C O N T E N T S
Acknowledgments vii
Introduction 1
Tips for the Trainer 5
Tips for the Student 13
P A R T I
PUTTING YOUR BEST FACE FORWARD
1 Taking Your First Steps: The Basics 21
Customer Service Is the Basics, 22
Step 1: First Impressions Matter 25
Step 2: Courtesy Counts 27
Step 3: Attitude Is Everything 30
Step 4: Doing the Right Thing: Ethical Issues 32
Key Points 37, Practice Lesson 38, Doing It Right! 39,
How Do I Measure Up? 40
2 Tossing the Ball Back and Forth: Effective Communication 41
Customer Service Is Effective Communication, 42
Step 1: Saying What You Mean and Meaning What You Say 46
Step 2: What You Don't Say: Nonverbal Communication 48
Step 3: Putting Words Together: Grammar Usage 51
Step 4: Asking the Correct Questions and Answering the Questions Correctly 52
Step 5: When the Customer Says No 56
Step 6: Listening Actively 59
Key Points 63, Practice Lesson 64, Doing It Right! 66,
How Do I Measure Up? 67
3 Jumping in with Both Feet: Relationship Building 68
Customer Service Is Building Relationships, 69
Step 1: Establishing Rapport 74
Step 2: Interacting Positively with Customers 77
Step 3: Identifying Customers' Needs 79
Step 4: Making the Customer Feel Valued 82
Step 5: Maintaining Ongoing Relationships 83
Step 6: Different Strokes: Handling Different Types of Customers 86
Key Points 93, Practice Lesson 94, Doing It Right! 96,
How Do I Measure Up? 97
P A R T I I
PUTTING YOUR CUSTOMERS FIRST
4 Seeing Eye to Eye: Face-to-Face Contacts 101
Customer Service Is Face-to-Face Contacts, 102
Step 1: Saying Hello: Greeting the Customer 106
Step 2: Between Hello and Goodbye: Helping the Customer 109
Step 3: Saying Goodbye: Ending the Interaction 111
Key Points 117, Practice Lesson 117, Doing It Right! 118,
How Do I Measure Up? 120
5 Saying It with a Smile: Telephone Contacts 121
Customer Service Is Telephone Contacts, 122
Step 1: Putting Your Best Ear Forward: Listening Carefully 126
Step 2: Saying Hello: The Opener 127
Step 3: Between Hello and Goodbye: Helping the Customer 129
Step 4: Saying Goodbye: The Closer 133
Key Points 138, Practice Lesson 139, Doing It Right! 140,
How Do I Measure Up? 142
6 Looking Before You Leap: E-Customer Contacts 143
Customer Service Is E-Customer Contacts, 144
Step 1: What Does the E-Customer Expect? 147
Step 2: Hanging the Open Sign: Being Accessible 150
Step 3: Writing What You Mean: E-Mail Communication 152
Step 4: Speaking Around the World: Cross-Cultural Etiquette 155
Key Points 158, Practice Lesson 159, Doing It Right! 160,
How Do I Measure Up? 161
7 Giving When Getting Is Not Expected: Self-Service
Contacts 162
Customer Service Is Self-Service Contacts, 163
Step 1: Saying Hello: Greeting the Customer 167
Step 2: Between Hello and Goodbye: Looking for Opportunities to Help 169
Step 3: Saying Goodbye: Ending the Interaction 171
Key Points 176, Practice Lesson 176, Doing It Right! 178,
How Do I Measure Up? 179
8 Calming the Storm: Difficult Customer Contacts 180
Customer Service Is Difficult Customer Contacts, 181
Step 1: What Is Going On: Determine the Reason for the Problem 184
Step 2: What Caused the Problem: Identify the Root Cause 188
Step 3: What Can I Do: Rectify the Situation 191
Step 4: What Can I Say: Restore the Relationship 194
Step 5: What Needs to Be Done: Fix What Needs to Be Fixed 197
Key Points 201, Practice Lesson 202, Doing It Right! 205,
How Do I Measure Up? 207
P A R T I I I
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
9 Hitting the Ground Running: Ready, Set, Go 211
Customer Service Is Being Ready and Set to Go 212
Your Customer Service Training Quick Reference 215
10 Being the Best You Can Be: The Total Package 218
Customer Service Is Being the Best You Can Be Every Day 218
Enjoy Each Day, 221
Index 223
