Dear Subscriber,
This article was recently posted on SupportIndustry.com at
http://www.supportindustry.com/asktheexpert/listencarefully.htm
Comments, questions, feedback is always welcome.
Regards
Rosanne D’Ausilio PhD
Customer Service Expert
Listen Carefully Our Menu Options Have Changed
July 20th, 2010Find Your Customer’s Why
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This month’s column with The National Networker on Find Your Customer’s Why is at
Comments always welcome.
How Influential Are You? Am I?
July 14th, 2010
That’s what The Influence Project is designed to answer. By participating, you will have your picture appear in the November issue of Fast Company magazine as part of an amazing photo spread. The more influence you demonstrate, the bigger your picture will be.
Check it out for yourself, and then vote for me!
Regards
Rosanne Dausilio PhD
Thank You for Contacting Us
June 21st, 2010Dear Subscriber,
Thank You for Contacting Us – my latest column for the National Networker is live at http://tinyurl.com/395pjbc
Be sure to leave your comments, feedback, and suggestions for future topics.
Regards
Rosanne D’Ausilio PhD
Human Tech Tips Just Hit #325
June 9th, 2010Who knew when we started our ‘tips’ newsletter on How to Kick Customer Service Up
A Notch that it would be so successful. Two books later and now wwe are at #325. To learn more about us go to www.human-technologies.com To read about the latest edition of How to Kick Your Customer Service Up A Notch go to customer-service-expert.com
I’d love to hear your feedback, comments, suggestions.
Regards
Can You Hear Me Now?
May 18th, 2010Do you notice that the longer it takes to solve a problem, the more likely it is to be escalated?
And the more likely it is escalated, the more likely it could go from the private to the public domain.
Today Social Networks have afforded customers a one-to-many platform to self-publish their customer service experiences–compared to the more traditional one-to-one way of writing a letter, sending an email, or calling on the phone.
“United Breaks My Guitar” clearly showed the significant customer reach of a bad experience and the high cost of that bad experience.
If you don’t know the story…Dave Carroll couldn’t get compensation for damage to his guitar – until he named and shamed the airline in a YouTube video. If you haven’t seen it, here’s the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo And these are the number of views as of May 12, 2010: 8,520,117
On March 31, 2008 Sons of Maxwell began a week-long-tour of Nebraska by flying United Airlines from Halifax to Omaha, by way of Chicago. On that first leg of the flight they were seated at the rear of the aircraft. Upon landing and waiting to deplane in order to make a connection a woman sitting behind them unaware they were musicians cried out: “My God they’re throwing guitars out there.” The bass player Mike looked out the window in time to see his bass being heaved without regard by the United baggage handlers. Dave’s $3500 710 Taylor guitar had been thrown before his.
He totally got the runaround when trying to not only report it but get some resolution both in Omaha and Halifax. Finally, when he returned to the Halifax airport he met with an Air Canada employee– because United has no presence there–and that person acknowledged the damage, opened a claim number but “denied” the claim because Air Canada would not be responsible for damage caused by United employees in Chicago. So the run around began again from Chicago, to Halifax, to New York, even India.
Six months had gone by and the guitar had now been repaired for $1200 to where it plays well but lost much of what made it special. He spoke to a customer service manager in India who promised to forward a note to have someone in Chicago contact him. About 2 months later, he got an email denying his claim for various reasons that made no sense.
After nine months it came down to a series of emails and despite asking to speak to the person’s supervisor, the conversations ended with her saying United would not be taking any responsibility for what had happened and that that would be the last email on the matter. A final offer of a settlement of $1200 in flight vouchers, to cover salvage costs repairing the Taylor, was rejected by United.
Dave ultimately realized that as a songwriter and traveling musician he wasn’t without options. In his final reply to United he told them that he would write three songs about United Airlines and his experience in the whole matter. His goal: to get one million hits in one year. As you can see above, he more than reached his goal.
This cost the company much much more than if they had replaced, repaired, or appropriately responded to him in the first place.
Were you one of the 8 million people (so far) who saw You Tube? And made a decision in that moment?
Would you want to fly United now? I certainly don’t, and won’t.
As posted here http://www.supportindustry.com/asktheexpert/hearnow.htm
Training’s Impact on Turnover
May 17th, 2010My latest column on Training’s Impact on Turnover in The National Networker is at http://tinyurl.com/2cw58qj
Be sure to give us feedback, comments, questions.
Regards,
Rosanne D’Ausilio, PhD
Training Update and My 2 Cents
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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,” 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 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.
Whale Watching and Customer Service
March 21st, 2010Dear 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
Don’t Push Send (Yet)!
January 28th, 2010Have 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.
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.
I’d love your opinion. Please leave me a comment or email me rosanne@human-technologies.com
