Customer Driven Service

Transcription

1 Customer Driven Service Your Keys to Providing Exceptional Customer Experiences in Transit Transit has grown beyond its early operational focus of simply moving people from point A to point B. It is now understood to be an intensely customer service-focused industry. This change is also reflected in new ways transit organizations are viewing their internal hierarchy. No longer are the board members and managers necessarily at the top of the traditional org chart, rather the customer is at the center of it with everyone else supporting their needs. The newly updated National RTAP Customer Driven Service module focuses on how providing excellent customer service is now considered a core job requirement. Additionally, it teaches transit employees how customers come to form opinions of their organization, to know what constitutes excellent customer service and to be aware of the unique needs and expectations of different riders. This technical brief provides an overview of the format and content of the module, and describes how it can be used to train transit staff. Training Transit Staff to Provide Exceptional Customer Service Customer Driven Service is based on the latest research and best practices from the transit industry. It also includes insights from the private and nonprofit sectors where some of the most innovative customer service strategies have been developed. The four core units of this training are: I. The Keys to Customer Service: The Big Picture II. Customer Service in Action: Creating a Culture of Customer Service III. Taking Care of Your Customers IV. Customer Service Breakdowns 1

2 This training module was developed as a traditional classroom course led by a trainer/instructor. It includes several video and multimedia elements to illustrate key concepts and best practices. To meet the needs of transit staff without access to an instructor, the module also includes a self-paced E-learning version of the module. The length of time spent on each unit can vary depending on the amount of time dedicated to hands-on training and exercises, case study discussions and the amount of additional, organization-specific material the trainer chooses to add to the base module. The PowerPoint, videos and exercises can also be used to augment other transit staff training programs and/or training sessions. The learner s guide can also be used as part of an agency s customized staff manual. Course Design UNIT I THE KEYS TO CUSTOMER SERVICE: THE BIG PICTURE Customer Driven Service focuses on teaching all transit staff that interact with customers the importance of customer service, as well as providing them with the tools and training they need to provide excellent customer service regardless of the situation or who the customer may be. The unit covers universal concepts in customer service that apply to all organizations and in all business sectors. Providing excellent customer service is about creating a positive experience for customers and an environment where they feel valued and taken care of. Unit 1 includes innovative strategies and examples drawn from the transit industry as well as leading private businesses and nonprofit organizations. Core elements of this unit include: Who is Responsible for Customer Service? The Relationship Between Transit Operators and Dispatchers Changing the Hierarchy of the Transit Organization Who is the Customer? The Customer Experience Moments of Truth Judgments and First Impressions This unit explores how everyone in a transit organization is responsible for creating a culture of exceptional customer service. This includes everyone from the mechanics to the managers and even members of the board of directors. 2

3 Another important concept is the evolving hierarchy in transit organizations. The trend is moving away from a traditional top-down orientation. Increasingly the customer is being seen as the center from which every other element of the organization emanates. The unit also covers the many ways customers form opinions about the quality of their experience with transit and how transit staff can recognize and even anticipate moments of truth when customers are likely to made a judgment about your service. Exercises in this unit include: Identifying Moments or Truth and How to Make the Most of Them Identifying Ways of Making Your Customers Lives Better Customer Bus/Van Operators Schedulers/Dispatchers Board/Managers/Supervisors UNIT II CUSTOMER SERVICE IN ACTION: CREATING A CULTURE OF CUSTOMER SERVICE Creating an excellent experience for the customer who rides on a transit vehicle takes more than just a welcoming and helpful transit driver. It takes committed mechanics, schedulers, call-takers and administrators as well. In short, is takes a culture of customer service that permeates the entire organization. Core elements of this unit include: Your Performance Code The Way We Treat Passengers The Importance of Internal Morale Characteristics of the Customer Service Superstar The Steps in Quality Customer Service Unit II begins with the need to make a personal commitment to demonstrate the personal and professional traits necessary for exceptional customer Characteristics of the Customer Service Superstar Though we all know what excellent customer service consists of, some individuals are naturally better at providing it than others. People who excel at customer service: Have a positive attitude Enjoy working with people Put the customer on center stage Have a high energy level View their job as a human relations profession Can allow customers to believe they are right (even when they are wrong) Anticipate customer service opportunities service. Customer service is then examined in the context of the broader transit organization and how we treat passengers. This includes compelling material on how attitude and internal morale affects customer service. 3

4 The unit comes full circle concluding with a discussion of what separates the person who provides acceptable customer service from someone who delivers exceptional customer service. The exercise featured in this unit: Positive Morale Identifying What Creates Positive Morale UNIT III - TAKING CARE OF YOUR CUSTOMERS In the broadest definition, customer service involves doing whatever it takes to satisfy the customer. In a transit environment it is not just about moving individuals from one location to another, it is about improving the quality of their lives. Individuals and organizations that care about customer service always see through the eyes of the customer and ask, What does it take to satisfy this person? Part of the challenge is that what it takes to satisfy the customer varies from person to person. Core elements of this unit include: The Seven Basic Needs of Transit Customers Generational Customer Service Opportunities to Excel The Power of Anticipating Customer Service Opportunities This unit examines, in depth, the basic needs all transit customers share. The unit also explores how generational differences may affect the preferences passengers are likely to have for interactions with transit staff and means of communication. The unit concludes with examples of how actively anticipating customer service opportunities leaves customers feeling calm and taken care of and ultimately may avoid a customer becoming agitated, upset or angry. The exercise featured in this unit: Best Practice: Keep it Simple and Client Centered The employee handbook for Nordstrom department stores is a simple card with a welcome greeting on the front side and the company s mission statement on the back. It reads: We re glad to have you with our company. Our number one goal is to provide outstanding customer service. Set both your personal and professional goals high. We have great confidence in your ability to achieve them. We have only one rule: use good judgment in all situations. The Seven Basic Needs of Transit Customers Practice Identifying Ways to Meet the Seven Needs UNIT IV CUSTOMER SERVICE BREAKDOWNS If we re all experts at customer service, why do we occasionally struggle with it? We are all human and many things can affect our attitude including challenging schedules, unrealistic customer expectations, job stress, personal life stress, bad weather, traffic the list goes on. This unit examines things that contribute to customer service breakdowns and innovative ways to counteract them. 4

5 Core elements of this unit include: Customers and the Questions They Ask The Effects of Stress When Things Go Wrong (and Customer Expectations Aren t Met) Dealing with Angry Customers Defusing Conflict Resolving Complaints This unit helps transit staff shift the way they view some of the most common (and perhaps frustrating) questions passengers ask. Another important component covers how to respond when things go wrong. The unit details how to defuse conflict, address people s concerns and make decisions that are most helpful to the customer. The exercise featured in this unit: Are You Stressed? a personal stress inventory. Best Practice: Involve Customers in the Solution Ask the customer how he/she would like the problem to be solved. If it is a reasonable request, do it. Don t worry, in most cases customer demands are more reasonable than you may imagine. What customers want most is a respectful, courteous response to their concerns. Course Objectives By the end of this course participants should be able to: Explain who in their organization is responsible for customer service Discuss their performance code Explain the importance of high morale within their organization List the characteristics of a customer service superstar List the steps involved in providing quality customer service Discuss the Seven Basic Needs of Transit Customers Explain the importance of living a healthy lifestyle Discuss the steps involved in diffusing conflict 5

6 Course Materials Following is a summary of the key elements of this training module: Learner s Guide This workbook provides core content on who in your organization is responsible for customer service, the steps to providing excellent customer service, and information on the basic needs of customers as well as what happens when customer expectations aren t met, along with tests and exercises that help emphasize key concepts. PowerPoint This PowerPoint presentation is designed to help guide students through the essential content included in the Learner s Guide. Instructor s DVD This DVD contains course materials from the Learner s Guide, short video segments that illustrate industry best practices and additional resources including a sign-in sheet, course evaluation form and a blank course completion certificate. E-learning DVD This DVD can be used as a self-paced individual study course when a classroom course is not available. Instructor s Guide This workbook is designed to help instructors get the most out of the Learner s Guide, the PowerPoint and the DVD. A key feature of this newly updated National RTAP Customer Driven Service module is the extensive use of video and multimedia. Visual elements are important to all trainings but are particularly important in this one. Video elements are incorporated into each unit to reinforce key concepts. They also include demonstrations of some of the more common and more challenging customer service interactions transit staff are likely to encounter. The four units of this training module can be covered in a single day or over a series of days as suits the trainer. The quizzes, videos, and exercises can be used in conjunction with classroom training to reinforce learning, or independently as a training refresher. The National Rural Transit Assistance Program is funded by the Federal Transit Administration and managed by the Neponset Valley TMA. 6