Unit 2 Customer support

Subject Background

The phrase ‘customer service’ refers to pre-sales (enquiries), sales itself (including order
processing) and post-sales (returns, complaints, etc.). The phrase ‘customer support’ is usually
limited to post-sales only.

Customer support is important because:

 in an age when many competing goods and services don’t differ greatly from each other,
the quality of customer support can make all the difference.
 good customer support leads to repeat business.
 a ‘silent complainer’ tells all their friends.
 customers have expectations of good service set by other companies.
Customer support staff are usually given pre-defined ‘performance standards’ which serve as
guidelines in their day-to-day work. Here are some typical examples of such standards.

 Get it right first time.

 Only make promises that are realistic.
 When you ‘inherit’ an error from elsewhere in the organization, do not pass it on again
(instead refer it to your supervisor if you cannot deal with it).
 Make all written work clear and simple (use standard formats where available).
 Treat customers with the maximum courtesy and helpfulness at all times.
 Leave all records and files in a state that they can be easily dealt with by someone who
does not normally handle them.
 Answer all telephone calls within three rings, then give a name and a friendly greeting.
 Direct the conversation so that you identify the needs of the customer as soon as possible,
then provide that information at the time it is needed.
Most customers are satisfied if their complaint is dealt with quickly and helpfully. They only get
irritated or angry when their attempts to complain lead them nowhere.
Many modern companies see complaints as an opportunity. They are an excellent way of
discovering problems, and once the cause of the complaint has been eliminated it should never
happen again. So an efficient complaints procedure leads directly to constantly improving
quality.

In addition, customers whose complaints have been resolved satisfactorily tend to become
strong, long-term customers. The reason is simple: they are impressed with the care and attention
given to their complaint — and how that contrasts with the indifference they have met in other
companies.
A key skill for customer support staff is active listening. This means:

let the customer fully explain the problem with no interruptions (except for clarification
questions). Only move to the problem-solving part of the conversation when they have ‘let off
steam’.
  pay full attention while the customer is speaking. From time to time give a brief summary
of what they have been saying. This shows that you are listening and are on common
ground.
 resist the urge to argue, defend or excuse. Apologize sincerely and acknowledge any
inconvenience caused.
 use the other person’s name.
 make written notes of key points.
 if the conversation is face-to-face, then maintain frequent eye contact and an open body
posture leaning slightly towards the other person.
 as the conversation progresses, focus on positive action for the future.

Useful websites

The UK’S professional body for customer service has a website:

http//www.instituteofcustomerservice.com

Follow the links for ‘Information Centre’ and then ‘Glossary of terms’ for useful teaching
material.

These two sites have useful background information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Customer_service

http://money.howstuffworks.com/customer-service.htm

Vocabulary
2.1 to set up a call centre to provide high-level services
SWOT ( strengths , weaknesses, opportunities and threats) chart significance
mother tongue margin night/day shifts
to export labour force outsourcing market
long-established tradition to slow the country’s development
to encourage foreign investment and growth to introduce tax breaks and incentives
unreliable infrastructure to spread risks
to increase ( an increase) to replace staff copycat strategy adviser
revenues to maintain strong cultural links with( somebody) outselling
to double the market to move upmarket
competent and experienced management to handle customer calls
to keep customers happy key factors cloud computing/grid computing
call centre staff to provide customer service to direct calls
2.2 annoyed cheerful difficult frustrated grateful
well educated helpful knowledgeable patient persuasive pleasant

reassuring satisfied sympathetic upset to switch on/off to break down

to crash to start (about the car) to be out of order to be a complete write off
to diagnose the fault to arrange a visit to escalate the problem to somebody

to give a full refund to identify the symptoms to sort out a problem

to talk the customer through the process to exchange the product

hang up/terminate a call put through/connect call back/renew a call

speak up/talk lauder return a call/call back make a contact/get through

make a note/take down stay on line/hold on

2.3 to have a two-year guarantee to restart the computer

to reinstall the software labour shortages wage inflation
to outsource business processes to establish the facts to confuse the message
to accept legal responsibility for the problem

2.4 to put somebody on hold to put somebody through to handle the problem
toolbar screen/monitor cursor power cord to be plugged in
to freeze to crash

2.5 formal/informal correspondence legal advisor with regard to

to get something repaired to appreciate (any) help
to enquire therefore to be under guarantee to be very grateful
write-off ASAP (as soon as possible) HTH (hope this helps)
to give a ring/call/buzz to hesitate accounts payable/accounts receivable
duplicate patch inconsistency to attach to deliver directly
preferable opening hours to confuse leaflet to attach

2.6 hidden costs incompetent service planned obsolescence

to take a look at something/somebody Q4 customer satisfaction survey
disastrous chart to represent a major risk corporate image recruitment
problems high staff turnover to come up with some proposals
increasing costs significantly currently to estimate on average,
to cover costs to reduce to count on somebody external/internal
to swap, to triple workload, shift system to share desks inadequate (about
service) short/long-term policy cost of living personal space to
personalize to read out instructions manuals rigid

Questions

1. Speak about customer service and customer support. Why is it important to have good
customer support? What makes a customer satisfied? What are ‘performance standards’ in
customer service? Speak about ‘golden rules of customer service’. (Unit 2 Subject Background,
St’s book p 25 Internet research)

2. What are key skills for customer support staff? What skills does call centre work require?
Would you like to work in a call centre? From the customer’s point of view, does it matter where
a call centre is? Give reasons why it is, or is not important . (St’s book p 23, p 24)

3. What is outsourcing? What are the drawbacks and benefits of this process. Speak about new
tendencies this process has been facing currently. (St’s book p 22 ex 5,6)

4. Speak about the differences between formal and informal or neutral styles of writing. Think
about grammar, vocabulary, etc.(pp 30-31)

5. What are the advantages of email? Must companies consider any risks when emailing? Speak
about Email risk policy. Illustrate the risks involved. What range of issues need the companies to
be concerned about in their use of email? (Internet Research p. 31)