EXCELLENT

CUSTOMER SERVICE
The Positive and Service-Oriented
Mentality
OBJECTIVES

The Objectives of this module are:

 This Module aims to provide new hires in the call center
industry clear guidelines in achieving quality customer
service.
 This Module aims to provide trainees with an overview of
the steps in achieving Customer Satisfaction.
 This Module aims to define the different parts of a call and
enumerate the means to be effective in each.
 This Module aims to provide new hires an opportunity to
practice previously learned communications skills following
call flow scenarios.
TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION

1) Quality Customer Service

2) Achieving Customer Satisfaction
3) The Call Flow
TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION

1) Quality Customer Service

Quality Customer Service
 1) Quality Customer Service

Knowing Our Customers

Who are our Customers in Sutherland?

Customers – they are current or potential consumers/buyers

of the company’s we represent
- these are potential subscribers or buyers who are yet to
make an intelligent decision buying decision based on
your help

Clients – these are the companies we represent

 1) Quality Customer Service

Knowing Our Customers

What is Quality Customer Service?

Quality Customer Service

- Requires sincerity and a positive mentality exhibited

through the words and tone we use
- A high level of service where a customer’s unique set of
needs are satisfied
- Results in a WOW experience regardless of the duration
of time spent between the representative and the customer
 1) Quality Customer Service

Knowing Our Customers

When do we practice Quality Customer Service?

- When customers are calling to ask basic questions about

their account
- When customers can’t seem to understand the simplicity
of the product/ service they subscribed to
- When customers are having difficulties with the product/
service they subscribed to
- When customers are frustrated and irate with the
difficulties of using the product/ service

- 100% of the Time

 1) Quality Customer Service

Understanding Customer Needs

EXERCISE

Using sheets of paper, enumerate what you think will be your “needs”
when you subscribe to an internet service. Enumerate what your
needs are when you deal with the internet service provider.
 1) Quality Customer Service

Understanding Customer Needs

EXERCISE

Enumerate everything you felt when the “internet service provider”

(the Trainer) addressed your needs.

Listen to the recording of an actual call. Put yourself in the shoes of

the customer and explain how you would feel after the call.

Listen to this…
 1) Quality Customer Service

Understanding Customer Needs

There are two different kinds of Customer Needs

Practical Needs – These are needs based on the

product or service they have subscribed to. These
focus on the details that surround their purchase and
use of the product or service.

Personal Needs – Every customer has a need to be

paid attention to, treated with respect, appreciated and
treated as an equal.
TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION

1) Quality Customer Service

2) Achieving Customer Satisfaction
Achieving Customer Satisfaction
 1) Achieving Customer Satisfaction

Customer Satisfaction (CSAT)

Customer Satisfaction is the ultimate goal in customer

relationship management. It is at the heart of every
organization’s dedication towards quality and
performance.
Commonly called CSAT (se-sat), customer satisfaction
is measured through the feedback given by customers
on several areas identified to affect their experience
 2) Achieving Customer Satisfaction

Customer Satisfaction

Customer Satisfaction can be achieved by paying

close attention to the following:

A. Understanding Quality Customer Service

B. Understanding the Basic Call Flow
C. Applying Basic Customer Service Skills - SARAPP Skills
D. Delivering Bad News
E. Handling Irate Customers
F. Achieving the WOW experience
- Establishing and Maintaining Rapport
- Profiling Customers
- Playing the Consultant Role
TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION

1) Quality Customer Service

2) Achieving Customer Satisfaction
3) The Call Flow
The Call Flow
 Parts of a Call

Clarifying Inquiries
Opening the Call and
Concerns

Introducing
Resolutions/ Discussing Details
Positions

Summarizing
& Closing the Call
 3) The Call Flow

A. Opening the Call

A. Opening the Call

 Thanking the Customer for Calling
 Identifying Yourself
 Asking How You Can Help
 Verifying Customer Information

The Opening of the Call needs to be delivered

with Professionalism, Enthusiasm and Conviction.
Normally, sincere interest in assisting a customer
with his or her needs is reflected in a rep’s Tone
during the Opening.
As early as the Opening, a rep should
immediately build rapport with the customer to
gain trust at the earliest time during the call.
 3) The Call Flow

A. Opening the Call

 Thank the Customer for Calling

We thank our customer for the time they spent to call us.
Remember to say the company name clearly so that the
customer will know that he/she reached the correct line.

“Thank you for calling [Company Name].”

 3) The Call Flow

A. Opening the Call

 Identify Yourself

Let your customers know who you are by clearly and

confidently mentioning your name. This is a good sign of
your willingness to take accountability.
Also, use American Friendly names so as not to give your
customers a hard time pronouncing your name.

“This is [your name].”

 3) The Call Flow

A. Opening the Call

 Asking How You Can Help

Ask how you can be of assistance to the customer in the

most sincere way. Your tone will allow you to do this.
Also, remember to use a tone that projects a sense of
urgency to make your customers feel that you are
“owning” their concerns and that you want to resolve the
issue immediately.

“How may I help you today?”

 3) The Call Flow

A. Opening the Call

 Asking How You Can Help (continued)

After asking how you can help, respond to the

customer’s inquiry or concern appropriately. This will
help build rapport and trust between the customers and
you.

Remember, the reason for the call dictates the kind of

response we use.
 3) The Call Flow

A. Opening the Call

 Asking How You Can Help (continued)

For Customers inquiring about their services or

accounts, we respond with sincerity in being of service. A
tone that is professional yet reflects a sense of
enthusiasm to immediately help is needed.

I’d be glad to assist you.

When the customer is interested in acquiring more

service from our clients, we respond with excitement.

That’s great to hear!

I’d be happy to assist you.
 3) The Call Flow

A. Opening the Call

 Asking How You Can Help (continued)

When the customer is unhappy with a particular service

outcome, then we respond with empathy.

“I’m sorry to hear that.

I’ll be glad to take
care of this for you.”
 3) The Call Flow

A. Opening the Call

Opening the Call

Starting with a Greeting “Thank you for calling BestServices.”

Identifying Yourself “This is Francis.”

Asking How You

“How may I help you today?”
Can Help

“Great! I’d be happy to assist you.”

Responding OR
Appropriately
“I’m sorry to hear that. I’ll be glad to
take care of this for you.”

Verifying the “Do you have your Customer ID

Customer’s number?”
membership
You work for Office Depot, a
retail store for office
equipment and services.
Your task is to create an
appropriate Opening Spiel
based on the format
discussed earlier.
Work with a Buddy (partner)
and role play as customer-
and-rep. Switch roles as
you go through the
scenarios.
Assess each others’
a) Tone
b) Energy
c) Inflection
d) Pronunciation
Customer’s Opening lines
(Scenarios):

a) “Hi. I’m Jeff Williams. I made

an online order three weeks
ago. My order hasn’t arrived
as scheduled.”

b) “I ordered some 16 glass

bottles from Office Depot
last week. But these arrived
in a million broken pieces.”

c) “This is Raj Patel. I need 16

file cabinets and I want
these delivered A.S.A.P.”
Customer’s Opening lines:
(continued)

d) “Hey…I’m just calling to ask

the status of my order last
week. I just want to know
when I should expect it.”

e) “Dr. Susan Jenkins here. I

want to know if my order of
file folders would come in
different colors or just all
plain gray.”
 3) The Call Flow

B. Clarifying Customer Inquiries or Concerns

As the first part of CIDS, “Clarifying” allows you to

immediately address the Customer’s Practical Needs.
There are three simple ways to Clarify a customer’s inquiries
or concerns:

1) Clarify the customer’s single and easy-to-understand inquiry or

concern by explaining one piece of information about it

2) Clarify by Paraphrasing the several concerns explained by the

customer

3) Clarify further by Probing using Discovery Questions, when

you don’t understand the customer’s concerns
 3) The Call Flow

B. Clarifying Customer Inquiries/ Concerns

1) Clarify the customer’s single and easy-to-understand

inquiry or concern by explaining one piece of information
about it

Yes, this is John Humphrey and I’m calling about the discount
coupon I received last Tuesday. Is there anyway I can still use
it next time I buy from you?

John, I believe you were referring to the coupon you received

when you bought your modem from us… Yes, you can still
use that coupon.
 3) The Call Flow

B. Clarifying Customer Inquiries/ Concerns

2) Clarify by Paraphrasing the several concerns explained by

the customer

I called because the yellow file folders I bought from you were
all crumpled when they got to me. Your warehousing staff
really need to improve on how they keep your stocks. The
green ones were dilapidated, while the red folders were
watermarked. Are your trucks really that bad? Or did you give
me crappy stuff?

Frank, I apologize for the inconvenience of having to call us

regarding your purchase. I can certainly understand where
you’re coming from… Let me check if I understood you
completely. You bought file folders of different colors from us
and some were either crumpled, dilapidated or watermarked?
 3) The Call Flow

B. Clarifying Customer Inquiries/ Concerns

3) Clarify further by Probing using Discovery Questions, when

you don’t understand the customer’s concerns

Yes, this is John Humphrey and I’m calling about the discount
coupon I received last Tuesday. Is there anyway I can still use
it next time I buy from you?

John, I believe you were referring to the coupon you received

when you bought your modem from us… Yes, you can still
use that coupon.
 3) The Call Flow
B. Clarifying Customer Inquiries
and Concerns

EXERCISE

Listen to the recordings your trainer will access. Have your Buddy
listen to the way you would Clarify the customers’ concerns. Take
turns doing this after each recording.

Call 1: Call 3:

Call 2: Call 4:
 3) The Call Flow

C. Introducing Issue Resolutions

or Positions

This allows you to present your immediate response to the

customer’s inquiry or concern. For the this one-statement
response, it should:

 Give the listener an idea of what is to follow.

 Limit the scope of your discussion.
 Focus on only one main idea to give clarity and
unity to one's speech.
 Use simple and very specific terms to create a clear
and concise resolution/ position.
 3) The Call Flow

D. Discussing in Detail

This part of the Call Flow allows you to Develop your issue
resolution/ position with details to give it body. Select the best
strategy that would make the discussion organized, concise,
and clear:
Remember to ask yourself the following as well:

 How do I want to discuss this?

 Do I define the terms first?
 Do I give examples? Do I use analogies?
 Do I compare and contrast?
 How will I order the details?
 3) The Call Flow

E. Summarizing and Closing the Call

Plan your ending. After giving details, do not end your

discussion abruptly. Don’t say “That’s all” or “We’re done” as
this may leave your listeners hanging, not knowing whether or
not there’s more information to follow. You have to ensure the
WOW experience at the end of the call as this will help improve
the customer satisfaction. What you can do is:

 Summarize your main points

 Restate the premise in your “issue resolution”
or “position”
 Draw a conclusion, relating it to a principle or value
(Done most especially if bad news is delivered to the
customer)
 3) The Call Flow

Call Flow Breakpoints

Clarifying Inquiries
Difficult
Opening the Call and Questions
Concerns
Difficult
Questions

Transfer Introducing
needed
Resolutions/ Discussing Details
Positions

Research Research Order

Needed Needed Processing

Transfer
Summarizing
needed
& Closing the Call
 3) The Call Flow

Call Flow Breakpoints

Difficult
Difficult Questions, Dead Air is defined
Questions
Research and Order to be the
Processing cause unnecessary and
Research Dead Air during any uncomfortable
Needed “Live” discourse with silence during a
customers. conversation.

Order
Processing
Dead Air during a call might allow the
customer to think that you don’t know
what you’re doing or that the company
you’re representing is simply inefficient in
dealing with its own customers.
 3) The Call Flow

Call Flow Breakpoints

Difficult Resolving Difficult Questions, Researching,

Questions Order Processing and Avoiding Dead Air:

1) Providing Live Updates – while

Research researching, share with your customer
Needed the exact processes your undertaking to
address his/her concern.

Order 2) Educating the Customer – also, while

researching, explain policies and
Processing
best practices that will allow the
customer to better manage his product
or service.
3) Placing the Customer on Hold - this is
your last resort when you REALLY need
more time
 3) The Call Flow

Call Flow Breakpoints

A. Providing Live Updates

“Mr. Smith, I’m pulling up your

Explain your immediate
records right now so I can address
Issue Resolution
your question/ concern.”

Provide a Filler “You’ll hear me typing on my

(when needed) keyboard as I do this.”

Discuss Recent “I have your records with me right

& Relevant now. I can see that on your account
Transactions you have [explain account details].”

Apply CIDS “Based on what we were talking

through out the about, you wanted to know
call [customer’s concern]. What I see here
is [issue resolution].”
 3) The Call Flow

Call Flow Breakpoints

B. Educating the Customer

“Mr. Smith, need to put you on hold as

Explain your Immediate
for .”
Issue Resolution
“You’ll hear me typing on my
Provide a Filler keyboard as I do this.”
(when needed)
“Allow me to explain that the reason
Discuss Company for the temporary locking of your
Policies or Promos account is to prevent its unauthorized
use. This is BestServices way of
keeping your account safe and
Transition Back secure.
to the Inquiry or “What I’ve done for you right now is
Concern that I have… ”
 3) The Call Flow

Call Flow Breakpoints

C. Placing the Customer On Hold

Explain the Need to “Mr. Wallace, I just need to take a

Place the Customer on careful look at your account and
Hold transactions.

Provide an exact “Allow me to put you on hold for 2

duration of the Hold minutes.”

Ask permission “Can you hold?”

Thank the customer
“Thank you, Mr. Wallace. ”
for agreeing
THEN
Thank the
“Thank you for waiting, Mr. Wallace. I
customer for
appreciate your patience.”
Holding.
 3) The Call Flow

Call Flow Breakpoints

How Else Do We Avoid Dead Air?

You can acknowledge what the customer is saying or you

can use the following affirmative phrases:

Okay. Go on.

That’s Right. Alright.

Great! I got that.

Yes.

Avoid using verbal nods: uh huh or uh hmm

 3) The Call Flow

Call Flow Breakpoints

Do not interrupt your caller. Letting your customer talk will

make him/her feel that you are willing to listen and to help.

Also, avoid overusing words like “Okay…” as this may sound

monotonous and irritating to your customers. Vary your
responses from time to time and make sure that your
responses are appropriate for the customer’s statement.
 3) The Call Flow

Call Flow Breakpoints

How Else Do We Avoid Dead Air?

Build rapport with the customer to keep him/her engaged in

the conversation:

“[Customer Name], how are you doing

today?”

Building rapport with your customer shows him/her that you

have a human side. It also sounds more natural than just going
straight to business. Building rapport allow you to build the
customer’s trust.
 3) The Call Flow

Call Flow Breakpoints

There would be times during the early or

Transfer later part of the call where you would need
Needed to Transfer the Customer to another
department or line. This is needed as you
may not have the solutions required by the
customer. However, transferring the
customer requires some guidelines.

Customers always need to believe that

you transferred them properly to another
department or line. They wouldn’t want to
feel they are being “passed around”
 3) The Call Flow

Call Flow Breakpoints

Transfer Calls when:

Transfer
Needed  It is expressly instructed by the
Client’s that you should do this for
specific cases
 When this is outside your support or
service boundaries
 When you exhausted all possible
means for helping the customer
 When you have explained to your
customer that you will be transferring
them due to specific reasons
 3) The Call Flow

Transferring Calls

“Mrs. Kirlenko, I would need to

Explain your immediate
transfer you to our technical support
Issue Resolution
team.

Explain the Rationale “They will be the best people to fix

for the Transfer your online technical issues.”
“I’ll be transferring you to the Technical Support
department right now. I’ll place you on hold for a
few seconds to do this. Please don’t put down the
Prepare for a phone. Thank you for calling member services. ”
Cold Transfer
OR
or a
Warm Transfer “I will be transferring you to Mike of
Technical Support. He will take care
of your online technical concerns.”
WORKSHOP

Choose a partner. One of you could play the customer

while the other could play the Customer Service Agent.
Create a scenario based on the module discussed
earlier. Be ready to present this in class.
SUMMARY
Providing Excellent Customer Service is a valuable tool in
making each of our calls a 100% Customer Satisfaction
Calls.
Remember to always imagine yourself as the customer
and ask yourself “What kind of customer service do I
want to receive?”