Customer Relationship & Communication Skills for Tech-ies!

Outline

• Change – The Forgotten Paradigm • People Skills• Emotional Intelligence • Delivering Outstanding Customer service• Traits Of A Customer Service Master• Efficiency Vs Effectiveness • Communication Skills And Its Barriers• Keys To Effective Communication • Art Of Saying No Without Alienating The End User

Change: The Forgotten Paradigm

• Business is a turbulent environment and change is vital

• We need understand the core idea or deep nature of “Change”

• Business world is changing, customer and their needs are changing, supplier demands are changing

• Hence the “Change”

Parmenides of Elea was a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher –believed change is not possible

Heraclitus also a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher –believed change is eminent

The Change:

“You cannot swim twice in the same river” Heraclitus

People Skills

People Skills

*CPD – continuous profession development

IQ Vs EQ• Emotional Quotient (EQ) is a way to measure how a person recognizes

emotions in himself or herself and others, and manages these emotional states to work better as a group or team.

• Intelligence Quotient (IQ) is a value that indicates a person's ability to learn, understand, and apply information and skills in a meaningful way.

Four competencies for EQ

4 sets of competencies for Emotional Intelligence

• Emotional awareness – How am I?

• Emotional self-management – How do I regulate my emotions?

• Social awareness – Empathy for other people?

• Impact and influence – How do I impact other people?

Emotional Intelligence Question

• How quickly and how well a couple resolves a fight/an issue (amicably) can tell you how many years they will be married. (Dr Richard Boyatzis, PhD, Professor of Organisational Behaviour, Psychology and Cognitive science, Case Western University)

Activity On EQ

Activity 3What mood(s) might be helpful to feel when meeting in-laws for the very first time?

a. tension 1 2 3 4 5

b. surprise 1 2 3 4 5

c. joy 1 2 3 4 5

Not Useful Useful

EQ Vs IQ

IQ20%

EQ80%

EQ Vs IQResearch shows that 80%of your success in life depends on EQ.

“Reference: Daniel Goleman's theory of Emotional Intelligence”

Building your EQ Some exercises for Emotional Intelligence –

• How are you – in a team ask each other how you are and you have to answer it honestly – like what you are feeling. This will help build connection with your team and enhance the skill of emotional awareness - genuine effort

• Emotional self-management: do it by taking a deep breath down in to your abdomen

Delivering Customer Service

Market Research

• According to Amazon 60% of their customers are returning customers (loyal customers) – Amazon has “Customer is a King” as their motto.

• Richard Shapiro (President of TCFCR) The Centre For Client Retention (US based firm) which deals with research on how to improve the customer experience and loyalty says that it is the “PR” your employees’ share with customers helps deliver the best customer service.

Facts – Market Research

Oct 2014:

1. UK – brands are approx. losing 15 Billion pounds annually due to poor customer service

2. US - brands are approx. losing $41 Billion each year due to poor customer service

3. 71% of those who experience positive social care are likely to recommend that brand to others

4. Using social media can help achieve superior gains

www.aprature.com/startling-custserv-statistics

Disney Case Study

Staff

Contractors

SweepersIT Tech

Customer Service

Disney Case Study (Contd.)

• Disney theme parks expects all the stakeholders – from sweepers, IT technicians to contractors to be aware of their business processes and should be able to answer questions about it (at least the basic information)

• In case they don’t they need to find someone who can help

Delivering Outstanding Customer Service

• Empathy not sympathy

• It ok not to know everything - Don’t speculate (customer knows if you are guessing) – refer to someone who knows

• Handle every question with grace

• Put yourself in customers shoes

• Be sincere/honest – give the right answer

• Make a connection – you have won the person

Work Ethics

• Appearance

• Being presentable

• Your image is your company’s goodwill

Your presence

Your attitude

Your Image

Your etiquettes

Good Customer

Service

“People eat with their eyes”

Traits Of A Customer Service Master• Patient

• Attentiveness

• Clear communication skills

• Knowledge of the product

• Ability to use positive language (use EQ)

Without positive language: "I can't get you that product until next month; we don’t have it and unavailable at this time."

With positive language: "That product will be available next month. I can place the order for you right now and make sure that it is sent to you as soon as it reaches our warehouse.“

• Time management skills

• A calming presence (using EQ)

• Goal oriented focus

• Closing Ability – ending conversation with confirmed satisfaction

• Willingness to learn – gain knowledge of the products and services (the 360o approach)

Effectiveness Vs Efficiency

Communication Goals

Barriers In CommunicationB

arri

ers

in C

om

mu

nic

atio

n Semantic Barriers

Faulty translation

Specialist Language

Emotional and psychological Barriers

Failure to communicate

Distrust in Communication

Org. Barriers

Org. policy

Complexity in Org.

Personal Barriers

Lack of awareness

Attitude of supervisor

Proper communication Skills (layman’s

words)

EQ

Awareness of Organisatoin’s policy

Willingness to learn & being assertiveness

Keys To Effective Communication

• Use simple language

• Ask questions

• Prepare to present ideas clearly

• Don’t not be vague

• Do not speculate

• Be a good listener – practice the EQ exercise

• Make request not demands

• Body language and tone is very important

Why Can’t We Say No!

• May get you bad reputation at work

• Fear of losing a client

• You don’t want to feel guilty

• Don’t want to disappoint others – you know how it feels

• Fear of conflict

• We want people to like us

Art Of Saying No!

• First find the and understand business reasons for the request

• Find an alternative – if you have to say no

• Keep your manager aware of the situation

• Offer to escalate

• Put ourselves in customer position

• Be empathetic

• You are the liaisons between your customers and the computers/systems/services you provide

Art Of Saying No!

• Learn to identify a reasonable request – so that you don’t have to say “No”

• No Is Not Bad Customer Service

Good customer service is made from a rather simple recipe:

• Solid communication

• Showing some compassion

• Willingness to problem solve

• Putting a plan to action

• Soften The Blow With A Counter Offer

Recap

• Change

• EQ

• Delivering outstanding Customer Service

• Your appearance matters!

• Effective communication

• Don’t just say “NO”