quality customer care

8/2/2019 Quality Customer Care

1/21

Quality Customer CareTraining Pack

Author

Sohailuddin ALAVIInternational Training Adviser, AIBF

(International Expert in Capacity Building and Institutional Development)

March 2012


2/21

1 Afghanistan Institute of Banking and Finance (Author, Sohailuddin ALAVI) March 2012

Quality Customer Care Training Pack

Authors Profile

ALAVI, Sohailuddin

He is a capacity building and institutional development expert. He brings learning through workinginternationally for more than 28 years. Through the years he has unleashed skills in document writing,

proposal development, critical thinking and creativity. His career spans over 28 years of learning

In his initial career he has worked in a Pakistani bank as trainer, coordinator and training manager for

management development programs for almost 15 years. Later he established his own institutional

management and training consultancy. As consultant he has had conducted numerous management

training workshops both in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Besides, he has had worked on many institutional

development projects in the corporate, development sector and the Govt. departments, as consultant.

He has taught for more than ten years in the undergraduate and post graduate programs of Shaheed

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology, Faculty of Management Sciences and Karachi

University Business School, Pakistan. He has written extensively in management, leadership, organization-behavior; business ethics, and entrepreneurial development for professional magazines, authored books

and training manuals.

Personal Contact Details:

Email: [email protected]

Public Profile:http://pk.linkedin.com/pub/alavi-sohailuddin/44/ab4/997

Cell No. 00 92 (0) 333 213 87 42

Karachi, Pakistan
http://pk.linkedin.com/pub/alavi-sohailuddin/44/ab4/997http://pk.linkedin.com/pub/alavi-sohailuddin/44/ab4/997http://pk.linkedin.com/pub/alavi-sohailuddin/44/ab4/997http://pk.linkedin.com/pub/alavi-sohailuddin/44/ab4/997


3/21



TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter No Title

1. What is in there for YOU! 022. Must we improve customer service 033. Who is a Customer 044. Why Customers are Important 055. Customer Needs and Expectations Analysis 076. Typical Selling Strategy Building Analysis 097. Universal Customers Expectations 108. Know your Competitive Advantage 119. Customer Satisfaction Dynamics 1210. Serving Customers Right 1411. Personal Keys to Customer Care 1512. Case Study I

Losing Customer: a diagnostic analysis 17

13. Case Study IIRevisiting Business 18

14. Managing Change: Learning cultures


4/21



What is in there for YOU!

In todays business environment, we all sell nothing but the performance of ourselves

and of others. But if there were no customers requiring our services or products, even

good performance cannot yield good returns. Winning customers and sustaining

relationships with them is thus pivotal for a profitable business. It has gained even

greater importance in now-a-days market place with so many others competing for the

similar segment of customers.

Learning Objectives

This training pack is designed to encourage you increase your skills in customer care by

gaining deeper understanding of customers characteristics, behavior, etc. Effective and

efficient customer care has enabled business achieve greater customer satisfaction,

increased profits, and competitive advantage.

The text material and exercises given in this training pack will help you reflect upon your

immediate work environment to:

Define and identify your Customers in the manner that will help you clarifyyour respective role in serving them right.

Describe why the Customers are so important in doing the businessprofitably?

Find out what your Customers expect. It will help you develop effectivecustomer care tactics.

Know how your Customers respond to your product/service. It will help youimprove your service quality.

Improve your Customer communication. Help you handle Problematic-Customers profitably. Define personal characteristics of successful customer care.


5/21



MUST WE IMPROVE CUSTOMER SERVICE?

Because... Because... Because...!

CUSTOMERS ARE PARTNERS IN BUSINESS

EACH UNHAPPY CUSTOMER SPREADSDISSATISFACTION IN ABOUT NINE OTHERS

ONLY A FEW UNHAPPY CUSTOMERSSPEAK TO US

IT COSTS AT LEAST FIVE TIME AS MUCH TOATTRACT A NEW CUSTOMER THAN TORETAIN AN EXISTING ONE

WONT YOU THINK OFMORE BEAUTIFUL REASONS, AFTER ALL


6/21



WHO IS A CUSTOMER?

DEFINITION

INDIVIDUALS; ORGANIZATIONS; OR, DEPARTMENTS WHO RECEIVE YOURPRODUCTS OR SERVICES ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS

Write a definition that fits in your work environment:

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

WHO ARE THEY?

In general we have two categories of Customers, vis--vis:

1. External Customers, and2. Internal Customers.External-Customers are:

Sharp-end consumers, and Intermediaries.

Internal-Customers are:

Persons in the next process or department, and Persons up or down in your organizational hierarchy

TAKE A PAUSE AND THINK WHO RECEIVE YOUR SERVICE OR A PRODUCT IN YOURIMMEDIATE WORK SITUATION

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________


7/21



WHY CUSTOMERS ARE IMPORTANT?

In the following activity you are asked to work out as many reasons as you can tohighlight the significance of Customers in business.

1. Think of solid reasons why customers are important_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

2. Now you go to your group and compare your list with other members. You mightadd a few more reasons at this point

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________


8/21



Debrief

Customers are important because...

We depend on Customers for doing business profitably.

Customers provide us the purpose in business.

Customers favor us by giving an opportunity to serve them profitably.

Customers are partners in the business.

Customers are human being just like us. They too have biases, prejudices,feelings and emotions

We can never win an argument with Customers - no one has ever won.

Customers bring their needs and expectations. It is our opportunity tosatisfy them profitably.

Businesses need Customers to earn profit.


9/21



Customer Needs and Expectations AnalysisExemplified

Level 1 Personal Characteristic...

In 30s Practicing Corporate Attorney. West side homeowner. Earns above 5 million a year Convenience oriented shopper. Interested in getting better things in life.

Level 2 Benefits Sought...

Preference for branded goods A business-like image at work. A stylishly image at leisure.

Level 3 Behavioral Measures (Response)

Prefers status. Buys fine clothing often. Spends heavily on self. Tends to be loyal to only a few stores.

Level 4 Customers Needs and Expectations

Need high value innovative products and solutions however, insensitive to price Expect personalized service, brand image, convenience, etc.


10/21



The Three Levels of Customer AnalysisActivity

Practice analyzing customers needs and expectations. Identify a customer segmenteither based on demographic, geographic, or trade, etc. Using the following template dothe analysis.

Level 1 Personal Characteristic...

Level 2 Benefits Sought...

Level 3 Behavioral Measures (Response)

Level 4 Customers Needs and Expectations


11/21



A Typical Selling Strategy Building Process

A successful sales strategy is developed by integrating product maturity; sellersobjective and customers perspective.

ProductMaturity:

Brand New NewWarfare Product Concept

SellerObjective: Immediate Sale / Enlarge / Sustain Social

Increased ROI Higher Market Share Mobilization

CustomerPerspective: Impulsive & Habitual & Cultural &

Shallow. Subconscious. IndividualValues

Strategy: Persuasive Mass Publicity & SocialAdvertising Campaign Awareness

TimeFrame: Spontaneous Slow Gradual

(Immediate) (Medium term) (Long term)


12/21



Universal Customer Expectations

Customers universally expect

When I buy something, I expect it should work it is supposed to When any company advertises how friendly and quick they are, I expect they

should live up to it

Good Service is getting what you pay for Good Service is simply getting what you want and when you want it Good Service is paying attention to customers needs, answering to their questions

and treating them like a human being

Good Service is not standing in line for hours and hoursHere we define customers expectation specifics:

1. FUNCTIONALITY- A service or a product does what it supposed to do for thecustomer

2. TIME A service or a product is delivered at the right time.3. ACCURACY A service or a product is delivered just right.4. COMPLETENESS A service or a product is delivered complete and ready

for use.

5. COST A service or a product is delivered at the right cost.6. QUANTITY A service or a product is delivered in right quantity.7. DIMENSIONS A service or a product is delivered precisely of the required(physical) dimensions.8. PEOPLE The person delivering the service or a product should be able to

answer questions and solve problems.

9. CREDIBILITY The product or service must live to the quality standard, it isadvertised to.

...every time, all the time.


13/21



Know your Competitive AdvantageCustomers Buy Benefits Not the Products

In the following activity you will explore how you can focus on customer benefits whileselling your products:

Pick up your three superior products or services

1. __________________________________________________________________2. __________________________________________________________________3. __________________________________________________________________

First identify distinguishing characteristics of your products or services. Later think of thebenefits of each characteristic for the customers...

Characteristic:

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

Benefits (Value or solution for customers):

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

Competitive AdvantageThink what customer benefits give your product/service edge over your competitors:

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________


14/21



CUSTOMER SATISFACTION IS A MOVING TARGET

In the following activity you will explore that customer satisfaction is a moving target,and will find out how you can effectively manage it. You need to put yourself in acustomers shoes to do this activity

SITUATION: IMAGINE YOU WALK INTO TO A NEAR BY NEWLY OPENED BRANCH OF ABANK TO PAY YOUR UTILITY BILL. AS YOU ENTERED INTO THE BRANCH, A SMARTYOUNG OFFICER OF THE BANK HURRIEDLY CAME TO GREET YOU, SAYING; MAY IHELP YOU. UPON FINDING OUT THAT YOU ARE THERE TO PAY YOUR BILL S/HE MADEYOU SIT BACK IN A COMFORTABLE SOFA AND TOOK YOUR BILL TO THE TELLER.WHILE YOU WERE WAITING FOR THE RECEIVED COPY OF THE BILL, YOU WERE

SERVED CHILLED JUICE TO ENJOY. THIS WAS AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE TO YOU, FORYOU NEVER GOT THIS TREATMENT BEFORE NOR YOU HAD EXPECTED IT. YOUDECIDED TO ALWAYS PAY YOUR BILLS AT THIS BRANCH ONLY. TRUE?

Use this scale to rate your response! Between (100 76) Delighted; between (75 51)Satisfied; between (50 26) Indifferent; between (25 00) unhappy / irritated

How did you feel about the service quality and behavior of the person the first time?

100 75 50 25 00

How did you feel about the service quality and persons behavior on getting just thesimilar service and meeting the same person the second time?

100 75 50 25 00

How did you feel about the service quality and persons behavior on getting just thesimilar service and meeting the same person the second time?

100 75 50 25 00

Now you can clearly see that customer satisfaction moves down from delighted, more isbetter, must be. So you should think of ways in which you can sustain your customerssatisfaction close to delighted experience. Discuss your solutions with the trainer.

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________


15/21



Debrief

Customers satisfaction generally moves through three stages based on three aspects ofthe product they use or service they receive...

Stage Focus

DELIGHTED... They appreciate surprises in a good way.

MORE IS BETTER... They like to have things that would add furthervalue.

MUST BE... They look for few things that are essentials.

First time a good service and quality product gives delighting experience to the customer.Next time similar service and product gives lesser satisfaction. And subsequently, it leadsto a state of indifference.

This follows that a good service must be made better every time, and a quality productmust be continually improved upon to keep customers delighted.

However, adding delighters wont work if basics of a good service and product quality

are missing.


16/21



Serving the Customers Right

It is about knowing what your customers need and making sure that they are served

precisely, every time all the time.

Some reasons to serve the customers right:

If the customers get quality service, they will come again. If the customers get quality service, they tell others about it. If the customers get quality service every time, they begin to depend. If the customers get quality service every time, they begin to believe. If the customers get extra value, they are delighted. If the customers get extra value every time, they begin to live with you.

Typical Customer Service Cycle:

1. Anticipating your Customers needs and expectations.

2. Creating and delivering services / products that precisely satisfy the Customersneed / expectations.

3. Checking Customers response / satisfaction.

4. Going back to step one, to keep the process in motion


17/21



Personal Keys to Customer Care

COMPETENCEBe able to deliver the service or produce the product precisely.

KNOWLEDGEBe able to solve customers problems and answer questions relating to your

product and processes.

CONTENMENTBrings energy to work. Feeling good about doing the job well or serving

the customer right.

COMMITMENTBe willing to accept challenges, responsibility and the ownership. Keep positive attitude

towards Customers; Colleagues; and the job itself.

COURTESYBe willing to give basic rights to Customers and Colleagues i.e. to listen first,

to help and to greet every one, every time.

APPEARANCEPresent you appropriately. Customers equate quality with your personal appearance.

EXTRA EFFORTBe prepared to service the customers beyond their expectations.


18/21



Assess Your Customer Service Potentials

In the following activity, you will have an opportunity to assess your potentials for anexciting and successful career in customer care. Assess your potentials by rating on thefollowing characteristics. Follow your first response, for it will be most reliable andrealistic.

Personal characteristics: Rating - what you think of him:

Knows the job well. SA AG DA DK

Can do the job well. SA AG DA DK

Has helping attitude. SA AG DA DK

Considers work meaningful. SA AG DA DK

Polite and listens to customers. SA AG DA DK

Have a business like personality. SA AG DA DK

Always surprises customers. SA AG DA DK

Use this scale to rate: Strongly Agreed (SA) 4 marks, Agree (AG) 3 marks, Disagree (DA)2 marks, Dont Know (DK) zero mark.

Calculate your score:

SA (____ X 4) Subtotal = _______

AG (____ X 3) Subtotal = _______DA (____ X 2) Subtotal = _______

DK (____ X 1) Subtotal = _______ Grand total = __________

Use this guide to interpret your potentials. Your score between 100 75 indicates you have strong potentials, with regular

practice you can succeed. Your score between 74 50 indicates you need little extra effort to succeed. Your score between 49 25 indicates it is not impossible but you need hard work to

succeed,

Your score between 24 01 indicates you should look for a different career.


19/21



Case Study I

LOSING CUSTOMERS:A DIAGNOSTIC ANALYSIS

FACTS:

Your branch has an annual turnover of Rs.1.0 Million, with its customer-base of 400individual and corporate customers. Most of the customers have been with the branchfor more than 5 years. Of late, however, the branch is experiencing loss of its customersto its competitor down the road, at an average of 20% annually.

To cope up with the situation, the management had initially established MarketingGroup with the sole purpose of bringing in new customers to replace the lost ones. The

group has been given annual budget of Rs.50,000/- for the task. However, themanagement is fully committed to stop further drain of its customers.

TASK:

1. Calculate the potential loss of revenue to the branch when itlosses a customer.

2. Estimate average cost of replacing every lost customer.3. Determine how much a dissatisfied will cost to the branch.4. Tabulate total loss to the branch due to annual loss of customers.

INSTRUCTIONS:You are a select member of the task force, especially created to stop further loss ofworthy customers to the competitor, hence maintain branchs profitability at a average.

In the subsequent meeting, you are invited to make a presentation on the followingaspects of the problem:

What could be done to stop customers from movingto the competitors business.

How could customersloyalty be improved upon? How best could customers be served?


20/21



Case Study II

REVISITING THE BUSINESSThis case study is designed to revisit your business from your customers perspective.This style of analysis is often difficult, but can produce some real insights to serve yourcustomers better.

The story presented below will provide you some useful hints in defining your businessfrom your customers view point.

Picture-the-Scene:a tired, scruffy, disheveled executive arrives home from yet anothertrip away on business. He finds his wife indifferent and less than enthusiastic at his

arrival. His small child appears and screams at the stranger before him. His dog arrivesand bites the ankle of his forgotten intruder.

The Message: Do not travel on business, instead use the phone, the fax, the telex, theteleconference, the electronic mail system, and regain your quality of family life.

The Significance:All of a sudden the Airliners, Railways, and Telephone companies aredirect competitors for they all enable customers communicate.

Remember the more creative you will be in answering the following question the better

it is.

What we sell to the customers (think of products and services)...________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Solutions (value) we provide to the customers...________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Our core business is...________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________


21/21



Our competitors are...________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Our permeable industry is....________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

In the back drop of your answers to the above questions, do the following analysis:

Identify and describe your customers Do a brief customer analysis Assess your customers needs and expectations Make recommendations for an imaginary service quality to delight your customers Have your trainer give comments.

quality customer care

Documents