It is so easy for us to demand quality customer service when we are the ones in need of something. I get very angry when I receive poor customer service with phone companies, at restaurants, inquiring about a service provider, etc. I have LEFT companies (one was even the same day I joined! *I Hate Sprint!*) because of a lack of customer service. Waiting and waiting, transferring and transferring, unhelpful (is that a word?) RUDE person after person. Goodbye! I'll take my business elsewhere! And I'll tell everyone I know about it! (OK, maybe not everyone. But people are way more likely to pass on feedback to others when it is NEGATIVE)
How quickly we can forget how we would like to be treated when we are suddenly on the other side. We get busy, we're are coming up on the end of a 12 hour shift that we weren't well prepared for. (Lack of rest? Lack of food? Just feeling icky?) Going that extra mile, especially in an ER, even more so in a CHILDREN'S ER... can mean a lot. Not everyone needs extra attention. However, it can truly make a difference for the terrified mom, concerned dad, injured and frightened child... A blanket or sticker for a patient. A Diet Coke for mom. These little things that require nothing more than for us to utilize them can help our visiting families with their experience. I love working at Primary Children's. It is a very special place to be, and I love having the opportunity to make a special impact every now and then. :)
Tuesday
Fine Print. haha.
"Customers don't like all our fine print, but we'd go out of business if we honored our 100% satisfaction guaranteed policy without it."
Wednesday
Customer Service Skills List
Customer Service Skills List via http://www.ehow.com/info_8099875_customer-service-skills-list.html
Communication
- Communication is vital to the customer service experience. It is impossible to provide good customer service and have poor communication skills at the same time. Effective communication skills, such as speaking clearly, making eye contact and listening, are important because customers know that they are being heard, and that their concerns are not going in one ear and out the other of the person they are speaking to.
Rapport
- The ability to build rapport with customers is a must-have skill for successful customer service. To build rapport is to empathize with customers: to share their concerns, understand what they are going through and develop a level of trust with one another. You can accomplish this by using phrases such as "I understand" and "I am deeply apologetic." Even if you are unable to give your customer what he wants, by establishing rapport he will feel a level of satisfaction with the experience. When you build rapport with your customers, they feel comfortable going to you for assistance. This is a sign of customer loyalty and is a delicate thing in the competitive business world.
Personality
- Having a positive personality is an important customer service skill. Customers who are angry, frustrated and impatient will only be made more so if they speak to a customer service representative of equal disposition. On the other hand, a positive, helpful and energetic customer service representative can put even the crankiest customers in a better mood -- or at least prevent them from worsening. Patience and a calm tone help customers deal with their concerns in a way that is more comforting than if someone were to sound tense and rushed over the phone or in person.
Product Knowledge
- Aside from personality and listening skills, good customer service requires people to have a high degree of product knowledge. It is not helpful to the customer with the complaints if the customer service representative does not know how to provide assistance over the phone. Poor product knowledge equals poor customer service skills, and can be bad for the public image of the company. Make sure your staff are trained on new products at all times.
Problem Solving
- The ability to problem solve is integral to demonstrating good customer service skills. Problem solving means coming up with creative solutions, which customers appreciate because it shows them that the customer service representative is doing what he can to resolve an issue. With some savvy problem-solving skills, customer service reps may be able to give the customer what he wants, in turn strengthening the bond of customer loyalty.
Some Quotes
"Legendary Customer Service Quotes" via http://www.customer1.com/blog/customer-service-quotes
The goal as a company is to have customer service that is not just the best but legendary.
Sam Walton, Founder of Wal-Mart
Well done is better than well said.
Benjamin Franklin
Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echos are truly endless.
Mother Teresa
If you do build a great experience, customers tell each other about that. Word of mouth is very powerful.
Jeff Bezos, CEO Amazon.com
Quality in a service or product is not what you put into it. It is what the client or customer gets out of it.
Peter Drucker
Customers don’t expect you to be perfect. They do expect you to fix things when they go wrong.
Donald Porter, V.P. British Airways
The more you engage with customers the clearer things become and the easier it is to determine what you should be doing.
John Russell, President, Harley Davidson
One of the deep secrets of life is that all that is really worth doing is what we do for others.
Lewis Carol
If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.
Booker T. Washington
Dealing with people is probably the biggest problem you face, especially if you are in business. Yes, and that is also true if you are a housewife, architect or engineer.
Dale Carnegie
In our way of working, we attach a great deal of importance to humility and honesty; With respect for human values, we promise to serve our customers with integrity.
Azim Premji
The most important adage and the only adage is, the customer comes first, whatever the business, the customer comes first.
Kerry Stokes
Excellent firms don’t believe in excellence – only in constant improvement and constant change.
Tom Peters
Here is a simple but powerful rule: always give people more than what they expect to get.
Nelson Boswell
Merely satisfying customers will not be enough to earn their loyalty. Instead, they must experience exceptional service worthy of their repeat business and referral. Understand the factors that drive this customer revolution.
Rick Tate
People expect good service but few are willing to give it.
Robert Gateley
Under promise and over deliver.
Toby Bloomberg
Your customer doesn’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
Damon Richards
Nothing is so contagious as enthusiasm.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
If we keep doing what we’re doing, we’re going to keep getting what we’re getting.
Stephen Covey
You are serving a customer, not a life sentence. Learn how to enjoy your work.
Laurie McIntosh
Unless you have 100% customer satisfaction…you must improve.
Horst Schulz
The goal as a company is to have customer service that is not just the best but legendary.
Sam Walton, Founder of Wal-Mart
Well done is better than well said.
Benjamin Franklin
Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echos are truly endless.
Mother Teresa
If you do build a great experience, customers tell each other about that. Word of mouth is very powerful.
Jeff Bezos, CEO Amazon.com
Quality in a service or product is not what you put into it. It is what the client or customer gets out of it.
Peter Drucker
Customers don’t expect you to be perfect. They do expect you to fix things when they go wrong.
Donald Porter, V.P. British Airways
The more you engage with customers the clearer things become and the easier it is to determine what you should be doing.
John Russell, President, Harley Davidson
One of the deep secrets of life is that all that is really worth doing is what we do for others.
Lewis Carol
If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.
Booker T. Washington
Dealing with people is probably the biggest problem you face, especially if you are in business. Yes, and that is also true if you are a housewife, architect or engineer.
Dale Carnegie
In our way of working, we attach a great deal of importance to humility and honesty; With respect for human values, we promise to serve our customers with integrity.
Azim Premji
The most important adage and the only adage is, the customer comes first, whatever the business, the customer comes first.
Kerry Stokes
Excellent firms don’t believe in excellence – only in constant improvement and constant change.
Tom Peters
Here is a simple but powerful rule: always give people more than what they expect to get.
Nelson Boswell
Merely satisfying customers will not be enough to earn their loyalty. Instead, they must experience exceptional service worthy of their repeat business and referral. Understand the factors that drive this customer revolution.
Rick Tate
People expect good service but few are willing to give it.
Robert Gateley
Under promise and over deliver.
Toby Bloomberg
Your customer doesn’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
Damon Richards
Nothing is so contagious as enthusiasm.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
If we keep doing what we’re doing, we’re going to keep getting what we’re getting.
Stephen Covey
You are serving a customer, not a life sentence. Learn how to enjoy your work.
Laurie McIntosh
Unless you have 100% customer satisfaction…you must improve.
Horst Schulz
Starbucks
Customer Service - via Starbucks Website
Hi, welcome to Starbucks. What can we do for you?
We want you to enjoy your trip to Starbucks every time you visit the store. And that hospitality extends to the website too. If you’ve come here with a question or comment, we're here to listen.This section contains some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) that we are often asked. If you’re looking for the answer to something, check out the link on the right.
And if you don't find what you need, feel free to contact us. Here are the best ways to reach us.
And if you don't find what you need, feel free to contact us. Here are the best ways to reach us.
We can re-format this conversation to make it very relevant to our jobs here at PCMC. Here is an adjusted version...
Hi, welcome to Primary Children's ER. What can we do for you? (or, What's going on?)
We want to make sure you have a good experience here in the ER. If you have a question or comments, please let us know. Feel free to ask any ER employee if you need anything.
Hi, welcome to Primary Children's ER. What can we do for you? (or, What's going on?)
We want to make sure you have a good experience here in the ER. If you have a question or comments, please let us know. Feel free to ask any ER employee if you need anything.
The Ten Commandments of Customer Service - via
http://marketing.about.com/od/relationshipmarketing/a/crmtopten.htm
I have bolded and italicized the key points for our hospital setting.
http://marketing.about.com/od/relationshipmarketing/a/crmtopten.htm
I have bolded and italicized the key points for our hospital setting.
- Know who is boss. You are in business to service customer needs, and you can only do that if you know what it is your customers want. When you truly listen to your customers, they let you know what they want and how you can provide good service. Never forget that the customer pays our salary and makes your job possible.
- Be a good listener. Take the time to identify customer needs by asking questions and concentrating on what the customer is really saying. Listen to their words, tone of voice, body language, and most importantly, how they feel. Beware of making assumptions - thinking you intuitively know what the customer wants. Do you know what three things are most important to your customer?Effective listening and undivided attention are particularly important on the show floor where there is a great danger of preoccupation - looking around to see to whom else we could be selling to.
- Identify and anticipate needs. Customers don't buy products or services. They buy good feelings and solutions to problems. Most customer needs are emotional rather than logical. The more you know your customers, the better you become at anticipating their needs. Communicate regularly so that you are aware of problems or upcoming needs.
- Make customers feel important and appreciated. Treat them as individuals. Always use their name and find ways to compliment them, but be sincere. People value sincerity. It creates good feeling and trust. Think about ways to generate good feelings about doing business with you. Customers are very sensitive and know whether or not you really care about them. Thank them every time you get a chance.On the show floor be sure that your body language conveys sincerity. Your words and actions should be congruent.
- Help customers understand your systems. Your organization may have the world's best systems for getting things done, but if customers don't understand them, they can get confused, impatient and angry. Take time to explain how your systems work and how they simplify transactions. Be careful that your systems don't reduce the human element of your organization.
- Appreciate the power of "Yes". Always look for ways to help your customers. When they have a request (as long as it is reasonable) tell them that you can do it. Figure out how afterwards. Look for ways to make doing business with you easy. Always do what you say you are going to do.
- Know how to apologize. When something goes wrong, apologize. It's easy and customers like it. The customer may not always be right, but the customer must always win. Deal with problems immediately and let customers know what you have done. Make it simple for customers to complain. Value their complaints. As much as we dislike it, it gives us an opportunity to improve. Even if customers are having a bad day, go out of your way to make them feel comfortable.
- Give more than expected. Since the future of all companies lies in keeping customers happy, think of ways to elevate yourself above the competition. Consider the following:
- What can you give customers that they cannot get elsewhere?
- What can you do to follow-up and thank people even when they don't buy?
- What can you give customers that is totally unexpected?
- Get regular feedback. Encourage and welcome suggestions about how you could improve. There are several ways in which you can find out what customers think and feel about your services.
- Listen carefully to what they say.
- Check back regularly to see how things are going.
- Provide a method that invites constructive criticism, comments and suggestions.
- Treat employees well. Employees are your internal customers and need a regular dose of appreciation. Thank them and find ways to let them know how important they are. Treat your employees with respect and chances are they will have a higher regard for customers. Appreciation stems from the top. Treating customers and employees well is equally important. - (side note, I think besides "your employees," this should read coworkers. Especially in our hospital setting, working with coworkers that have mutual respect is a much more pleasant experience.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)