What do you see when What do you see when you look in the you look in the

MIRROR?MIRROR?

Presented by:Presented by:

Charlie LibrettoCharlie Libretto

College Loan CorporationCollege Loan Corporation

GREAT Customer ServiceGREAT Customer Service

• Starts with YOUStarts with YOU

• Ends with YOUEnds with YOU

• Is ALL about YOU!Is ALL about YOU!

What do you see in your What do you see in your MIRROR?MIRROR?

• When is the last time you thought When is the last time you thought something positive about yourself?something positive about yourself?

• Look in the mirror: what do you see?Look in the mirror: what do you see?

• Write down: 3 things you REALLY like Write down: 3 things you REALLY like about yourselfabout yourself

• One thing you’re not happy withOne thing you’re not happy with

Things to Ponder:Things to Ponder:

““Everybody likes a compliment!” Abraham Everybody likes a compliment!” Abraham LincolnLincoln

Recipe for making people dislike you:Recipe for making people dislike you:• Never Listen to anyone for long.Never Listen to anyone for long.• Talk incessantly about yourself.Talk incessantly about yourself.• If you get an idea while someone else is talking, If you get an idea while someone else is talking,

don’t wait for her/him to finish. Just jump right don’t wait for her/him to finish. Just jump right in and interrupt in the middle of their sentence.in and interrupt in the middle of their sentence.

• 90/90 Rule: 90% of people like to talk about 90/90 Rule: 90% of people like to talk about themselves 90% of the timethemselves 90% of the time

Secret to a good life?Secret to a good life?

• Realize that you’ll never, ever be able Realize that you’ll never, ever be able to make anyone else happy in life until to make anyone else happy in life until you are happy with YOURSELF!you are happy with YOURSELF!

• Avoid cutting others downAvoid cutting others down

• Avoid over analyzingAvoid over analyzing

• Praise others frequentlyPraise others frequently

• Open your eyes to true beautyOpen your eyes to true beauty

What’s your glass look like?What’s your glass look like?

• Half empty?Half empty?

• Half full?Half full?

• Over-flowing with wine?Over-flowing with wine?

• My glass is full almost all the My glass is full almost all the time!time!

• REMEMBER: THE GRASS IS NOT REMEMBER: THE GRASS IS NOT ALWAYS GREENER! ALWAYS GREENER!

How do you prepare for How do you prepare for Success?Success?

• Daily? Weekly? Monthly? Ever?Daily? Weekly? Monthly? Ever?• Goals? Mental, Verbal, Written downGoals? Mental, Verbal, Written down• Evening preparation? Evening preparation?

– Mental down-timeMental down-time– Something all about youSomething all about you

• Morning preparation:Morning preparation:– Crack of dawnCrack of dawn– Craziness begins (how you gonna handle Craziness begins (how you gonna handle

it?)it?)

Happy is being ALIVE every Happy is being ALIVE every day!day!

• Enjoy the little Enjoy the little things (breathing, things (breathing, sun on your face)sun on your face)

• Reward yourselfReward yourself• Stray away from Stray away from

negative people negative people (bloodsuckers)(bloodsuckers)

• Find something Find something good in everyone!good in everyone!

PERCEPTION is PERCEPTION is EVERYTHING!EVERYTHING!

• How do you think others perceive How do you think others perceive you?you?– First impressionsFirst impressions– Long-time friendsLong-time friends– Family membersFamily members

• How do you want to be perceived?How do you want to be perceived?

• If you are aware of this, how can you If you are aware of this, how can you make some changes?make some changes?

Playing the “OFFICE” gamePlaying the “OFFICE” game

• Get your “game face” onGet your “game face” on• Realize that everyone is not your friendRealize that everyone is not your friend• Keep gossip to a minimumKeep gossip to a minimum• PLEASE, PLEASE: don’t tell everyone in the PLEASE, PLEASE: don’t tell everyone in the

office everything about your lifeoffice everything about your life• Always keep your eye on the TARGETAlways keep your eye on the TARGET• If something is wrong in the office, say it, If something is wrong in the office, say it,

but offer a solutionbut offer a solution• Don’t get caught up in the games: no one Don’t get caught up in the games: no one

wins (high turnover)wins (high turnover)

Defining your CustomersDefining your Customers

External CustomersExternal Customers

• StudentsStudents

• ParentsParents

• Other family membersOther family members

• Community/ChurchCommunity/Church

• Potential donorsPotential donors

Defining your CustomersDefining your CustomersInternal CustomersInternal Customers

• Co-workersCo-workers

• AdmissionsAdmissions

• Student AccountsStudent Accounts

• Registrar’s OfficeRegistrar’s Office

• FacultyFaculty

Service Provider CustomerYou

It Pays to PleaseIt Pays to Please

• People will spend up to 10% more for the same People will spend up to 10% more for the same product with better service.product with better service.

• When we receive good service, we will tell 1 to When we receive good service, we will tell 1 to 3 people on average.3 people on average.

• When we receive poor service, we tell up to 20 When we receive poor service, we tell up to 20 people.people.

• An 82% chance exists that customers will An 82% chance exists that customers will repurchase from a company if their complaint is repurchase from a company if their complaint is handled quickly and pleasantly.handled quickly and pleasantly.

• If the service is poor, 91% of retail customers If the service is poor, 91% of retail customers won’t go back to a store.won’t go back to a store.

Importance of Body Importance of Body LanguageLanguage

WordsTone of VoiceBody Language

55%

7%

38%

Effectiveness of Face-to-Face Communication

Eye ContactEye Contact

• Overdone – Stare person down with a hard Overdone – Stare person down with a hard gaze and never move your eyes off them gaze and never move your eyes off them (intimidating).(intimidating).

• Underdone – Continue to stare at Underdone – Continue to stare at computer screen or paperwork (gives computer screen or paperwork (gives impression customer is not important).impression customer is not important).

• Just Right – Immediate eye contact upon Just Right – Immediate eye contact upon greeting customer and focus on whole greeting customer and focus on whole face. Then look away from time to time face. Then look away from time to time during conversation to avoid staring.during conversation to avoid staring.

Facial ExpressionsFacial Expressions

• Overdone – Big fat grin when Overdone – Big fat grin when delivering bad news.delivering bad news.

• Underdone – Daydreaming, faraway Underdone – Daydreaming, faraway gaze, blank look, poker face.gaze, blank look, poker face.

• Just Right – Relaxed and pleasant Just Right – Relaxed and pleasant facial expression – sets positive tone. facial expression – sets positive tone. Mirror customer’s mood.Mirror customer’s mood.

Body PostureBody Posture

• Nod appropriately.Nod appropriately.• Face the customer with your entire body.Face the customer with your entire body.• Lean forward (look engaged).Lean forward (look engaged).• Be careful with hand gestures.Be careful with hand gestures.

– Finger tapping, pen clicking, rattling loose Finger tapping, pen clicking, rattling loose change can indicate impatience.change can indicate impatience.

– Open hand gestures – gracious and softer.Open hand gestures – gracious and softer.– Close fisted gestures & finger pointing – rude Close fisted gestures & finger pointing – rude

and intimidating.and intimidating.• Firm, friendly handshake.Firm, friendly handshake.

Neatness CountsNeatness Counts

• Personal grooming.Personal grooming.– Dirty fingernails.Dirty fingernails.– Bad breath and/or body odor.Bad breath and/or body odor.– Dirty or wrinkled clothing.Dirty or wrinkled clothing.

• Our desk and work areas.Our desk and work areas.– Can give a positive or negative impression of Can give a positive or negative impression of

how you run your business.how you run your business.– Hide stacks of paper.Hide stacks of paper.– Healthy odors!Healthy odors!

It’s Not What You Say: It’s It’s Not What You Say: It’s How You Say ItHow You Say It

• InflectionInflection

• Smile when talking on the phoneSmile when talking on the phone

• Breathe (deep, long and slow)Breathe (deep, long and slow)

• Avoid being a disc jockeyAvoid being a disc jockey

• Use volume to control a fiery situationUse volume to control a fiery situation

• Pace yourself to your customer’s rate Pace yourself to your customer’s rate and intensity of speech and intensity of speech

Telephone EtiquetteTelephone Etiquette

• Pick up the phone within three ringsPick up the phone within three rings

• Greet the callerGreet the caller

• Give your nameGive your name

• Ask the customer how you can helpAsk the customer how you can help

• Write down customer’s name in the Write down customer’s name in the beginning of call and use it at again beginning of call and use it at again at the end of the callat the end of the call

How to Put a Customer on How to Put a Customer on HoldHold• Ask customer if you may put them on holdAsk customer if you may put them on hold

• Wait for a responseWait for a response• Tell customer why they are being put on holdTell customer why they are being put on hold• Give a time frameGive a time frame

– Up to 60 seconds – Up to 60 seconds – This will take a few momentsThis will take a few moments– 1-3 minutes – 1-3 minutes – This could take two or three minutes – This could take two or three minutes –

would you like to hold or do you want me to call you would you like to hold or do you want me to call you back?back?

– Eternity (over 3 minutes) – call back or return to the Eternity (over 3 minutes) – call back or return to the line every 30 seconds or so to inform them of your line every 30 seconds or so to inform them of your progressprogress

• Thank customers for holding after returning to Thank customers for holding after returning to the linethe line

How to Transfer a CallHow to Transfer a Call

• Explain why the caller is being transferred Explain why the caller is being transferred and to whomand to whom

• Ask the customer if he/she minds being Ask the customer if he/she minds being transferredtransferred

• Make sure someone is there to pick up the Make sure someone is there to pick up the call call before you hang upbefore you hang up

• Tell the person to whom you are Tell the person to whom you are transferring the call the caller’s name and transferring the call the caller’s name and the nature of the callthe nature of the call

How to Take a MessageHow to Take a Message

• Explain your coworker’s absence in a Explain your coworker’s absence in a positive lightpositive light

• Give an estimation of time of your Give an estimation of time of your coworker’s returncoworker’s return

• Write down all important information Write down all important information and attach any pertinent filesand attach any pertinent files

Voice MailVoice Mail

• Avoid voice mail hell. Always leave Avoid voice mail hell. Always leave the caller an “out” to a living, the caller an “out” to a living, breathing humanbreathing human

• Return calls within 24 hoursReturn calls within 24 hours

• Change your greeting message as Change your greeting message as appropriateappropriate

Difficult CustomersDifficult Customers

• Let the customer ventLet the customer vent– Be quiet – don’t interruptBe quiet – don’t interrupt– Don’t take it personallyDon’t take it personally

• Avoid getting trapped in a negative filterAvoid getting trapped in a negative filter• Express empathy to the customerExpress empathy to the customer

– I can see why you feel this wayI can see why you feel this way– That must be very upsettingThat must be very upsetting– I understand how frustrating this must beI understand how frustrating this must be– I’m sorry about thisI’m sorry about this

Difficult CustomersDifficult Customers• Begin active problem-solvingBegin active problem-solving

– Gather any additional information you Gather any additional information you needneed

– Double-check all the factsDouble-check all the facts

• Mutually agree upon the solutionMutually agree upon the solution– Under-promise and over-deliverUnder-promise and over-deliver

• Follow up (Score BIG Points Here!)Follow up (Score BIG Points Here!)– Phone call, e-mail or letterPhone call, e-mail or letter

QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU!THANK YOU!

““IT IS THE PERSON WHO IS IT IS THE PERSON WHO IS NOT INTERESTED IN THEIR NOT INTERESTED IN THEIR FELLOW WOMAN OR MAN WHO FELLOW WOMAN OR MAN WHO HAS THE GREATEST HAS THE GREATEST DIFFICULTIES IN LIFE AND DIFFICULTIES IN LIFE AND PROVIDES THE GREATEST PROVIDES THE GREATEST INJURIES TO OTHERS. IT IS INJURIES TO OTHERS. IT IS FROM THIS TYPE OF FROM THIS TYPE OF INDIVIDUAL THAT ALL HUMAN INDIVIDUAL THAT ALL HUMAN FAILURES BEGIN.”FAILURES BEGIN.”

SHOW AN INTEREST IN SHOW AN INTEREST IN OTHERS!OTHERS!