TOPIC: CUSTOMER CARE IN TAX ADMINISTRATION

Facilitator: Matilda Zainab Kamara

Position: Manager: Taxpayer Services-MTO

Date: 5/2/2015

NATIONAL REVENUE AUTHORITY

DOMESTIC TAX DEPARTMENT

PROGRAM JOURNEY

1. Objective of the presentation

2. Identify your customer and fundamental belief of a customer care in tax

administrationDefinition of a customerDefinition of customer care and customer serviceswhy customer care/service

3. Communication process in customer care

4. Skills for Customer care/Service

PROGRAM JOURNEY CONT’

5. The benefit of Customer Care/Service in Tax Administration

6. Communicate effectively with customers

7 Develop and maintain customers services standard

8. Plan good customer services

PROGRAM OBJECTIVE

This session will help participant to identify your

customer and fundamental belief of customer care

in tax administration, to develop their skill and

behavior to offer exceptional customer care/services

and to empower participant to provide effective

communication skills and give solution to customer

services problems when they arise.

Definition of a customer

Customers are people who need your assistance. They are not an interruption to

your job, they are the reason you have a job..

Internal/external customers

DEFINITION OF CUSTOMER CARE AND CUSTOMER SERVICES

What is customer care?

Customer care is the kind of approach a company does in winning and maintaining clients or customers. The most vital method of any company is staying in business. They put customers at the core of all activities,. Customer care is keeping customers informed, making an avenue for complaints etc

What is customer service?

Customer service is a method when the company deals with its clients. This is most apparent in sales and post-sales service. These are design to improve the stage of customer satisfaction (the feeling that the service or item has reached customer

SPOT THE DIFFERENCES:CUSTOMER CARE IS TAKING CARE OF THE CUSTOMER ON THE LONG RUN CUSTOMER SERVICE IS TAKING CARE OF THE CUSTOMER JUST WHEN HE HAVE ISSUE OR INQUIRY

Therefore, customer service is part of customer care’s ways in reaching customer’s satisfaction

COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY WITH CUSTOMERS CARE

What is communication?Definition:

What describes GOOD service and BAD service?

Good customer service is taking that extra step to help without being asked! It’s all about attitude and skills.

SKILLS FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE

Know about your organization (on tax issues) Learn the technical parts of the job Communicate well Be consistent Be organized Know your place in the team and be a team

player

GREETING CUSTOMERS

The purpose is to create and maintain a welcoming environment - how can we

achieve this?

Be attentive, acknowledge a person as soon as they appear,even if you’re busy

SMILE!

Establish eye contact Tell them your name

Ask how you can help Give the customer your full attention Be polite and courteous……………

COMMUNICATION IS A 2-WAY PROCESS

Communication skills involve: Listening to others (Receiving)

message Asserting/ Expressing (Sending)

sender

receiver

sender

receiver

Barriers

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION SKILLS Eye contact & visible mouth

Body language

Some questions

Encouragement silence to continue

Summarizing Checking for understanding what has been said Smiling face

Effective Communication skills

BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

Language Noise

Time Distractions

Other people

Too many Lack interest

Questions

Distance Disability

Discomfort

with the topic

Barriers to effective communication

The Communication EquationWhat you hear Tone of voice Vocal clarity

Verbal expressiveness 40% of the message

What you see or feel Facial expression Dress and grooming Posture/ Body Language Eye contact Touch

Gesture 50% of the message

WORDS…….. ONLY 10% of the message!

TELEPHONE SKILLS

Know how to use the phones

Speak clearly and slowly

Smile (you can hear it in your voice!)

State your name and organization

Have pad and pencil ready to take notes or

messages (check spelling and message content)

Write down the caller’s name and use it

Don’t eat or drink while on the phone

TELEPHONE SKILLS (CONT’)Don’t say rude things while someone’s on hold

If they’re explaining something use words to show you’re listening (umm, yes …)

BODY LANGUAGE FOR A POSITIVE RESULT

Brainstorm some examples of good body languageSmileIntroduce yourself (if appropriate) or wear a name badge

Shake hands if appropriateLean forwardBe aware of cultural differences

DEALING WITH DIFFICULT BEHAVIOUR

The Angry Customer: Label the behavior, not the customer Listen Don’t get defensive Don’t take it personally Find out what the customer wants Discuss alternatives Take responsibility for what you CAN

do Agree on action

DEALING WITH DIFFICULT BEHAVIOUR CONT’

The abusive Customer: You do not have to tolerate abuse Do not retaliate Offer to continue if abuse stops End the conversation if it does not Seek support from

colleagues/manager/security

DEALING WITH QUERIES YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT

Find out the basics Establish the nature of the query Take notes of what they say Find out how urgent the query is Use your common sense-don’t waffle Explain early on that cannot deal with the query Do not express an opinion Refer to technical unit and monitor response Learn from the official response to build your

knowledge

THE BENEFIT OF CUSTOMER CARE/SERVICE IN TAX ADMINISTRATION

Good Public Publicity Satisfied taxpayers Higher revenue collection Increased Employee Pride and Motivation Increase taxpayer Confidence Increased Responsibility Enhanced Efficiency Increase in tax complains Reduce tax avoidance Reduce tax evasion

REPORTING /DATA CAPTURE

Requirement to collect information/data concerning enquiries i.e

Nature of enquires Subject matter Areas for concern/action Allocation of resources Customer satisfaction level Ares for improve performance

ATTITUDE CHECKLIST

What attitudes assist in providing good service?

Enjoy helping people Handle people well Care for your customers Give fair and equal treatment to all Be understanding of people with

special needs

POINT TO REMEMBER

You are the front-line contact with taxpayers You and the taxpayer are in new territory The taxpayer may be nervous You may be nervous Maintain a professional approach Be methodical Be polite but don’t be put off You have the power of the Law and the NRA

behind you but exercise it with understanding

CONCLUSION

Customer care is very important in any organization that will help the institution to grow and have good repetition.

In tax administration, customer care/ services it is very vital in collection of taxes that will help the organization to maximize revenue collection. Customer care or services increase taxpayers awareness of any tax polices/ laws implemented.

Therefore it increase tax compliance, reduces tax avoidance and tax evasion to maximize revenue collection.