customer care 2011

The Chazin Group

Customer Care Best Practices

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Customer Service• Not Just For Retail Any company, non-profit

or city agency that serves people deals with customer service,

• Where Companies Gain a Competitive Advantage

• A CORE Skill Required for Success• Affects Conference Center Profitability• Major Area for Jobs Growth• Call Centers

The Chazin Group The Chazin Group

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Think about how bad customer service makes YOU feel…


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Think about the times you’ve gone into a store for service, or had to go to the hospital, or a fast food

restaurant, or had to order something online or call a customer service 800#...all those times you needed the

help of a customer care professional...Were those positive experiences? DMV…the post office?


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• Communication Best Practices– DON’T Respond to Aggressive Behavior:

• Attempt to Pacify• Seek out Management


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A customer comes into your place of business, and begins speaking to you in a confrontational,

tone. Their voice raises, they get more inappropriate and then dismiss you for some

other more senior employee.

How should you react?


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Communicationbest practices


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• Communication Best Practices– LISTEN! Do not assume you know what someone is

going to say. Even if you DO, let them finish what they are trying to say to you.

– Always maintain eye contact with the customer. If someone interrupts you, you ask them to please wait until you have finished working with the customer you are speaking with.

– Do NOT talk to your fellow employees while you are serving a customer.


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The right way to act at work Do NOT talk with co-workers about your personal life

while you are serving a customer. It’s RUDE.– Do NOT bad mouth your employer, boss, manager, or

the place you work for in front of your customers.– Do NOT argue with a fellow employee while you are

serving a customer.– Do not EAT or SMOKE in front of the place of business

you work at.


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• Communication Best Practices– Treat EVERYONE with respect and civility– Ask Clarifying Questions

• Can you please repeat that?• “Just to make sure I understood you correctly”

– Watch Your Tonality• You may not even be aware you are raising your voice esp. if

you tend to speak loudly.• Avoid phrases that are naturally confrontational:

– Like I told you already…


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• The right way to treat your customers– Don’t blame customers and definitely do not insult

them.– Ask a customer if they are being helped, and if they

aren’t ask if you can provide them with assistance. – If they say they need some time then give them time

to come find you if they need help.– Always welcome a customer when they enter your

place of business and thank them when they leave, even if they didn’t buy anything.

– If they need additional information be prepared to provide an 800-#, website or physical address for them to follow up with.


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• Control your body– Control all of your non-verbal cues (BODY LANGUAGE) so

you don’t send out the wrong messages:• Posture: hands on hips• Hand gestures: waving your hand like you are literally

shoeing away a fly• Rolling your finger in a circle like you are telling someone to

hurry up and finish what they are saying to you• Facial Expressions: rolling your eyes, shaking your head in

the negative as someone is speaking to you• Folded Arms: defensive posture like you don’t believe what

they are saying or are getting insulted.


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Be knowledgeable about your employer’s products, services, special promotions,

discounts, policies, procedures.


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• Make your word matter– Follow Through: If You Make A Commitment, Honor It.

If you say you are going to look for something or look into something for a customer then you do that before you move onto do anything else.

– If it is going to take some time to get an answer let the customer know that.


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• Teamwork– Support Each Other. Volunteer to help your fellow

employees.– Your Success is Contingent on Others– It Goes BOTH Ways. People won’t help you if you

don’t offer to help them• Punctuality

– Set A Standard for Leadership– A Good Practice: Proves Reliability– Be 15 minutes early ALL the time every time


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• Pursue Mentor Opportunities– Formal & Informal: try and seek out those employees

that seem to know a lot and are respected. See what you can learn from them.


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• Be a learning sponge:– Continuous Learning: always try and learn as much

as you can about the business, customers, the products, services, competitors, pricing, marketing and in-store promotions, etc.

– Approach every opportunity as a chance to learn


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Top Qualities/Skills Employers Want

• Communications• Strong work ethic• Teamwork Skills (works well with others)• Initiative• Interpersonal Skills (relates well to others)• Problem solving Skills• Analytical Skills• Flexibility/Adaptability• Computer Skills• Technical Skills

NACE Job Outlook 2008 survey of college recruiters


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Social Diversity• Understand and embrace the differences that

make us all unique:– Culture, Ethnicity, Gender, Age, Physical, Alternate

Lifestyles, Religion, Language, Dietary Laws, and dress.


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Social Diversity• Today’s Global Workplace

– More Ethnic Diversity– Introduction to Foreign Cultures– EMBRACE Our Differences– What’s a Stereotype?


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Social Diversity• Team-Based Work Best Practices

– The Real World/Workplace DEMANDS It– Practice Applying to Your Social Network– Fill Each Other’s Shortfalls With Your Strengths– Coach / Be Coached


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Resolving conflict– Interpersonal, Manager-Direct Report– Physical Contact/Aggression is NEVER Tolerated– Seek Out Management at the Onset– Explain Feelings in Non-threatening Manner– LISTEN


customer care 2011

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