Session 1 - What Do Customers Really Want?
Is there any greater challenge within any organisation than working on the frontlines of an organisation and dealing one-on-one with customers daily? Much hinges on this critical role- from building strong relationships to uncovering their ongoing needs to establishing loyalty. In this session we'll take a close look at customer expectations and then examine w hat we do to meet those expectations. The customer service triangle examines the relationship between the frontline representative, the customer and the company. We'll also explore what makes up a customer-focused culture.
Session 2 - Developing Professional Communication
A customer service provider must be a professional communicator. Every customer and prospect is different, and our ability to establish a trust relationship quickly is essential to solving their problems, developing long-term customers ,and creating a relationship based on loyalty beyond the product or service. Having the skills necessary to lower barriers, ask questions while really listening for the meaning, create win-win solutions and build trust is far more powerful than any other aspect of client interaction.
Session 3 - Boosting Your Comfort Zone
In this session, we'll examine the idea of 'comfort zones' - where they come from, and how we break free to try new things and grow beyond them for a more fulfilling and rewarding both personally and professionally. This session allows us to understand the human dynamics of recognising our strengths and areas for improvement to help us build stronger self-esteem and courage.
Session 4 - Setting Expectations and Control
Any time we need to get mutual consent, we need to set the expectations of the purpose of our meeting, what needs to happen and whose responsibility it is; a timeline or when it should happen; and the outcomes expected. We've all experienced the anxiety of having a conversation deteriorate into an aimless rant, or hung up the phone from a conversation and asked ourselves: "I wonder what should happen next?" We'll explore a simple methodology that puts you in control of a conversation, lays out expectations on both sides, and is a comfortable way to ensure everyone involved is on the same page.
Session 5 - Building Relationships (D.I.S.C.)
Typically, people are more comfortable interacting with others who are like themselves. In this session, we'll examine different communication preferences to improve understanding and communication with both internal and external customers. Using the D.I.S.C. behavioral profile, we start by examining the four quadrants and our own preferences. We will learn the differences of the four styles, how to quickly identify a person's dominant style, and the basis of communicating with each style. Once identified, we can modify our styles to our customers' to facilitate optimum communication.
Session 6 - Crafting Questions
The ability to craft, and ask, compelling questions is one of the great skills we can develop in customer service and inside sales. Much of a customer service representative or inside sales person's day is spent answering other people's questions. What we may not give as much thought to is how, and why, we should ask questions. Well-crafted questions can cut through smoke and mirrors, help to clarify our customers' thinking, and get us to the right solutions more directly than passively answering questions. In this session you'll learn to ask questions assertively to take control.
Session 7 - Up-Selling & Cross-Selling (PAIN)
Most customer service providers accept the fact that part of their jo b requires them to interface w ith both prospective customers and existing clients in a sales role. It may make them feel uncomfortable, yet a major part of their job depends on their ability to help other people with the ir ideas and services. One of the greatest services we can do for our prospects and customers is in a selling role. Prospects and customers alike depend on us to bring new information, new ideas, problem solving tactics and added value to our products by helping them make good buying decisions.
Sesson 8 - Telephone & Email Communication
More and more, technology is replacing older, slower ways of doing business. One thing remains constant: customers are unique individuals who want to be treated with courtesy and respect - whether it's in person, on the telephone or by email. We don't help voice mails, we don't sell to the internet - it's always about the people. These tools cannot replace the one-on-one direct communication that connects us to our customers and builds trust and rapport. We can, however, use them more effectively to avoid disconnects between ourselves and the customer. In this session, we'll review both the telephone and email - our connections to the outside world and our customers - to ensure our communication skills are building the relationships we value, not damaging them.
Session 9 - Understanding Customer Behavior (Transactional Analysis)
Who said that? Understanding our customers is central to helping them with their problems . Part of a deeper understanding is to understand the language and tonality they're using and where it's coming from. Often when someone speaks, they are 'talking from the inside'. To be a business person on the frontline we need a slight edge to better connect with people. The study of transactional analysis and how it adapts to the business world gives us that slight edge.
Session 10 - Dealing With Difficult People
No matter where SNAFUS happen within a company, customer service providers often are the frontline when dealing with angry, upset or difficult people. It's part of the job , but many frontline people find it to be a stressful part of their day. This can lead to burnout without an established, step-by-step process in place. This session will look at difficult people : What makes them difficult? Why do we often feel uncomfortable with these situations? How can we use proven Sandier techniques to institute a step-by-step process to resolve conflict without escalating it and to fix both the problem and the upset customer while maintaining our own confidence and self-esteem?
Session 11 - Client Development
Very often customer service providers are asked to proactively search out new business. The challenges they face are not unusual. They may be reluctant, or may resist engaging prospects because they lack confidence or know-how. In this session we'll look at attitudes around sales and the selling process. We'll also examine some ways to develop a 'sales antennae' that will help us recognize business opportunities.
Session 12 - Formula for Success
Each person's definition of success in life may be very different. However, there are certain basic truths in customer service that, if adhered to, can take you to the next level of success. We have developed those 11 truths and together they make up our Formula for Success. In customer service, success comes if we FOCUS ON THEM!
