Total Quality Customer Service: Total Quality Customer Service: “But, that’s not MY job!”“But, that’s not MY job!”

Understanding, Developing, & Enhancing Your Customer Service

Skills In CUSD 220

Christopher D. Mitchell, MTS, MPH, CVA

Why are We Here TodayWhy are We Here Today

• “Getting to Know You….”• Determining what YOUR job really is all

about….• “Know Thyself…and Be True”• Understanding your “Customers”….• “I can’t get no satisfaction….”• The Bottom Line!

““Getting to Know You….”Getting to Know You….”

You have been hired by the Creative Classroom Company to illustrate a poster to help children learn their ABCs in District 220’s Kindergartens. You and your first name are the subject (what are the chances?)!

““Getting to Know You….”Getting to Know You….” Write your first name vertically down the left side

of the paper.

Choose a word for each letter of your name, to describe something about you. Write those words across the paper, using the letters of your name as the first letter of each descriptive word. You can include a simple picture or symbol if you choose.

Determining what YOUR job Determining what YOUR job really is all about….really is all about….

• Think about what you spend the majority of your time doing in your job each day

• What determines if you do your job correctly?• Are you good at your job?• Why does your job matter? • Is your job a piece of a larger task ?

““Know Thyself…and Be True”Know Thyself…and Be True”

To thine own-self be true;And it must follow, as the night the day.Thou can'st not then be false to any customer. Hamlet. Act I. Sc. 3, Shakespeare

““Know Thyself…and Be True”Know Thyself…and Be True”

Look well into thyself; there is a source of strength which will always spring up if thou wilt always look there.

Marcus Aurelius

““Know Thyself…and Be True”Know Thyself…and Be True”

Seek out that particular mental attribute which makes you feel most deeply and vitally alive, along with which comes the inner voice which says, 'This is the real me,' and when you have found that attitude, follow it.

William James

Understanding your “Customers”….Understanding your “Customers”….

• What is a “Customer” ?• Who is your “Customer” ?• Can you have more than one at a time?• How do you know what the “Customer”

wants or really needs?

Please note: Your actual mileage may vary according to your driving habits, caffeine intake, donut choices left when you get there, and available options at your local dealer. The customer is NOT always right; however, he or she is ALWAYS the customer!

Understanding your “Customers”….Understanding your “Customers”….

What are some ways to get to know your customers? Ask questions. Empathize.

Switch Places.Listen.

Understand the context.Other Ideas?

“There is only one boss, and whether a person shines shoes for a living, or heads up the biggest corporation in the world, the boss remains the same. It is the customer! The customer pays everyone’s salary and who decides whether a business is going to succeed or fail…. Literally, everything we do, every concept perceived, every technology developed and associate employed, is directed with this one objective clearly in mind—pleasing the customer.”

Sam Walton, Founder

“That's what it's all about, being in front there and smiling and just making everybody happy. That's the whole thing of it.”

Ed Trinka

Photo: Neville Elder (Corbis)

The Magic Lamp: Three WishesThe Magic Lamp: Three Wishes

• The Genie grants you the miraculous power to make three changes at work

• You can change yourself, your boss, your job, your coworkers, etc.

• Determine your three changes and report them back to whole group

NAESP, Communicator, PR Primer, Feb 2004

Red Carpet Schools Award:Red Carpet Schools Award: S.C. Customer Service Program S.C. Customer Service Program

• Friendliness: Customers need to receive polite & courteous treatment

• Understanding & Empathy: Customers need to believe you understand

• Fairness: Customers need to feel they will be treated justly and impartially

• Control: Customers need to feel they can have an impact on results

• Options & Alternatives: Customers need to feel there are different ways to handle problems

• Information: Customers need to know and understand school policies and procedures

Joel Spolsky, 2.19.07 joelonsoftware.com

Seven Steps to Remarkable Seven Steps to Remarkable Customer ServiceCustomer Service

1. Fix everything two ways2. Suggest “blowing out the dust”3. Make customers into fans4. Take the blame5. Memorize awkward phrases6. Practice puppetry7. Greed will get you nowhere

PerspectivesPerspectives

Customer complaints are the schoolbooks from which we learn.

Unknown

Customer service is awareness of needs, problems, fears and aspirations.

Unknown

PerspectivesPerspectives

The longer you wait, the harder it is to produce outstanding customer service.

William H. Davidow

The customer’s perception is your reality.Kate Zabriskie

Academy for Educational Development 2003

Customer Service FundamentalsCustomer Service Fundamentals

1. Expand your idea of “service” in the context of a public school.

2. Consider or reconsider who are your customers.

3. Develop customer friendly service techniques and systems.

Self-EvaluationSelf-Evaluation

• Ten questions to measure your level of customer service

• Objectively assess yourself for strengths and areas to devote some attention

• Scoring Key: Rarely = 0 Sometimes = 1 Often = 2 Almost Always = 3

My Customer Service StyleMy Customer Service Style

• No right or wrong answers• Base your answers on how you do your job

now, not how you plan to in the future• Choose the ONE best answer• Matrix scoring on Working Styles Grid

The 10 Golden Rules for Complaint Resolution, Myra Golden, 2004

Handling Customer ComplaintsHandling Customer Complaints1. Express Appreciation2. Show Empathy3. Apologize4. Have a Sense of Urgency5. Ask for Necessary Info6. Assure the Customer7. Explain What you are going to do8. Solve the Problem9. Ask if he or she is satisfied10. Investigate and solve the underlying problem

Ten Ways to Get an Angry Customer to Back Down, Myra Golden, 2004

Difficult CustomersDifficult Customers1. Lower your volume2. Express Empathy3. Be Personal4. Form Partnerships5. Ask Customer for Solution Ideas6. Use a Non-defensive Tone7. Thanks for feedback8. Listen to Understand9. Make your voice naturally authoritative10. Apologize

Solving the PuzzleSolving the Puzzle

• Who is the Customer?• What is Customer Service?• What is Total Quality Management?• What is My Role in Quality Customer

Service?

Overview Overview

• Why does customer service even matter?• Putting the Pieces together? Administration

Staff

Taxpayers

Parents

Board

Students

Public

Business

Colleges

Teachers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wtfNE4z6a8

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wtfNE4z6a8

Dealing with The PublicDealing with The Public

• The Good, The Bad and The Ugly• How Do You Respond?• First Impressions=Lasting Impressions• Learning Activity

Customer Service SkillsCustomer Service Skills

• Ink, Paper and Post-its• Face to Face• With this Ring, I Thee Annoy!• What a Tangled Web We Weave!• Email, Schmemail, Junk-mail, Oh, Well!

Improving Your Phone InteractionsImproving Your Phone Interactions

• Smile when talking—changes are obvious• Use a mirror to gage your emotions• Stand up if necessary for more power• Find your sweet spot on your phone• Pick up, Breathe, then Talk• “How can I help you?” attitude• Be aware of background noise

Email EtiquetteEmail Etiquette

• Rule #1: Email is Forever!• Rule #2: Would you like to see it on the

front page of the Trib or Herald tomorrow?• Rule #3: Should you really be doing this?• Rule #4: Read what you write; right what

you read!

Austin (TX) School District, April 2007

Email Etiquette:Email Etiquette:Clarity, Conciseness, CourtesyClarity, Conciseness, Courtesy

1. Establish a clear Subject line.2. “Front-load” your message.3. Keep it short.4. Maintain Protocols5. Be Judicious with the cc:6. Edit and Proofread7. Consider how an attachment can help8. Be polite and professional at all times9. Remember that email is public10. Response Expectation11. When it is best not to use or forward email

References, Resources & ReligionReferences, Resources & ReligionThe Power of Nice,

Thaler, Linda Kaplan, Koval, Robin, Doubleday, NY, 2006

The 1-Day Marketing Plan, Hiebing, R.G., Cooper, S.W., NTC Business Books, 1992

Delivering Knock Your Socks Off Service, Anderson, K., Semke, R., AMACOM, New York, 1991

Samurai Selling: The Ancient Art of Service in Sales, Laughlin, C., Sage, K., Brockman, M., St. Martin’s Press, New

York, 1995

The Portable MBA in Marketing, Schewe, C., Hiam, A., Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1992

The Guerrilla Marketing Series, Various Titles, Levinson, J. C., Houghton, Mifflin, Boston