Customer Service

When customers feel heard, cared for, and respected they will return, building brand loyalty

Today’s customers (including us), desire speed, personalization, and convenience. You can tell your customer that their package is late or see that it didn’t arrive at all. But what you can’t tell them is the impact that late package will have on them. We have not humanized the customer journey. It’s a transaction, a metric, a routing number, or SKU. However, if something moves your heart, a service problem becomes a human. What if you decided to be a customer service company that happens to make… or provide…? What would your customers say about you? Professional, patient, and people-first” attitude is the goal.

By the end of this skill building session, you will:

• Recall and describe the key principles and concepts of customer service
• Explain the importance of excellent customer service and its impact on customer satisfaction
• Evaluate customer service interactions, identify areas for improvement, and propose solutions to enhance the overall customer experience

While not every company can be a Disney, you can apply the same business model and principles to your company to improve customer service

Disney has a guiding principle that all employees are responsible for upholding: “We create happiness by providing the best in entertainment for people of all ages everywhere.” To ensure employees live by that mission, quality standards help cast members through their decision-making process for customer service issues. Their approach empowers cast members to apply Disney’s Four Key Basics in priority order: Safety, Courtesy, Show, and Efficiency. Cast members practice safe behaviors and put safety first. They are to project an energetic, positive image, be courteous and respectful to all guests, and go beyond expectations. Standards are prioritized so cast members are able make their own decisions. This session will help elevate your service levels to delightful and perhaps even magical by diving into this engaging content.

By the end of this skill-building session, you will:

• Recognize companies renowned for their exceptional customer service
• Describe the opportunity for companies to exceed industry expectations and deliver an exceptional customer experience
• Design your own customer service standards to amaze and enchant your customers and clients

Technology is disrupting traditional customer service processes with new customer touch-points and rapidly rising expectations

Today, customer service means delivering personalized, proactive, and immediate support to customers anytime on the channel of their choice – self-service, phone, email, text, chat bot, and more. Technology has empowered and enabled customers to get what they want, whenever they want, and how they want it. So how do we, as service providers manage these daunting expectations? This interactive session will provide you with best practices on how to serve your customers while maintaining brand integrity.

By the end of this skill building session, you’ll be able to:

• Explain how emerging technologies have changed customer service expectations and behavior
• Explore managing customer expectations given the challenges (and opportunities) of a multi-channel service strategy
• Critique and assess the effectiveness of different customer service technologies in meeting organizational objective

Engaged employees and supportive leadership create value for both their company and their customers.

A company with a sterling service culture is one where the workforce is obsessed with providing excellent customer service every day. The norm is consistently going above and beyond the expected for customers. Experts tells us that when employees feel valued, cared for and satisfied at work, their customers feel it too. Employees are encouraged, expected, and empowered to do what it takes to solve customer situations creatively and compassionately. This freedom to serve solutions is motivating and fulfilling to most. This session will introduce you to practical tactical approaches to consider for your company.

By the end of this skill building session, you will:

• Comprehend and articulate the importance of cultivating a customer focused culture within their organization
• Describe the values and behaviors that create a service excellence culture
• Assess their organization’s current customer service culture, identify strengths and pin point areas for improvement

Calm is your superpower – listen first for intent, not to respond

We have all been there – faced with a frustrated customer escalating “in the moment” because something went wrong. As professionals, knowing how to effectively diffuse the situation by remaining calm, empathetic, and listening carefully for intent is critical to building rapport. Techniques are offered for diffusing anger, respectfully saying no, and offering options if possible to satisfy your customers and even build brand loyalty.

By the end of this skill building session, you will:

• Apply active listening skills and empathetic communication techniques when interacting with frustrated customers
• Evaluate communication styles, recognizing strengths, and develop strategies to enhance your approach to dealing with challenging customer interactions
• Analyze customer interactions effectively, enabling them to respond appropriately and build positive rapport