Professional Documents
Culture Documents
80 Activitie Sfor Callcenter Excellence PDF
80 Activitie Sfor Callcenter Excellence PDF
Peter R. Garber
The materials that appear in this book, other than those quoted from prior
sources, may be reproduced for educational/training activities. There is no
requirement to obtain special permission for such uses. We do, however, ask
that the following statement appear on all reproductions.
ISBN 0-87425-807-3
iii
Part 3: Tools of the Trade............................................................................ 41
iv
Part 5: Call Center Customer Relations ..................................................... 83
v
Introduction
Working in a call center is a very important job. Customers from around the
country (and possibly the world) depend on you to provide the highest quality
service possible to meet their needs and requirements. Call centers provide a
unique opportunity for customers to make purchases or receive services from the
comfort and convenience of their own homes via their telephones. As the world
becomes more and more connected electronically through such things as the
Internet and e-mail, the popularity of this trend in customer service will certainly
continue in the future. As a member of a call center team, you are on the cutting
edge of this exciting and dynamic technological revolution that is taking place in
customer service today.
These activities and actions for call center service excellence are designed to
help you better understand or review many of the basic principles of customer
service. Perhaps most important is to remember how you feel when you call
someone for assistance in a purchase or to receive a service. Think about how
you would want to be treated if you were on the other end of the telephone. Treat
the customer exactly that way and you will have learned the greatest lesson of all
in customer service.
These activities and actions for call center service excellence provide you with a
variety of ways to learn more about call center service. Some of these activities
and actions simply present an idea, fact, or concept related to call center service.
Others provide exercises, assessments, or quizzes to help you develop your call
center service skills. Regardless, each presents a different learning or skill-
building opportunity. The activities and actions are presented in five parts:
Good luck and we hope these principles will help you be successful on your job
in the call center.
vi
Part 1:
Customer Service
1
This page intentionally left blank
Learning Point 1
Pre-Assessment
This first Learning Point provides you with an opportunity to assess your skills
concerning your role as a member of a call center service team. The correct
answers are provided following this assessment.
1. As a member of a call center team, you are part of the technical revolution
that is occurring in the customer service industry today.
A. True
B. False
3
Pre-Assessment (continued)
7. Most important to a work team is that each person:
A. supports the team and contributes to its success.
B. helps the team find better ways of getting the job done.
C. helps use the talent and expertise of all members.
D. works hard to reach the team’s goals and beat the competition.
E. All of the above
8. Call centers are all about information and sharing this information with
customers.
A. True
B. False
9. No amount of paid advertisement can make up for the damage that even
one dissatisfied customer can create.
A. True. This is the worst kind of advertisement a business can get.
B. False. People will pay more attention to what is said in paid
advertisements than what unhappy customers have to say.
4
Pre-Assessment (continued)
Correct Answers
1. A
2. D
3. B
4. D
5. B
6. A
7. E
8. A
9. A
10. A
5
Learning Point 2
6
Learning Point 3
Customer Priority
Despite how busy you might be, the
point that you always have to
remember is that it is because of the
customers that the call center exists
and why you work there. You need to
always keep in mind that famous creed
of all businesses: The customer is
Number 1. When a customer calls your
call center, he or she expects a certain
level of service and courtesy. The
customer has a need that only you can
help serve. The customer depends on
you to provide your service and exper-
tise in addressing whatever his or her
need or problem might be.
7
Learning Point 4
• Be patient with the customer, even if he or she doesn’t have all the informa-
tion you need to be of service.
• Find out any information you might have access to for the customer rather
than asking him or her to find it him- or herself.
• Make the customer feel as if helping him or her is the most important goal
you have.
8
Learning Point 5
Response Exercise
Evaluate each of the following responses by a customer service representative
and identify which one would be perceived by the customer as positive and which
one negative:
“I’m sorry sir, but we don’t have that item in stock and we don’t expect to
get it in before Christmas. You’ll just have to try someplace else.”
“I’m sorry sir, but I’m afraid that item is currently out of stock and it
doesn’t look like we will be getting any more in before Christmas. Could
I suggest some other comparable products that we do have that might
also be acceptable?”
What makes the difference between the one response being a positive one to the
customer and the other being negative?
9
Learning Point 6
10
Learning Point 7
It is easy to sometimes get distracted by other things that at the time might
appear to be more important to the customer. Even the customer might believe
that this new trend is the most important thing to their success. And to some
extent, this perception might be true, at least for the short term. But again,
service will ultimately surface as a critically important criterion to the customer’s
satisfaction and success. Once the newness or novelty of the latest fad wears
away, the customer’s most basic need for quality service will become very
apparent.
11
Learning Point 8
Service Is Timeless
Providing the best possible service to your customers constantly needs to be
your number one priority. You need to be careful not to be distracted by other
things that could take you away from this very important objective. There are
many things that compete for your time and attention that can seem to be more
important at the moment. But nothing is more important than providing excellent
service to your customers. This is true today and will be true tomorrow and as
long as you are in business. Service is timeless and will never be less important
than it is today.
12
Learning Point 9
13
Learning Point 10
14
Call Center Service Self-Test (continued)
Correct Answers
1. C. Service. Service will always be important to your customers regardless
of what styles or fads may come and go.
15
Learning Point 11
• It is the service that customers receive that they will remember the most, not
the marketing gimmick or promotion that got them to call in the first place.
16
Learning Point 12
Missions Accomplished
A mission is more than just something you see in the movies, depicted as an
impossible assignment that only the likes of Tom Cruise can accomplish.
Missions can also be statements created by a call center to communicate to
everyone what it is committed to achieving and the goals it will work to obtain. A
call center’s mission can be very useful in helping both its customers and
employees better understand these commitments and goals of the business. By
gaining this better understanding, everyone can help work toward achieving
these important objectives.
Do you know what the mission is for your call center? Perhaps it is in your
employee handbook, training manual, reception area, or the bulletin boards in
your center. Or ask your supervisor if a mission has been established for your
center. Even if one has not been formally written and posted, find out what the
overall operating philosophy and objectives of your call center are. You might
also ask the call center manager or others in leadership roles to share this
information with you.
17
Learning Point 13
• Look at ways that your mission statement supports the overall mission of the
call center. How can one support the other and vice versa?
• Make sure your personal objectives and those of the organization are
compatible.
18
Learning Point 14
19
Learning Point 15
20
Learning Point 16
2. Whose needs are most important when you receive a call from a customer?
A. Yours
B. The customer’s
C. Your co-workers’
4. Promotions designed to get customers to call into your center are most
useful when they are:
A. relied upon entirely to satisfy the customer’s needs.
B. ignored by customer service representatives completely.
C. considered to be nothing more than a gimmick to bring in calls.
D. followed up with excellent customer service and assistance.
21
Part 1: Customer Service
Key Learning Points (continued)
Correct Answers
1. C. an opportunity to be of service to the customer.
2. B. The customer’s. Serving the customer’s needs will always be the most
important task you have before you. Make his or her needs your number one
priority at all times.
3. A. True. Fads and trends will come and go, but service will never go out of
style.
22
Part 2:
Developing Telephone Skills
23
This page intentionally left blank
Learning Point 17
25
Learning Point 18
26
Learning Point 19
Listening Tips
• Let the customer know that you are interested in what he or she has to say.
• Be empathetic to any problems the customer tells you about and listen for
what the customer tells you he or she would like to have corrected.
• Remember that it is not what you say that is as important as how you say it.
Be careful you are not giving the customer the wrong message by your tone
of voice or attitude on the phone.
27
Learning Point 20
Have the other person play the role of one of your customers. Pretend that you
are both on the telephone (hold imaginary telephones to your ears) and have the
person tell you something concerning the product or service that you provide as if
they were one of your customers.
Now for your part. You are to focus entirely on what the other person is trying to
tell you. Do not try to address or answer the concern or statement the person has
expressed until you fully understand what he or she has said. In order to
accomplish this objective, you need to focus all your attention on what the other
person is saying, not on how you will respond.
One very effective technique to help you listen at this level to your customers (as
well as others) is to repeat back to the other person what you heard him or her
say. This might go something like this: “Let me see if I understand what you are
telling me. You would like to have at least 24-hours notice before delivery is
made to you so that you can make sure you are available to receive the delivery.
You would prefer to receive a telephone call telling you that the delivery is on the
way rather than an e-mail since you might not always have immediate access to
your computer, but would be near a telephone. However, it will be all right to
leave these notification messages on your answering machine if you are not
there. Is this an accurate description of what you want me to do in the future?”
The person playing the part of your customer should either confirm the accuracy
of your response or clarify/correct any inaccuracies of your response. If there is a
need to clarify or correct, you should repeat the exercise until you have restated
what the other person said to his or her complete satisfaction.
28
Learning Point 21
Listening Factoids
We can listen at a rate of about 800
words per minute, but most normal
conversation is presented to us at
about 150 words per minute. This
gives us a lot of extra time.
29
Learning Point 22
30
Learning Point 23
• Inquire about the weather in the part of the country from which the customer
is calling.
• Comment about the part of the country that the customer is from.
31
Learning Point 24
Rapport Examples
The following are a few examples of ways to build rapport with customers calling
into a call center:
• Oh, you are from Dallas. I saw the Cowboy’s game on TV last weekend.
• Didn’t you get a big storm in that part of the country the other day?
• Seems like everybody is busy these days. Hopefully I can make things a little
easier for you.
32
Learning Point 25
33
Learning Point 26
34
Learning Point 27
Learning to better understand the customer will lead you to better understanding
how to gain and ultimately keep their business. Take the time and effort
necessary to really get a better understanding of your customers either
individually or as a whole. You will both end up understanding each other
better as a result.
35
Learning Point 28
• Read articles.
36
Learning Point 29
Customer Profiles
Profiling your customers as a group might be difficult to do accurately since
people are so diverse and come from such varied backgrounds. However, a
business such as your call center will typically attract customers with similar
demographic characteristics. For instance, if a call center provided services to
consumers’ homes, the typical caller might be female, be a homemaker, have
children, have a household income of a certain level, be of a certain age, etc.
Medicare-related services would typically involve older or elderly customers.
Age: Gender:
Occupation:
Income level:
Part of country:
Most interested in what product or service:
Most frequently asked question:
Buying patterns:
Greatest concerns:
Selling tips:
Other factors:
37
Learning Point 30
38
Learning Point 31
2. We can listen at a much faster rate than we typically receive messages from
others.
A. True
B. False
3. Learning more about your customers will lead you to a better understanding
of how to gain and ultimately keep their business.
A. True
B. False
4. Because you typically deal with so many customers who call in and possibly
not the same ones, it is not important to build rapport with your customers.
A. True
B. False
5. How you say something to a customer can be as important as what you say.
A. True
B. False
39
Part 2: Developing Telephone Skills
Key Learning Points (continued)
Correct Answers
1. D. On really trying to understand what the customer is saying.
Effective listening requires you to focus all your attention on what the
customer is saying.
2. A. True. We can hear at a rate of about 800 words per minute, but most
normal conversation is at a rate of about 150 words per minute.
3. A. True. Learning to understand your customers can and will help you gain
and ultimately keep their business by knowing what they really want from
you.
4. B. False. Even though you might deal with many customers and only for a
brief period, it is still important that you spend a few seconds of each call to
try to build some level of rapport with the customer. This will help you better
serve the customer’s needs.
40
Part 3:
Tools of the Trade
41
This page intentionally left blank
Learning Point 32
43
Learning Point 33
There is also a danger in overusing the same tool for every situation. Even
though it might be a very good tool, it might not always be the right solution. Said
another way, if you have only one tool, you will try to use it in every situation,
even if it is wrong for the job or task. You need to have a number of tools
available to you to solve problems for your customers. The more tools you have
to use and the better you know how to use them, the better service you will be
able to provide to your customers.
44
Learning Point 34
• Learn which tool works best in different situations and use that tool to solve
your customers’ problems and meet their requirements.
45
Learning Point 35
Customer information
Computer skills
Product/service data
Delivery schedules
Shipping information
Pricing
Codes
Accessory products
Technical terminology
Contact persons
Other tools:
46
Learning Point 36
47
Learning Point 37
Be a Problem Solver
When you think about it, much of your job as a customer service representative
is to be a problem solver for your customers. Your customers want to hear about
solutions, not problems. The more problems you can keep away from your
customers, the more satisfied they will be. Things like excuses, delays, “passing
the buck,” broken promises, and other responses to problems other than solu-
tions will only make the customer more unhappy and dissatisfied with your
service. Your goal must be to make the customer’s experience dealing with you
when he or she makes that call to the center as hassle free as possible.
Customers undoubtedly have enough hassles in their lives without you adding to
them unnecessarily. You need to do everything you can to solve any problems
that customers might encounter when calling into the call center. Even better
would be to prevent potential problems from occurring or reoccurring in the
future. Learn from past mistakes and stop repeating them. Sometimes one prob-
lem causes another problem to occur, causing a chain reaction. Breaking this
“chain” can stop the sequence of problems from occurring, eliminating this hassle
for everyone—including you. You will not only reduce the amount of hassle that
your customers experience, but will make life easier for yourself as well.
48
Learning Point 38
49
Learning Point 39
Problem-Solving Tips
• Let the customer know that you are committed to solving any problems they
might experience with your product or service.
• Study what typically causes problems for your customers and find ways to
prevent these problems from reoccurring.
50
Learning Point 40
51
Learning Point 41
Problem-Solving Factoids
Customers don’t want to near about
problems—they want to hear about
what your product or service can do
for them. Presenting nothing but
problems to a customer will very
likely drive them away.
52
Learning Point 42
Customers will tolerate your imperfections if they know you are trying and will
understand the limitations you might have to being perfect all the time. It is not
necessarily perfection that customers demand, but the pursuit of excellence that
gives them confidence in you.
53
Learning Point 43
• Help the customer understand what some of the quality issues are that you
must resolve before your product or service is delivered to them.
• Let the customer know what quality checks are in place to ensure that the
level of quality they expect from you is received.
• Let the customer know in advance if you anticipate any quality problems so
that they can be better prepared for these occurrences.
54
Learning Point 44
Mark both where you would place your current performance and where you
would like to be in the future.
Goals:
55
Learning Point 45
56
Learning Point 46
4. The customer needs to know all the problems you have to deal with to be of
service to them so that they will appreciate your efforts.
A. True
B. False
5. Your customers don’t really expect you to be perfect all the time in the
services you provide for them, but they do want you to try to do the best job
you can.
A. True
B. False
57
Part 3: Tools of the Trade
Key Learning Points (continued)
Correct Answers
1. A. True. Using the wrong tool could cause you to provide bad information,
send goods or services to the incorrect addresses, and can ultimately cause
you to lose customers.
3. A. True. There is always going to be someone else who would love to get
your customers’ business. They will do everything possible to provide
problem-free service to your customers if you give them the opportunity.
5. A. True. Customers will tolerate your imperfections if they know that you
are trying and will understand the limitations confronting you when you try to
be perfect all the time. It is not necessarily perfection that customers
demand, but the pursuit of excellence that gives them confidence in you.
58
Part 4:
Working in Customer
Service Teams
59
This page intentionally left blank
Learning Point 47
Teamwork
A member of any team has a responsibility to him- or herself and to his or her
teammates. A team's performance is made up of the results of each member's
individual performances. Each team member must strive to do their best to reach
their own goals and personal performance standards. Teamwork can help take
an individual to higher levels of performance by the support other members
provide one another. Each person must perform to the best of his or her ability—
not just for themselves, but also for the team.
Most important to a work team is that each person supports the team and con-
tributes to its success in whatever way he or she can. Work teams often seek to
find better ways of getting the job done than the inefficient methods of the past.
Work teams use the talent and expertise of each of its members. A member of a
work team must have the same kind of commitment as that of a player on a
sports team striving to become champions. Both an athlete and a member of a
work team must work hard to reach their goals and ultimately be better than the
competition in order to be successful.
61
Learning Point 48
Synergy
2+2>4
Synergy is one of the greatest benefits of teamwork. Synergy means that the
combined efforts of the team are greater than the individual efforts of its
members. With synergy, 2 + 2 > 4. In other words, two people’s efforts plus two
more people’s efforts equal a result much greater than that of what four people
could accomplish working independently.
62
Learning Point 49
Teamwork Tips
• The more ways you can find to create teamwork in your work group, the
greater the results you will achieve.
• By gaining the insight and experience of more people, you can create better
ways of getting the job done.
• Everyone must contribute to the success of the team in order for the group to
be successful.
63
Learning Point 50
Teambuilding Exercise
Select from this list the correct answer for each of the following questions. The
correct answers follow this exercise.
64
Teambuilding Exercise (continued)
11. _______________ set limitations and boundaries for team members
concerning the way they see their role on the team.
12. _______________ are requirements, rules, regulations, and goals that must
be met or exceeded for the team.
13. A _______________ should serve as a roadmap to the future for everyone
on the team to follow.
14. In a work setting, _______________ define the scope and responsibilities of
each team member’s job.
15. Any struggle between people or groups to gain something of value at the
expense of someone else is _______________.
16. _______________ is the constant state of things becoming different than the
way they presently are today.
17. _______________ is a dedication to achieving a goal or an objective of the
team.
18. _______________ on a team relates to its members acquiring new skills and
abilities that add value to their contributions and potential.
19. _______________ is defined as disagreements and differences in opinions
or viewpoints that people have within a team.
20. Providing positive attention in the form of reinforcement for people’s behavior
and results is _______________.
21. A plan, course of direction, and operating philosophy that provide guidance
for the team to reach their goals is called _______________.
22. _______________ is created when there is the feeling that this support will
always be provided under any circumstances.
23. Keeping track of how the team is performing in relation to agreed-upon goals
is referred to as _______________.
24. _______________ is the understanding that the team’s ultimate focus must
be on the customer and meeting their requirements.
25. The many and varied ways in which people are different from one another in
the workplace is called _______________.
65
Teambuilding Exercise (continued)
Correct Answers
1. Consensus
2. Collaboration
3. Cross-functional
4. Training
5. Listening
6. Accountability
7. Support
8. Feedback
9. Synergy
10. Continuous improvement
11. Paradigms
12. Standards
13. Mission
14. Boundaries
15. Competition
16. Change
17. Commitment
18. Growth
19. Conflict
20. Recognition
21. Strategy
22. Trust
23. Measures
24. Customer focus
25. Diversity
66
Learning Point 51
Teamwork Factoids
67
Learning Point 52
Cubicle Neighbors
The very nature of most call center work environments requires a certain amount
of teamwork on the part of all employees. Call centers are typically structured in
a cubicle office setting in which customer service representatives work in close
proximity of one another. This closeness requires cooperation and consideration
for one another. Working together as a team will greatly enhance the ability of
everyone to do his or her job effectively in this type of setting.
68
Learning Point 53
Cubicle Rules
Being a good “cubicle neighbor” is one way to achieve the teamwork and
cooperation needed in call centers. The rules for being a good cubicle neighbor
are really no different than those in the neighborhood in which you reside. There
are many things that neighbors can do for one another to help and support each
other. Many of the lessons we learn from the time we are growing up certainly
apply in the cubicle workplace of today’s call centers. Such lessons as “One
good turn deserves another” or “One hand washes the other” can easily be
applied in this work setting. This is just another situation where the Golden Rule
certainly applies. You need to treat your neighbor exactly as you would hope and
expect to be treated yourself. It is also important to respect each other’s personal
space even though the borders between one another might be very close and
unclear at times. You also need to respect each other’s privacy, although it might
be hard or even impossible not to overhear what is being said just a few feet
away from you.
Resp ect ea ch T r e a t y ou r
other's privacy n e i g hb o r a s
y o u w o u ld
H e lp a n d ho p e t o b e
s up p o r t y o u r treated
ne i g h b o r yourself
69
Learning Point 54
Be a Good Neighbor
Think of ways in which you can help your co-workers in the cubicles next to or
near where you work. Provide support and resources to one another. Help one
another serve your customers the best way you possibly can by working
together. Be a good neighbor both at work and at home, and everyone will
benefit as a result.
70
Learning Point 55
• Respect the personal space of your cubicle neighbor even though the
boundaries might often be unclear.
• Use the close proximity of co-workers in the call center environment to help
and support one another.
71
Learning Point 56
In what ways would being a better neighbor with the people in the cubicles next
to you help you do your job better?
What are some other benefits of being good cubicle neighbors with one another
in your call center?
72
Good Cubicle Neighbors Exercise (continued)
How can you work each day by following this motto?
Be a good
cubicle neighbor.
73
Learning Point 57
74
Learning Point 58
Information Sharing
Call centers are all about information and
sharing this information with customers.
Customers call the centers to receive
information or to give information about
something they want and need.
75
Learning Point 59
Outdated Information
Information is the most important aspect of any business, especially a call center.
It must be kept absolutely current and accurate, and any changes need to be
communicated to others as quickly as possible. In the business of call centers,
keeping information current can be one of the greatest challenges you face.
Outdated information can cause big problems for not only your customers, but for
yourself and co-workers. It is like reading yesterday’s newspaper for current
information; it just doesn’t work. The more you can work together as a team to
ensure that information is current and accurate, the easier your job will be and
the fewer problems you are likely to encounter.
76
Learning Point 60
Information Tips
• Information in a call center is valuable. Treat it with respect and protect it as
much as possible.
• The more information you share, the more you will receive.
• Information must be current and accurate to be useful. Make sure you have
the latest information.
77
Learning Point 61
Information Sharing
Word Search Exercise
Find the following words relating to information sharing below:
Document
Communicate
Sharing
Current
Develop
C D R O W E P E E X U T O
H O X G E G Q G U P W T M
J C M V L V S S I X S F D
N U Y M C D E W N C V G I
X M A X U D R D F E E W Y
U E S C R N V J O H E D A
W N C W R S I V R S A E U
Q T O Y E X C C M B D V B
G C Q Q N B E H A A W E M
D X E S T E A Z T T P L O
C K D W P E O S I R E O Y
D G R Y T Y U O M O G P W
Y R Y I S H A R I N G V U
78
Information Sharing
Word Search Exercise (continued)
Correct Answers
C D R O W E P E E X U T O
H O X G E G Q G U P W T M
J C M V L V S S I X S F D
N U Y M C D E W N C V G I
X M A X U D R D F E E W Y
U E S C R N V J O H E D A
W N C W R S I V R S A E U
Q T O Y E X C C M B D V B
G C Q Q N B E H A A W E M
D X E S T E A Z T T P L O
C K D W P E O S I R E O Y
D G R Y T Y U O M O G P W
Y R Y I S H A R I N G V U
79
Learning Point 62
80
Learning Point 63
2. Sports teams and groups of people working together on the job share many
of the same goals for success.
A. True
B. False
3. Which of the following would be good rules for cubicle neighbors to follow?
A. One good turn deserves another.
B. One hand washes the other.
C. You need to treat your neighbor exactly as you would hope and expect
to be treated yourself. It is important to respect each other’s personal
space even though the borders between one another might be very
close and unclear at times.
D. You need to respect one another’s privacy, although it might be hard or
even impossible not to overhear what is being said just a few feet away
from you.
E. All of the above.
5. Information is the lifeblood of a call center: Protect and nurture it at all times.
A. True
B. False
81
Part 4: Working in Customer Service Teams
Key Learning Points (continued)
Correct Answers
1. A. True. Teamwork creates synergy, allowing groups to achieve greater
accomplishments than individuals could working independently.
2. A. True. Each wants to be the best they possibly can be and beat the
competition.
4. A. Current, accurate. If information isn’t kept current and accurate for your
customers, it might cause more harm than good.
82
Part 5:
Call Center Customer Relations
83
This page intentionally left blank
Learning Point 64
Reputations
There are certain types of reputations that even money can’t buy. No print, radio,
or television advertisement can even begin to compare to the influence of this
type of message to potential and existing customers. This kind of advertisement
affects the image of the call center and what others say about them. Of course,
paid advertisements might influence the call center’s image, but these can’t
completely control what the outside world thinks. This is something that is based
more on the actual experiences that others have dealing with the call center.
85
Learning Point 65
Advertisement Money
Can’t Buy
No amount of paid advertisement can make
up for the damage that even one dissatisfied
customer can create. Similarly, there is no
greater positive influence than that of a
completely satisfied customer. In either
circumstance, the customer will tell others
about their experiences dealing with you and
they will in turn tell others. It is amazing just
how quickly news such as this spreads
throughout the business community and even
around the world.
86
Learning Point 66
Reputations Tips
• Remember that how you deal with customers is the most influential form of
advertisement that you will ever create.
• No matter how much money is spent trying to change the public’s opinion of
your call center, how you treat customers will ultimately create their
impression of you.
• Actual experiences have the strongest influence on your customers than any
advertisement.
• Word spreads fast. Make sure you are giving customers the type of service
that they will say positive things about.
87
Learning Point 67
Reputations Exercise
What do you believe are the “unpaid advertisements” that might be circulating
around about your call center’s ability to service your customers?
If the way you treated customers was written in an advertisement, what would it
say? Write that advertisement below:
88
Learning Point 68
Reputations Factoids
You can’t make up for poor quality or
service by paying for advertisements
that try to portray the call center or
organization you work for in a more
positive way.
89
Learning Point 69
Customer Expectations
Customers rightfully expect to receive quality service and/or products when they
call into a call center. If they receive anything less, they are not getting their hard-
earned money’s worth. Not only does this affect the reputation of the business,
but it causes problems for the customer who put his or her trust in the call center
to meet their needs.
90
Learning Point 70
Customer Problems
How you respond to a customer’s problem
that is causing him or her to be upset will
determine if you will ever get their busi-
ness again in the future. In many ways, an
upset customer presents you with your
greatest customer relations challenge.
Your goal should be to turn this upset
customer into a satisfied one who will
want to continue to do business with your
call center. Your customer’s problem
needs to become your problem, one that
you want to have fixed right away.
91
Learning Point 71
• Let the customer know that you are concerned and prepared to try to resolve
the problem.
92
Learning Point 72
I did double check as you requested and I’m afraid that we are all out of
that style right now, and it will take at least six weeks for more to come
in. Can I suggest some other alternative products that might also work
for you?
You’re right, I don’t like my job very much and I can’t wait to get out of
here as soon as the holidays are over! And it’s having to deal with
people like you that make me hate it so much.
Yes, I can certainly let you talk to my supervisor. Maybe she will be able
to help you with your problem. I am sorry that I wasn’t able to correct this
situation. I hope you are able to get everything resolved. Please hold on
while I get her.
Yes, you should have received that order by now. There obviously is
something wrong here. I will put a trace on that delivery, and in the
meantime, I will send a new order out to you right away. Let me make
sure that I have your correct address.
Madam, if you would just let me get a word in, maybe I could solve your
problem. Yelling at me isn’t going to get anything accomplished.
I am sorry, but you ordered that before the prices went down. I guess
you’re just out of luck. Have a nice day. Goodbye.
You can return it within 30 days for a full refund, but after that you can
only get a credit return. I am sorry that you misunderstood this policy
when you originally ordered the product. However, we do have many
products available; perhaps I could suggest something else that would
work for you just as well.
93
Dealing with Upset Customers Exercise (continued)
Correct Answers
u I am sorry sir, but we simply cannot accept a return without a receipt. If
that is a problem for you, you will just have to talk to someone else. I
can’t change the rules for you.
a I did double check as you requested and I’m afraid that we are all out of
that style right now, and it will take at least six weeks for more to come in.
Can I suggest some other alternative products that might also work for
you?
u You’re right, I don’t like my job very much and I can’t wait to get out of
here as soon as the holidays are over! And it’s having to deal with people
like you that make me hate it so much.
a Yes, I can certainly let you talk to my supervisor. Maybe she will be able
to help you with your problem. I am sorry that I wasn’t able to correct this
situation. I hope you are able to get everything resolved. Please hold on
while I get her.
a Yes, you should have received that order by now. There obviously is
something wrong here. I will put a trace on that delivery, and in the
meantime, I will send a new order out to you right away. Let me make
sure that I have your correct address.
u Madam, if you would just let me get a word in, maybe I could solve your
problem. Yelling at me isn’t going to get anything accomplished.
u I am sorry, but you ordered that before the prices went down. I guess
you’re just out of luck. Have a nice day. Goodbye.
a You can return it within 30 days for a full refund, but after that you can
only get a credit return. I am sorry that you misunderstood this policy
when you originally ordered the product. However, we do have many
products available; perhaps I could suggest something else that would
work for you just as well.
94
Learning Point 73
95
Learning Point 74
96
Learning Point 75
97
Learning Point 76
• You need to find ways to make the customer want to continue to do business
with you in the future.
• You have the advantage over other potential suppliers in that you have
already proven to be a quality and reliable supplier.
• Let the customer know that you appreciate their business and ask them to
continue to call the center in the future.
98
Learning Point 77
99
Learning Point 78
100
Learning Point 79
2. A call center can simply change their public image by purchasing paid
advertisements to cancel out any damaging effects of these unpaid
advertisements.
A. True
B. False
5. There are at least 50 ways to get your customers to call back again in the
future.
A. True
B. False
101
Part 5: Call Center Customer Relations
Key Learning Points (continued)
Correct Answers
1. A. True. There are forms of advertisements that cannot be bought,
regardless of how much money someone might spend. These
advertisements might project positive images to the public, but also might
involve negative ones as well.
5. A. True. See the list of 50 ways in Learning Point 85 and there are many
more for you to discover as you work together with your customers to
provide the best service you possibly can.
102
Learning Point 80
Post-Course Assessment
This post-course assessment provides you with the opportunity to measure your
skill building and learning concerning call center service. Compare your results on
this activity with how your results were in the pre-assessment in Learning Point 1.
1. What three words are most important in dealing with customers calling into
your call center?
A. Profit, earnings, sales
B. Service, service, service
C. Time, work, shifts
D. Problems, solutions, returns
2. You can listen at a rate of about _______ words per minute, but most normal
conversation is at _______ words per minute.
A. 800, 150
B. 1500, 50
C. 2000, 25
D. 3000, 10
4. Learning more about the typical profile of a customer of the call center will
help you:
A. understand your customer’s needs.
B. keep your customer’s business.
C. Neither A or B above
D. Both A and B above
5. Customers will respond not only to what you say, but how you say it.
A. True
B. False
6. If you have only one tool for dealing with customers, you tend to see the
solution to every problem the same way.
A. True
B. False
103
Post-Course Assessment (continued)
7. Problem-free customer service involves:
A. being on-time.
B. no surprises.
C. quality.
D. reliability.
E. courtesy.
F. All of the above
9. Synergy means that the combined efforts of a team are greater than the
individual efforts of its members. Which of the following is an example of
synergy?
A. A team solves a difficult problem by its members brainstorming possible
suggestions that results in a solution being discovered.
B. A customer service representative at a call center asks several co-
workers for help to solve a customer’s problem.
C. Both A and B
10. How are sports teams and teams of people working together at a call center
similar?
A. Both want to be the best they possibly can be and beat the competition.
B. Both want to improve their skills to perform better and better in the
future.
C. Both are focused on achieving increasingly challenging goals.
D. All of the above
11. Which of the following would be a good rule to follow when working with your
co-workers in a call center environment?
A. Respect your co-workers’ personal space.
B. Respect your co-workers’ privacy as much as possible.
C. Treat your cubicle neighbors as you would want to be treated yourself.
D. All of the above
12. One of the most important resources to a call center is which of the
following?
A. Closeness to public transportation
B. Information
C. Parking
D. Availability of shopping nearby
E. None of the above
104
Post-Course Assessment (continued)
13. Money can’t buy a call center’s reputation. It must be earned one customer
at a time.
A. True
B. False
15. Which of the following are ways to ensure that your customers call you again
in the future?
A. Meet customers’ requirements
B. Do what you say you will do
C. Listen
D. Be reliable
E. Be consistent
F. Pay attention to details
G. Say thank you
H. Ask the customer to call again
I. Deliver
J. Be courteous
K. All of the above
105
Post-Course Assessment (continued)
Correct Answers
1. B. Service, service, service
2. A. 800, 150
5. A. True. Often it is how something is said, not what is said that determines
how a message is received.
6. A. True. Like the old saying, “If the only tool you have is a hammer, you
tend to see every problem as a nail.”
9. C. Both A and B
12. B. Information
13. A. True
106