Best Practices for Customer

Service Excellence:
Today’s Challenges

Maritza Soto-García, PhD/JD

Professor
University of Puerto Rico- Mayaguez

April 8, 2016
Agenda

 Objectives
 Introduction
 Review of the Organization
 Identify the Customer
 Best Practices
 Tangible Benefits
 Review
Objectives
• Understand what customer service is
• Understand why excellent customer service
is important
• Be able to identify our customers
• Learn basic everyday skills in dealing with
customers
• Understand how to give your best when
dealing with difficult customer interactions
• Be equipped with strategies to protect your
own wellbeing when dealing with customers
who challenge us
Introduction
 Government agencies face significant
challenges today.
 Many agencies are seeing their most
experienced people leave or retire which
further affects the ability to serve customers.
 However, agencies at all levels are being
called upon to provide more responsive
service.
Introduction
 Today’s marketplace creates an
environment in which customer
expectations continue to rise.
 Today’s citizens and stakeholders
demand fast, accurate and consistent
answers from government agencies.
 This seminar is to assist in meeting these
challenges and providing tools and best
practices to deal with these situations
What Determines Service
Excellence?
 Name three businesses or departments which you consider to provide:
 Good Service- and why?
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
 Bad Service- and why?
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________

 Give examples of good service received.

________________________________________
________________________________________
 Give examples of bad service received.
________________________________________
________________________________________ 6
Who is the USDA?
 The United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA), also known as the Agriculture
Department, is the United States federal executive
department responsible for developing and
executing federal government federal policy on
farming, agriculture, forestry, and food. It aims to meet
the needs of farmers and ranchers, promote
agricultural trade and production, work to assure food
safety, protect natural resources, foster rural
communities and end hunger in the United States and
internationally.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
Who is the USDA?
 Agricultural Marketing Service
(AMS)
 Agricultural Research Service
(ARS)
 Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS)
 Center for Nutrition Policy and
Promotion (CNPP)
 Economic Research Service
(ERS)
 Farm Service Agency (FSA)
 Food and Nutrition Service
(FNS)
 Food Safety and Inspection
Service (FSIS)
 Foreign Agricultural Service
(FAS)
 Forest Service (FS)
 Grain Inspection, Packers and
Stockyards Administration
(GIPSA)
 National Agricultural Library
(NAL)
 National Agricultural Statistics
Service (NASS)
 National Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS)
 Risk Management Agency
(RMA)
 Rural Development (RD)
USDA Customer Service
Plan 2011
 “The programs administered by USDA
serve millions of customers each year.
 With the many challenges our Nation
faces today, it is more important than
ever that we continue to invest in
innovative solutions that will further
improve the service we provide.”

Thomas J. Vilsack
Secretary
USDA Customer Service
Plan 2011
 “USDA is committed to providing first
class service to all customers and
potential customers. Each day our
110,000 employees spread across 3,000
offices work to improve the Nation’s
economy and quality of life, touching the
lives of almost every American.”
USDA Key Actions and
Initiatives
 Each program was evaluated, pinpointing the key
customers and indicating the challenges it faced.
 The actions and initiatives taken in each program
included:
 Increase feedback from customers
 Adopt best practices for improving customer
experience
 Set, communicate and use customer service
metrics and standards
 Streamline Agency tools and processes to reduce
costs and accelerate delivery
Best Practices
 Establish a knowledge foundation
 Empower your customers
 Empower your employees
 Offer multichannel choice
 Listen to your customers
 Design seamless experiences
 Engage customers proactively
 Measure and improve continuously
Eight Steps to Great Customer Experience for Government Agencies- an
Oracle Whitepaper March 2012
Establish a Knowledge
Foundation
 Agencies can deliver knowledge if they
have knowledge
 The foundation should be development
with accessible institutional knowledge
 Capture knowledge with the daily
interactions of customers
 Organize knowledge according to
customer needs
Empower your Customers

 If there is knowledge in place, agencies

could take a step in providing customers
with highly effective self service.
 We know that not all of the service can
be self service, but implementing the non
critical information online will provide
more time for direct service.
Empower your employees

 Frontline employees need to be

knowledge empowered as well to assist
customers who call, email or walk into
the office
 These need to have:
 Extended subject matter knowledge
 Skills on how to work with customers
 Customer knowledge
 What the types of interactions will be
Who are Customers?

 Definition of a customer
 Internal/external customers
 Customers are people who need
your assistance. They are not an
interruption to your job, they are
the reason you have a job.
 17

First Impressions-
In person
Attitude Checklist

What attitudes assist in providing good

service?
 Enjoy helping people
 Handle people well
 Care for your customers
 Give fair and equal treatment to all
 Be understanding of people with special
needs
Positive First Impressions
 Greet the customer immediately with a
smile
 Be Presentable - Clothing, hair, and hands should
be kept neat & clean for business
 Communicate warmth and confidence
 Don’t eat, drink, or chew gum

 Focus attention on your customer

 Make the first 30 seconds count
 Be natural
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Positive First Impressions

 Be energetic, cordial, and respectful.

 Be prepared.
 Be the customer’s agent.
 Think; use common sense.
 Bend the rules sometimes.
 Stay positive.
 Know how to redirect an interview.
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Organizational Assessment -
Activity

 Take a look at your organization through the eyes of

a customer.
 What are the first things you notice?
 What has the organisation done to make you feel
welcome?
 Does anything make you feel uncomfortable?
 How could you feel more at ease?

Talk to the person next to you and discuss different methods

used to help people feel welcome. One person from each
group to present back.
Guaranteeing Return
Business
 Leave a positive impression, smile
 Check customers have everything they need
 If you’ve said you’ll follow-up, do so
 Tell them something that may be useful to
them later (for ex. A new service starting soon)
 Invite them back
 Say goodbye
What to Avoid

 Saying ‘I don’t know’ without offering an option

 Saying you don’t know where a colleague is or
saying they’re at lunch/ toilet/ gone for coffee
etc
 Leaving people on hold for a long time
 Ignoring people if you’re busy
 Treating people unequally
Offer multichannel choice

 Offer different channels of

communication whether it is website,
emails, phone calls or walk ins.
Design seamless
experiences
 Avoid the frustrating experience of a
customer who deals with one part of an
agency that does not know what the
other part of the agency is doing
 There is only one agency- one USDA-
and they have expectation of finding
continuity in dealing with that agency
 The frustrations lead to having to deal
with a difficult customer
Dealing with Difficult
Customers
Defensive Communication
Defensive Communication - communication
that can be aggressive, attacking & angry, or
passive & withdrawing
Leads to
 injured feelings
 communication breakdowns
 alienation
 retaliatory behaviors
 nonproductive efforts
 problem solving failures
Nondefensive
Communication
Nondefensive Communication -
communication that is assertive,
direct and powerful
Provides
 basis for defense when attacked
 restores order, balance, and
effectiveness
Dealing with Difficult
Behavior
 Label the behavior, not the customer
 Listen
 Don’t get defensive
 Don’t take it personally
 Find out what the customer wants
 Discuss alternatives
 Take responsibility for what you CAN do
 Agree on action
The Talkative Customer
 Ask closed questions
 Limit the time available for them to
interrupt (don’t have long pauses)
 Provide minimal response
 Smile and be pleasant, but don’t
encourage them
 Wind up – thank them for coming, walk
them to the door but don’t be rude or
dismissive
The Angry Customer
 Listen carefully without interrupting so you
understand the problem
 Empathize in a broad way
 Stay calm and remain polite
 Don’t escalate the problem
 Don’t take it personally, be defensive or blame
others
 Propose an action plan and follow it
 Seek support if you are scared, if you can’t agree
on a solution or if the customer asks to see
“whoever’s in charge”
The ‘know it all’ Customer

 Acknowledge what they say

 Compliment them on their research
 Be generous with praise
 Don’t put them in their place no matter how
tempting
 Don’t try to be smart – you can’t win!
 Ask them questions and use them to improve
your knowledge
The Indecisive Customer
 Find out what they really want
 Ask them for the options
 Reflect back to them what they’ve said
 Assume control gently and point out the best
course of action from what they’ve told you they
need
 Be logical
 Confirm a plan of action with them
 Maybe even put it in writing
The Suspicious Customer

 Establish your credibility

 Ensure you know your product or service
 They will try and catch you out so don’t guess
or tell them something you’re not sure of
 Be careful what you say
 Be polite
 Don’t take it personally, they don’t trust
anyone!
Dealing With Difficult
Customers

Deal with
EMOTIONS
first, then
deal with
the
PROBLEM!

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The customer may not always be
right, but the customer is always
the customer!

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Engage customers
proactively
 To deliver a truly exceptional experience,
the agency must respond well when
customers contact them
 Good customer service is taking that
extra step to help without being asked!
It’s all about attitude and skills.
Listen to your customers

 Customers want to be heard

 But we need to be able to communicate
effectively with them
 39

Communication
Communication

58% of communication consists of

body language
35% is expressed through tone of
voice
7% is communicated through words

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Communication
Five Elements Involved in
Communication

 Sender
 Channel of Communication
 Receiver
 Feedback
 Physical Environment

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The Communication
Process
MESSAGE

SENDER MEDIUM RECEIVER

FEEDBACK

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Verbal Communication

• Choose words carefully when

speaking to customers
• Use a friendly tone of voice
• Communicate a service
attitude

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Language to Avoid When
Speaking to Customers
• Profanity
• “Honey,” “Sweetie,” Or “Hey You”
• Jargon
• Answering a Question with a Question
• Humor- watch out!
• Giving customer orders
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 Ask a co-worker to review your
language & tone of voice periodically.

TUNE-UP YOUR COMMUNICATIONS!

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Barriers to Communication
 Physical separation
 Status differences
Communication  Gender differences
Barriers -  Cultural diversity
factors that block  Language
or significantly
distort successful  Selective
communication Perceptions
 Emotions
 Non-Verbal Cues
One-way vs.
Two-way Communications
One-Way
Communication - a Two-Way
person sends a message Communication - the
to another person and no communicator & receiver
questions, feedback, or interact
interaction follow  Good for problem

 Good for giving

solving
simple directions
 Fast but often less
accurate than 2-way
communication
 48

Listening
Listening Vs. Hearing
LISTENING IS:
 Voluntary
 Requires conscious effort
 Includes physical involvement
 Includes mental involvement

HEARING IS:
 Automatic
 Involuntary
 Unconscious

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Barriers to Effective
Listening
Noise

Technology (Beepers/Cellular phones)

Attitude

Not paying attention

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How to Listen to
Customers
Active listening = Attending skills (being ready)

 Attend to immediate needs (if you need to finish

something before giving your full attention)
 Being available
 Eye contact
 Attentive posture
 Concentration
Reflective Listening:
4 Levels of Verbal Response

Affirm contact

Paraphrase the expressed

Clarify the implicit

Reflect “core” feelings

Questioning Skills

 Open Questions

 Closed Questions

 Paraphrasing

 Check for
Understanding
 54

Non-Verbal Communication
Body Language
• Pay attention to your customer’s
body language (it may tell you things
the customer can’t or won’t say)
• Be aware of your body language to
ensure you send the right signals to
your customer
• Includes: facial, hands, posture

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Pay Attention to Your
Customer’s Body Language

 Inattention
 Discomfort
 Disagreement or
anger
 Impatience

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Facial Expression
A SMILE and eye contact tell your
customers you are happy to see them
and want to help.

Do you greet customers with a smile or a

frown?

Does your facial expression tell your

customers you want to help them?

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Hand Gestures
Hand Gestures
Which of these do you
use with your
customers?

• Folded arms
• Hands at the hips
• Snapping fingers
• Shaking fists
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Posture

Good posture makes you look

confident, alert, and professional

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Body Language for a
Positive Result
 Some examples of good body language

Smile
Introduce yourself (if appropriate) or wear
a name badge
Shake hands if appropriate
Lean forward
Be aware of cultural differences
Barriers to Effective
Communication
How to Overcome Barriers

 Using Feedback
 Simplifying Language
 Using Neutral Words
 Listening Actively
 Watching Non-Verbal Cues
 Being Sensitive to Cultural Differences
 Being Sensitive to Gender or Age
Differences
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Using Your Voice
Do you?
 Become loud when angry or upset
 Speak faster when nervous
 Speak slowly when tired or bored
 Have a cheerful voice
 My tone of voice is warm and understanding
 Find it easy to talk to people you don’t know
 Control your tone in most situations
 Sound bossy, weak or unsure
 Have a clear and easy-to-hear voice
 Speak in a very formal or very trendy manner?

Think about how you might modify your voice in certain

situations
Let’s Review
TRUE or FALSE?

1. Standing with your arms folded across your chest tells people, “Stay
away,” or “I dare you to approach me.”
• TRUE: When you stand with your arms crossed, over your
chest, you send a powerful signal to others to leave you alone.
2. Customers will understand if your posture is slumped by the end of
a long day.
• FALSE: Customers want to feel valued & welcomed-if
you’re tired and slumped over, you’re not giving your
customer your full attention. It may seem to them you don’t
care!
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Let’s Review
TRUE or FALSE?

3. Customers may reveal impatience by checking their

watches or tapping their feet.
• TRUE: When customers (or anyone) tap their feet,
shuffle around, check their watches, they’re definitely
telling you something! Pay attention!
4. People are more casual today, so customers don’t pay
much attention to your clothes.
• FALSE: We ALL judge appearances, consciously or
unconsciously. Casual attire is fine, as long as it is neat &
clean.
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Let’s Review
TRUE or FALSE?

5. Sometimes you have to interrupt customers to find out

what they really want.
• FALSE: Customers want to feel valued & respected-
Don’t interrupt! Let the customer finish speaking
BEFORE you begin asking questions.
6. You should always make eye contact with customers.
• TRUE: When customers see you look at them, it tells
them you are focused on them. It also makes you appear as
someone they can trust-AS LONG AS YOU DON’T
STARE AT THEM!
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 69

What About Your

Telephone Etiquette?
When Answering The Call
 Prior to picking up the telephone, make sure you’re
approaching the call in a positive way.
 Answer the call within 3 rings.
 Know your agency standards and apply them.
 Greet the customer with a “Good Morning” or “Good
afternoon.”
 Avoid eating, drinking, and chewing gum while on the
phone.
 Acknowledge receipt of a FAX or PHONE MESSAGE
within 24 hours.
 Clearly state your agency’s name.
 Clearly state your name.
 Offer assistance. 70
 Transferring Calls
1. Transfer calls only if you are unable to help the caller.
2. Ask permission from the customer to transfer the call.
3. Give the caller the name and phone number of the
person you are transferring him/her.
4. If the caller complains about being transferred, suggest
having the call returned instead.
5. Thank the caller for allowing you to transfer the call.
6. Monitor the transfer process. If possible, stay on the
line.
7. Give the new party any helpful information before
completing the transfer.
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Taking or Leaving
Telephone Messages
When taking or leaving Telephone Messages include
the following:
 Date and time of message.
 Caller’s full name.
 Company name and reason for call.
 Phone number.
 Your name.

 JUST AS YOU TAKE RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE

USEFUL MESSAGES, TAKE FULL
RESPONSIBILITY TO RETURN MESSAGES.
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Handling Complaints and
Angry Callers
1. Listen to the complaint.
2. Avoid interrupting until the entire
complaint has been stated.
3. Do not allow yourself to get angry.
4. If the caller is angry, pause before you
respond. Then respond politely.
5. If the caller is extremely angry, ask if
you can call back.
6. If the caller refuses, ask if you can have
few minutes to collect needed
information. This additional time may
allow the caller to calm down.
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Measure and improve
continuously
 It is important to establish mechanisms to
continuously measure and improve the
effectiveness and efficiency of these
mechanisms for customer service
Tangible Benefits

 Significant improved
customer satisfaction
 More effective fulfillment of
agency mission
 Improved staff morale
 Deeper insight into customer
needs and marketplace
conditions.
 Smile, be happy and have fun!
It will always show in the service you give
"Our lives are not determined by what happens to
us, but how we react to what happens;
Not by what life brings us, but by the attitude we
bring to life.
A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of
positive thoughts, events, and outcomes.
It is a catalyst...a spark that creates extraordinary
results."
--author unknown

77
Wrap- up

 Questions and Answers

 Participant’s Evaluation

78
Thank You!

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