Deliver outstanding customer service: gain and retain customers and stay ahead of the competition PDF
Preview Deliver outstanding customer service: gain and retain customers and stay ahead of the competition
Deliver Outstanding Customer Service Practical books that inspire You’re in Charge Now! The first-time manager’s survival kit Preparing a Winning Business Plan How to plan to succeed,and secure financial backing Delighting Your Customers Keep Your Customers coming back time and time again Managing Your Time What to do and how to do it in order to do more Understanding Financial Accounts Understand the basics ofaccountancy from book-keeping to VAT Please send for a free copy ofthe latest catalogue to: How To Books 3 Newtec Place,Magdalen Road, Oxford OX4 1RE,United Kingdom email:[email protected] http://www.howtobooks.co.uk Deliver Outstanding Customer Service Gain and retain customers and stay ahead of the competition SUSAN NASH and DEREK NASH 2nd edition Originally published in 2000 as Exceeding Customer Expectations Published in 2002 by How To Books Ltd,3 Newtec Place, Magdalen Road,Oxford OX4 1RE,United Kingdom Tel:(01865) 793806 Fax:(01865) 248780 All rights reserved.No part ofthis work may be reproduced or stored in an information retrieval system (other than for purposes ofreview),without the express permission ofthe publisher in writing. © Copyright 2002 Susan Nash and Derek Nash British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Edited by Diana Brueton Cover design by Baseline Arts Ltd.,Oxford Produced for How To Books by Deer Park Productions Typeset by Anneset,Weston-super-Mare,Somerset Printed and bound in Great Britain NOTE:The material contained in this book is set out in good faith for general guidance and no liability can be accepted for loss or expense incurred as a result ofrelying in particular circumstances on statements made in the book.The laws and regulations are complex and liable to change,and readers should check the current position with the relevant authorities before making personal arrangements. Contents List ofillustrations ix Preface xi 1 Understanding customer service 1 Customer service quiz 1 Customer service quiz answers 2 Factors that make us satisfied or dissatisfied 6 Material and personal service 7 Research on material and personal service 9 Internal and external service 11 Service pyramid 12 Moments oftruth 15 Service summarised 16 Case studies 18 Discussion points 19 Summary 20 2 Delivering Outstanding customer service 21 Service management model 21 Company profile 24 Where are you now? 29 Service cycle 33 Case studies 37 Discussion points 40 Summary 41 3 Customer service strategy 42 The company vision statement 43 The company mission statement 44 SWOT analysis 45 Customer service strategy 47 Customer service slogan 47 Defining our customer service values 49 vi Deliver Outstanding Customer Service Customer service as a key result area 51 Communicating the strategy 54 Case studies 55 Discussion points 63 Summary 64 4 Hiring the right people 66 Hiring or training customer service skills 66 Managing the recruitment process 67 The interview process 76 Case studies 89 Discussion points 94 Summary 94 5 Developing personal service skills 96 What is communication? 96 The communication process 99 Complexity ofthe process 100 Sending the message 103 Three styles ofcommunication 111 Case studies 112 Discussion points 117 Summary 118 6 Managing the customer interaction 119 Managing interaction and building communication with the customer 119 Adapting to the customer’s style 127 Moments oftruth 134 Case studies 136 Discussion points 139 Summary 140 7 Implementing effective processes 141 Service objectives and standards 141 Establishing service objectives 142 Defining service standards 146 Defining the customer cycle 146 Defining systems required 148 Service level agreements (SLAs) 149 Contents vii Case studies 154 Discussion points 163 Summary 163 8 Dealing with customer complaints 165 Seeking customer complaints 165 Defining recovery 166 You said what? 167 The CLEAR technique 168 Implementing the CLEARtechnique 182 Case studies 184 Discussion points 185 Summary 186 9 Instituting continuous improvement processes 187 Long-term process improvements 187 Customer service task forces 190 Updating SLAs 190 Re-engineering service delivery 192 Case studies 192 Discussion points 197 Summary 198 10 Helping managers become leaders 199 Defining leadership 199 Achieve the objectives:focus on results 202 Develop the individual 203 Individual coaching principles 206 Motivating individuals 208 Building the team 209 Recognising achievements 212 Celebrating success 212 Case studies 213 Discussion points 218 Summary 218 11 Delighting the customer 220 Further reading 223 Index 225 This page intentionally left blank List of illustrations 1 The service pyramid 13 2 The service management model 22 3 Research checklist 31 4 Strategic planning pyramid 42 5 List ofcharacteristics/job dimensions 71 6 Questions for each job requirement category 77 7 Sample competencies identification checklist 90 8 Sample questions for hiring customer service focused staff 91 9 Interview evaluation form 92 10 Part ofa job requirements checklist 92 11 Sample curriculum for customer service training 113 12 Sample curriculum for technical training 115 13 Sample training agenda 117 14 Characteristics ofthe different temperaments 130 15 How the different temperaments communicate 132 16 Sample:setting standards 155 17 Defining service delivery performance standards 160 18 Reasoning and emotions graph 170 19 Problem-solving questions and guidelines 189 20 Sample problem-solving steps 193 21 How leaders drive customer service improvements 201 22 The different types offeedback 204 23 Giving and receiving feedback 205 24 Guidelines to giving feedback 207 25 Sample curriculum:turning managers into leaders 214
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