Customer Service & Complaint Handling for Telephone & Email
"Build confidence with customers & deliver a great experience by telephone & email to avoid complaints"
Overall Aim:
The aim of the workshop is to help staff develop a greater understanding of the importance of communicating effectively with customers using the telephone and by email, especially when dealing with customers. Participants will learn to respond to and deal with customer queries in a caring, assertive and professional manner without reacting inappropriately or cause the customer to become irritated; ensuring customer satisfaction.
Who should attend:
A practical and interactive one to two day workshop, the course is designed for staff, who communicate with customers each day by telephone and email – includes general staff, customer service, administration, reception, finance, sales etc.
Objectives:
After completing the workshop, each participant will be able to:
- Apply highly adaptable communication skills to deal with customers by telephone and email
- Adjust your mind-set & avoid complacency by understanding the customer’s perspective
- Build confidence with customers, whilst portraying a helpful and friendly attitude
- Learn the importance of tone of voice to put customers at ease, build trust & create empathy
- Really listen to customers & ask the right questions to understand their needs
- Identify what customers want and exceed expectations at each stage of the service cycle
- Know when to choose telephone or email as the most appropriate communications tool
- Create relevant and well-structured emails applying the right language, style and approach
- Apply proper email etiquette and follow company email policies
- Encourage customer feedback and make it easy for customers to speak up or complain
- Differentiate between different levels of dissatisfaction and respond appropriately
- Avoid defensive behaviour & trigger words that irate customers
- Manage difficult situations & awkward customers in a confident and competent manner
- Deal with criticism, remain calm & communicate effectively even under pressure
- Resolve customer issues and turn complaints into opportunities
- Keep promises, keep customers informed, meet expectations & respond quickly and effectively
Workshop Content:
- Manage email & telephone as effective communications tool to ensure satisfaction
- The traffic lights philosophy for measuring a customer’s reaction
- Create great first impressions and apply the right attitude even under pressure
- The importance of tone of voice to build confidence and control the call
- Understand what customer’s really want - ask the right questions and verify
- Assure the customer, show empathy and really listen to customers
- The effects of defensive behaviour & trigger words that irate customers
- Write clear and persuasive emails to instil confidence and influence customers
- Apply the right style, tone and language to email communication
- Good protocol for responding to emails - manage flames, anger and quick responses
- Maintain confidentiality when forwarding or copying emails, or sending attachments
- A complaint is a gift – encourage & motivate feedback to improve business
- Measure the severity of complaints to provide the appropriate response required
- Manage different types of customers and difficult situations positively
- Distinguish between what you can control & influence for a positive outcome
- Excel in service recovery management – follow up on all queries to create new opportunities
Training method:
The training takes the form of a one-day workshop, with group discussions, exercises, case studies and feedback based on individual/group needs. Each learner receives a workshop manual. A second follow up mentoring day can be provided where participants work in a live environment.