LOUI S ALLEN ASSOCI ATES

INTERNATIONAL

Version 1.0 2008 Louis Allen Worldwide

 2008 Louis Allen Worldwide All rights reserved. This work or any part thereof, may not be reproduced in any form, including photocopy, or by any electronic means including information storage and retrieval systems, for internal use or for sale, without written permission from the copyright holder. For additional information, write the publisher: Louis Allen International - India 65 First Cross, Vivekananda Nagar Bangalore 560 033 INDIA

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WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES
The concepts and tools in this workshop are meant to rejuvenate in a two pronged manner:
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First and foremost, by looking at the Spirit of Service, that translates into the Right Attitude so critical to superior customer service Layering onto this, necessary Knowledge and Skills, that translates into an Intense Customer Focus across internal as well as external customers

Specific Results
To enhance your ability and capability to: Develop the Right Attitude Help you instill in yourself the Spirit Of Service which energizes at a fundamental level towards customer interactions Towards serving the customer Internal and External To be committed to the Organizations goals Increase Knowledge Understand, Accept and Absorb The Companys Customer Service Commitment Understand how to deal effectively with customer requests and complaints Enhance Skills Communication Speak the language the customer will understand Develop listening skills

Avoid misunderstandings Inquiry Ask the right questions to determine the customers' requirements and concerns Customer Handling Establish the right customer expectations Deal with tough customer inquiries and demands Improve handling of customer complaints
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PROGRAM NORMS
Apply what is learned Be present Start and stop on time Be both open-minded and skeptical at the same time Participate and ask questions; stay relevant Maintain confidentiality Give us feedback Be patient this is a system No cell phones

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LOUI S ALLEN ASSOCI ATES

INTERNATIONAL

Section I
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EVERY CUSTOMER COMPLAINT IS A GIFT

Choose whether you agree with this or not. If yes, why? If not, why not? List your arguments below:

Capture your key takeout from the discussion:

TAKING CHARGE
Influence

The Freedom to Choose

QUOTABLE QUOTES

It is not the strongest of the species that survive nor the most intelligent, but the one that is most responsive to change. - Charles Darwin

Even if you are on the right track, you get run over if you just sit there. - Winston Churchill

CUSTOMER CENTRICITY IS ATTITUDE IN ACTION!

THE SPIRIT OF SERVICE

The Spirit shines through! Intent precedes Content

The Power of Belief Seeing is believing Believing is seeing I have a dream
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Capture your reactions to the logo below. What does it mean to you?

Capture your key takeout from the discussion:

Question: Who am I in the organization?

Capture your key takeout from the discussion:

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YOU ARE AN AMBASSADOR OF YOUR UNIT

Any interaction with you is a Moment Of Truth for the customer. You are the face of your unit First impressions often leave a lasting impact When you go to a supermarket or hotel for example, you will judge the supermarket / hotel by the people you interact with over there and how effectively and efficiently they serve you. The customer does not see the back-end but only its impact on him judged by his interaction with you. You need to be a guide / friend / expert for the customer. Understand customer needs Know your products Put the two together Take the point of view I am the Customer. You can never really know what drives someone unless you get into his skin and live life from his / her point of view You can never know how a person feels until youve walked a mile in his / her shoes The customers views not your views on his / her views Thinking of the customer in the first person very often helps this process Never Us and Them To truly understand what drives and motivates the customer, one will have to virtually step into his shoes. In the context of a 1:1 interaction for example, this will involve you being separate from the customer only physically, but completely united with him in spirit - virtually on the other side of the table.

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Discussion Questions: 1. Who is my customer?

2. What are customer expectations?

3. Why do customers complain?

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FIVE-WAY MANAGEMENT
Section Objectives
On completion of this section, you will be able to: Discuss the importance of managing stakeholders Begin thinking beyond traditional hierarchical mindset

The Importance of Five-Way Management

In order to be effective in todays complex organizations, managers must lead, plan, organize, and control so that they meet the needs of those who report to them, as well as their own needs, and those of managers, peers, and stakeholders. Question: What have you experienced that confirms or contradicts the concept of five-way management?

Your Manager

Sphere of Influence

Peers, Vendors

You

Peers, Customers

Your Direct Reports

You own your work area!

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Question: Why is my organization in business?

Capture your key takeout from the discussion:

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Question: Why is my company losing customers?

Capture your key takeout from the discussion:

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Question: What does Customer Centricity mean to you?

Capture your key takeout from the discussion:

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The underlying purpose of a business is to make a profit through service to its customers. Customers are both external as well as internal.

Discussion Question: What does profit mean to you?

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Some reasons why companies lose customers:

Incomplete information Hidden clauses that crop up later to surprise and irritate the customer Excessive Hard Sell Refusal to accept responsibility Surly employees Poor follow-through Poor response Not listening Pettiness Arrogance Treating the user as an idiot

One way to view a customer is like a guest in your own home can you imagine losing a guest?

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THE QCD TRIANGLE

Five dimensions to quality customer care: Reliability - be consistent and follow through Responsiveness - tune in to your customers needs To feel valued - not just a number Empathy - really care Competency - attending to the basics

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MISSION
What is a Mission?
You create your mission by developing a statement of the primary, continuing results that you and your unit are to achieve. Your mission identifies the most important areas to which you will commit available resources, and must link into the mission of your manager. An overall organization mission links into the organizational vision. It is like a beacon that guides the efforts of everyone in the organization.

Why is a Mission important?

A well thought out mission will enable you to align others efforts around the most critical goal of the organization. With a well defined mission you will be able to better communicate, motivate, as well as measure important results.

What is Your Organizations Mission?

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Purpose statement of the mission is written as an objective

Causal

To ( what area of To ( what area of responsibilit y does) responsibilit y does)

Why?

so t hat ( overall, cont inuing result )

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Pick out the key words from the Mission that reflect the service that you provide for keeping customers happy:

What are the key tasks to be done? What is the role that you play?

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WHAT DO CUSTOMERS REALLY WANT?

Customers want a variety of responses from you. Most of all, people want to be treated like valued human beings. Some of what customers want include: To be listened to To be taken seriously To be treated with respect To get immediate action In case of a complaint o To gain compensation / restitution o To have the party who wronged them reprimanded or punished o To clear up the problem so that it never happens again

What Customers Can and Cant Tell You: Customers do know what they want! They know their wants and needs, but not the exact features and solutions that will satisfy those needs Customers very often cannot set specific technical specs for you

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LOUI S ALLEN ASSOCI ATES

INTERNATIONAL

Section II
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ISSUE REVIEW AND RESOLUTION

Capture your key takeaways from the sharing below:

What are some general rules for handling difficult customer complaints?
Get a clear understanding of the objection Do not tell the customer flatly that he / she is wrong Restate the objection in your own words so that it comes across sounding more positive Restate the objection as a question that will lead to sales talk Overall, try to turn objections into advantages. To do this you must have a good understanding of the product

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Tips for Handling Difficult Customers

Time Out: If you find yourself becoming upset, wanting to cry, or yell at a customer, give yourself a time out. Excuse yourself politely: Excuse me for a moment while I check our guidelines on this matter. Get some air and take a few deep breaths. You may even want to request that your supervisor finish up with the customer. Polite Repetition: If the customer keeps insisting on something thats unreasonable or impossible, keep repeating what you CAN do without becoming hostile or loud. Take Notes: Taking notes keeps you focused on the facts instead of getting caught up in the emotion. It also lets the customer know that you are listening and they often respond by calming down.

You r Y ou M a n a ge r M an g e

Pe e rs, Pe e rs, Ve n d or s V en do r s

You

P e e r s, Pe r s, Cu st om e r s Cu st om e rs

You r Yo u r D ire ct D ire ct Re po r t s Re po rt s

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BREAKTHROUGH NEGOTIATION

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COMMUNICATION
Why This Section is Important
Communication problems is the number one reason for most organizational and customer issues. The material in this section will enable you to communicate with increased clarity and confidence and help you resolve many of the communication issues you will face.

Definition
Communicating: The work of creating understanding among people so they can act effectively.

Principles of Communication
Emotional Appeal: Appeals made to emotion tend to be communicated more readily than appeals to reason. Feelings tend to overpower facts. Understanding is made easier if a good personal relationship exists. The more often an idea is put to use, the better it tends to be understood and remembered. The fewer people through whom a message passes, the better it will be understood. Understanding others first leads to their understanding you.

Rapport:

Application:

Line Loss:

Reciprocal Understanding:

Question:
Provide examples from your own experience that confirm or contradict any of these principles.

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THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS

Sender -- The individual, group, or organization interested in communicating something to another party. Receiver -- The individual, group, or organization that perceives the encoded symbols and may or may not decode them and try to understand the intended message. Feedback -- The process in which the receiver returns a message to the sender that indicates receipt of the message and the degree to which it was understood. Message A communication or meaning transmitted from one person or group to another.

de t e r m in es

Sender & Receivers Receivers

Needs

M e ssa g e
( w or k )

pr odu ce s

Re su lt s

dict a t e s

Fe e dba ck
sa t isfie s

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COMMON COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS

The following is a list of problems that can interfere with effective communication: Noise -- Any disturbance in the communication process that interferes with or distorts communication. Filtering -- People may filter information on the assumption that the receiver does not need to understand the communication. Semantics -- Problems occur when people attribute different meanings to the same words. Jargon -- Jargon makes communication more efficient within a closed group. However, if the receiver does not understand the language, problems will occur. Selective Attention -- Exists when the receiver attends to only selected parts of the message a frequent occurrence with oral communication. Value Judgments -- Value judgments are influenced by the degree to which a message reinforces or challenges the receivers basic personal beliefs. If a message reinforces the receivers beliefs, he or she may pay close attention and believe it completely, without examination. Source Credibility -- If the receiver has little respect for the source, he or she may disregard the message. The receiver considers both the message and the source in making value judgments and determining credibility. Overload -- Overload is occurring when a receiver is experiencing more information than she or he can process. Lack of Feedback -- The source may need to send another message that depends on the feedback he or she receives from the source. If the source receives no feedback, he or she may not send the second message, or be forced to send the message again.

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COMMUNICATION SUMMARY
Emotions drown out facts Recognize and respond to feelings first, before dealing with logic Reciprocity is the key to having influence and being understood Face-to-face communication is usually the best medium People remember ideas they put to use Think through the others needs before you communicate to them When possible, start with agreement or a neutral position

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Why is the customer always right even when the customer is wrong? The customer is not always right, but the customer is always the customer Dont sell services to customers, solve problemsfrom the customers perspective Customers dont have problems, they have crises

PARADIGM SHIFT TRUE CUSTOMER CENTRICITY Customer is King !

Employee!
You r Y ou M a n a ge r M an g e

Pe e rs, Pe e rs, Ve n d or s V en do r s

You

P e e r s, Pe r s, Cu st om e r s Cu st om e rs

Customer is King !

You r Yo u r D ire ct D ire ct Re po r t s Re po rt s

ME !
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You own your work area!

Empower Yourself And Your Team Thats what Visionary Leaders do!

THE ALLEN MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WHEEL

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DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS
Function: Activity: Segment: Organizing Integrating Work Developing Relationships

Section Objectives
On completion of this section, you will be able to: Complete a network analysis. Take actions to strengthen critical relationships.

Why This Section is Important

Most work gets done in organizations through informal relationships built on mutual influence and trust. Completing this section will enable you to diagnose and develop actions that will improve your ability to get important work done in your organization.

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Relationship Analysis Exercise

Completing a network analysis provides an opportunity to identify your personal influence network and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of important relationships. A network is a changing and informal set of cooperative relationships among those people you need to accomplish your work. Step 1. Identify six to eight people who are important to your success as a manager. (These are the people you depend on to get your work done.) Include all levels inside and outside your department. Once you have identified six to eight key people, name the tasks in which they are involved. Rate the level of their importance in your completing your task. Finally, rate the strength of your relationship. Identify two individuals with whom you could improve your relationship and are important to your completing your task. Select a partner. Decide who is going to go first. Each person reviews their list including key people in their network analysis.

Step 2.

Step 3.

Step 4.

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RELATIONSHIP ANALYSIS WORKSHEET

Your manager
Name Task Importance Relationship

Your managers peers

Name Task Importance Relationship

Your direct reports

Name Task Importance Relationship

Your direct reports peers

Name Task Importance Relationship

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Your customers (Internal / External)

Name Task Importance Relationship

Your suppliers (Internal / External)

Name Task Importance Relationship

Yourself
Task Importance Relationship

Relationship Matrix
High High

II m pr ov e ! m pr ov e
m port ance IIm por t ance

M a in t a in M a in t a in

M in im iz e M in im iz e

Socia liz e lize

Low Low Poor Poor Relat ionship Relat ionship Ex cellent Excellent

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Developing Relationships Activity

In the space below, identify two or three concrete actions you can do to improve or maintain relationships with individuals in the Improve! or Maintain quadrants. Individual____________________ Action:

Individual____________________ Action:

Individual____________________ Action:

Individual____________________ Action:

Individual____________________ Action:

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FROM CRM TO CLM!

CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management. It is a strategy used to learn more about customers' needs and behaviors in order to develop stronger relationships with them. After all, good customer relationships are at the heart of business success. There are many technological components to CRM, but thinking about CRM in primarily technological terms is a mistake. The more useful way to think about CRM is as a process that will help bring together lots of pieces of information about customers, sales, marketing effectiveness, responsiveness and market trends. CRM is the overall process of building and maintaining profitable customer relationships by delivering superior customer value and satisfaction. CRM is a customer-oriented management concept for the improvement of: Customer acquisition

Customer retention Customer value

to increase company profitability. Did you know It costs 5-10 times as much to acquire a new customer as it does to retain an existing customer Long-term customers buy more, take less of a companys time, are less sensitive to price, and bring in new customers A 5% increase in customer retention can increase profits 60-100% Moving beyond CRM, we move to an approach where we think in terms of a lifetime commitment to the customer - enter the concept of Customer Life-time Management.

THE CUSTOMER IS A LIFELONG COMMITMENT ONE DAY AT A TIME

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SMART GOALS

Specific
Drill down to focus efforts

Measurable
By you and by others

Aligned
With overall objectives

Realistic
May be a stretch,but still attainable

Time-bound
Definite time-frame

Suggested Format for writing a SMART Goal (Modify appropriately to suit the situation)
In the next (Time Frame) I will (Action to be taken with Descriptor / Qualifier) at least (Minimum Condition). Example: In the next 6 months I will exercise for 45 minutes at least 3 times a week.

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My SMART Goals
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KEY POINTS WORKSHEET

List three points in todays presentation that were most important to you and explain why you chose them. 1.

2.

3.

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