Communication « Rosanne D’Ausilio, PhD, Customer Service Expert

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A 2010 Ascent Group study found and recommended:

1) Most companies studied had a difficult time balancing the day to day needs of the business with the need to train and develop frontline employees.

My 2 cents: Make the time and take the time to train and prepare your valuable customer service resource—your frontlines. Include refresher and ongoing training to keep your frontlines in top performance and current on their soft and technical skills.

2) Hire for attitude, train for technical skills.

My 2 cents: We’ve been waving a flag saying ‘hire for attitude, train for aptitude’ for years. Look for motivated and enthusiastic people and then train them for skill. In other words, people who demonstrate potential, not necessarily experience, may turn out to be your best people ever.

3) Communicate job expectations throughout new hire training.

My 2 cents: This should be a given. The more a new employee understands the job, the environment, the expectations, the less confusion, misunderstanding, and turnover you’ll experience.

4) Emphasize the importance of customer service in the training process. It’s reported that 20% of new hire training is focused on soft skills.

My 2 cents: First off, I don’t think 20% is enough but for sure it’s better than nothing. In order to understand customer expectations and customer perspectives, role playing, simulation, and interaction is a must. Customer service must be defined so you have a benchmark to work towards and improve.

5) Engage new hires with ‘hands-on’ training, make it real. This report showed a growth in more interactive, hands on training opportunities.

My 2 cents: In my opinion, hands on training is the only way to go. Otherwise, the employee is not getting an experience, merely a lecture. Once experiential, it can be included in their every day behavior.

6) Mentoring/monitoring ease the transition to the floor. 46% of companies do this.

My 2 cents: Couldn’t agree more. One on one mentoring helps establish confidence and competence, and is an early avenue to put in corrections as and when needed.

7) Involve supervisors and coaches in new hire and refresher training.

My 2 cents: I am delighted to report this one. Supervisors should have a vested interest in new employees from the start, and be accountable for their successful transition. Being involved in the training gives the supervisors a common language to support the new hires.

These are a few of the major findings from this survey.

I do want to remind you that to create the right experience, companies need to make a fundamental shift from managing volume—the numbers—to managing relationships—the people.

ROSANNE D’AUSILIO, Ph.D., an industrial psychologist, consultant, master trainer, best selling author, executive coach, customer service expert, and President of Human Technologies Global, Inc., specializes in human performance management. Over the last 23 years, she has provided needs analyses, instructional design, and customized, live customer service skills trainings as well as executive/leadership coaching. Also offered is agent and facilitator university certification through Purdue University’s Center for Customer Driven Quality.

Known as ‘the practical champion of the human,’ she authors best sellers “Wake Up Your Call Center: Humanize Your Interaction Hub,” 4^th ed, “Customer Service and the Human Experience,” “Lay Your Cards on the Table: 52 Ways to Stack Your Personal Deck (includes a 32-card deck of cards)—motivational and inspirational readings, How to Kick Your Customer Service Up A Notch: 101 Insider Tips and hot off the press How to Kick Your Customer Service Up A Notch: ANOTHER 101 Insider Tips (http://www.customer-service-expert.com) The Expert’s Guide to Customer Service (http://www.customer-service-expert.com/report.htm) as well as her popular complimentary ‘tips’ newsletter on How To Kick Your Customer Service Up A Notch! available at http://www.HumanTechTips.com

Rosanne is also a Certified Call Center Benchmarking Auditor through Purdue University’s Center for Customer Driven Quality. This certification training focuses on the access and use of key performance data to help better understand benchmarking results so as to advise on practical solutions for improvement.

For 10 years prior to starting her own organization, Rosanne had responsibility for marketing, budgeting, promoting and ultimately producing domestic and international computerized trade shows in the US, London, Belgium, and Frankfurt. She inaugurated, created, trained and directed a telemarketing on-site staff and was one of the first 150 people to attain CMP (Certified Meeting Professional) certification.

She is a columnist for TMCnet.com, Ask the Expert at supportindustry.com, and The National Networker. She represents the human element on the Advisory Board of an Italian software company, authors numerous articles for industry newsletters, and is a much sought after dynamic, vibrant, internationally prominent keynote speaker.

Posted in Communication, Customer Service Expert, Customer Service Training, Training | No Comments »

Whale Watching and Customer Service

Sunday, March 21st, 2010

Dear Subscriber,

This month’s article on The National Networker can be found at http://thenationalnetworker.blogspot.com/2010/02/retention-factor-whale-watching-and.html

Enjoy and do leave comments, questions, or feedback. We love to hear from you.

Regards

Rosanne D’Ausilio PhD

Tags: Customer Service
Posted in Communication, Customer Service Expert, Customer Service Training, Leadership | No Comments »

Don’t Push Send (Yet)!

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

Have you ever written and sent an email in haste?

Have you ever sent an email without reading it over first?

Have you ever sent an email when you’re angry? And been sorry for it after?

When there is sensitive information , what is your process before pushing ‘send?’

Here are 4 suggestions:

1) Print out the email and read it out loud
2) Read the email to another person and get feedback re your intent
3) Send it to yourself first, and if it reads OK, then send it to the original person
4) Save it as a draft and look at it 30 minutes later
5) Doublecheck that you have

a. answered all the questions asked
b. attached a document if you said you were going to
c. said exactly what you wanted to say
d. have an opening and a close

The written word lasts longer than the longest memory. You want to be careful what you put in writing—to be sure it’s not misunderstood, misconstrued, or misinterpreted.

ROSANNE D’AUSILIO, Ph.D., an industrial psychologist, consultant, master trainer, best selling author, executive coach, customer service expert, and President of Human Technologies Global, Inc., specializes in human performance management. Over the last 25 years, she has provided needs analyses, instructional design, and customized, live customer service skills trainings as well as executive/leadership coaching. Also offered is agent and facilitator university certification through Purdue University’s Center for Customer Driven Quality.

Known as ‘the practical champion of the human,’ she authors best sellers “Wake Up Your Call Center: Humanize Your Interaction Hub,” 4th ed, “Customer Service and the Human Experience,” “Lay Your Cards on the Table: 52 Ways to Stack Your Personal Deck (includes a 32-card deck of cards)—motivational and inspirational readings, How to Kick Your Customer Service Up A Notch: 101 Insider Tips , How to Kick Your Customer Service Up A Notch: ANOTHER 101 Insider Tips (http://www.customer-service-expert.com), and The Expert’s Guide to Customer Service (http://www.customer-service-expert.com/report.htm) as well as her popular complimentary ‘tips’ newsletter on How To Kick Your Customer Service Up A Notch! at http://www.HumanTechTips.com

Rosanne is also a Certified Call Center Benchmarking Auditor through Purdue University’s Center for Customer Driven Quality. This certification training focuses on the access and use of key performance data to help better understand benchmarking results so as to advise on practical solutions for improvement.

She is a columnist for TMCnet.com, Ask the Expert at supportindustry.com, and The National Networker. She represents the human element on the Advisory Board of an Italian software company, authors numerous articles for industry newsletters, and is a much sought after dynamic, vibrant, internationally prominent keynote speaker.

I’d love your opinion. Please leave me a comment or email me rosanne@human-technologies.com

Tags: Email
Posted in Communication, Customer Service Expert, Leadership, Leadership Coach | No Comments »

Thank You For Calling!

Thursday, January 21st, 2010

A brand new article has been posted at Supportindustry.com Follow the link below and be sure and add your comments or feedback.

http://www.supportindustry.com/asktheexpert/thanksforcalling.htm

Tags: Add new tag, customer service experr
Posted in Communication, Customer Service Expert, Customer Service Training | No Comments »

The Process of Empowerment

Thursday, December 3rd, 2009

From Wikipedia…The process which enables one to gain power, authority and influence over others, institutions or society. Empowerment is probably the totality of the following or similar capabilities:

Having decision-making power of one’s own
Having access to information and resources for taking proper decision
Having a range of options from which you can make choices (not just yes/no, either/or.)
Ability to exercise assertiveness in collective decision making
Having positive thinking on the ability to make change
Ability to learn skills for improving one’s personal or group power.
Ability to change others’ perceptions by democratic means.
Involving in the growth process and changes that is never ending and self-initiated
Increasing one’s positive self-image and overcoming stigma
Increasing one’s ability in discreet thinking to sort out right and wrong

In short, empowerment is the process that allows one to gain the knowledge, skill-sets and attitude needed to cope with the changing world and the circumstances in which one lives.

Empower your people such that they can take care of customers in one interaction or transaction. Why?
Empowerment:

makes good business sense
ups your efficiency level
shortens your call time
eliminates callbacks, and
affords an opportunity to cross-sell, upsell or whatever is appropriate in your organization.

I’ve written about Zappos previously. They were recently on the front page of INC Magazine (May 2009), and their people have complete empowerment, with no restrictions, but rather, encouragement to take great care of customers, before, during and after the sale. And they do go above and beyond.

Don’t give lip service to this concept of empowerment. Make sure your feet follow your mouth!

What also impressed me is that Zappos does not track call times or require their people to read from scripts. “It’s all about P-E-C: Personal Emotional Connection with the customer…”

I couldn’t have said it better myself. As I’ve put forth many times…what separates you from your competition is not your product or service, but rather, your relationship with your customer.

Tags: Empowerment
Posted in Communication, Customer Service Expert, Customer Service Training, Leadership | No Comments »

A Rare Chance to Learn From The Best—-FREE

Thursday, October 15th, 2009

Just when I think Rich Schefren and Jay Abraham have topped themselves, they go and do something even more amazing…Go here to see what I’m talking about (you’re going to freak–I know I did)…

https://schefren.infusionsoft.com/go/loemo/drrosann/Yeah, you read that right. More than 50 of the world’s most brilliant business and marketing
minds. I’m sure you recognize many of them. All in one place. And all ready to help you achieve the success of your dreams.

For six unforgettable weeks, you’ll sit at the feet of the masters in a series of intimate panel
settings, listening intently as they reveal their most closely hidden secrets for building a mega-
profitable business.

Seriously–this “Group Think Tank” process has the capability to increase your profits by up to
1,000%–or more–before the year is over.

And the best part about it? The COST.

Because, well….there is NONE.

https://schefren.infusionsoft.com/go/loemo/drrosann/That’s right–you can get six weeks of in-depth mastermind training from the foremost experts on marketing and business building…for no charge.

But you gotta hurry. Rich and Jay are only allowing a certain number of people inside. And
since the entire industry is buzzing about this, those spots will fill up in a heartbeat.

So go here NOW and grab yours.

https://schefren.infusionsoft.com/go/loemo/drrosann/I’ll see you there…

Rosanne D’Ausilio, Ph.D.
President – Human Technologies Global Inc
3405 Morgan Drive – Carmel, NY 10512
845/228-6165 fax 928/223-6165
rosanne@human-technologies.com
http://www.HumanTechTips.com
http://www.customer-service-expert.com/report.htmP.S. I’m only scratching the surface on what you’ll get with “The League of Extraordinary
Minds”…

There’s TONS of powerful information inside, including:

- How to successfully deal with skeptical/apprehensive prospects and buyers…

- How to instantly build granite-like trust and credibility…

- How to build a huge online loyal community…

- How to make your sales efforts 75% more successful…

- Critical Keys to direct marketing success…

- How to persuade different personality types to buy from you…

- The formula for becoming the ultimate entrepreneur…

- How to make big things happen – fast!

- The one business system that works today…

And on and on and on.

But you gotta go here right now to grab Rich and Jay’s no-charge special offer.

Can you say NO BRAINER?

https://schefren.infusionsoft.com/go/loemo/drrosann/

Tags: Coach, Leadership, Mentoring
Posted in Communication, Leadership, Leadership Coach | No Comments »

The Impact of Conflict Management Training on Customer Service Delivery

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

The Impact of Conflict Management Training on Customer Service Delivery. This was the title of my case study in partial fulfillment of my doctoral degree which I completed in 1996. More on this in a moment.

Here it is 13 years later and…

In a recent survey training participants were asked what types of courses would greatly increase their effectiveness at work, and the answers were:

Leadership skills                      56%
Conflict resolution                53%
Technical knowledge              47%
Management skills                  43%
Communication skills              42%
Project mgmt skills                 41%
Critical thinking skills               40%
Innovative thinking skills         38%
Negotiation skills                     35%
Time management                 35%
Stress management               35%
Effective teamwork                33%
Computer skills                       33%
Financial skills                         23%
None of the above                  1%

Source: The Everything Disc Workplace Survey of 5,945 Training Participants Nationwide by Inscape Publishing (www.trainingmag.com, July/August 2009, p 11)

The source was surprised that dealing with conflict or difficult people was at 53%.

We’re not, are you? Today’s customers are more sophisticated and have higher expectations. Calls coming into companies today are more complex, more complicated, and more accelerated before the phone is even answered.

After all, if we could, as customers, handle most of our questions, problems, concerns, etc. using self service which is available 24/7, we would do so. But because self service isn’t what it should be, there is another step involved—call the company! At this point, the customer could be frustrated, angry, upset, wasted time and/or got nowhere, impatient, all the way up to rage, and is ready to vent–and then the phone is answered.

It makes perfect sense to me that people needs skills and techniques to deal with conflict and/or difficult people. I think of customer service as like a jukebox. With an old fashioned jukebox, you select a record, push a button, and the inner workings of the jukebox retrieve that particular record. You can even watch it happen through the glass dome cover. It places the record on the player, the needle drops, and the song begins.

The same thing happens with people. Maybe the customer’s tone of voice reminds you of a stern schoolteacher, or a parent, or a sibling. Through the interaction, an old ‘record’ is activated, a button has been pushed. That record begins to play and you are gone. No longer are you present to yourself or the customer, you have been pulled by your history toward an old event or feeling.

The first step back to the present is awareness. If you are aware about something, you can assert control over it. Without awareness, it stays in the unconscious or subconscious and you are at the mercy of whatever is happening. To strengthen your awareness, pay attention to your feelings. If you begin to feel antagonistic, take a moment, breathe, and look to see if it’s something in the present that bothers you or something ancient. Then choose where to stay—in the present or in the past.

The second step is to implement choices. Yes, you can always go to that old record and react rather than respond.

Now back to my case study. It took place at an all electric utility company in their call center and, at their request, was focused on their longest and hardest call—a complaint call—everyone’s longest and hardest call.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of Conflict Management Training (CMT) on customer service delivery. Specifically, it asked the broad question: What impact does CMT have on job performance and customer satisfaction in the delivery of customer service?

This case study successfully proved that CMT reduced job tension, improved communications skills, improved empathetic responsiveness, improved job satisfaction and increased customer satisfaction, as well as significantly shortening call length.

Specifically, CMT:

o Decreased job tension

o Increased communication skills

o Increased empathetic responsiveness

o Increased job performance

o Reduced the length of call by 22.3 seconds which in this study represented

a savings approximately $335,000 per year or 7 employees, and

o Improved customer satisfaction 9.3% for High Bill calls and 7% overall

Whether it’s 1996 or 2009, training is a necessity, not a choice, for positive impact on customer satisfaction, employee improvement, and the bottom line.

Known as ‘the practical champion of the human,’ she authors best sellers “Wake Up Your Call Center: Humanize Your Interaction Hub,” 4^th ed, “Customer Service and the Human Experience,” “Lay Your Cards on the Table: 52 Ways to Stack Your Personal Deck (includes a 32-card deck of cards)—motivational and inspirational readings, How to Kick Your Customer Service Up A Notch: 101 Insider Tips and hot off the press How to Kick Your Customer Service Up A Notch: ANOTHER 101 Insider Tips (http://www.customer-service-expert.com) The Expert’s Guide to Customer Service (http://www.customer-service-expert.com/report.htm) as well as her popular complimentary ‘tips’ newsletter on How To Kick Your Customer Service Up A Notch! available at http://www.HumanTechTips.com

She is a columnist for TMCnet.com and Ask the Expert at supportindustry.com. She represents the human element on the Advisory Board of an Italian software company, authors numerous articles for industry newsletters, and is a much sought after dynamic, vibrant, internationally prominent keynote speaker.

Tags: Conflict, Conflict Management
Posted in Communication, Customer Service Expert, Customer Service Training | No Comments »

Rosanne D’Ausilio, PhD, Customer Service Expert

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