Awareness TrainingPresented by Academic Affairs
Why are you here? Mandated by Cal U’s Administrative
Council and the Board of Trustees
Goal: promote positive interaction with our customers
Objectives
Know how to handle inquiries (in-person and on the phone)
Know how to obtain necessary information from callers and visitors
Be able to utilize the features of the phones
Know how to utilize online resources
Agenda – Customer Service
What is good customer service?
Who are our customers?
Why is good customer service so important?
Agenda – Communication Skills
Good communication skills – what are they and why do we find it so hard to communicate?
How can I improve my active listening
skills?
Agenda – Phone Coverage
What to do when the phone rings What to say first Top 5 list of things to ask Handling transfers Putting callers on hold
How do I find the right person or department? What resources are available to me?
Customer Service
Part One
Customer Service
What constitutes good customer service?
Reliability Confidence Empathy Responsiveness
Why is good Customer Service so important?
“First impressions are indelibly marked on the fabric of the mind.”
Our goal is to create a positive experience for every customer.
Who are our Customers?
External Prospective Students Parents Other interested parties
Internal Staff Faculty Students
Self-fulfilling Prophecy
Good Customer
Service
Better Customer
Experiences
Increase in Enrollment
and Better
Services
But my degree isn’t in Public Relations!
You come into contact with customers everywhere
You are the face of Cal U – they will judge Cal U by their impression of you
In other words …
You areCal U !
Quick Check
What is good customer service?
Who are our customers?
Why is good customer service so important?
Communication Skills
Part Two
What are the costs of ineffective communication?
Lost opportunities
Mistakes/rework
Confusion/mistrust
Barriers to Effective Communication
Environmental
Verbal
Interpersonal
Barriers to Effective Communication
Environmental – parts of your surroundings that have a negative effect on communication
Verbal – ways of speaking that get in the way of good communication
Interpersonal – relationship issues between people that have a negative effect on communication Stereotypes Hot buttons Attitude
Ways to overcome barriers Environmental
Control the setting Plan to talk when there are minimal disruptions
Verbal Know what you want to say and be clear Ask questions and confirm Listen
Interpersonal Set aside biases and assumptions Be alert for possible differences in perceptions
Hearing vs. Listening
What’s the big deal?
Hearing vs. ListeningHearing is a physical processThe ears hear.
Listening is an intellectual and an emotional process.The whole body listens.
Hearing is a sense of sound.Listening is a search for meaning.
Why don’t we listen?
Interruptions Fear of not having all of the answers Believing that you know more than the
speaker The speaker pushes a hot button Pseudo-listening
Active Listening Confirm your understanding by repeating
it
Ask questions if you are unclear about anything
Read back critical information to ensure that you got it right
Top 10 Tips for Active Listening
10.Take notes!9. Be a CSI!8. Stay calm!7. Forget about this weekend –
concentrate!6. Listen for the unspoken!5. Don’t be judgmental!
Top 10 (continued)4. Let the caller know you
understand!3. Don’t interrupt… well, unless you
must!2. It ISN’T all about you!AND1. Be prepared!
There is a reason why we were born with:
2 ears and only 1 mouth!
Quick Check
What are the three costs of poor communication?
Name three types of barriers to communication.
How can you overcome those barriers? What are 5 reasons we do not listen well? Name the top 10 tips for active listening!
Phone CoveragePart Three
It’s ringing… now what??
Offer a salutation State the name of the department Give your name (first name only, no
nicknames) Offer assistance – how may I help you?
What’s Hot & What’s Not May I tell him who
is calling, please? May I ask what you
call is in regard to? May I have your
phone number, please?
May I have her return the call?
Who’s calling? What’s your name? Will she know who
you are? What’s it
regarding? What do you want?
Would you like to leave a message?
Full name Date and time of call Company or department or student’s
name (if a parent) Their phone number The message
I can’t tell them what?? Do not disclose information about a
student to an external caller (parents, other parties) – schedules, grades, SSNs, financial aid information, etc.
WHEN IN DOUBT, DON’T GIVE IT OUT!!
Transferring a Call How do you feel when someone says they
will transfer you? Why do you feel that way? What is the
worst that can happen? Try alternative phrases
I’ll connect you with Ms. Burns now I will put you in touch with the Bursar’s office
now
And, most importantly…
Don’t hang up!!
Why stay on the line? Avoid the dead-end transfer Provide the introduction
Name Reason for the call and transfer
Just remember – the caller can hear you the ENTIRE time – so be RESPECTFUL!
How to transfer a call in 5 easy steps
1. Tell the caller:a. that you are going to transfer the callb. the name and extension of the person you are transferring toc. preview the process if applicable
2. Press the Transfer button once. 3. Enter the extension you are transferring to. It will ring and
a person will pick up. Introduce yourself and that you will be transferring a call and tell them who the caller wishes to speak with.
4. Press the Transfer button again. 5. Hang up! The call will automatically connect to the
number you’ve transferred it to. Job well done!
What if I reach their voicemail instead of the live person?
1. Press the Resume Call button to return to the caller. Tell the caller that the party is not answering.
2. Ask if they would like to leave a voicemail message
a. If YES – tell them to follow the directions to leave a message and follow instructions again to transfer the call and hang up.
b. If NO – tell them to call back later and hang up.
How to put a call on hold1. Ask permission FIRST!!2. Press the HOLD button.3. To pick up again, press the Resume Call
button.4. When you come back on the line,
THANK THEM for holding.5. Don’t leave a caller on hold more than
30 seconds without checking back.6. Don’t leave them on hold more than 3
minutes EVER.
Top Five Hot Buttons for Callers
5. I can’t4. I don’t know5. I’ll be honest with you6. You’ll have to
AND1. I’ll try
What do we do with an angry caller?
Duck! Hit back! Disconnect them!
These solutions render you…
Powerless!!!
What do we do with an angry caller? Let’s try again…
Why do we get angry? Because we care about something!
You have been given a gift – the opportunity to make something good happen!
Just do it!!
Handling an Angry Caller
Use the EAR method to calm an angry caller E – Empathize A – Acknowledge/Apologize R - Responsibility
Show ‘em what you got! Be careful with humor! Avoid jargon! Avoid slang! NEVER speak disparagingly about the
department, the school, your coworkers! Put a smile in your voice!
Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me… Online Resources
www.calu.edu Quick Links Telephone Directory
Organized by name and hierarchy Has name, department, title, room, phone
and mailbox number
Quick Check What do you say when you answer the phone? What information should you obtain when taking a
message? What are the steps for transferring a call? What are the steps for placing a caller on hold? What is the EAR method for handling angry callers? What two resources should you always have handy
when answering the phones or greeting visitors?
Completion of CourseIn order to complete the course, you must successfully complete a short test on customer service and listening skills at the end of this presentation. Please use a SCANTRON form for the answers. If you do not already have one, you may request one from your work site or pick one up in Academic Affairs , Dixon 301, from 8:00 – 4:00 daily.Be sure to include your name, the department in which you work, a phone number, and email address on the SCANTRON form. Return it to your supervisor.When you complete the test successfully, your Certificate will be mailed to your work site.If you do not complete the test successfully, you will be asked to review the materials and re-test.Please call Academic Affairs at x4407 with any questions. Good luck!
Customer Service Test1. One of the four characteristics of good customer service
(as provided in the presentation) is: a. Sympathyb. Empathyc. Practicalityd. Efficiency
2. There are two types of customers:a. Staff and Facultyb. Internal and externalc. Inner and outerd. Internal and guest
Customer Service Test (continued)
3. An example of an external customer would be:a. Staffb. Facultyc. Parent
4. The goal for the training is to create a _______ experience for every customer.a. Memorableb. Positivec. Impressive
Customer Service Test (continued)
5. An example of an internal customer would be:a. Staff/Facultyb. Student/Parent
6. When we provide excellent customer service, our customers are happier with their University experience, and that translates into higher enrollment and better services.a. Trueb. False
Customer Service Test (continued)
7. Which of the following is NOT a cost of ineffective communication:a. Confusion/mistrustb. Lost opportunitiesc. Loss of self-esteemd. Mistakes/Re-work
8. The ways of speaking that get in the way of good communication are interpersonal barriers.a. Trueb. False
Customer Service Test (continued)
9. The parts of your surroundings that have a negative effect on the communication are environmental barriers.a. Trueb. False
10.When people push hot buttons, it has little if any impact on their ability to communicate effectively.a. Trueb. False
Customer Service Test (continued)
11.Our brains are able to process words about three times as quickly as our mouths can speak the words.a. Trueb. False
12.Which of the following is NOT a tip for becoming an active listener:a. Be preparedb. Listen for the unspokenc. Sympathize with the customerd. Empathize with the customer
Customer Service Test (continued)
13.You use the Transfer button when placing a caller on hold.a. Trueb. False
14.When you use the EAR method for dealing with irate callers, you:a. Empathize, Acknowledge/Apologize, Respondb. Emphasize, Acknowledge/Apologize, Responsibilityc. Empathize, Acknowledge/Apologize, Responsibility
Customer Service Test (continued)
15.When taking a message, you need only get the caller’s name and phone number.a. Trueb. False
16.If a parent calls and asks for a student’s schedule, you are not permitted to divulge that information to the caller.a. Trueb. False
Customer Service Test (continued)
17.When transferring a call, you should immediately hang up as soon as you have dialed the extension.a. Trueb. False
18.You should never leave a caller on hold for more than 30 seconds without checking back.a. Trueb. False
Customer Service Test (continued)
19.The Telephone Directory provides both the campus location and the mailbox number for all staff and faculty.a. Trueb. False
20.The interaction that a customer has with you might be the basis for their opinion of the University overall.a. Trueb. False