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Why Customer Service Scripting IS Necessary

6/8/2017

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There has always been a debate on whether customer service scripting will make customer service representatives sound too mechanical and less spontaneous.  A recent interaction with a credit card representative highlights exactly why scripting at least as a guide is necessary.

My daughter was about to travel out of state and had lost her debit card.  I had an extra card on my business card with her name on it since she sometimes does work for me.  I told her she could use it on her trip and made a call to the credit card company to make sure the card was still valid since it had not been used in a long time.  I was assured all was good to go.  A few days later, I was called by my daughter who told me that charges were being denied.  (Now we won't even get into why she was charging $3 and $5 items to my gold card!?)
 called the card company and they transferred me to the fraud protection unit who lifted the hold on the card and said she should have no further problems using the card.  Fast  forward 24 hours and again I get a call from my daughter saying that again charges were being denied. 

At this point I am a bit ticked off.  I had spent a good twenty minutes the previous day clearing up the matter and since on vacation did not look forward to going through it all again.  When I realized that they were going through the exact same process that had failed the day prior, I asked to speak to a supervisor.  It was a Saturday evening at 5pm.  I was told that the supervisor was in a meeting and would not be out for over an hour.  'On a Saturday night your supervisors are in a meeting?' I was a bit skeptical about there being a meeting of supervisors at 5pm on Saturday.  'Surely you have some supervisor who can talk to me... you are a big company!'    She put me on hold and came back and said that no supervisor could talk to me.  I then asked her how SHE could explain that after I had approved all future charges on this card in a specific location by my daughter, WHY this happened again.  Her reply? 

"Ma'am I'm sorry but our system is beyond our control." 

Seriously?  This is what this well known organization wants to convey to me when I am upset... that their system is out of control?

I was promised a call back by a supervisor.  Big surprise - that call never came.  So Lynn RVPG... (that was her rep number given to me when asked) maybe you never told the supervisor I was upset?  Not a good call!  If you did tell a supervisor and they never called back, even worse!

Lessons we can all take from this customer service close encounter?
  • Review possible scenarios that will cause customer conflict and angst
  • Determine causes of customer conflict and customer complaints to avoid such scenarios
  • When service failure occurs, have a scripted explanation that builds confidence in your company - not destroys it
  • Have supervisors available at all times if possible; Sometimes your customer just needs to talk to a voice of higher authority
  • If a supervisor is not available and a front line rep gives a promise of a call back, make sure it happens
  • One final thought:  what are the expectations of the level of service provided by your firm or organization.  In this case we were talking about a very reputable company, so my expectations were pretty high.  When you market based on an expectation of a high level of service, you are in greater danger of a higher level of dissatisfaction when service failure occurs!
Your customer service image should never be 'out of your control'.  Customer service training for customer confict and customer complaint scenarios will go a long way to protect and build your brand.  Customer service scripts should not make your customer service reps sound like robots but it can protect your from an out of control image!

​​Teresa Allen is the Ranked #1 on ​Global Gurus list of the world's top Customer Service Experts.  She is often asked to share strategies for customer service success at meetings held across the globe.  Teresa can be reached through her website at www.AllenSpeaks.com or via telephone 800-797-1580.  This article may be reprinted if this credit box is included.
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Are You Planning to Get Engaged?

7/13/2016

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Whether you are single or married, you may need to get engaged this year! According to a ​​​Gallup Study on the State of the American Workplace there is a definite link between employee and customer engagement to customer growth and even to EPS. When Gallup examined engagement by job position, they found customer service employee level of engagement was among the lowest.  Since these employees are handling a majority of customer service transactions, it is a safe assumption that their lack of engagement can lead to customer disconnect. Gallup found that conversely, when an organization prepares front-line employees to make an emotional customer connection, customers will spend more, visit more often, resist competitive overtures, promote your brand to others, and forgive the hopefully occasional service blunder!


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Are Your Signs Sending the Right Customer Service Message?

6/9/2016

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Customer Service Speaker
Customer service training often focuses on the human element of the first impression. Visual first impressions are equally important, and signage can play an important role. Signs can reinforce your brand and your customer service commitment or they can negate the very image you are trying to project. When was the last time you did an audit of the visual first impressions received by your customers?

Some of you are traveling to beach destinations this summer. We once rented a condo at a beach property we had not previously visited. What was the visual first impression as I entered my vacation nirvana? A sign was taped to the elevator wall...

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Handling Varied Customer Personalities

6/2/2016

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Modifying Your Sales and Customer Service Approach for Varied Personalities

We will explore the following customer types, what they want from the service provider, and how we should modify our service to match their needs.

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'Of Course' - Customer Service in Two Words

10/10/2014

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​My husband and I had the great opportunity to cross an item off our bucket list and visit Greece a few years ago. It is an amazing country with astonishing vistas and wonderful people.

When traveling, I always observe how hospitality and customer service makes me like or dislike a location or business. Let me tell you, customer service and memorable hospitality is alive and thriving in Greece! Both in the busy city of Athens, and in the idyllic villages of Oia and Fira on the Island of Santorini, my husband and I experienced a country and a culture that was very obviously in earnest to serve those visiting from afar.
Customer Service

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Smile + Personalization = Customer Service Success

5/27/2014

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​Last week I stopped in Marshalls to look for a top to go with a new skirt.  A professional shopper never stops when the original hunt is completed, and that is my excuse for winding up in the check-out line with a few travel items that I thought would be handy on summer vacation.

When I got to the register, I was greeted by a representative who had a truly contagious smile.
Customer Service

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Is Your Customer Service Too Well Done?

9/12/2013

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​I recently took a friend to a restaurant known for having great burgers.  When our lunch was delivered to the table, I cut into my burger and it was well done.  In my taste spectrum a well done burger is not done well!  I realized that I had not told the server that I preferred medium rare but also was then conscious of the fact that our server had never asked us how we wanted our burgers prepared.

I called the server over to the table and told him I was sorry that I had not told him of my preference but pointed out that he had failed to ask.  His response was astonishing to me.  In a very nice reply he informed me that management had told the servers not to ask and to prepare all burgers medium well.  When I asked why he said  that management thought this would speed up the orders and decrease confusion in the kitchen.
Customer Service too well done?

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Are You Ready for Crisis Communication?

8/23/2013

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​Being hit by a natural disaster (tornado) and man-made disaster (fire) within a two month period will get you thinking about crisis readiness! Having survived the afore-mentioned events without more real pain than insurance company and contractor frustration, I am quite aware of how much worse things could have been for our family and for my business. This prompted me to call crisis communication expert Gerard Braud of Braud Communications to share ideas with you on how a business can plan for communication to customers in a time of crisis.

"It is human nature to deny how bad a situation can get," says Braud. "Business owners and managers can see a headline in the news and think ëOh, I'm so happy that didn't happen to me! ë Unfortunately, many business owners figure they will just roll the dice and take their chances. While organizations often have provision for interruptions in the supply chain, most do not have a concrete plan for communication in a time of crisis."
Crisis Communication Customer Service

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