page 240. Assign this activity for them to
keep track of outgoing messages. Have them answer the questions in the activity
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for each call they listen to that has an outgoing message. A second key to
effective voicemail use is to retrieve your calls and return them as soon as
possible. Usually twenty-four hours or by the next working day is a good
guideline for returning calls. Doing so sends a positive customer service message
to your customers.
Placing calls to voice mail: For some reason, many normally articulate people
simply cannot speak coherently when they encounter an answering machine or
voicemail. One technique for success is to plan your call before ever picking up
the phone. Have a 30 second or less "sales" presentation in mind that you can
deliver to either a person or machine. For example, if you get a person, try: "This
is (your first and last name) from (company) calling (or returning a call) for
(person’s name). Are they available?" Also, write down key points you want to
discuss so you don't forget as you talk. If you get a machine, try, "This is (first
and last name) from (company) calling (or returning a call) for ______. My
number is ______.
I will be available from ______ to ______." If you are calling to obtain or give
information, you may want to add, "The reason I am calling is ______..." Doing
so allows callers to include answers to your questions or provide information in
their message. This potentially prevents a game of telephone tag.
Avoiding telephone tag: If you have ever used a telephone, you have probably
played telephone tag. The game starts when the intended call receiver is not
available and a message is left. The game continues when that call is returned, the
original caller is not available, and a return message is left, and so on.
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Telephone tag is frustrating and a waste of valuable time. This practice results in a
loss of efficiency, money and, in some cases, customers. To reduce potential loss,
plan your calls and make them effective by giving your name, company name,
phone number, time and date of your call, a succinct message, and when you can
be reached. If appropriate, emphasize that it is all right to leave information you
have requested on your voicemail or with someone else. Additionally, you may
suggest that he or she leave a time when you can call or meet with him or her
face-to-face. By doing this, you end the game and get the information that you
need.
Instructor Note 15:
Taking messages effectively takes some skill. You may want to get samples of
message pads sold at office supply stores to pass around as sample formats. Stress
the need for getting complete information, verifying spelling of names and
accuracy of any number taken (e.g., telephone with area code, address, time of
call, social security or account/membership numbers).
TAKING MESSAGES PROFESSIONALLY, p. 240.
Stress the importance of taking effectively taking messages for others.
Name
Company
Phone number
Message
When to call
Time/date of call
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Your name
GENERAL ADVICE FOR COMMUNICATING BY TELEPHONE, p. 241.
Don’t communicate personal information (someone is at the doctor’s, on sick
leave, etc.), belittle yourself (i.e., “I don’t know” or “I’m only...”) or the company
(i.e., “Nobody knows”) or use weak or negative language. Instead, simply state:
“(person’s name) is unavailable, may I take a message?” Or, if appropriate, “I’d
be happy to assist you.” After you have taken the message, thank the caller before
hanging up, then deliver the message to the intended receiver in a timely manner.
If you find the person will not be available within a twenty-four hour period, you
may want to call the customer back to inform them of that fact. In the latter case,
again offer to assist or some other alternative, if available.
Instructor Note 16:
Refer to Figure 9.9 – Communicating Messages, page 241, and briefly discuss
the techniques shown there.
SUMMARY, p. 242.
Spend approximately 5-10 minutes reviewing the key concepts of the chapter. Start by
having students review the objectives at the front of the chapter and then discuss specific
items covered to highlight and accomplish those objectives. You may want to go back
through the PowerPoint slides one more time and quickly make a few brief comments
related to each item. Use a question-and-answer format to see what students learned.
KEY TERMS, p. 242.
Review the key terms. Students should have used the Student Study Guide to help review
and study the concepts. You may want to give a review quiz on the Key Terms.
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REVIEW QUESTIONS, p. 242.
Instructor Note 17:
Activity: You may want to divide the class into small groups or conduct a class
discussion of the questions in the Review Section. Possible answers may vary, such as
1. In what ways can technology play a role in the delivery of effective customer
service? Explain.
Technology can assist customer service providers in delivering information and
service to customers in many different formats. It can also reduce delivery times
and make information accessible to people with disabilities. Technology also
allows customers to take ownership and control of their own service. Through
such technology as fax-on-demand and on-line information fulfillment systems,
customers can choose the time, format and type of information they want for
service delivery.
2. What are some advantages of using technology for service delivery?
Organizations can extend their presence without physically establishing a
business site, information can be provided on demand, employees are freed from
mundane tasks, customers can be better served in shorted time frames and they
can access information from virtually anywhere with technology.
3. What are some disadvantages of using technology for service delivery?
To use technology effectively requires a large financial investment and continual
upgrades. It also requires on-going training of employees. Employees are often
apprehensive when technology is introduced because of fear of downsizing; this
can affect morale. Some people also have difficulty mastering technology.
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4. What are some of the communication skills for success?
Speak clearly, avoid jargon, slang and colloquialisms, don’t interrupt, adjust
volume, adjust rate of speech, listen actively, pause occasionally, use correct
grammar, smile, use voice inflection and project a positive attitude.
5. How can you project a more positive image over the telephone?
Smile, use a pleasant, professional sounding tone, use proper body posture,
answer questions positively, tell customers what you can do for them, be
prepared, and work to resolve problems in a timely fashion. Professionally
conclude the call.
6. What information should you always get when taking telephone messages?
Name, company, phone number, message, when to call the person back and the
time and date of call.
7. When transferring calls, what should you avoid and why?
Ask permission to transfer the caller, transfer them, wait on the line until another
person answers, introduce the caller, thank the caller and then disconnect.
8. When you leave a message on voice mail, what information should you give?
Name, company name, why you are calling, phone number, and your availability
to receive a return call.
9. What is telephone tag, and how can it be avoided or reduced?
Telephone tag is the sending and receiving of messages back and forth because
you are unable to connect with your desired person. To avoid telephone tag, leave
effective messages that include your name, company name, telephone number,
time and date of call, a succinct message and when you can be reached.
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SEARCH IT OUT, p. 242.
Instructor Note 18:
Assign the Search It Out activity as an out-of-class project and have students bring in
their results to discuss for the next class.
COLLABORATIVE LEARNING ACTIVITY, p. 243.
Instructor Note 19:
Students’ answers will vary. You may want to schedule a time during class for them to
practice the scenarios and then to role play for the class. For the other items in the
activity, provide time for the reports to the class.
FACE TO FACE, p. 243.
You work for Staff-Temps; one of your clients had left a message for you while you were
at lunch (you had spoken to her earlier in the day about her temp not showing up for work
and had not called her back). Coming back from lunch, you had a car accident that made
you late for work. One of the messages you received when you returned was from your
client; then she was on the phone blasting you for lunch and not getting back to her. Not
giving you a chance to say much, she was adamant about hearing from you in 30 minutes
or else you would lose a client.
1. The call was not handled properly as she caught him off guard. He should have
called her back before he went to lunch.
2. He should have taken care of his client early in the morning before lunch; even if
he did not have an answer, he should have called to let her know that.
3. She was certainly close to being justified, as she was waiting on an answer about
a temp that is holding up a project. That is serious.
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4. Humans are humans; things happen and customer service falls to the side. While
things like this should not happen, they occasionally do. He needed to take care of
business first; lunch is not usually a crisis.
5. Have the students review their answers to see how close they are to the suggested
ones found in the site mentioned in the activity.
IN THE REAL WORLD, p. 244..
Have students review the In the Real World at the beginning of the chapter. They may
also want to check out eBay’s Website to get a more up-to-date report. Then have them
answer the questions in the activity and share their answers in a class session that you
direct.
PLANNING TO SERVE, p. 244.
Instructor Note 20:
Have students complete the activity according to the directions. If students want your
input or want to question what they learned, you can certainly do that. No specific answer
is given for the activity.
QUICK PREVIEW ANSWERS, p. 245.
The answers to the Quick Preview are provided.
ETHICAL DILEMMA SUMMARY 9.1, p. 245. Possible answers are provided in the
text in addition to the activity noted in the IM on page 27.
VIDEO NOTES:
If you ordered the Videos for Customer Service: Skills for Success, 4th Edition, locate the
Video 9 for Chapter 9 to show the class. The scenario takes place in a medical office
where new computer technology training is ongoing. One worker is really into the
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computer; the other one not and is very vocal about it. Have the students view the video,
taking notes. Suggest they look and listen at the efforts being taken by Joe and Nick. Ask
students what was done correctly and what was not. Keep in mind that Nick is Joe’s
supervisor.
Get students in groups of 3 or 4 to discuss and share their feedback with the other groups.
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