Importance of Service & Customer-Focused Attitude Sociologists claim that customer service is emotional labor. Being On all day is hard. Customers get upset, yet the customer service professional cannot. This program teaches attendees how to leverage mission and purpose to find motivation even in tough times. Attendees learn how emotions are created and how to control their own emotions regardless of outside influences. This sets the stage for influencing the customer s emotions in other modules. Believe that customers can be happy whether we can or cannot help; Understand that service is subjective mastery; Interact don t transact; Take pride in ones role; Control one s attitude every day; Project professionalism regardless of personal or work stress; Recover quickly after difficult customer interactions; Increase energy level at work; Expand creativity and problem solving; Use body language in-person & on telephone; Find a positive in any perceived negative; Avoid taking things personally; Honor negative emotions; Reduce burnout. Full-Day (Half-Day available) 1) The Goal of Service 5 Possibilities How To Be the Best Avoiding Transactions 3 Parties Need to Be Happy 2) The Power of Pride It Starts with You What Do You Do For a Living? Connecting With Mission Focusing on Outcomes and Value 3) Emotional Principles Impact On Customers Impact On Performance Impact On Coworkers 4) Emotional Control Mental Strategies Body Language Strategies The Game Face Emotional Reset Button Emotional Habit Rewiring 5) Stress Management Honor Negative Emotions Theory of Alternate Stressors Being On vs. Being Off Avoid Burnout Weekly Email Refreshers (6 months) Combination of lecture, demonstration, and exercises are used. Page 1 of 6
Positive Persuasive Professional Language Customer satisfaction is a feeling and a perception. The consummate professional manages perception so that the customer feels cared for and attended to. This program teaches specific language techniques proven to create a positive experience for customers even when legitimate limitations, such as laws or corporate strategy, create challenges. Exhaust options within organization limits to impress customers; Manage customer s focus and perception; Communicate positively, even negative news; Make interactions efficient and meaningful; Avoid inadvertently irritating customers; Maintain credibility even when new to job or don t know the answer; Avoid It s not my job trap; Avoid blaming others; Defuse anger and refocus on solutions; Educate and persuade to defuse situations and create understanding; Reduce escalations to supervisors; Elevate interactions to avoid transactions and burnout. Full-Day (Half-Day available) 1) Professionalism Defined Focus & Perception Honor Limitations & Laws Half Full vs. Half Empty 2) Language Go the Extra Mile Exhaust Appropriate Options Communicate with Clarity What to Say If Answer Is No Navigate Gray & Complexity Manage Process & Expectations Elevate every experience Language to Avoid Language to Use Instead 3) Education & Persuasion Educate to Increase Understanding Theory of Motivation Detail & Emotion Persuasive Language Weekly Email Refreshers (6 months) Combination of lecture, exercises, case studies, role plays, and fun are used. Page 2 of 6
Negotiation, Conflict, Misunderstanding & Defusing Anger The consummate professional can create a positive experience even if at first the customer perceives it as negative. This program teaches different ways of navigating conflict, disagreements, and misunderstandings with customers. Escalation should be a last resort that is choreographed by the professional rather than demanded by customers. And if customers get angry, this program teaches how to defuse when this happens. Understand strategy & how it helps keep attitudes positive; Understand boundaries are necessary; Educate to defuse situations and improve understanding; Eliminate passive or aggressive strategies; Learn to reverse engineer in order to resolve conflict and generate appropriate options for resolution; Know what conversations to avoid and how to refocus customers; Know when and how to use a less than win-win conflict resolution; Control escalation strategically; Leverage inverse correlation between emotion and logic to defuse customers. Half-Day 1) Strategic Service Impossible Triangle Strategy & Choices 2) Additional Education & Persuasion Theory of Relativity 4 Ways to Educate 3) Conflict Resolution & Negotiation Discovering Motivation Negative Situations Approaches to Conflict Resolution Passive, Aggressive, Assertive When to Take a Loss An Escalation Strategy 4) What vs. Why Win-Win Education/Persuasion Reverse Engineering Weekly Email Refreshers (3 months) Combination of lecture, exercises, case studies and role plays are used. Page 3 of 6
Psychology of Voice & Building Rapport with Anyone It s what you say and it s how you say it. This program teaches voice psychology and techniques for projecting appropriate tone on purpose. Attendees will also learn how to create rapport by understanding themselves, their customers, and their coworkers using a personality typology. This allows for an instant improvement in customer satisfaction, collaboration, and teamwork. Set the tone immediately with a natural, upbeat greeting; Leverage voice mail for service success; Understand how voice creates customer perception; Leverage voice to create the tone desired; Personalize service through rapport; Avoid taking things personally; Appreciate differences in customers and coworkers; Build on one s own strengths; Minimize weaknesses individually and as a team; 1) Voice Psychology of Voice 5 Dimensions of Voice Projecting Tone on Purpose Vocal Exercises 2) Rapport Principles of Rapport Entrainment Mirror and Match for Rapport 3) Personality Styles Anticipate with a Typology Discover the Two Dimensions Know Thyself 4) Understand Others Use Cheat Sheet for Each Style Entrain Style for Rapport Personalize Service & Teamwork Type with 2-Question Test Weekly Email Refreshers (3 months) Half-Day Combination of lecture and exercises are used. Page 4 of 6
Listening to Help & Make the Customers Feel Heard Listening is powerful. It can defuse an angry customer, create rapport, facilitate conflict resolution, and improve education. This program provides attendees with listening and questioning skills to create better customer experiences, more options, and more learning. Listen so customers feel heard; Stop letting the same obstacles interfere with listening; Improve understanding; Reduce errors due to poor listening; Engage customers better; Guide customers to provide the needed information; Understand learning styles; Use questions effectively; Create clarity for customers; Allow customers to educate & persuade themselves; Have customers feel in control; Improve customer s sense of satisfaction and being understood. Half-Day 1) Listening Barriers Environmental Personal Mental Physical 2) Proactive Listening Skills Verbal & Visual Attending Matching Learning Styles Naïve Listening Asking Questions 3) Types of Questions Open Ended vs Closed Ended Leading vs Neutral Softening Questions 4) Motivation Asking Persuasive Questions Simple & Complex Reflection Weekly Email Refreshers (3 months) Combination of lecture, exercises, and case study are used. Page 5 of 6
Customer Service Leadership This program provides leaders with frameworks for making strategy & operational decisions to create a service brand that wins market share and talent. Customer service starts at the top and filters its way down. After decisions are made, communication & coaching techniques are provided so leaders can guide & motivate employees to execute efficiently & enthusiastically. Define clear strategy using the impossible triangle & boundaries; Automate strategically so employees can deliver higher level service; Distill strategy and goals into a motto that motivates employees; Craft policies and procedures that are customer-focused and easy for employees to communicate positively. Replace haphazard communication with standards; Deliver great service consistently using standards; Improve service using goals; Identify measures that can be used to reward, recognize, and coach. Facilitate better internal customer service; Improve communication with employees; Separate and honor the two levels of service; Become dedicated to leading through example. 1) Strategy & The Impossible Triangle What You Do Really Well What You Don t Do Really Well What You Might Not Do At All 2) Boundaries & Transactions Policies & Procedures What to Automate What to Elevate 3) Motivation Service Motto Standards & Goals Measurement & Reward Recognition When Things Go Right Coaching When Things Go Wrong 4) Two Levels of Service The Organizational Level Personal Level A System For Giving Employees Influence 5) Communication Skills Being an Exemplar Praise in Public How to Coach Napoleon Method Perception Checking Tracking Accomplishments Weekly Email Refreshers (12 months) Two Days Page 6 of 6