BASIC CUSTOMER SERVICE SKILLS

A. OBJECTIVES:
Rational objectives:
1. Understand the importance of service excellence
2. Discover critical role in providing excellent service in their
offices/units
3. Gain better understanding of customer behavior; and,
4. Acquire customer service skills

Experiential Objectives;
5. Realize the importance of a customer- oriented service culture
6. Feel enthusiastic about applying acquired skills in handling
customer
7. Commit themselves to the development of a customer-
oriented service culture in their organization
B. SERVICE EXCELLENCE AND ITS IMPORTANCE

Why Customer Service?

CUSTOMER SERVICE is the delivery of a product or service
in a manner that is satisfactory to the customer.

CUSTOMER SERVICE is Client Satisfaction

A CUSTOMER is…
 The most important person in our business
 Not on interruption of work
 Not dependent on us
 Not someone to argue or match wits with
 A person who brings us his/her wants
 Characteristics of Service Management
(perception of customers)

1. Customer-focused, not inwardly-focused.

2. Customer-driven.
3. Service is integrated (not departmentalized).
4. Service is a responsibility.
5. Service standards are viewed as organizational
standards
6. Service is a reality not lip service.
7. Service programs are not only for front liners but also for

managers.
8. Service Excellence is not as simple as having no
dissatisfied customers, normally, dissatisfied customers
 Why Public Service Excellence?

Article XI Sec 1, 1987 Philippine Constitution

“Public Office is a Public Trust. Public Officers and

employees must at all times be accountable to the
people, serve them with most responsibility, integrity,
loyalty, and efficiency..”

Article IX, Sec 3 b

“ Established a career service and adopt measures to
promote morale, efficiency, integrity, responsiveness,
progressiveness and courtesy in the civil service.”
Why do we need to satisfy our clients?
Relevance of Public Service Excellence
 Customer expectations are higher than before
 The service industry is growing
 Competition for resources keeps increasing
 Excellent service means repeat business, thus
keeping the organization alive
 Excellent service is profitable
 Change in management values from reactive/
responsive to creative/proactive mode
 The Values of the people in government have
changed from “We’re government workers” to
“We’re Professionals”
 C. DEVELOPING CUSTOMER ORIENTED SERVICE CULTURE
Anyone for whom we do anything is our Customer, Everyone is
serving the ultimate customer by doing his/her job in such a way
that it makes the job of the next person in line as easy as possible.

Four types of Customers

PRAISERS- satisfied customers who let you know it

PATRONS- satisfied customers but are rarely open
TALKERS- customers who are satisfied with service and tell people
about it
WALKERS- customers who are satisfied with service and don’t tell
you verbally. They show their dissatisfaction in a roundabout way-
they don’t come back.
 Four Kinds of Service Organizations

1. The Freezer- low in both personal and procedural

service
a) “WE DON’T CARE” message to the customers
b) Personal Dimension: Cold, Apathetic, Aloof and Uninterested
c) Procedural Dimension: Slow, Inconsistent, Disorganized,
Chaotic And Inconvenient

2. The Factory- proficient in procedural but weak in

personal dimension;
a) “YOU ARE A NUMBER, WE ARE HERE TO PROCESS YOU”
b) Personal Dimension: Insensitive, Apathetic, Aloof,
Uninterested
c) Procedural Dimension: Timely, Efficient, Consistent, Systems
and customer-friendly
3. The Friendly Zoo- very personal but lack of procedural
consistency
a) “WE ARE TRYING HARD BUT DON’T REALLY KNOW WHAT
WE’RE DOING”
b) Personal Dimension: Friendly, Cordial, Personable,
Interested, Tactful
c) Procedural Dimension: Slow, Inconsistent, Disorganized,
Chaotic

4. The Excellent Customer Service- Strong in both

procedural and personal dimensions
a) “WE CARE, WE DELIVER”
b) Personal Dimension: Caring, Friendly, Well- Trained,
Confident, Attentive, Knowledgeable
c) Procedural Dimension: Timely, Efficient, Consistent, Systems
and Customer-Friendly
 D. CUSTOMER MAPPING AND MOMENTS OF TRUTH

Who is the Customers?

The Customer is the BOSS…

Who are our Customers?

a. Direct- Individuals or organizations that avail themselves
of our products (results, outputs) or services (expertise,
Knowledge) directly for their personal organization use.

b. Indirect- Individuals or organizations that benefit from

your products or services through another party or from a
direct customer.
c. External- Customer Satisfaction is the job of everybody in
the company. Employees, must know and how to do things
easier for the customers and meet customer’s expectation

d. Internal-Happy employees make happy customers.

Employees should not simply go through the motion of
getting a job done.

- The manner of treating each other as both a customer and

supplier makes customer service a WAY OF LIFE in the
organization
 Service Cycles
The Customer Service Paradox
People may come in contact with only one or few parts of an
organization; but they generalize to form their opinion of the
whole organization

A Moment of Truth…
Is any episode in which a customer comes into contact with
any aspect of the company, however remote, and therby has an
opportunity to form an impression of the organization.
By Jan Carison, President of Scandinavian Airlines System
E. CREATING SERVICE EXCELLENCE ENVIROMENT THROUGH
CUSTOMER FEEDBACK
 To feel Welcome
 To feel Important
 To be understood
 To be comforted
The Customer expects you to…
Show interest Offer Special service
Be polite Be well-groomed
Be friendly Address him by name
Be helpful Be flexible
Be open minded Be Reliable
Be patient Let him finish what he is saying
Use clear, understandable language Be sympathetic
Explain procedures Give tips
LISTEN
 The Ugly Truth about Customers…
 Customers are self- centered
 Customers often not notice good service, but they always
notice bad service
 Satisfied customers tell, on average, only one other person
about heir positive experience. Dissatisfied customers will tell
up to twenty others about their poor experience
 Customers are not concerned with and not care about the day-
to-day problems inside the organization

What Makes Customers Satisfied?

 Ownership of the problem
 Speed of Response
 Positive attitude
 No blaming of systems
 Personalized service
 Exceeding expectations
 What Makes Customers Dissatisfied?
 No apology
 No ownership of the problem
 No resolution of the problem
 Blaming mistakes onto someone/thing else
 Could not care less attitude
 Slow in response (sometimes)

Characteristics Needed to Keep Customers Satisfied

• Courtesy/ Politeness Professionalism
• Availability Follow- Through
• Understanding Problem- Solver
• Cooperativeness Quality
• Helpfulness Honesty
• Timeliness Respects
 F. DEALING WITH COMPLAINTS AND HOW TO HANDLE
DIFFICULT CUSTOMERS
8-Step Gift Formula
1. Say “Thank You”
2. Explain why you appreciate
3. Apologize for the mistake
4. Promise to do something
5. Ask for necessary information (Invitation)
6. Correct the mistakes promptly
7. Check customer satisfaction
8. Prevent future mistakes
“What to do when your customer is about to explode?”
9. Let them blow of steam
10. Show the customer you are on his side
11. Tell the customer exactly what you will do on your behalf
12. Take the fast action
13. Go back to the customer and explain the problem has been
resolved
 DO’s in Handling Difficult Customers
1. Be Patient and remain calm
2. Express respect in your tone of voice
3. Maintain eye contact
4. Get someone who can help if you can’t
5. Look at the problem of the customer’s from your point of view
6. Nod to show that you understand
7. Offer customer a seat
8. Offer coffee (water)

DON’T’s in handling Difficult Customers

9. Argue
10. Get angry
11. Be sarcastic
12. Make Promises/s
13. Be defensive
14. Loose your cool
 HANDLING COMPLAINTS
1. Allow customers to vent, let off steam, if appropriate or
necessary
2. Educate the customer about how to best access the service of
use the system
3. Under promise, but over deliver (More action than words)

USE THE “CLEAR” TECHNIQUE

C-CALM
Calm your emotions so that you can use your logic and assertive
communication to resolve the situation
How to calm emotions:
1.Take a deep breath
2.Mentally step back and look at the big picture
3.Realize that customer is angry on the situation or he has
other problems in life
L-LISTEN
Active listening is imperative especially when irate
How to listen:
1.Know why the customer is dissatisfied with the
product/service
2.Know their feelings and emotions during that time

E-EMPHATIZE with customers

Ability to put yourself in other person’s shoes to understand their
frame of reference
How to empathize
3. Restate the reason the customer is upset in your own words
4. Use body language such as nodding, having sympathetic
expression, leaning towards the customer
5. Reflect the feelings into words
A-APOLOGIZE to the customer
How to apologize:
1.Apologize on the specific situation
2.Don’t say “but”, instead use “however”

If the customer is wrong

Apologize for their inconvenience even if its their fault, then
resolve the problem

R- RESOLVE the situations

How to resolve the problem
3. Fix the problem immediately
4. Create reactive solutions
5. Create proactive solutions
 What to do after the upset customer is gone?
1. Take time to cool down
2. Review the incident
3. Do not take it personally
4. Do not bore your co-workers
5. If ok with you, ask co- worker for advise or comments
6. Or, keep the incident to oneself and ask what could have done
differently
7. Record on database
THE TRUE CONCEPT OF PUBLIC SERVICE EXCELLENCE
Employment in the Gov’t today taken on a new significance and
deeper meaning. Gov’t per has been repeatedly urged to
demonstrate a very high degree of efficiency and honesty. This is
because the goals & objectives of good Gov’t are so urgent & so
significant that the ordinary standard of svc would seem inadequate
to meet the demands of efficient administration
Gov’t per should know that public is fiduciary in character. A
public servant, to be worthy of the name, must have personnel
worth and must be imbued with a high sense of responsibility. This
concept of public office should be one of duties and responsibilities
rather that powers & prerogatives. A public official or employee as a
servant of the people, must live up fully to his oath of office, and
must breathe life to the well known principle that public office is a
public trust.
 When a men accept a public office, his private acts become more
or less public property & Taking that may reflect on his character and
witness from office is a matter of public interest. A well rounded
reputation from strict honesty, integrity and morality is therefore
essential. The measure stick is not the penal code, not the law of
commerce & business, but the higher code of ethics, or rather the
propriety of the thing, its possible effects & implications.
Thus, when we consider the nature of public office, its character
as an agency of the state, the tenure, the function of sovereignty
thereby exercise and the powers and privileges conferred, we at
once see the necessity for maintaining high standards in the public
svc. There is truth in the oft-repeated statement that “only the best
shall serve the state” for where there is much power entrusted, the
opportunity for mischief is also considerable.
 The whole public service is like pure water in a transparent
container, limpid and crystal clear. An extraneous substance
however little, like a drop of ink falling into that container, will mark
the cleanliness and the purity of the crystalline waters. Likewise, the
integrity of the svc and the respect of the people for their Gov’t
suffer on account of the misconduct of event a few officials and
employees for in the eyes of the people, such lapses- like the drop of
ink that beclouds the clearness of the crystalline water in the
container- constitute and indict out of the whole public service.
(10) HELPFUL HINTS ON SAMPUNG (10) UTOS SA PAGPAPATUPAD NG
APPREHENSION BATAS TRAPIKO
1. Always physically, mentally fit and 1. Laging ihanda ang katawan at isipan sa
ready to perform duty. pagganap ng tungkulin.
2. Always alert and observe 2. Laging alerto at mapagmatyag sa anumang
everything that takes place in your sakuna.
respective posting area.
3. Always ready to respond to any call 3. Laging handa sa anumang bagay na tawag
of duty. ng tungkulin.
4. Always wear the prescribed 4. Laging magsuot ng akmang uniporme.
uniform.
5. Always be courteous when talking 5. Laging panatilihing magalang at mahinahon
to motorists, sa pakikipagusap.
6. Always introduce yourself to the 6. Laging magpakilala at sabihin ang kanyang
violators, tell the offense and ask nilabag at magalang na hingiin ang lisensya at
politely for driver’s license. etc. iba pa.
7. Always avoid any corrupt practices. 7. Laging umiwas sa suhol o lagay.
8. Always get the plate number and 8. Laging kunin ang numero ng plaka at kulay
color of vehicle of the fleeing violator. ng sasakyan na tumakas na motorista.
9. Always report by fastest means any 9. Laging ipagbigay alam agad ang naganap na
untoward incident. insidente.
10. Always observe, monitor and 10. Laging mapagmatiyag, magsubaybay at
report. magbalita.
END