Effective customer service is more important now than ever before.  Consumers are choosing more carefully, and more wisely, the services and the goods on which they spend their money.  There are many mistakes that salespeople may make unknowingly, that will send a prospective customer or client out the door for good.  These are simple aspects of behavior that are very easy to avoid. 

The meet and greet, the first impression, is extremely important.  This is just the beginning of the transaction or the business relationship, and it is essential to avoid a bad first impression, at all costs.  One way to accomplish this is to simply…not ignore the person who just walked through your door, or who is waiting on hold on your phone.  If it is necessary for them to wait for a few moments, just let them know.

Every business, every wisely run and successful business, will be busy from time to time, and hopefully more often than not.  If one is busy with a current customer, and other customers are waiting, establishing eye contact or the saying of just a few words to them in greeting, will let them know, that you know they are there.  That’s all it takes in those moments really.  During these busy times it is easy to become distracted either by tasks or other clients.  These messages conveyed through eye contact and verbal ‘hellos’ will ensure that the new customers know you have seen then and that you are aware of their needs.

Many corporations now require employees to repeat the same phrases.  One is repeatedly asked in coffee shops… whether you would like a pastry along with your latte, or in the checkout line at department stores, you they would like to open a credit card account.  These scripts when delivered in a rote manner are heard in that manner.  When delivering greetings and messages that are required by management, or those that are repeated day after day, it is important to keep them as fresh as possible.  Just a few alterations in customer service and the methods in which that is carried out, will make a difference in the success of any company that is operating in the world, and its economy, today.

Find out more about Dale Carnegie Training’s Customer Service Programs

HAUPPAUGE, NY  - Dale Carnegie Training^®, an international leader in performance-based workforce training and solutions, has been selected by the Defense Commissary Agency to put its 18,000 employees, assigned throughout the world, through World Class Customer Service training.

 Working under a contract awarded June 26, Dale Carnegie Training made history as the first organization to facilitate 648 training workshops in two months time.  Dale Carnegie Training’s customized approach is expected to advance DeCA’s level of service to its customers from “excellent” to “world class.”  Workshops, conducted almost simultaneously across the globe to ensure all participating associates are effectively trained within two months, began Aug. 15 in three stateside locations and Aug. 17 overseas.

 “With today’s economy, it is paramount that our customers experience the same level of customer service at all of our locations in the U.S. and overseas,” said DeCA Director and CEO Philip E. Sakowitz Jr. “Our customers, the men and women of the armed services and their families, deserve the very best we can offer in the way of products and services,” he continued, “so the first step in our self-improvement is to provide customer service training to all our employees – from those at headquarters and region offices to every store associate in every commissary, worldwide.

 “The workshops Dale Carnegie will be providing under our contract will help us take our already excellent customer service to the next level,” Sakowitz added.

One employee who has been with DeCA for only a few years, Christopher Hawthorne, store associate at Fort Lee, said he welcomes the opportunity to improve customer satisfaction through the World Class Customer Service training.

 “I really love working at this store,” he admitted. “There’s great chemistry with everyone who works here, and the customers are really nice. But there are times when a customer will come in – someone who might not be having a good day – and I won’t know what to do to make it better for them. So, maybe with this training, I’ll learn how to handle customers like that – rather than having to go to get the manager or director.

 Dale Carnegie’s World Class Customer Service training takes DeCA employees through a four-phase training improvement cycle, which includes reinforcing a positive attitude, building a knowledge base, applying knowledge to work situations and developing skills. Workshops consist of 30 people in each of the 648 eight-hour sessions. The two-month training cycle ends Oct. 16 with a workshop at Fort Lee, Va.

Find out more about Dale Carnegie Training’s Customer Service Programs

Dear Carnegie Coach:

I am the owner of a company that has been around for just a short time now. We’ve been having a very difficult time trying to overcome the obstacles presented by the current state of the economy. In the past the main driver of business was through word of mouth, with a declining number of customers I need to find a new way to promote my company. Do you have any on ideas on how I can build the awareness of my company?

Allie

Dear Allie,

The current economy has led to a highly competitive sales environment where less perspective buyers exist. A great asset to your company would be for you to remain in contact with your customers. Systematically following through with your current and potential customers is an opportunity to shape their perception of you and your organization. Here are some of the ways that you can keep your company on the minds of your customers.

• Notes – Even in our wired age, nothing beats a hand-written note. Whether it is a thank you note, or a reminder note, the recipient knows that we took time out of our day to sit down and hand-write a personal message to them.
• E-Mail – This is the next best thing to a hand-written note. Make your emails personal, friendly, and relatively informal, so that the receiver knows that we aren’t just sending a template message.
• Phone Calls – Instead of avoiding leaving voice mails, embrace them! An outgoing, upbeat voice mail message will be heard if the information is personalized to be relevant to that customer.
• Systematic Notices – Weekly, monthly, or yearly updates are another way to make sure that our customers feel like they are remembered. Announcements tied to promotions, sales, and special offers are another way of following through

• Gift and Rewards Programs – These initiatives are becoming more and more widely used by retailers and service providers. They reward customers for money spent with that organization, whether the rewards are in the form of gift certificates, credits, discounts, or airline miles.

• Satisfaction Surveys – Many organizations do follow-through surveys by phone, email or mail. In some cases they are some form of customer preference survey, examining trends and choices.

Dear Carnegie Coach,

In recent days my company has been experiencing some technical problems with the service that we offer. This problem has increased the volume of upset customers. There have been a number of customer’s that have been irate. Dealing with these calls has always been difficult for me; do you have any suggestions on the best way to deal with difficult customers?

Stew

Dear Stew,

Complaints don’t have to be negative experiences all the time. You can work together to create win-win relationships with customers. Here are a few steps that will allow you to resolve customer complaints in the best way possible.

1. Stay Calm – Try to remain diplomatic and polite. Getting angry will only make the customer angrier.

2. Thank the person – Do this sincerely. Emphasize the importance of satisfied customers to you and to your organization.

3. Listen for understanding – Sometimes the irate caller just wants someone to listen to their story, even if you are unable to help them.

4. Make the resolution seem easy – Always show a willingness to resolve the problem or conflict in a timely fashion.

5. Be genuine – Show your personality. Respond as an understanding friend rather than citing policies.