March Volume 1 Issue 2
Six Keys To Customer Service
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ll customers have
certain expectations about what good service should be. It
is the personal
responsibility of every employee to provide exceptional
customer service.
Customer expectations differ from one person to another but, basically, they all expect the same things.
Customers expect:
· Value - Fair Prices
· Quality
· Variety
· Pleasant Atmosphere
· Friendly Service
· Interested Employees Who Care
· Attentiveness To Their Needs
There are six keys to excellent customer service.
1. Competence
2. Knowledge
3. Pride
4. Appearance
5. Courtesy
6. Extra-Effort
Key 1: Competence
People who enjoy what they are doing usually do it well. Before a person can really begin to enjoy the job, he or she must be confident in his/her abilities to do every aspect of the job correctly. The amount of time we take and the efficiency we display doing our job shows to others our level of competence.
Key 2: Knowledge
We can increase our level of competence by learning as much as we can about our own jobs, the functions of other departments and the total organization. The elements of job knowledge include areas such as product information, procedures, problem solving, and the ability to answer questions.
Key 3: Pride
The attitudes that we show are very important to excellent service. An attitude of pride is one which gives employees the energy and the incentive to become more knowledgeable and competent. The amount of interest and commitment we bring to the job affects the quality of service that we provide to our customers.
Key 4: Appearance
First impressions are extremely important. It tells the customer how we feel about ourselves and our job. Customers notice the care we use in our personal appearance. They also notice the eagerness we show in performing our job and the approach we use when we address customers. We never get a second chance to make a first impression.
Key 5: Courtesy
Customers view courtesy as a basic part of service. Courtesy is the single most important behavior a customer expects from us. We demonstrate courtesy by what we say, the tone we use to say it, and the gestures we use. Through our actions and words, we show customers how we feel.
Key 6: Extra-Effort
The absence of courtesy makes a lasting poor impression. On the other hand, a little bit of extra-effort leaves a lasting positive impression. The extra-effort we extend to customers is the part of service that keeps customers coming back. Do you always go the extra step for your customers?
Rate yourself and your staff in each area.
What are your strengths? What areas need improvements? What action steps will you take?
Rate from 1 to 10 (10 being the best)
¨ Competence
¨ Knowledge
¨ Pride
¨ Appearance
¨ Courtesy
¨ Extra-Effort
Excellent customer service doesn't just happen. It happens because you focus on leading by example and following the six keys to excellent customer service.
Acing The Interview:
"What Is Your Greatest
Weakness?"
By Louise Kursmark,
CPRW, JCTC, CEIP, CCM
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ost of us feel pretty comfortable talking about our
strengths, but who wants to point out flaws? Yet this
question is often asked during interviews, and learning to
handle it effectively will make you feel more comfortable
and confident when you meet with potential employers.
Here are a few suggestions:
Never point out a character or personality flaw - something that isn't likely to be changed - or something that is critical to the position for which you're interviewing.
Instead, try to come up with a weakness that 1) will not impact your job performance; 2) can be strengthened should you/your employer so desire; and 3) does not open the door to further inquiries on this topic.
Here are two suggested responses (with credit to career coach and author, Jay A. Block):
 | "Given the importance of technology, I wish my [keyboarding] [word processing] [spreadsheet] [web design] skills were stronger." |
| "In a global economy, I feel at a disadvantage speaking only one language." |
Also be prepared for the interviewer to delve deeper, looking for a more substantive weakness.
| "I find I get so excited about the projects I'm working on, I have the tendency to let less time-critical tasks like paperwork slide. So what I do is set aside ten minutes first thing in the morning to get these essential tasks out of the way. By imposing this self-discipline, I get done what I need to without hampering my productivity and creativity the rest of the day." |
| "I really have to work at being patient with people I perceive as not being team-oriented or who don't take any initiative. Because I recognize this impatience, I take extra steps to head off the problem. As a manager, I make sure that my staff understands the importance of their work to our goals, and with people in other areas, I really try to communicate clearly and directly so there are no misunderstandings." |
The bottom line...don't
give the interviewer a reason to eliminate you from
contention. Keep your answer brief, and when you've
finished, stop talking. Don't volunteer unneeded information
about any topic that is less than positive, and try to keep
the interview focused on your strengths, value, and ability
to solve problems for the organization.
About the author:
Louise Kursmark
“Power Words
Sardonic (sahr DAHN ik) adj. - mocking; scornful
Example: Robert's weak attempts at humor were met by nothing but a few scattered pockets of sardonic laughter.
Sanguine (SANG gwin) adj. - cheerful; optimistic; hopeful
Example: Peter was sanguine about his chances of winning the Nobel Peace Prize, even though, as an eighth grader, he hadn't really done anything to deserve it.
Salient (SAYL yunt) adj. - sticking out; conspicuous; leaping
Example: A salient characteristic is one that leaps right out at you.
One Minute Ideas
Delete Pages From Your History
In Internet Explorer 6.0, you can delete individual pages from your History. Do this by clicking on the "History" button in the toolbar, right-click on the page you want to delete, and select "delete" from the pop-up menu. You can delete your entire History of visited by pages, by going into the Tools menu, under Internet Options.
Easy Eyeglass Protection...
To prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop of Maybelline™ Crystal Clear nail polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.
Sore Throat?
Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.
Tips For Conducting Better Training Meetings
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s a team leader, conducting a productive training session is challenging. Your training meeting must be informative, relevant, open for participation, fun, and motivating. Here are some suggestions for making your meetings more effective:
Treat all of your team members as knowledgeable. Appreciate their experiences and their opinions.
Do not lecture. How boring! Make the meeting a participatory experience for everyone. Ask questions and allow them to participate in the discussion.
Don't just read what's in the training manual. Team members can read it themselves. Your job is to expand on the subject and provide clarity of the information as well as to explain how it applies in your company.
Be prepared for the training meeting. You should know ten times more about the subject than your participants. Give yourself plenty of time to research and validate the information.
Look for additional tips in our future newsletters or call 760-804-0904 for more information.
Copyright Sorrell Associates. All rights reserved worldwide.
Winning The Performance Race
Strategic Search Solutions, Inc. 760-804-0904
or E-mail:
info@strategicsearches.com
6742 Lemon Leaf Drive
Carlsbad, CA 92009
All articles, quotes, and material in this newsletter are copyrighted. ©. No part can be reproduced, redistributed, or forwarded in any form without specific written consent from copyright holder(s). All rights reserved worldwide. SA. ©
