LL - Customer Happiness Lesson 3

Lesson 3: Customer Service CALL Basics

Watch Video: https://www.zapposinsights.com/membership/customer-service/lesson-3

As you learned earlier about the various ways that we deliver WOW service, we’ll share with you our customer care basics. You’ll learn how CH members connect with customers on the phone. The next few sections explain the elements that go into phone call mechanics to create the HeroCo experience. Service is what and why customers buy.

In this lesson, we will be covering the following topics:

Setting yourself up for success with a great call opening
Giving customers what they want
Building connections that leave a lasting impression (PEC)
Offering additional assistance
The customer is (almost) always right
Dealing with complaints
The power of empathy

1. Opening the Call

We have all heard the phrase, “You never get a 2nd chance to make a 1st impression.” It is imperative that we make the customer’s experience during the first few seconds of the call positive.

While most call centers will “script” their call openings, we celebrate everyone’s individual personalities and only require three things to be said during your introduction: your name, Company, and an offer of assistance. These three items must be stated with a pleasant tone.

Of course, what’s going to set us apart from everyone else is HOW we say it. This is where your individual personality and style come into play. Feel free to add your own flair to your greeting!

Remember: Nobody wants to talk to a robot reading a script!

Give an example of a unique call opening (group discussion)

2. Respond to the Customers: Give them what they want!

We want to do our best to carry out the customer’s wishes.

The first step is to let our customers know that you will carry out their requests; then do it! Be sure to let the customers explain why they’re calling and fully assist them before bringing up other topics of conversation.

If the customers seem unsure about what they want or need, try asking questions to clarify their motive for calling. These probing questions will determine customers’ needs.

you might ask: "Can you tell me more about your experience?" or " What happened then?"

Once you have an understanding of what they need, reassure customers that you are happy to assist them. We can use lead in statements to show our willingness and eagerness to help. Here are some phrases you might want to use; of course, you can make up your own:

"I’d be happy to look into that for you." "I can certainly assist you with that." " I’d love to help you with that." or " Let me see what I can do to fix that."

Love your customer (in a platonic way!)

3. Build Personal Emotional Connections

Always strive to build personal emotional connections (PEC) by setting the right tone and building rapport. This is key to humanizing your interaction with our customers to be more fun, positive, friendly, conversational, and helpful while keeping your language professional. Look for clues from the customer for opportunities to connect (i.e. “It’s so hard to find quality products nowadays,” “I bought Omega Tg before but I just noticed the supercritical version,” etc.). Include lead-in statements that offer assistance before just taking care of business (i.e., “I’d be glad to help you with that,” “I’d be happy to take a look; let's see what we can do,” etc.) Use empathy & Create a connection to build a lasting impression.

4. Offer Additional Assistance

Before closing the call, it’s important to determine whether there are any additional ways you can serve the customer. There are three main ways to do this:

Ask an open-ended question, such as: “Is there anything else I can help you with today?” This gives the customer the opportunity to voice any other questions or requests he or she might have.
Reassure the customer of our availability and willingness to help. “If you have any other questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call us. We’re always here to help!”
In many cases, customers don’t know about additional products or information which may be of interest to them. Be sure to always ask yourself, “Is there anything else I can tell or give the customer that might benefit them?” This is about going above and beyond what is expected in SERVICE, not sales. We want to help our customers be successful, educating them is part of our duty!

As an example, the customer is concerned about if she will be able to swallow the capsules of the product she just ordered. This is the perfect opportunity to advise her of our very easy and convenient, 365-day (1-year) return policy! If or customer isn't getting the expected results from VC -make sure to educate her about the need for a healthy diet including good fat (VitaOmega), proper digestive care (FloraThrive), Liver support for detoxification (Detoxifi), and the need for sunshine (Vit D3 Active) - For us, going beyond the call of duty is our duty!

Core Value # 4-

Always deliver happiness.

Strive to make every interaction the best it can possibly be
Make a personal emotional connection
Work to build long-term relationships

5. The customer is (almost) always right!

If a customer complains or makes a demanding request, the best initial response is: The customer is always right.

The two classic rules of customer service are:

Rule One – The customer is always right.
Rule Two – When in doubt, see Rule One.

It’s better to spend or lose some money to keep our customers loyal. For example, accept all returns, offer full refunds, pay for damages, and do give extras to not only compensate customers for their troubles but to WOW them!

On average, customers are worth 5 to 10 times the cost of their original purchases in terms of future repeat business. By not resolving a complaint immediately and completely, there may also be untold costs from involving other employees and/or managers.

Start with the premise that the customer is always right, then do everything possible (including making exceptions to the rules) to make sure the customer is pleased.

There are two instances when the customer isn’t right:

The customer is doing something or wants you to do something which is unsafe, illegal, or unethical.
The customer wants something that, in the long run, will interfere with your needs or those of our company.

6. Complaints

No matter how well we serve the customer, some customers will be difficult or challenging. Every customer has the same needs as you and I – empathy, respect, courtesy, and resolution.

Customer escalations need:

To be listened to and understood

Upset customers want to know that you are listening to what they have to say, and are sincerely trying to understand their situation. Pay attention and actively listen.

After allowing customers time to vent, it is always a good idea to repeat what you heard; this will let the customers know that you understand their problems and will work through to a resolution.

To be taken seriously

Customers expect you to respond seriously to their concerns.

Immediate action - "Don't worry, I'm going to get this fixed for you"

Unhappy customers do not want you to look into the matter tomorrow or next week. Unhappy customers want the problem to be cleared up immediately. Communicate with customers by informing them of your course of action and the desired results you are trying to achieve. If you do have to get back to them later, they will be more understanding. When possible, always work to fix the problem right away.

Respectful attitude

Customers do not want to be treated as a “problem” or spoken down to. Every customer thinks he or she is our “best customer” and deserves to be treated as such. This is related to #2, “To be taken seriously”. We must give customers our full respect and take their complaints seriously; what is important to them becomes what is important to us.

7. Welcoming Complaints

Customer complaints should always be welcomed because:

Complaints give you a chance to resolve the problem. Many unsatisfied customers don’t complain; they simply take their business elsewhere.
On average, dissatisfied customers tell fifteen other people about their negative experiences. Complaints give you a chance to resolve the problem and generate customer loyalty.
Complaints reveal possible weaknesses in our products and services which should be fixed.
We cannot afford to NOT resolve customers’ complaints and WOW upset customers.

Here are some ways to welcome complaints:

If you observe a situation in which a customer may become upset, quickly apologize and fix the situation – even if the customer doesn’t express a complaint.
If a customer is annoyed and he/she doesn’t vocalize a complaint, be proactive! Ask, “Do you have any concerns I can address for you?”

The following phrases are examples of how to welcome complaints:

“I want to thank you for bringing this to our attention, and I truly apologize for any inconvenience it may have caused you.”

“I appreciate you taking the time to let us know what has happened”

8. The Big Apology

We all make mistakes. The best thing to do is admit it, take ownership, apologize, and make amends. Customers understand that people and organizations can make mistakes; if you correct the mistake and WOW them, they can be confident that if a mistake ever occurs again, we’ll not only fix it but take care of them fully.

Explain, don’t excuse

The best explanation is in person, the second best is on the phone, and the least desirable option is in writing.
Immediately explain the mistake, simply and completely – no excuses, no finger-pointing.
Take responsibility. Even if it was another employee’s fault, or another company whose services we employ – UPS, FedEx, etc. Accept responsibility by making it your own concern. We accept our teams’ accomplishments and disappointments.

Apologize earnestly

Say it directly, sincerely, and with heartfelt regret: “I apologize.”
Allow the customer to react. If the customer is upset, allow him or her to vent. Apologize again; the goal is to not end the call until we address all concerns and turn the customer’s experience around.

[Don’t forget to apologize…..& floss!]

Minimize the perceived loss of service

It’s important to reassure customers that any negative experience is not indicative of the level of service we strive to provide. Try using phrases such as, “This is a rare incident. Let me reassure you this type of error does not happen often at all.”

Offer or request options

Have several options ready to provide the customer, and then offer them.
If not accepted or you don’t have good options, ask the customer, “How can we make this up to you?”
Be flexible and pay for the mistake. The customer and your reputation are worth it!

Get used to asking: If there was a problem, what can we do to make it up to you?

Prevent the mistake from occurring again

Make permanent changes to prevent the problem from recurring.
Bring the problem – especially if it’s bound to reoccur – to your Team Lead’s attention.