managing service quality and customer satisfaction

Course Objectives

• Describe how to use Quality Management tools and methods.

• Build strong customer relationships.

• Help influence and set customer expectations.

• Measure their own degree of customer focus and be able toapply a variety of methods to get closer to the customer.

• Implement improved people skills to enhance customerservice.

• Improve service to internal customers as well as externalcustomers.

• Use skills to build effective relationships.


Introducing Quality Management and Customer Services


Introduction to Quality Management

• Quality management explained

Quality assurance (QA) provides the basic componentsrequired of a quality system. Quality assurance incorporatesstandards against which internal or external assessment isundertaken, together with the processes in place to control thecomponents of the quality system. Quality assurance systems aredesigned to provide assurance that a particular standard ofquality has been met and maintained.


With a quality management approach, continuousimprovement systems are added to QA byincorporating a quality cycle of continuousimprovement. Unlike QA, where the goal is to meet thespecified standard, quality management is seen as anongoing journey of continuous improvement.

A quality management system is designed toprovide evidence that a specified standard

of quality has been met and continuously improved.


It is accepted as good management practice thatorganizations need to establish structural supports (e.g.documented plans, policies, standard operating procedures) toprovide parameters for practice and enable them todemonstrate that those practices are sustainable.

However, in determining ‘quality’ it is also acknowledgedthat a mechanism is needed to measure service user outcomesand the impact of service delivery in meeting service users’needs and improving quality of life. Service users have anintegral role to play in monitoring the quality of services theyreceive, so providers have a responsibility to investigate andimplement a range of mechanisms for service user feedback onlevels of satisfaction and opportunities for service users toparticipate in the decision-making processes of the service. Thefocus on outcomes is a particular strength of a qualitymanagement system approach.


The History of Quality In Business

• The quality movement can trace its roots back tomedieval Europe, where craftsmen beganorganizing into unions called guilds in the late13th century.

• Until the early 19th century, manufacturing in theindustrialized world tended to follow thiscraftsmanship model. The factory system, with itsemphasis on product inspection, started in GreatBritain in the mid-1750s and grew intothe Industrial Revolution in the early 1800s.


• In the early 20th century, manufacturers began to includequality processes in quality practices.

• After the United States entered World War II, qualitybecame a critical component of the war effort: Bulletsmanufactured in one state, for example, had to workconsistently in rifles made in another. The armed forcesinitially inspected virtually every unit of product; then tosimplify and speed up this process without compromisingsafety, the military began to use sampling techniques forinspection, aided by the publication of military-specification standards and training courses in WalterShewhart’s statistical process control techniques.


• The birth of total quality in the United States came as adirect response to the quality revolution in Japanfollowing World War II. The Japanese welcomed theinput of Americans Joseph M. Juran and W. EdwardsDeming and rather than concentrating on inspection,focused on improving all organizational processesthrough the people who used them.

• By the 1970s, U.S. industrial sectors such as automobilesand electronics had been broadsided by Japan’s high-quality competition. The U.S. response, emphasizing notonly statistics but approaches that embraced the entireorganization, became known as total qualitymanagement (TQM).


• By the last decade of the 20th century, TQM wasconsidered a fad by many business leaders. But while theuse of the term TQM has faded somewhat, particularly inthe United States, its practices continue.

• In the few years since the turn of the century, the qualitymovement seems to have matured beyond Total Quality.New quality systems have evolved from the foundationsof Deming, Juran and the early Japanese practitioners ofquality, and quality has moved beyond manufacturinginto service, healthcare, education and governmentsectors.


Basic Quality Concepts

• A History of Quality

An overview of how the concepts and processes of qualityhave evolved from the craft guilds of medieval Europe to theworkplaces of today.

• Continuous Improvement

How to take your products, services and processes to thenext level through an ongoing cycle of activities that capitalize onimprovement opportunities.

• Cost of Quality

Quality doesn't cost money. It's poor-quality products andservices that pile up extra costs for your organization. Here's howto get started eliminating these expensive shortcomings.



• Customer Satisfaction

Tips and resources for helping you identify yourcustomers and what it will take to satisfy them.

• Glossary

A handy guide to the unique terminology of quality.

• Problem Solving

Using four basic steps to implement solutions byaccurately defining problems and identifying alternatives.

• Process View of Work

Analyze how work gets done so that you can increaseefficiency, effectiveness, and adaptability.



• Quality Assurance and Quality Control

What's the difference? In the world of quality, these terms have verydifferent meanings.

• Root Cause Analysis

Use a wide range of approaches, tools, and techniques to uncovercauses of problems.

• Supplier Quality

The quality of what goes into a product or service determines thequality of what comes out. Here's how to keep costs low and qualityhigh.

• Variation

Variation represents the difference between an ideal and an actualsituation.


Getting Closer to Customers

• The road to business success is rough. The business literatureis crammed with descriptions of processes that wouldchallenge the top executives while leading their companies tosuccess. Commoditization, innovation, globalization,disruption, and others—we've heard it all. Simultaneouslyopportunities and threats, these processes can blur theleaders' visibility, making it hard to set and/or manage theright direction for their companies.

• So what is to be done? How can leaders and theirorganizations see clearer through this foggy businessenvironment? How can leaders find a solid ground amid thisinformational storm? The answer is relatively simple: deepercustomer insight.


• Achieve higher knowledge

The first step in getting closer to the customer is to gobeyond his needs and understand the mechanics of his problem-solving behavior.

Although its necessity has become more obvious in recentyears, the quest for a higher degree of customer knowledge isnot new. The past decade, for instance, has been characterizedby advances materialized in concepts like "customer experience"and "customer status." Both concepts identify that in addition tothe obvious customer's need, which can be addressed with aparticular product or service, there are other complementaryneeds, which are also of high importance to the customer.


• Make knowledge relevant

After getting a grasp on the mechanics of thecustomer's problem-solving behavior, it is important tomake this knowledge relevant to practice. Therefore,we have identified three basic aspects of the process ofsetting and managing a company's direction that canbenefit greatly from deeper customer insight:

1. Choosing the right strategy.

2. Solving the 'approach-or-offering dilemma‘.

3. Identifying opportunities and threats.


• Engage the organization

As expected, a deeper customer insight cangenerate great results even when only a fewmembers of an organization make use of it.However, the results have the potential to be farmore powerful when the entire organization isengaged in the process of getting closer to thecustomer.

Understanding Customer Needs and Expectations

You need to identify your customer’s needs andexpectations to develop a competitive edge, buildbusiness relations, drive sales and becomeprofitable.


Customer needs can include:• A request for advice or general information about your

business or your products and services.

• Specific requirements such as product features, quality anddurability.

• Special requests regarding delivery methods.

• Inquiries about price and value.

• Scheduling an appointment.

• Purchasing products and services.

• Lodging a complaint.

• Returning products and services.


To help you identify a customer’s needs and expectations, youshould:

• Give customers your full attention.

• Actively listen to what the customer is trying to communicate.

• Speak clearly and concisely.

• Use appropriate language and tone of voice.

• Provide clear written information/ communication.

• Provide opportunities for customers to confirm their request.

• Ask questions to clarify and confirm customer requirements.

• Seek feedback from the customer.


These tips will help to reduce the chance of amisunderstanding between you and the customer.They will also allow you to find a solution that willmeet the customer’s needs and increase customersatisfaction.


Service Quality - Tools and Techniques


Five steps to Effective Quality Management

• Step 1: Proper foundation

Upgrading quality assurance is like improving otherareas of your business, such as customer service.Certain standards apply industry-wide, but becauseevery shop is different, every assurance program will beas well. As you assess yours, you'll need to look atfactors such as industry standards, employeecapabilities and talent, and how to most efficiently andeffectively implement a system in your operations.


• Step 2: Keep a list

No doubt your quality program involves the use of achecklist where quality inspectors can carefully recordtheir work and "check off" all the areas they inspect.Bilderbury says shops can make these lists highlyeffective by keeping them fluid – continually modifyingthem to address changing quality challenges that ashop experiences.


• Step 3: Get everyone involved

A repairer recently told ABRN that with shopsfocused more than ever on processes andcompartmentalizing tasks, they risk pushing theiremployees into a mindset of focusing solely on theirtasks and not the total repair. This use of resourcesruns counter to some quality assurance best practicesbecause it removes potential inspectors from thequality program. In the best possible quality programs,everyone involved with repairing a vehicle performsinspection duties.


• Step 4: Name a chief inspector

Even with every employee playing a role in qualityinspection, shops still need a chief inspector. Bilderburysays the employee taking this role assumesresponsibility for the completeness of the entireinspection process. He explains that a chief inspectorperforms a separate check to ensure that all otherinspectors have done their jobs.


• Step 5: Final check

Arguably, the single most important spot forevolution and improvement is the final quality check.Bilderbury says shops should approach the final checklike students should when studying for a final –performing the vast majority of their preparation in thetime leading up to a test instead of cramming the nightbefore. To him, this means catching at least 99 percentof all potential problems during the repair and beforethe final detailing. The final check mostly should entaillooking for relatively minor cosmetic details that mayhave been overlooked.


Methods of Control

Control techniques or methods are generallydescribed as either quantitative or nonquantitative.


Quantitative Methods

Quantitative methods use data and variousquantitative tools to monitor and control productionoutput. Two common quantitative tools are budgetsand audits. By far the most widely recognizedquantitative tool is the chart. Charts used as controltools normally contrast time and performance. Thevisual impact of a chart often provides the quickestmethod of relating data. A difference in numbers ismuch more noticeable when displayed graphically.Most charts are versions of either the Gantt chart orthe Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT).


BUDGETS

By far the best known control device is the budget. Budgets andcontrol are, in fact, synonymous. An organization’s budget is anexpression in financial terms of a plan for meeting theorganization’s goals for a specific period. A budget is aninstrument of planning, management, and control. We usebudgets in two ways. First, we use them as established facts thatmust be factored into our operational planning. Second, we usethem to prepare narrative descriptions and financial informationthat our chain of command uses in its annual request andmanagement of its funds. At present, the Department of theNavy (DON) uses two major budget systems. These are zero-based budgeting (ZBB) and the planning, programming, andbudgeting system (PPBS)


AUDITS

Internal auditing provides an independent reviewand appraisal of accounting, financial, and other nontacticaloperations. As a management tool, the audit measures andevaluates the effectiveness of management controls. TheNaval Audit Service provides an independent audit ofprograms, activities, systems, and procedures. It alsoprovides an independent audit of other operationsinvolving the use of funds and resources and theaccomplishment of management goals.

Budgets and audits are addressed in detailin Financial Management in the Navy,NAVEDTRA 10792-E


Nonquantitative Methods

Nonquantitative methods refer to total or overallcontrol of performance rather than specificprocesses. These methods use tools such asinspections, reports, direct supervision, andperformance evaluation/counseling to accomplishgoals.


TOTAL QUALITY LEADERSHIP

The DON has recently adopted the concept ofTotal Quality Leadership (TQL) as the means ofmeeting DON needs into the 21st century. ExecutiveOrder 12637, signed April 27, 1988, establishesthe Productivity Improvement Program for thefederal government. TQL IS THE NAVY’S ANSWERTO THIS ORDER.


The concept behind TQL revolves around achange from leadership by results to leadership byprocess (quality) improvement. The manager’s taskis to continually improve each and every process inhis or her organization.

This means combining quantitative methodsand human resource leadership techniques toimprove customer-supplier relations and internalprocesses. This cultural change in leadershippractices has certain basic elements:


• Leaders must clearly state the organization’s mission. This isstated clearly and made available to all employees, suppliers,and customers. Aclear, public-mission statement preventsindividuals from generating their own definitions of workpriorities.

• Leaders and supervisors must ensure their actions clearlysupport the organization’s mission. This support includessetting priorities and assigning tasks.

• Leaders must focus their efforts toward a common goal.This focus is an important part of team building.

• Leaders must make a long-term commitment to qualityimprovement. Individual leaders must set an example byproviding consistent, focused leadership.


Continuous Improvement

What is continuous improvement? Continuousimprovement is a systematic, ongoing effort to raisea residential aged care home’s performance asmeasured against the Accreditation Standards.


Continuous improvement:

• takes into account the needs of residents, and may involve themin improvement activities

• involves a focus on lifting performance against each of theAccreditation Standards and expected outcomes

• is part of an overall quality system, focusing on systematic andintegrated improvements with clearly defined objectives

• is a results-focused activity which can be demonstrated throughoutputs and outcomes

• ranges in scale from smaller programs to significant strategicinitiatives.

• Approved providers have a responsibility to actively pursuecontinuous improvement throughout the accreditation period.

Approved providers have a responsibility to actively pursuecontinuous improvement throughout the accreditation period.


• What is the relationship between continuousimprovement and quality assurance?

Continuous improvement involves theestablishment and support of a culture that aimsfor better practice in care and services for residents.Quality assurance is concerned with themaintenance of systems and processes to ensurevariances are managed; continuous improvementmoves beyond this to lift the home’s performanceto a higher standard.


What are the principles of continuous improvement?

There are many approaches and terms associated withcontinuous improvement. Whatever approach is used, thefollowing framework helps to drive and support the process:

• Resident-focused.

• Strategic planning and implementation.

• Clearly defined objectives and outcomes.

• Involvement of key stakeholders.

• Encouragement of innovation.

• Utilization of a range of approaches and techniques.

• Regular monitoring and evaluation.


A culture of continuous improvement means the home isresponsive to change from a variety of inputs and can continuallydevelop a quality service that is of value to its residents.

A sound continuous improvement program can demonstrate:

• Baseline – the current situation the home is trying to change

• Planned improvements and the expected benefit to residents–this includes assigning priorities among improvement activities

• monitoring – systems to monitor a new process or activityDuring its implementation including through key milestones orinterim indicators

• Evaluation – systems to monitor a new process or activity once ithas been implemented, which should help ensure itssustainability and capture the actual improvements.


• How can homes implement improvements in a structured manner?The following model is used by assessment teams to review a homes’ continuous improvement processes:

Plan the Improvement

Actively pursuing continuous improvementrequires a systematic evaluation and improvementof service quality at various levels includingresearching possible solutions for improvementpriorities, being receptive to suggestions forimprovement from residents, representatives andstaff, and assessing the practicality of new methodsor technologies in terms of the home’s overallplanning process.


Implement the Improvement

As a new activity or process is implemented,homes should monitor the implementation to makesure the change is not causing problems, and to seeif modifications to the new activity or process needto be made to ensure positive results for residents.


Evaluate Success of the Improvement Activity

This step is to used to evaluate how effective theimprovement effort has been in improving care andservices for residents. This step can often beoverlooked in the enthusiasm to improve and makea difference. This part of the improvement cyclemay distinguish a mature continuous improvementapproach from a less developed approach.


Why should keep track of improvement activities?

Keeping track of improvement activities ensures a strategicapproach to continuous improvement, including prioritisation ofactivities. It also allows homes to reflect back on what workedwell, and what didn’t.

A plan for continuous improvement can be in the home’sown format but must include clear information on:

• issues identified

• the expected outcome/s to which it relates

• the planned action/s

• planned completion date.


An example may therefore be:

Questionnaires Design


Steps to Design A Questionnaire

1. Write out the primary and secondary aims of yourstudy.

2. Write out concepts/information to be collected thatrelates to these aims.

3. Review the current literature to identify alreadyvalidated questionnaires that measure your specificarea of interest.

4. Compose a draft of your questionnaire.

5. Revise the draft.

6. Assemble the final questionnaire.

Step 1: Define the aims of the study

• Write out the problem and primary andsecondary aims using one sentence per aim.Formulate a plan for the statistical analysis ofeach aim.

• Make sure to define the target population in youraim(s).


Step 2: Define the Variables to Be Collected

• Write a detailed list of the information to be collected and the concepts to be measured in the study. Are you trying to identify:

– Attitudes

– Needs

– Behavior

– Demographics

– Some combination of these concepts

• Translate these concepts into variables that can be measured.

• Define the role of each variable in the statistical analysis:

– Predictor

– Confounder

– Outcome


Step 3: Review the Literature

• Review current literature to identify related surveysand data collection instruments that have measuredconcepts similar to those related to your study’saims.

• Saves development time and allows for comparisonwith other studies if used appropriately.

• Proceed with caution if using only a subset of anexisting questionnaire as this may change themeaning of the scores. Contact the authors of thequestionnaire to determine if a smaller version of theinstrument exists that has also been validated.


Step 4: Compose a draft [1]:• Determine the mode of survey administration: face-to-face

interviews, telephone interviews, self-completedquestionnaires, computer-assisted approaches.

• Write more questions than will be included in the finaldraft.

• Format the draft as if it were the final version withappropriate white space to get an accurate estimate as toits length – longer questionnaires reduce the response rate.

• Place the most important items in the first half of thequestionnaire to increase response on the importantmeasures even in partially completed surveys.

• Make sure questions flow naturally from one to another.

Compose a draft [2]:

• Question: How many cups of coffee or tea do you drink in a day?

• Principle: Ask for an answer in only one dimension.

• Solution: Separate the question into two –

– (1) How many cups of coffee do you drink during a typical day?

– (2) How many cups of tea do you drink during a typical day?


Compose a draft [3]: • Question: What brand of computer do you own?

– (A) IBM PC– (B) Apple

• Principle: Avoid hidden assumptions. Make sure to accommodate all possible answers.

• Solution:– (1) Make each response a separate dichotomous item

• Do you own an IBM PC? (Circle: Yes or No)• Do you own an Apple computer? (Circle: Yes or No)

– (2) Add necessary response categories and allow for multiple responses.• What brand of computer do you own? (Circle all that apply)

– Do not own computer– IBM PC– Apple– Other



• Question: Have you had pain in the last week?

[ ] Never [ ] Seldom [ ] Often [ ] Very often

• Principle: Make sure question and answer options match.

• Solution: Reword either question or answer to match.

– How often have you had pain in the last week?

[ ] Never [ ] Seldom [ ] Often [ ] Very Often


• Question: Where did you grow up?– Country

– Farm

– City

• Principle: Avoid questions having non-mutually exclusive answers.

• Solution: Design the question with mutually exclusive options.– Where did you grow up?

• House in the country

• Farm in the country

• City


• Question: Are you against drug abuse? (Circle: Yes or No)

• Principle: Write questions that will produce variability in the responses.

• Solution: Eliminate the question.


Compose a draft [7]:• Question: Which one of the following do you think increases a

person’s chance of having a heart attack the most? (Check one.)

[ ] Smoking [ ] Being overweight [ ] Stress

• Principle: Encourage the respondent to consider each possible response to avoid the uncertainty of whether a missing item may represent either an answer that does not apply or an overlooked item.

• Solution: Which of the following increases the chance of having a heart attack?

– Smoking: [ ] Yes [ ] No [ ] Don’t know

– Being overweight: [ ] Yes [ ] No [ ] Don’t know

– Stress: [ ] Yes [ ] No [ ] Don’t know



• Question:

– (1) Do you currently have a life insurance policy? (Circle: Yes or No)

– If no, go to question 3.

– (2) How much is your annual life insurance premium?

• Principle: Avoid branching as much as possible to avoid confusing respondents.

• Solution: If possible, write as one question.

– How much did you spend last year for life insurance? (Write 0 if none).


Step 5: Revise

• Shorten the set of questions for the study. If a question does not address one of your aims, discard it.

• Refine the questions included and their wording by testing them with a variety of respondents.

– Ensure the flow is natural.

– Verify that terms and concepts are familiar and easy to understand for your target audience.

– Keep recall to a minimum and focus on the recent past.


Step 6: Assemble the final questionnaire [1]:

• Decide whether you will format the questionnaire yourself or use computer-based programs for assistance:

– SurveyMonkey.com

– Adobe Live Cycle Designer 7.0

– GCRC assistance

• At the top, clearly state:

– The purpose of the study

– How the data will be used

– Instructions on how to fill out the questionnaire

– Your policy on confidentiality

• Include identifying data on each page of a multi-page, paper-based questionnaire such as a respondent ID number in case the pages separate.


Assemble the final questionnaire [2]:

• Group questions concerning major subject areas together and introduce them by heading or short descriptive statements.

• Order questions in order to stimulate recall.

• Order and format questions to ensure unbiased and balanced results.


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Assemble the final questionnaire [3]:

• Include white space to make answers clear and to help increase response rate.

• Space response scales widely enough so that it is easy to circle or check the correct answer without the mark accidentally including the answer above or below.

– Open-ended questions: the space for the response should be big enough to allow respondents with large handwriting to write comfortably in the space.

– Closed-ended questions: line up answers vertically and precede them with boxes or brackets to check, or by numbers to circle, rather than open blanks.

• Use larger font size (e.g., 14) and high contrast (black on white).


Cause and Effect Analysis

When you have a serious problem, it's important to exploreall of the things that could cause it, before you start to thinkabout a solution.

That way you can solve the problem completely, first timeround, rather than just addressing part of it and having theproblem run on and on.

Cause and Effect Analysis gives you a useful way of doingthis. This diagram-based technique, whichcombines Brainstorming with a type of Mind Map , pushes youto consider all possible causes of a problem, rather than just theones that are most obvious.

About the Tool

Cause and Effect Analysis was devised by professor KaoruIshikawa, a pioneer of quality management, in the 1960s. Thetechnique was then published in his 1990 book, "Introduction toQuality Control."

The diagrams that you create with Cause and Effect Analysis areknown as Ishikawa Diagrams or Fishbone Diagrams (because acompleted diagram can look like the skeleton of a fish).

Cause and Effect Analysis was originally developed as a qualitycontrol tool, but you can use the technique just as well in otherways. For instance, you can use it to:

• Discover the root cause of a problem.

• Uncover bottlenecks in your processes.

• Identify where and why a process isn't working.

How to Use the ToolFollow these steps to solve a problem with Cause and EffectAnalysis:

Step 1: Identify the Problem

First, write down the exact problem you face. Where appropriate,identify who is involved, what the problem is, and when and whereit occurs.

Then, write the problem in a box on the left-hand side of a largesheet of paper, and draw a line across the paper horizontally fromthe box. This arrangement, looking like the head and spine of a fish,gives you space to develop ideas.

Example:

In this simple example, a manager is having problems with anuncooperative branch office.


Figure 1 – Cause and Effect Analysis Example Step 1

Tip 1:Some people prefer to write the problem on the right-hand side of the piece of

paper, and develop ideas in the space to the left. Use whichever approach you feel mostcomfortable with.Tip 2:

It's important to define your problem correctly. CATWOE* , can help you do this –this asks you to look at the problem from the perspective of Customers, Actors in theprocess, the Transformation process, the overall World view, the process Owner, andEnvironmental constraints.

By considering all of these, you can develop a comprehensive understanding of theproblem.

* CATWOE: Understanding the Different Elements That Contribute to a Problem.


• Step 2: Work Out the Major Factors Involved

• Next, identify the factors that may be part of the problem.These may be systems, equipment, materials, external forces,people involved with the problem, and so on.

• Try to draw out as many of these as possible. As a startingpoint, you can use models such as the McKinsey 7SFramework (which offers you Strategy, Structure, Systems,Shared values, Skills, Style and Staff as factors that you canconsider) or the 4Ps of Marketing (which offers Product,Place, Price, and Promotion as possible factors).

• Brainstorm any other factors that may affect the situation.

• Then draw a line off the "spine" of the diagram for eachfactor, and label each line.


Example:

The manager identifies the following factors,and adds these to his diagram:

• Site.

• Task.

• People.

• Equipment.

• Control.


Figure 2 – Cause and Effect Analysis Example Step 2 - See more at:


Step 3: Identify Possible Causes

Now, for each of the factors you considered in step 2,brainstorm possible causes of the problem that may berelated to the factor.

Show these possible causes as shorter lines coming offthe "bones" of the diagram. Where a cause is large orcomplex, then it may be best to break it down into sub-causes. Show these as lines coming off each cause line.

Example:

For each of the factors he identified in step 2, themanager brainstorms possible causes of the problem, andadds these to his diagram, as shown in figure 3.


Figure 3 – Cause and Effect Analysis Example Step 3 - See more at:


Step 4: Analyze Your Diagram

By this stage you should have a diagram showing all of thepossible causes of the problem that you can think of.

Depending on the complexity and importance of the problem,you can now investigate the most likely causes further. This mayinvolve setting up investigations, carrying out surveys, and so on.These will be designed to test which of these possible causes isactually contributing to the problem.

Example:

The manager has now finished his Cause and Effect Analysis.If he hadn't looked at the problem this way, he might have dealtwith it by assuming that people in the branch office were "beingdifficult."


Managing Customer Expectations


Exceeding Customer Expectations Every Time

When you exceed a customer’s expectations you aredelivering what they purchased and more. Exceptionalservices or products are rarely forgotten. Here are sixways to make your customer’s experience with yourbusiness both exceptional and memorable.


1. Be thoughtful. Provide a pleasant, easily navigableshopping experience. Chances are you hear the samequestions over and over again from potential customers.

These questions point to issues your site is not addressingas well as it could.

>Take action: Review a month’s worth of yourcorrespondence with customers. Make a list of theirquestions. Figure out how your website or shop policies canbetter answer the three questions that are the mostfrequently asked.


2. Be impeccable with your words. Provide accurate product orservice descriptions, and only make promises you can keep. You arebetter off under promising and over delivering than vice versa.

(Consider the example of shipping. “Ships within 24 hours” soundsimpressive, but if you have trouble meeting that promise 1 time out of10, you end up with one-tenth of your customers unhappy. You don’tneed to change anything except your description of your shippingpolicy. If it’s “ships within 48-72 hours” but you are still shipping within24 hours 9 times out of 10, you’ve given yourself a chance to impress 9customers. And the tenth customer still gets their package exactlywhen they expected it, so they’re pleased too.)

>Take action: Identify at least one promise (real or implied) thatyou are making to your customers that you might not be living up toevery time. Rewrite it so you can exceed the promise 9 times out of10.

3. Be polite. Your customers enjoy hearing their ownnames, and they like to hear “please” and “thank you”as much as you do.

It’s free to provide service with good manners, and youare grateful for their business, aren’t you? Say so withyour actions and your words. Over and over and over.

Do this every day with every customer.


4. Be accountable. If you make a mistake, admit it,apologize, and make it up to the customer.

A refund is less expensive – both financially andemotionally – than bad press from an unhappycustomer.

>Take action: Recall the best experience you’ve everhad returning something you bought. Make a list ofthings the vendor did to make that experience a goodone. Can you implement any of these in your business?


5. Be accessible. Make it easy to contact you. Useyour full name. Respond promptly to all emails orcalls from customers. Listen to and respond towhat customers are asking or saying about yourbusiness.

>Take action: Add your full name and email addressto your Facebook page, Twitter profile, Etsy shop,and website.


6. Be generous. Reward your clients with unexpectedbenefits. This could be a small gift added to thepurchase, or a coupon for their next shoppingexperience with you.

>Take action: Make a list of three possible rewards youcould share with your customers.


Asking for Feedback on Performance


How excited do we get when someone tells us they want togive us some feedback?

For many of us, not very excited! No one ever feels like theyare creating job security or strengthening

relationships when they give feedback and thus don’t alwaysprovide the truth.

Dr. Marshall Goldsmith, an authority in helping successfulleaders get even better, found that if

instead of focusing solely on feedback, we should also focus onfeedforward.

Feedforward is a process of gaining positive suggestions fromothers that are pertinent to improving

performance in a specified area.


Why does feedforward work?

• When you make it clear to your stakeholders that you needtheir help in order to improve an area of development theybecome willing to share their ideas and thoughts on how toget better. They finally feel like they have a stake in theprocess.

• Feedforward is focused on sharing positive, future orientedsuggestions.

• By following up on the suggestions you receive, youdemonstrate your commitment to grow and your stakeholdersdevelop an increased desire to help you and to share theirthoughts.


How do I implement the process?

• Make it informal. You can ask for feedforward suggestions inperson, on the phone or via email.

• Keep your conversations focused. The purpose of thefeedforward conversation is to answer the question, “Whatcan I do to get better in my area of development?”

• Keep the conversation very simple. “I am working onbecoming a better listener. Can you give me a positivesuggestion on how I can do this? What are some positivethings you’ve noticed that good listeners do?”


Who should I ask to provide me with this information?

• The best people to help you are those that are in a position togive you accurate information about your behavior. Theymight be your supervisors, peers and/or direct reports.

• You need to make sure they feel safe enough to be completelyhonest with you.

• Will they fair in their assessment?

• Will they take a few minutes on occasion to give you theirsuggestions?


What are the major roadblocks to doing feedforward?

What are the roadblocks that keep you from asking forfeedforward?• It feels awkward.

• I think it needs to be a formal process.

• It is difficult to change culture; this is not a part of our culture.

• I am so busy already, how do I fit it into my schedule.

• I don’t know how to do it.

• I don’t know who I should ask or how many people.

How can I overcome these roadblocks? What are someof the best practices used to create success?• Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.

• Make it an informal experience. Fit it into your regular conversations.

• Create a reminder in Outlook.

• Practice what you are going to say with someone.

• Cast a wide net and include as many people as you possibly can.

• Be quick – a 2 minute conversation may be long enough.


Important things to remember

• The recommendations you receive are accurate reflections ofhow you can improve from their perspective.

• The responses you receive are current indicators of yourbehavior.

• Feedforward is a way for others to support you in your goalsand challenge you to reach your

• full potential.

• Remember to thank them for willingly helping you.

• Don’t spend time debating the responses. Just say, “thankyou.”

• You do not need to implement every suggestion. Ask yourself,“What would happen if I implemented this suggestion?”


The magic of feedforward is that it’s a positive way toget many more ideas than one could probably use.Choose a few and try them out. You’ll be amazed atwhat will happen!


People Skills to Deliver Excellent Customer Service


Building Rapport

• Building rapport and engaging with people-whetherit’s in person or online—takes practice. Much of it isbased on intuition. It’s about creating a bond, link,connection, and understanding.

• The goal is to connect with others and getthem thinking, feeling, reacting, and involved. Itdoesn’t matter if you’re in sales, own a business, orwork for someone else. Rapport building is an artand skill in communication that’s used daily in all ofour relationships.


• Here are 10 tips to help you get in sync with othersand build rapport:

1. Be approachable. In person, carry yourself in such away that is easy-going, friendly, and confident. Whenyou’re online, have a welcoming and intriguingprofile. Use an avatar of your smiling face.

2. Ask good questions. People love to talk aboutthemselves. Asking questions and paying attention tothe answers helps you learn more about the otherperson and shows that you have a genuine interest inthem. The key is in your follow-up. This is how they’llknow you are truly catching their details.


3. Use their name. In person, the sweetest sound to anyone isthe sound of their own name. Sprinkle it into aconversation. Online, using Twitter as an example, if theperson’s name is not in their handle, click on their profile andget their name. It will take only a few seconds but sends thatwonderful message of, “I care; I took the time to find out.”

4. Understand that you can still have rapport with someoneeven though you disagree. If you don’t see eye-to-eye, youcan be respectful and appreciate differingopinions. Communication and relationships are based oncompromise. With both in person and online communication,you don’t have to agree. A simple acknowledgement is usuallysufficient—and appreciated.

5. Stay upbeat. No one likes to be around a complaining,negative victim. It’s awfully difficult to connect and engagewith people who are leaking poison. Be known for yourpositive attitude and willingness to help others (yes, evenstrangers). Remember, easy-going and approachable.

6. Discover the fine art of small talk. This will help in personand online—especially if you feel shy or nervous. Have a few“conversation starters” up your sleeve in case you run into asnag. Always be looking for opportunities that connect youwith others—it can be something as basic as liking the samesports team, having the same kind of SUV, or orderingthe same lunch. Focus on similarities, not differences.


7. Notice how others handle information. This is especiallyimportant in live conversations. It may be at a networkingbreakfast, on Skype, or a u-Stream video. Does the other personlike “the big picture” or do they prefer the fine details? As youspeak, feed back information in the size they prefer.

8. Learn communication modalities. If someone is a visualcommunicator, they will say things like, “Looks good to me” or “Iget the picture.” An auditory person will say things like, “ Thatsounds good to me” or “Listen to this.” Pay attention to the cluesthe person drops you (in person or online) and follow theirmodality. It will bring a subliminal sense of comfort to them andinstantly builds rapport. These “modality clues” will be evident inyour live conversations and in social networking. This is called NLP-Neurolinguistic Programming.


9. Pick up on favorite words and phrases. In a subtle way,intersperse them into your conversation. This will help you bond.It also brings a sense of comfort to the individual you’re speakingwith—in person or online.

10. Watch and listen to people. Pay attention to those youadmire who seem to easily connect and engage with others,particularly strangers. Whether it’s in person or online, observethe conversations, posts, and Tweets. What works for them?How do they break the ice and bond with others? How dopeople respond to them?

Rapport is about making a two-way connection. How do youknow that’s happened? You experience a genuine sense of trustand respect with another human being. You easily engage withthem, regardless of how different the two of you may be. Youfeel like you are listening and being listened to. That’s rapport


Developing Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence, also referred to as ‘EQ’, is the abilityto identify, evaluate and control your own emotions and tobetter understand and manage the emotions (or motivations) ofothers. The term "emotional intelligence" has been around sincethe 1980s and came to popular prominence through DanielGoleman who wrote a best-selling book titled EmotionalIntelligence. The term itself is subject to disagreement as to whatdefines it precisely but being such a broad topic, it is possible todiscern the main components of EQ so that you can draw onthese aspects when seeking to improve both your understandingand your personal implementation of EQ.


Steps

1- Understand the importance of emotional intelligence inall aspects of your life. Being intellectually capable isimportant in life, but being emotionally intelligent can beconsidered even more so, as there are many benefitsassociated with high emotional intelligence.


2- Learn to recognize stress triggers and how to deal withthem. Life is filled with difficult situations from relationshipbreakdowns to job loss. In between, there are myriad stresstriggers that can make any daily issue seem much morechallenging than it probably is and the more stressed weare, the more vulnerable we are to not coping with life'smany stressors.


3- Be open-minded, intellectually curious andagreeable. Openness and being agreeable go hand-in-handwhen it comes to emotional intelligence. Be open to newideas – a narrow mind is generally an indication of a lowerEQ.

4- Be outgoing and empathetic. Those who have the abilityto understand others and direct interest toward externalproperties (i.e., being focused on what is outside of the self)instead of being focused on oneself (self-absorbed) havethe qualities of extroversion and empathy. To break it down,being selfless is known as extroversion (note that this is notthe same as being an extrovert) and understanding others isknown as empathy.


5- Be conscientious and prepared to deliberate. Rationalthinking and actions are abundant aspects of emotionalintelligence. While you can understand a situation well andhave a clear idea of it, if you can’t take rational actionstoward it then what use would an analytical understandingof the situation be?


6- Be attentive and self-aware – know thyself. To beattentive is to pay attention to oneself and yoursurroundings in a positive manner. Knowing who you arecomes in big here. If you don’t know who you are how canyou expect to know others? Worse still is expecting othersto define you, to remove your autonomy and sense of lifepurpose by delineating your pathway for you.


7- Practice communication skills. Having goodcommunication skills results in a better EQ. A high level ofcommunication skills makes it is easier to send across andreceive messages that are clear, to-the-point and respectfulof both your own boundaries and those of others.


8- Be optimistic. Those who are optimistic tend to live a happy, successful life. When you're optimistic, it's easier to see the beauty in life and everyday objects. In a way, being optimistic results in an open mind, making it a crucial element of improving your emotional intelligence.
