Customer Care:
What is customer service:
Customer service is a series of activities designed to enhance the level of customer satisfaction – that is, the feeling that a product or service has met the customer expectation."
How to greet people in different languages:
« French - Bonjour
« English - England — How do you do? (formal), Good Morning (formal), Good Afternoon (formal), Good Evening (formal) hello (less formal), HowDo? (informal), Watchya (informal), Alright (informal) hi (informal), Hiya (informal)
« Tongan — malo e lelei
«
« Spanish - Hola
« Italian - Bon Giorno
« German - Guten Tag
« Chinese - Ni hao
« Irish - Dia Duit
« Hindi - Namaste
« Russian - Zdravstvuite (pronounced Zdra-stvooy-tyeh)
« Greek - Yia sou (Ya-soo)
« Czech - Dobry rano
« Japanese - Ohayou gozaimasu (pronounced O-ha-yoh go-za-ee-mas)
« Hebrew - Shalom (this is used for hello, goodbye and peace)
« Arabic-based languages - Marhabah
« Swedish - Hej
« Dutch - Goedendag
«
« Vietnamese - Chao
« Korean - Ahn nyeong ha se yo
« Portuguese - Bom dia (Good Morning)
Establish customer needs and provide the appropriate service:
Employers
- Provide training to your employees on how to treat your customers. Think of it this way... what do your customers' expect to get from your business. This is obviously different for every business and also depends on the type of business you have. But put yourself in your customer's shoes...If you were the customer, what would you expect to see in terms of customer service? Once you have clearly defined that, you can then train the employees on how to provide it.
- Set the standards high for your employees and make sure they stick to it. But I don't believe in the type of management that only uses negative reinforcement. I believe that you should also use positive reinforcement with your employees as well. In fact, you'll find that the more positive reinforcement you use, the more you'll get out of your employees. Don't use fear management. It breeds negativity and bad morale and eventually your customers can feel and sense it. This will only further lead to poor customer service.
- The only way to provide great customer service is to have a customer service standard, have a plan on how your employees will deliver your standards, and test the standards. Also, pay your employees what they deserve and provide them rewards for going the extra mile. If your employees are making minimum wage and not getting any incentive to "go the extra mile", then you won't get anything extra from them and neither will your customers. Your employees are the face of your business. The service your business receives comes directly from your employees, so make sure your employees are getting a fair deal.
Employees
- First of all, when you are working with customers, no matter what your occupation, think of it this way...How would you want to be treated if you were that client?
- If you are unhappy about your current job, don't take it out on the customer. Remember, it is not their fault that you are unhappy with your job and it's not their fault that you're in the situation you are in, whatever it may be. Again, remember, what would you expect if you were the customer?
- When talking with a client, first of all, smile! Say Hello, how can I help you? If you are not behind a counter of some kind, shake their hand, introduce yourself and ask their name. Then, ask them how you can be of assistance.
- If your employer has a standard for customer service, make sure you know what it is and abide by it. And, at the end of the year, when you get your annual review, make sure you remind your boss in writing how you met that standard and ask that it be added to your annual review.
- If you work in a store of some kind, like a grocery store, department store, etc...why do you ignore customers as they walk by you? Here's my point - it should not matter where you work, you should never ignore a customer walking past and you are never more important than a customer. This is a valuable lesson to learn. No matter who you are or where you work, you have to learn to appreciate your customers! Think of it this way - not only that you could be that customer getting the poor service but more importantly, if it wasn't for that customer, you wouldn't have a job! Remember that the next time you ignore a customer.
The fact of the matter is that customer service is ignored or takes second place to growing a business and increasing profitability. When in fact, great customer service will do just that, grow your business and make it more profitable.
If you survey a room of 50 people, 94% of the people in the room would tell you that they have not received good customer service lately. Furthermore, they would tell you that they have received extremely poor service recently, more than they wish to recall.
I believe that together, we can change the way we are treated as customers and the way we treat customers. If we all work together to change the view point of everyone, then maybe we can bring back the days in which customers were respected and could recall more examples of "Great Customer Service" rather than poor customer service.
Cultural consideration:
Culture is defined as the pattern of basic behaviour that a group has invented, discovered and developed in learning to cope with internal and external integration.
A cultural group is a group of people with the same norms, customs, traditions, values, behaviours and standard of living.
Examples of a cultural group could be:
« Population groups
« Organisations
« Clubs
Culture differ from each other in many ways:
« Language
« National Holidays
« Dress
« Food preferences
« Body language
« Traditions
« Customs marriage practices
« Religious beliefs
« lifestyles
HANDLING COMPLAINTS
The first thing that you should always remember is that nine out of ten complaints will be about the shop/restaurant, the food, products or services you offer and NOT about you.
Your attitude will play a vital part in how effective you are in dealing with customer complaints. Always have a positive attitude toward both the customer and the complaint. Be positive. At least this customer actually took the time and effort to complain. The majority just accept poor service or poor quality food and simply complain with their feet. In other words they just leave the premises and never return.
They also cause you a lot of damage by telling their friends and work colleagues about their bad experience, thus planting a seed of doubt in their minds about visiting your shop or restaurant.
Complaints about the food and products are probably the most common, for example, you may serve a meal in the restaurant and include an item the customer didn’t order. So what do you do? Whether you are dealing with a complaint about the service given such as the time taken to queue or the food or products offered, there are key stages in how to effectively deal with both the customer and the complaint. Remember, this customer took the time and trouble to complain which means you have the opportunity to win back their custom. So, in the above case, the most sensible and obvious choice is to apologise and offer to change the meal. So, how do you effectively deal with a customer complaint?
First of all you have to be aware of what the complaints policy of your shop or restaurant is. Do you have the responsibility/authority to deal with the complaint through to its conclusion? Or do you have to pass the situation over to a colleague or superior?
The first two stages apply to both of the above and, if all stages are handled correctly, they will ensure your customer is treated both professionally and courteously.
If at all possible, take your customer to one side or away from the majority of your customers. This way, they don’t have an audience to play to, nor do other customers overhear.
DON’T get defensive. You do not want to get into an argument with your customer, even if they want to get into one with you. Never say “it’s not my job”. Politely ask the customer for their name and remember it.
First of all you have to find out what the problem is. Ask the customer to tell you exactly what the problem is. LISTEN very carefully to what they tell you. It might be helpful to take notes at this stage to verify later with the customer, or, if passing the complaint over, to give your colleague the full story. You will only anger the customer more if they have to repeat themselves to someone else or to correct your version. Whilst the customer is talking to you don’t interrupt or jump to conclusions, let them ‘get it off their chest’. Stay calm and make sure you understand the precise nature of their complaint. Repeat back to them the key points of their complaint. This has two benefits. Firstly, it proves to the customer you have been listening to them and secondly, you have the precise details of the complaint (this is where taking notes may be helpful).
The next stage is probably the most difficult – you have to apologise! You need to empathise with the customers’ feelings, in other words, you understand how they feel and that you take the problem seriously. Don’t blame other people or say it has nothing to do with you.
You then have to decide what to do and take the necessary action.
If you have to pass the customer and the complaint over, remember that the customer complained to you and will not want to repeat the story to someone else. Make sure you explain the problem fully (again notes may be helpful).
Hand the customer over courteously by introducing them (by name) to your colleague or superior. Explain their position to the customer and inform them that the complaint will now be dealt with by this person.
If you are dealing with the complaint yourself, make sure you follow the accepted procedures within your shop/restaurant (refunds, replacing meals etc.). Always explain fully to the customer what you are doing, so they are aware of what is happening and why. This should ensure the customer is happy with what is happening and should alleviate further complaints or arguments. Never make any promises that you cannot deliver. Finally, always ask if the customer is happy with the outcome. This is to make sure that the customer is happy with the outcome and you have dealt fully with their complaint. If dealt with professionally and courteously you will have won your customer back, thus ensuring their return time and time again. If there are any issues raised by the customers complaint, then ensure any necessary action is taken to make sure that that particular problem does not occur again.
Listed below are some of the common complaints that could arise in your shop/restaurant. Put a tick against the ones you think you would be expected to handle yourself and a cross against those you think you would pass on to a colleague or superior.
ü A customer complains that they have
been given the wrong order.
ü Someone is given the wrong change. š
ü A customer complains about the
portion size.
ü A customer rings in to say they have
found a fly in the batter. š
ü A customer complains about the
quality of the food.
|
Dealing with Complaints:
The importance of evaluating customer complaints and taking appropriate corrective action is critical to the success of a business as a complaint ignored, is a customer/guest lost forever.
How to Develop Interpersonal Skills for Excellent Customer Service
1. Smile. When you smile, and mean it, your own attitude changes. When you show that you have a positive attitude, it's harder for the people you encounter to have a negative attitude. If you are dealing with a customer over the phone, you should still smile. Smiles are reflected in your voice.
2. Tell your customers that you appreciate their business. Show genuine concern for their problems or issues and let them know that you want them to remain a customer. The more information you have regarding their activity with you or your company, the better chance you have of making their experience positive.
3. Pay attention to your customers. Notice their body language or tone of voice. Listen to them intently and address their needs according to their specific concerns. Do not place a customer in a category. Recognize that the person with whom you are dealing is an individual who may be going through a difficult time. Do everything you can to let him know that you will do your best to make his situation easier.
4. Avoid sharing too much of your own stories that relate to your customers. They need you to assist them with their own problems, not to burden them with yours. Simply saying "I understand" or "I've been there" will reassure your customer and motivate her to give you more information that you can use to assist her further.
5. Practice effective conflict resolution skills. Once you have heard your customers' concerns, identify or repeat the problem to assure them that you heard them correctly. Suggest solutions based on the information they've provided. Not all solutions will be appropriate for everyone. Offer your assistance or tell them where they can find additional help if you cannot given them what they need. Check back with them to find out if they are satisfied with the resolution.
6. Communicate clearly and effectively. Consider having a brief statement prepared, but not memorized, that will deliver your point clearly.
7. Laugh with them, but not at them. If your customer is confused or unsure about how to do something, explain patiently how his problem can be solved. Be sure to pick up on his humorous efforts and respond with a little chuckle to let him know that you support him.
8. See things from their point of view. Imagine yourself standing in their position, searching for answers. What kind of help would you need? How would you expect to be treated? Answering these questions will help you to begin to see things from their perspective.
9. Don't complain about your job, your company, your boss or anything else. A definite way to ensure that you will make a customer's experience negative is to be negative yourself. Refrain from any complaints whatsoever, even if the customer is an infectious complainer.
10. Observe other service workers and notice how they treat customers. Pay attention to their customers' reactions to them as well. Notice when someone is dealing with a customer in a way that you find unacceptable and observe how the customer reacts to that behaviour.
Characteristics for good customer care:
Politeness-
· Appropriate greeting for the time of the day in a warm and friendly manner.
· Always acknowledge the guest if a guest approach you while you are busy, stop what you are doing, make eye contact, smile use their name if you know it.
· Acknowledge their support for your hotel.
Willingness to assist-
· Take the time to make a conversation with your guests
· Observe what is happening around you and meet guest expectations
· Offer assistance, show an interest in your guest.
· Use positive body language e.g smile, open gestures, handshakes, upright postures.
Prompt Service and remedial action-
· Assisting guest is more important than any other work, so attended to guest request immediately.
· Never keep a guest waiting.
· As soon as the guest needs have been attended to, get back to work straight away.
Identifying customer requirements:
Guest basic needs are:
« To feel important
« To be recognized
« To feel safe and secure
« To feel in control
« To feel appreciated
Clean and secure environment: Guest is very sensitive to the quality of housekeeping everywhere, especially in the bath.
What behaviour should be chosen?
Professional- your personal feelings should be submerged.
Understanding- if you can show them that you fully understand their situation.
Choose to-
ü Acknowledge them as soon as possible
ü Apologize for any delay
ü Be friendly and welcoming
ü Use their name
ü
ü Show them that you really are listening
ü Reassure them
ü Explain things fully to them
ü Lean forward with an open body posture
ü Chick you’ve understood and agree the next step
ü Perhaps, touch them on the arm
P- always be polite
L- listen attentively
E- empathise and ensure feedback
A- ask questions and display a good attitude
S- smile
I- show genuine interest
N- never say “NO” upfront, reword negatives and offer alternatives
G- go far and settle in the situation
What attitude is appropriate?
Ø
Ø
Ø Be enthusiastic.
Ø Be confident.
Ø Be welcoming.
Ø Be helpful.
Ø Be polite.
Ø Show you care.
No comments:
Post a Comment