EXCEPTIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE

Transcription

1 EXCEPTIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE Presented by Cigna Employee Assistance Program SEMINAR GOALS Explore the meaning of exceptional customer service Learn how to make the customer s experience exceptional Discuss strategies for what to do when there s a problem Review tips for managing stress and preventing burnout Know the benefits of your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) 2 POLL 1 What kind of customer service role are you in? Office setting, like a call center Person-to-person, like in retail Client-facing, like in sales Behind-the-scenes, like in production Hospitality, like at a hotel 3

2 4 THE CUSTOMER AND YOU The ultimate goal customer satisfaction Customer service goes beyond the face-to-face interaction Keep your connection to the customer in mind Pride in your work makes a difference 3 Good Exceptional Meet customer s expectations Respond to customer s needs Get it right most of the time Create a pleasant experience Provide one time solution to problem Exceed customer s expectations Anticipate the customer s needs Get it right ALL of the time Create a memorable experience Partner with the customer to identify long-term solutions and relationship 45 EXCEPTIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE Earmarks of exceptional service Exceeding expectations Anticipating needs Getting it right all of the time Partnering with the customer to identify long-term solutions Creating a memorable experience [It s] what people say about you when you leave the room. Jeff Bezos, CEO Amazon.com Source: (Web World, 2010) 56

3 7 REWARDS OF EXCEPTIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE Marketplace differentiation Success stories in the community Customer retention New customers Increased work satisfaction 68% of customers who stop doing business with a company do so because they feel unappreciated. Source: (Helbig, 2010) 6 POLL 2 What makes customer service exceptional for you? Eliminating roadblocks Really understanding what you want Anticipating your needs Following up to ensure satisfaction 8 HOW CAN YOU MAKE THE EXPERIENCE EXCEPTIONAL? Be the expert Know your customer Put the customer first Make it easy for the customer 79

4 10 HOW CAN YOU MAKE THE EXPERIENCE EXCEPTIONAL? continued Be prompt and efficient Fix your mistakes Ask for feedback Delight the customer Listen 8 THE ART OF LISTENING Seek to understand before being understood Listen without judging Give the speaker your undivided attention Ask questions for clarification if needed Acknowledge and respond reflectively 11 9 THE LANGUAGE OF PARTNERING Instead of this You should have We can only do Our policy is I don t know Why didn t you You need to talk to Try saying this I understand why you The best option is What we can do is I ll find out for you I can see why you Let me get you the person who can help Use words and phrases that are positive, optimistic, and understanding

5 13 WHEN THERE S A PROBLEM How may I help you? I will take care of this for you. I can assure you this will be resolved. We have options. Here are some alternatives. That s a good question. I ll get an answer for you. I will keep you updated. 11 WHEN THERE S A PROBLEM Responding constructively Maintain a caring and courteous attitude Ask their perspective Empathize with how they feel Respond with urgency Focus on what you can do Difficult customers: strategies The buddy Politely re-direct them to the issue at hand The confused customer Be patient, slow down, give simple explanations The fast talker Slow your pace; gently let them know you are having difficulty keeping up The demanding customer Be polite and business-like; tell them what you can do for them The indecisive customer Ask questions and set expectations on the front end The angry customer Stay calm and use the strategies discussed 13 15

6 16 SELF-CARE STRATEGIES Don t take it personally Have a time-out Take a walk Seek support Work in the moment Steer clear of the negative Focus on the solution 14 I ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel Maya Angelou Source: (Goodreads, n.d.) Benefits of theeap Face to face sessions Confidential Prepaid Unlimited telephonic consultation Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week Household benefit Work/life support such as eldercare, childcare and pet care Financial services Legal services Benefits vary by employer. Please check with your HR for your specific EAP benefits

7 19 REFERENCES Goodreads. (n.d.). Maya Angelou > Quotes > Quotable quote. Retrieved from Grohol, J. (2007). Become a better listener: Active listening. Retrieved from Helbig, D. (2010). Sixty eight percent is yours to keep. Retrieved from Web World. (2010). Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com. Retrieved from 17 "Cigna" is a registered service mark and the "Tree of Life" logo is a service mark of Cigna Intellectual Property, Inc., licensed for use by Cigna Corporation and its operating subsidiaries. All products and services are provided by such operating subsidiaries and not by Cigna Corporation. Such operating subsidiaries include Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, and HMO or service company subsidiaries of Cigna Health Corporation and Cigna Dental Health, Inc a 8/ Cigna 20