Customer service: a practical approach

198 Pages·2.466 MB·English

by  Harris, Elaine K

Pearson New International Edition

Customer Service
A Practical Approach
Elaine K. Harris
Sixth Edition
International_PCL_TP.indd 1 7/29/13 11:23 AM
ISBN 10: 1-292-04035-1
ISBN 13: 978-1-292-04035-6
Pearson Education Limited
Edinburgh Gate
Harlow
Essex CM20 2JE
England and Associated Companies throughout the world
Visit us on the World Wide Web at: www.pearsoned.co.uk
© Pearson Education Limited 2014
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without either the
prior written permission of the publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying in the United Kingdom
issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, Saffron House, 6–10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS.
All trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners. The use of any trademark
in this text does not vest in the author or publisher any trademark ownership rights in such
trademarks, nor does the use of such trademarks imply any affi liation with or endorsement of this
book by such owners.
ISBN 10: 1-292-04035-1
ISBN 10: 1-269-37450-8
ISBN 13: 978-1-292-04035-6
ISBN 13: 978-1-269-37450-7
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Printed in the United States of America
Copyright_Pg_7_24.indd 1 7/29/13 11:28 AM
111111135780135681519539395713
P E A R S O N C U S T O M L I B R AR Y
Table of Contents
1. Glossary
Elaine K. Harris 1
2. What Is Customer Service?
Elaine K. Harris 5
3. The Challenges of Customer Service
Elaine K. Harris 19
4. Problem Solving
Elaine K. Harris 35
5. Strategy for Formulating a Plan for Success
Elaine K. Harris 57
6. Empowerment
Elaine K. Harris 71
7. Communications in Customer Service
Elaine K. Harris 83
8. Coping with Challenging Customers
Elaine K. Harris 101
9. Motivation
Elaine K. Harris 119
10. Leadership in Customer Service
Elaine K. Harris 135
11. Customer Retention and Measurement of Satisfaction
Elaine K. Harris 153
12. Technology and Customer Service
Elaine K. Harris 169
13. Excellence in Customer Service
Elaine K. Harris 183
I
191
Index 191
II
G L O S S A R Y
From Glossary of Customer Service: A Practical Approach. Sixth Edition. Elaine K. Harris. Copyright © 2013 by Pearson
Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
1
G L O S S A R Y
automatic call distribution Allows calls to be customer intelligence The process of gathering
routed to the next available service provider. information; building a historical database;
automatic number identification Allows the and developing an understanding of current,
call recipient to identify the incoming num- potential, and lapsed customers.
ber and caller. Additional background or customer lifetime value The net present value
historical information may be displayed on of the profits a customer generates over the
the recipient’s computer screen to enable him average customer life.
or her to better serve the customer. customer retention The continuous attempt to
brainstorming A problem-solving strategy in satisfy and keep current customers actively
which groups of two or more share ideas in involved in conducting business.
an open and accepting environment. Ideas are customer satisfaction The customer’s overall
shared with the group and recorded. feeling of contentment with a customer inter-
“call me” Web browser Allows customers action.
linked with a company’s Internet site to be customer service Anything we do for the
referred to a call center representative. customer that enhances the customer
challenging customers Those customers with experience.
problems, questions, fears, and personali- customer service system Any set of procedures
ties that require us to work to achieve true that contributes to the completion of customer
communication. service.
churn (or churn rate) The number of customers defection rate The percentage of customers who
who leave a business in a year’s time divided leave a business in one year.
by the number of new customers in the same demographic information Includes character-
period. istics like age, income, marital status, educa-
communication The process in which informa- tion, stage in the family life cycle, whether
tion, ideas, and understanding are shared they own or rent their home, gender, ZIP
between two (or more) people. code, occupation, household size, mobility
conflict A hostile encounter that occurs as a patterns, ethnic background, religion, and so
result of opposing needs, wishes, or ideas. forth.
consumption behavior Refers to the customer’s diagramming A problem-solving strategy that
usage and payment patterns. involves creating a visual representation of
coproduction When customers participate in a problem and system so that improvements
providing at least a part of their own cus- may be made. Diagramming includes pro/
tomer service. con sheets, flowcharts, organizational charts,
credibility The combination of our current and mind mapping.
knowledge, reputation, and professionalism. electronic mail (e-mail) Sending messages
culture The values, beliefs, and norms a group directly from one computer terminal to
of people share. another. Messages may be sent and stored for
customer attributes Characteristics that allow later retrieval.
customers to be categorized according to empathy The ability to understand what some-
demographic, psychographic, or firmographic one is experiencing and to take action to assist
information. in resolving the situation.
2
Glossary
empowerment To enable or permit customer listening The ability to hear and understand
service providers to make a range of decisions what the speaker is saying.
to assist their customers. low-touch customers Those customers that
ethics A set of principles that governs the enter the customer experience expecting a
conduct of an individual or group. low level of customer interaction. Low touch
expectations Our personal vision of the result frequently exists because of technology.
that will come from our experience. market segmentation Dividing customers into
external customers The customers we do busi- groups with similar characteristics.
ness with outside our organization. mind mapping A creative approach to dia-
eye contact Allowing our eyes to make visual gramming a problem in which a problem is
contact with someone else’s eyes. recorded on paper and possible solutions
facsimile (FAX) machine A machine that branch out from the original problem.
enables the transmission of graphic materials mission The means by which an organization
from one machine to another via telephone will fulfill its purpose.
lines. morale An individual’s or group’s feelings or atti-
firmographic information Includes character- tudes toward a job, supervisor, or company.
istics about a company such as how many motivation The individual drive that causes us
employees they have; the kind of business to behave in a particular way.
they are in; whether they are retail, wholesale, needs Our personal requirements.
or a service provider; their hours of operation; negotiation The evaluation of the possible solu-
and so on. tions to a challenge and the selection of the
flowcharts A diagramming approach to prob- solution that is mutually beneficial.
lem solving that charts each step of a process nonverbal expression Tone and inflection of
to assist in determining why a problem is voice, facial expressions, posture, and eye
occurring. contact. Nonverbal communication can con-
follow-up Checking back to determine whether tradict the message conveyed through another
or not a situation is operating according to the method of communication.
initial plan. online bill paying Offers customers the oppor-
formal leaders Have the authority and power of tunity to receive and pay bills online.
their official position. organizational charts A method of illustrating
goal An identified result to strive to accomplish. the hierarchy of a company by illustrating
goal setting The process of establishing goals who reports to whom.
and evaluating their importance. outbound calls Calls that originate from the call
high-touch customers Those customers who center to the customer and are usually intended
enter the customer experience expecting a to sell products or services, conduct market
high level of customer interaction. research, or respond to customer inquiries.
inbound calls Calls that originate with the perception The way we see something based on
customer that may include catalog ordering, our experience.
billing questions, technical support, product pitch The highs and lows of the voice.
use, or other information. planning Finding a recognizable direction to
informal leaders Have no official authority but focus on and the establishment of specific
do have the ability to influence others. customer service goals.
infrastructure The networks of people, physi- primary expectations The customer’s most
cal facilities, and information that support the basic requirements of an interaction.
production of customer service. problem solving An active resolution to a
internal customers The people we work with challenging situation.
throughout our organization. pro/con sheets A simple approach to diagram-
job aids Leadership tools to reinforce training. ming a problem that involves recording the
leadership The ability to influence others. arguments for and against a solution. .
3
Glossary
psychographic information Focuses on self-concept The way in which a person sees
lifestyle, mode of living, needs, motives, atti- himself or herself and thinks that others see
tudes, reference groups, culture, social class, him or her.
family influences, hobbies, political affiliation, self-sufficiency Customers using systems in
and so on. place to meet their own service needs at a
purpose The reason for an organization’s exis- level that results in satisfaction.
tence. social media Electronic communication used by
reading The ability to look at and comprehend consumers to share ideas, information, opin-
the written word. ions, and personal messages.
relationship marketing Cultivating a lasting and strategy A plan for positive action.
mutually beneficial connection with customers. talking Speaking, using words and terminology
reputation management The process of identi- that others can comprehend.
fying how a company is perceived and estab- teamwork Working together to improve the effi-
lishing an action plan to correct, maintain, or ciency of the whole.
enhance its reputation. teleselling Selling products, services, or infor-
respect To give someone recognition or special mation via the telephone.
regard. values A combination of our beliefs, percep-
responsibility check Assessing a situation and tions, and ideas as to the appropriate response
determining who should have responsibility to a situation.
and who really does have the responsibility. voice inflection A variation in the pitch, timing,
scope of influence Our ability to influence others or loudness of the voice.
based on our perceptions or experiences. voice mail A system in which a spoken message
secondary expectations Expectations based on is recorded and stored in the recipient’s voice
our previous experiences that are enhance- mailbox. The recipient can later retrieve the
ments to our primary expectations. audible message.
self-assessment An individual evaluation in wants Things or experiences that are desired.
which individual strengths and weaknesses webinars Online collaboration or training.
are identified. writing Communicating by using the writ-
ten word so that others can understand the
intended message.
4
What Is Customer Service?
Remember This
A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us;
we are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work; he is the purpose of it.
He is not an outsider in our business; he is part of it. We are not doing him a favor by
serving him; he is doing us a favor by giving us an opportunity to do so.
Mahatma Gandhi
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
In this chapter, you will learn how to
Define customer service. Explain the difference between external and
Recognize the difference between customer internal customers.
expectations and customer perceptions. Distinguish customer attributes.
List examples of customer service. Understand the high cost of losing a customer.
Identify the five needs of every customer.
From Chapter 1 of Customer Service: A Practical Approach. Sixth Edition. Elaine K. Harris. Copyright © 2013 by Pearson
Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
5