Customer ServiceCustomer ServiceStrategies That Will Separate Strategies That Will Separate

You from the CompetitionYou from the Competition

presented bypresented by

Louis Feuer, MA, MSWLouis Feuer, MA, MSWwww.DynamicSeminars.com

AHIP Virtual SeminarAHIP Virtual SeminarSeptember 29, 2010September 29, 2010

Customer Service is Everyone’s Responsibility

What is Customer Service?What is Customer Service?

Personal reaction to an interaction.Personal reaction to an interaction.

A good feeling. A good feeling.

Feeling appreciated.Feeling appreciated.

Respect and dignity for all involved.Respect and dignity for all involved.

Secrets to Service Success

People do business with people they like.

People do business with people that are easy to do business with.

No Harris, you cannot call in sick because you do not feel positive.

FAKE IT!

Consider the Consider the TimeTime

Share blocks of time with our Share blocks of time with our patients/customers.patients/customers.

Provide time-frame for return calls.Provide time-frame for return calls.

Become responsible for the times we Become responsible for the times we promise.promise.

Customer’s For LifeCustomer’s For Life by Carl Sewelby Carl Sewel

Give customers what they want again and Give customers what they want again and again.again.

No complaints! . . . then something is No complaints! . . . then something is wrong.wrong.

Measure everything.Measure everything.

Let the customer help you improve.Let the customer help you improve.

Philosophy of a Philosophy of a Customer Driven CompanyCustomer Driven Company

It permeates all actions of all employees.It permeates all actions of all employees.

Front-line people who listen and respond.Front-line people who listen and respond.

Customer- friendly systems.Customer- friendly systems.

Treat Your Colleagues Treat Your Colleagues as Your Customersas Your Customers

Create a pleasant working atmosphere.Create a pleasant working atmosphere.

Offer to help. You will appreciate the help Offer to help. You will appreciate the help when it is returned.when it is returned.

It’s about creating a great TEAM.It’s about creating a great TEAM.

Active ListeningActive Listening

Avoid distractions when listening.Avoid distractions when listening.

Acknowledge your understanding.Acknowledge your understanding.

Clarify all possibly misunderstood issues.Clarify all possibly misunderstood issues.

Make the Customer Feel ImportantMake the Customer Feel Important

Give undivided attention.Give undivided attention.

Tell them they are important.Tell them they are important.

Let them know you want their business.Let them know you want their business.

Let them know your are in business to Let them know your are in business to meet their business needs.meet their business needs.

Good Service with Good Good Service with Good CommunicationCommunication

Talk in a language the customer Talk in a language the customer understands.understands.

Speak with assurance.Speak with assurance.

Provide written information.Provide written information.

Prepare everyone for emergencies.Prepare everyone for emergencies.

You can make more friends intwo months by becominginterested in other people thanyou can in two years trying to get people interested in you.

d. carnegie

Sell HonestySell Honesty

Times, services, products - the customer is Times, services, products - the customer is counting on you!counting on you!

Maintain consistency - they expect the same Maintain consistency - they expect the same service every time.service every time.

Often it is one strike and you’re out! Often it is one strike and you’re out!

Keep Your PromisesKeep Your Promises

Customers never forget!Customers never forget!

They repeat your broken promises.They repeat your broken promises.

They use your broken promises to separate They use your broken promises to separate you from the competition.you from the competition.

Promises are how you are judged!Promises are how you are judged!

Offer to Help the CustomerOffer to Help the Customer

Offer to take the extra step.Offer to take the extra step.

Be willing to exceed expectations.Be willing to exceed expectations.

Become more than a service or product Become more than a service or product provider - and try to be a customer educator provider - and try to be a customer educator and consultant.and consultant.

Show Customer CourtesyShow Customer Courtesy

Be polite - you know how!Be polite - you know how!

Refrain from becoming angry.Refrain from becoming angry.

Use words like “please” and “thank you.”Use words like “please” and “thank you.”

Thank the customer for their business.Thank the customer for their business.

Admit When WrongAdmit When Wrong

Learn to say you’re sorry.Learn to say you’re sorry.

Do it quickly and promptly.Do it quickly and promptly.

Do with the sincerity.Do with the sincerity.

Be gracious!Be gracious!

Strategies for Quality ServiceStrategies for Quality Service

Know what the customer wants.Know what the customer wants.

Listen before you talk!Listen before you talk!

Realize customers are the reason you are Realize customers are the reason you are in business.in business.

Keep your promises.Keep your promises.

Make the customer feel important.Make the customer feel important.

Admit when you are wrong.Admit when you are wrong.

Exceed all expectations!!

Under Promise and Over Deliver!

The Satisfied PatientThe Satisfied Patient

Keeping in touch with the customer.Keeping in touch with the customer.

Calling regarding the approximate time they Calling regarding the approximate time they can expect you to arrive.can expect you to arrive.

The consumer will become the judge of our The consumer will become the judge of our success, our profits and our survival.success, our profits and our survival.

Customer Satisfaction Does Not Guarantee Customer Loyalty!

Pick up the telephone,there’s money on the line!

It’s Telephone TimeIt’s Telephone Time

The telephone is the front office to almost of your business.The telephone is the front office to almost of your business.

Answer in three rings and the same way every time - use your Answer in three rings and the same way every time - use your name.name.

Ask permission to place people on hold.Ask permission to place people on hold.

Always take a message with date, signature and time.Always take a message with date, signature and time.

Try never provide the caller with another number to call.Try never provide the caller with another number to call.

Impact of a ComplaintImpact of a Complaint

For every customer who bothers to complain, 26 For every customer who bothers to complain, 26 remain silent.remain silent.

The average person with a complaint will tell 8 - The average person with a complaint will tell 8 - 10 more, - more than 10% tell more than 20.10 more, - more than 10% tell more than 20.

91% of unhappy customers never return.91% of unhappy customers never return.

It costs five times as much to attract a new It costs five times as much to attract a new customer than it does to keep the old one.customer than it does to keep the old one.

Some Comments on Some Comments on Handling ComplaintsHandling Complaints

Poor handling of complaints reduces Poor handling of complaints reduces customer loyalty, often dramatically.customer loyalty, often dramatically.

Effective responses to customer Effective responses to customer complaints will increase customer complaints will increase customer satisfaction and customer loyalty.satisfaction and customer loyalty.

Customers who complain are often repeat Customers who complain are often repeat customers and powerful influencers.customers and powerful influencers.

Most Common ComplaintsMost Common Complaints

Discourtesy.Discourtesy.

Failing to keep promises.Failing to keep promises.

Blaming the system.Blaming the system.

Giving the problem to someone else.Giving the problem to someone else.

No Follow-up.No Follow-up.

With Irate CustomersWith Irate Customers

It is important to fix the problem - not locate It is important to fix the problem - not locate the blame.the blame.

Do not interrupt the customer’s description Do not interrupt the customer’s description of the problem.of the problem.

Ask “What can I do to make things right?”Ask “What can I do to make things right?”

Cushion responses by agreeing with Cushion responses by agreeing with something!something!

Comments to AvoidComments to Avoid

I’ll do the best I can.I’ll do the best I can.

I don’t know.I don’t know.

That’s the second time I heard that.That’s the second time I heard that.

It’s not my department.It’s not my department.

I’ll look into it.I’ll look into it.

The computer is down.The computer is down.

That’s not our policy.That’s not our policy.

You should have told me that first.You should have told me that first.

I never heard of that happening.I never heard of that happening.

Solutions to ComplaintsSolutions to Complaints

Listen - or at least act like it!Listen - or at least act like it!

Hear the entire problem.Hear the entire problem.

Repeat problem as you understand it.Repeat problem as you understand it.

Make sure you have all the information.Make sure you have all the information.

Ask customer for suggestions.Ask customer for suggestions.

Develop an action plan.Develop an action plan.

Show concern.Show concern.

If you cannot solve the problem, quickly find If you cannot solve the problem, quickly find someone who can!someone who can!

Without Customers YouHave No Business!

Thank you very much for bringing this program to your staff.

For on-site programs at your location, contact AHIP and bring Louis directly to your staff!

To contact Louis directly: 954-838-7504