Look of The Year! Get noticed

How many times you have been complimented for your skin or your beautiful face by your friends? Someone must have even suggested that you try your hand at modeling? But you may not have the confidence to apply as a model at an agency in your area? So how do you go about? Why not apply online at Lookoftheyear. The site is the perfect place from where you can take the first step towards modeling and climb up the ladder. And the price stakes are also very high.

The winners of the online beauty contest stand to win $10,000 each. The participants are divided into various categories depending on the age group and sex. The categories are Girls 14-19 - Girls 19+ - Boy 14-19 - Boys +19.

Modeling agencies from across the world log on to Lookoftheyear and look through the profiles for boys and girls. If they find you interesting, you may soon receive a call from one of them. You can let modeling agencies from different countries to have a look at your profile. You just have to enter important information such as your name, sex, age, vital statistics and post your photo and soon enough you may start receiving calls from modeling agencies. Hence we see that Lookoftheyear can fetch you the best contacts in the modeling world in a short period of time.

Imagine what you can do with $10,000 in case you win the contest in December. Along with the money for being the winner you will get loads of offers and these will really help you to kick start your modeling career. Hence do see to it that you make your profile as interesting as possible. You can also do some research on the internet as to what exactly are modeling agencies looking for when they want to select a model. You can then prepare according to their expectations.

So do have a look at Lookoftheyear today itself and join it as soon as you can. The more the number of days your profile is on the site, the more are your chances are for winning the $10,000 coveted prize. Also you can become popular and famous too with other members and modeling agencies if you start early. You may soon enter the top rated participant’s area if you really do well. The website displays the top rated participants from different age categories which changes regularly when another member becomes more popular.
http://www.lookoftheyear.com

Putting a caller on hold.

An agent should not put a customer on hold without seeking permission. If the agent abruptly says ‘hold on’ and puts him on hold, the customer would feel helpless and less important. To avoid this, there are four steps to putting a customer on hold. The agent needs to tell the customer the following before putting him on hold.

Explain the reason
Take permission
State how long it will take
Thank the caller if he/she agrees to be put on hold


Example:

Agent: ", I need to research on this issue and it may take 2 minutes. May I place you on hold?

Customer: " All right"

Agent: "Thank you"

If the hold exceeds the stipulated two minutes the agent should get back to the customer and request for more time. If he/she doesn’t want to continue holding, the agent may have to request the customer to call back after sometime or assure him/her that the agent will call the customer later (depending on the policy followed by the process)

Upon return the agent has to thank the customer for being on hold.

Agent: "Thank you for being on hold, "

Most customers may not mind being placed on hold. They will wait for the agent to get back. But if they are placed on hold for too long without any explanation, they might feel that the agent has forgotten them or hung up on them. Then they themselves might hang up. When you place customers on hold for more than two minutes their perception of that time is a lot more. This perception, in turn makes them impatient.

Some customers who have called before and who have been placed on hold dislike the thought of being placed on hold. The agent has to strategically word the request for hold, for the customer to accept it.

Dead Air

Dead Air is the time span between words/sentences during a call. An agent needs to worry only about long periods of dead air. Dead air happens when there is no communication. This could be due to various reasons.

Insufficient product knowledge
Referring to the manual while on call.
Waiting for the database to appear on the screen
While typing
While waiting for downloads, upgrades etc

How does one control dead air? The easiest way is by using fillers like OK, All right, Go ahead, Please proceed...etc. Other fillers are echoing the customer's name, numbers etc while reconfirming the customer's information and type simultaneously. These types of fillers are used when the time span of silence is just a few seconds or less than a minute. When the agent is pulling up a record or checking the warranty status, he needs a minute. At this time, he should inform the customer what he/she is doing.

At the initial stage of the call, when you have to pull up the records, you could say, "Please give me a moment while I pull up your records". This is called buying time. The customer is given a reason for the pause.

If the silence is going to be for more than a minute, the agent should put the customer on hold.

Driver's Seat

Stage 1 – Opening the call

Take control of the call right away with an enthusiastic and cheerful greeting. ALWAYS smile before picking up the phone. Your smile will be heard by the customer.

When an agent smiles and sounds cheerful, the customer feels happy that the Agent is ready to sort out his/her issues. The customer is co-operative. The agent is in control.

If the agent opens the call without a smile and sounds scripted, the customer gets the impression that the agent is bored and indifferent to his problem. The customer then becomes either aggressive or remote, and unfriendly. This in turn makes the agent’s job difficult.

Hence it is important that the Agent takes control of the call at the very beginning. Research shows that the first 30 seconds of a call are the most important moments during when the customer forms the first impression about the agent. Just as the agent tries to visualize the customer, the customer also tries to visualize the person at the other end. So remember the first impression is very important.


Stage 2 – Collecting Information

An agent can lose control over the call while collecting information, if he/she doesn’t listen carefully. Companies need a lot of information about the customer for various purposes. They use this information for marketing, upgrading their products, and research. So it is very important that the agent collects information correctly. The agent needs to listen carefully and then reconfirm/verify the information collected.

Sometimes the customer is frustrated by the time he/she reaches the agent because the person has been transferred many times. He may not want to waste time giving any information. If the customer is adamant about this, the agent should give in gracefully and empathize. The agent needs to apologize for the inconvenience caused and proceed straightaway to listening to the issue and resolving it. The moment the agent agrees to resolve the issue instead of collecting information, he is back in control of the call. He can try to collect information after resolving the issue or in-between resolution when time permits.

So the catch phrase for this stage is listening carefully to the customer’s voice and tone to stay in control.


Stage 3 – Listening to the issue and Paraphrasing

This is one of the most important stages of a call. It is at this stage that the agent first comes to know of the customer’s issue. It is very important that the agent understands the issue correctly because without proper understanding of the issue, he/she will not be able to give a correct resolution. The agent needs to listen carefully. He/She may not understand the customer word for word, if the customer's accent is not familiar, but the agent still needs to pick out all the key words. These words are usually stressed by the customer. The agent should keep a paper and pen handy and note down all the important points. This way the agent will not forget any of the information given by the customer and therefore will not have to ask the customer to repeat.

After listening to the problem, and noting down thekey points, the agent needs to make sure that he/she has understood the issue correctly. The agent paraphrases the issue to confirm that he/she has understood what the customer has said. The customer is also reassured that the agent has understood him/her even if there is an issue with accent.

Right after paraphrasing, the agent takes control over the call by assuring the customer that he/she will make sure the issue is resolved. But the agent should not make any false promises. If the call has to be transferred to another department, it should be done at this stage. When the agent takes ownership of the call, the customer feels confident of being taken care of.


Stage 4 – Asking probing questions

Make sure you ask only relevant questions. Don’t prolong unnecessarily. Go into the next stage of resolution immediately. Use close ended questions as much as possible. This will help the agent to get specific answers and thus control the flow of conversation.


Stage 5 – Troubleshooting -> Resolution

This is the HEART of the call. To be in control of the call, the agent needs to be very careful during this phase. He has to guide the customer to a resolution. This should be done in a very informal, friendly manner. The agent should use simple language to explain or instruct. He should give simple step by step instructions to customers, whilst troubleshooting. Simple instructions help him/her to be in control and not lose time explaining again and again. Remember time is money.

There are few other important rules to follow to remain in control of the call at this stage.

Always give one instruction at a time.
Always reconfirm that the customer has completed a step/task (script-Have you done that? OR have you clicked the Next button?)
Repeat instructions if necessary
Always tell the customer briefly what you are about to do, and then instruct him how to do it.

After resolution, you need to reassure the customer that his/her issue has been set right. Do it confidentially and cheerfully. Do not be in a hurry to close the call. This gives the feeling that the service is dependable.


Stage 6 – Closing the Call

This is the last stage of the call. The customer should feel that the agent was happy to serve him. Close the call with a smile. Your tone should be warm and friendly. The customer should feel that you appreciate his/her business and look forward to doing business with him/her fora long time.

In the Driver's Seat

It is very important that the agent has control over each and every single call that he/she handles. This is possible only when he/she has in-depth product knowledge and excellent communication skills. When you are in control, you sound professional and project an image of competence. You sound calm, friendly and under no stress. This in turn gives the customer confidence, and that you will resolve the issue on hand.

If the agent is not in control of the call, it is only natural that the customer takes over. This will only create confusion and frustration. In order to avoid this, we need to understand what call control is, and how to control a call.


What is call-control?

When you are in control, you direct the flow of conversation. You decide what the next step is going to be. To be in control, you do not have to be aggressive. In fact if you become aggressive, you lose control of the call, because no customer will want to co-operate with an aggressive Agent.


General tips to control a call

Sound enthusiastic and confident from the start of the call

Listen carefully so that the customer doesn’t have to repeat himself over and over again. The customer will lose confidence in you if he/she is made to repeat.

Be empathetic in your response, when the customer states the issue & the inconvenience faced by him/her. It always helps to understand the customer’s state of mind.

Be friendly and courteous.

Never assume anything. Always ask questions to be sure of the situation.

Resolve the issue logically and systematically

After understanding the issue, assure the customer that you will make sure his/her problem is resolved.


Areas of call control and how to go about it

Call flow - Controlling a call starts with understanding the flowchart of a call. The flowcharts of most inbound tech calls are similar, with very few variations. The call starts with the call opening and proceeds through collecting information, listening to the issue, paraphrasing, asking probing questions, resolving and call ending. An agent should know the flowchart of his call thoroughly and should follow it. In case the customer is impatient and doesn’t want to go through the second stage of collecting information, go ahead and listen to the problem and resolve it. But always try to get all information before closing the call.

Effective Troubleshooting

Even though questioning starts during the stage just prior to resolution, it continues through resolution also. Both open ended and close ended questions are used to validate, collect and confirm information. Along with these questions an agent may need to describe, explain, instruct, direct and visually confirm to guide a customer through resolution.

Descriptions: explanations of what a particular object looks like

Example: IDE cable is a flat white colour wire with red colour stripes on it.

The internet explorer icon looks like a blue ‘e’.

Descriptions and Directions go together. You have to first tell the customer where he has to look (direction) and then tell him what to look for.

Example: On the top of the screen, do you see a button labeled refresh?
At the bottom of the screen, do you see the start button?

After visually confirming that the customer has located what he needs to look for, the agent gives Instructions.

Example: Agent: "On the bottom of the screen, do you see the Finish button?"
Customer: "Yes"
Agent: "Click on it please!"


Different types of Instructions given whilst troubleshooting:

EXAMPLE:

Typing commands – These types of instructions should be given slowly so that the customer has the time to type the 'command' in the keyboard.


Instructions where the customer needs to use the mouse or keyboard. The agent has to give instructions one by one:
E.g. "Go to Start" pause until the customer finds the start button. Then give the 2nd instruction, "Select Run", again wait until the customer does that. Then give the next command, "Type in _____". There are several other commands such as right click, click, hit enter, press, check, uncheck....etc.


Instructions where a physical activity needs to be done, wait till the customer executes the instruction.
E.g. Connecting and disconnecting cables;Opening the side panels of the tower; Installing software using CDs


Instructions for checking resolution, wait till the customer sounds convinced that the issue has been resolved. Do not hurry closing the call.
E.g. "Try going online".

Empathise, Never Sympathise

By just saying, ‘I do understand how you feel about this’ or ‘I do apologize for the inconvenience caused to you’ is a clear empathetic way of being involved with customer’s emotional state. Empathy is preferable to sympathy for two reasons:

It would wear you down emotionally if you got involved with each new problem you face every working day.

You need to keep that distance to be effective and to think of various options and solutions.

Donny’s Pizzas
Agent Thank you for calling Donny’s Pizza’s. This is XYZ speaking. Would you like to try our deep crust Pizza, the latest addition to our menu?
Customer Hi XYZ this is Tom here. I had placed an order half an hour ago and it still hasn’t arrived. What’s happened to your instant delivery?
Agent Am sorry Tom. May I have your phone number, please?
Customer Sure, that would 345123.
Agent Thank you Tom. May I place you on hold while I check your order?
Customer Yup but please make that fast.
Agent Thank you for being on hold Tom, I’m sorry but there seems to have been a slight mix-up. The order was on its way to 30, Sherwood Avenue, instead of 34 New woods. I’ve communicated the right address to our delivery person, and it will reach you any moment.
Customer It’s too late now, I’m canceling it!
Agent I do understand your anger, Tom. I can see that you’ve placed a large order and can imagine the inconvenience this has caused you. I sincerely apologize for the mix- up and delay. But if you reconsider- you are entitled to a 50 per cent discount on your bill and a cold can of Coke, compliments of Donny’s Pizzas. Will you reconsider, Tom?
Customer Ummm. Okay. But you guys better buckle up!
Agent Sure, Tom. Thank you for ordering Donnys Pizzas. We hope you enjoy your meal.

Acknowledging and enjoying Compliments

It is not true that the agent gets only negative responses from their customers. Most customers appreciate the agent's efforts if the issue is resolved without too many hiccups. The agent should know how to respond when he is complimented

If the customer says ‘Thank you so much for your assistance’.
Agent – You are welcome. It was my pleasure assisting you.

Cust – You really helped me
Agent – Thank you. I am glad I was able to assist you.

When a customer expresses satisfaction, the agent is encouraged to give even better service next time. It always feels great to be complimented. It makes you feel good about yourself and about the job. The agent should take this feeling into the next call.

If the customer was very co-operative, make it a point to tell him so. The customer also likes to be complimented.

Carry positive reactions into other calls. Share with friends and colleagues. You deserve to reward yourself especially when you have handled an irate call efficiently.

Advantages of Rapport Building

Able to build a strong a relationship with the customer.

The customer co-operates with you effortlessly while troubleshooting. The customer’s co-operation will make it easier for the Agent to go about the process of resolving the issue.

The call becomes a pleasant experience for both the customer as well as the Agent.

If the Agent makes a mistake, the customer will be more forgiving and less irate. In other words, an Agent will be able to get away with minor mistakes without upsetting the customer. For e.g. The Agent could say ‘I am sorry, I want you to disconnect the modem not the router.’

Having built a rapport with the customer, the customer will be accommodative even if the issue is unresolved. The chance of such a customer becoming irate is less if the Agent has already built a relationship with the customer.

Barriers to rapport building

Since the customer is an American and the Agent is an Indian, one can expect a lot of obstacles to building rapport.

Accent – a foreign accent may be a mental block for the customer. He may have a preconceived notion that he will not understand the agent. The agent should then speak slowly and clearly. An agent should try to acquire a neutral accent that can be understood by all.

Not understanding idioms, slang and other common expressions– certain phrases or expressions may not be understood by either the customer or agent. Sarcasm may be misunderstood for humor and vice versa. A wrong response to the expression may be a deterrent in connecting with each other. When in doubt, the Agent should always ask for clarifications.

Names – pronunciation of names are different and sometimes difficult. Eg Johann, Jose, ..etc. to avoid mispronunciation and offending customers, the agent should avoid addressing the customer by name when in doubt.

How to deal with abusive language

We have seen how important it is to connect with customers. The Agent needs to be polite, friendly and enthusiastic even with an irate customer. But if the customer uses abusive language, should an Agent take it? The answer is No. Can he hang up on the customer or use the same language in return? The answer is again No. So how should a Agent handle an abusive customer?

The Agent needs to be courteous but assertive while handling such a customer. He should warn the customer that he/she will not be able to proceed with the call if the customer continues to use abusive language.

Agent – , I will not be able to proceed with the call if you use such language.

The Agent should give the customer a chance to calm down and stop using such language. But in spite of the warning if he/she continues to use such language, the Agent should be a little more assertive.

Agent – , I am sorry, I'll not be able to help you further unless you stop using profanity. I am sorry I'll have to disconnect the call

If the customer continues to be abusive.

Agent – , I am sorry I have to hang up

Rapport Building

All companies look forward to retaining their customers. This is a difficult task in today’s world, where competition is high. The only way to retain customer loyalty is by offering superior service. And this is mainly in the hands of the agent. An Agent should try to build a relationship of trust and understanding with the customer. This is called rapport building.

Why is rapport building important?

The customer is the most important asset of the company and building a rapport with the customer is very important.

How can an Agent build rapport with a customer?

There are many steps to build rapport with a customer. The agent and the customer need to feel comfortable with each other. The agent needs to connect with the customer. To achieve this, the agent has to take the initiative. The process of creating a comfort zone starts from the very beginning of the call.

Be enthusiastic – always open the call enthusiastically. SMILE before talking. The Agent ’s bright and positive attitude will make the customer feel that he/she intends to help him. Even an irate or dissatisfied customer will feel better when greeted with enthusiasm.

Be polite and respectful throughout the call. Start the call respectfully using ‘May I’ and ‘please’. Later on, a warm pitch and tone should be sufficient to convey courtesy.

Customers should feel important – Give a personal touch to each and every single call. A customer is not a number on your database. Put a face and personality to the voice and treat him like a valued customer. Give special and individual attention. Use the customer’s name for that personal touch.

Listen carefully – give individual attention to whatever the customer says. Listen to his tone also. Sometimes tone conveys a lot more than words.You need to listen to what he means and NOT what he says.

Empathize – whenever the customer faces a difficult situation, empathize with him. Reassure him. Express genuine concern and care. But empathy does not mean always agreeing with the customer.

Example:

I understand your frustration, but I am afraid you’ll have to replace your modem. However, I can give you few options and help you to choose the option that suits you best.(Use the right pitch and tone).

Example:

", I notice that your last payment processed on your credit card was not successful for some reason and therefore unable to proceed further. However I'll be glad to help you if you can re-process your payment and call us back."

Deliver what you have committed and do not commit what you cannot deliver.

Example:

"Much as I wish to help you in this regard, I am unable to, since I am not authorized to do so".

Example:

"I apologize for the inconvenience caused by the delay but I am sure I’ll be able to sort out the issue, if allowed to. Shall we go ahead with the troubleshooting steps???"

When delivering these statements make sure the pitch and tone of your voice is right for the situation. Everything depends on how you respond, not the response itself.

Apology and empathy are 2 strong weapons/tools an agent can use as a strategy to deal with a customer who is irate. Use these weapons with the right pitch and tone or voice and half the battle is won.

Other strategies used in a call

If the telephone number was not clear - request the customer to repeat. Could you please repeat that for me?

If the person is mumbling or speaking softly - I am sorry, I can’t hear you. Could you please speak a little louder?

If the names are not familiar – 'Could you please spell your name?'

If the customer starts to give irrelevant information and is chatty – the Agent should politely direct the talk back tothe topic by asking close ended questions. " O.K. , I understand what you are saying, shall we go ahead and fix the issue?"

To check if the customer has understood the instruction – check with them whether they have completed the instruction. E.g. "Have you minimized the screen, ?"

If the customer is irate – don’t interrupt him/her while he/she is speaking. Apologize using a right tone by saying, " I am sorry you were transferred many times and you were disconnected the previous time. I truly apologize for the inconvenience. Give me a moment while put you across to the appropriate dept. This time, I'll stay with you until your call is transferred."

If the customer is analytical – before starting to troubleshoot, explain in simple sentences what you think the problem is and what you are going to do. “ , I think the problem could be either with your internet service provider or with the configuration of the router. Let’s go ahead with the trouble shooting steps and fix the issue."

If the accent of the customer is thick – listen carefully, pick up the stressed words, and note them down. Then repeat slowly and clearly to the customer what you have understood.

If you feel the customer doesn’t like to be put on hold – indirectly ask for permission. Never say ‘May I place you on hold for a minute while I pull up the records’. Instead – Mr. Smith, I need to research on this issue and it’ll take me 2 minutes, so may I please place you on hold?"

Close ended questions

These questions call for a Yes/No answer or for specific answers. These questions are used to confirm your understanding of facts.

Advantages

get facts right
no time loss
agent is in control
gets the customer focused on the issue.
effective in handling talkative customers


Disadvantages

very little information received
may sound as though the agent is abrupt and business-like

The key words used to ask the customer are is, can, do, will, would, shall, did, have, etc.

Example:

Do you see the Start button?
Is the power light on?
Is your system able to go On-line now?
Could you please repeat that for me?
Do you have the installation CD with you?
Have you connected the modem to the router?
Did you make any changes to the network set-up recently?

Close ended questions give control and reduce unnecessary talk. Only relevant responses can be made and so is effective when handling a chatty customer.

Tips for questioning

an agent should know which type of question to ask
listen to the responses and if the customer is giving only very little information, change the style or wordings of the question.
ask questions in a conversational manner and always acknowledge the answer.
ask only one question at a time and listen to the answer before questioning again

Effective Probing

Asking questions to understand the issue better is a very important part of the call. The agent should ask only relevant questions. These questions should get him useful information.
There are two types of questions – close ended questions and open ended questions. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. The agent needs to choose the appropriate type of question to get the right response.

Open ended questions

These questions are asked when the agent needs to understand something or needs an explanation. A lot of information is expected for an open ended question.
The advantages are
agent is able to understand more and therefore has a more accurate picture
opens up alternatives
The disadvantages are

the caller might go into unnecessary descriptions and take up time.
the agent may lose control of the conversation
The keywords used in open ended questions are how, when, where, why, what, which

Example:

How far is your laptop from the wireless access point?

When was the last time the system was able to go on line?

Which are the programs that are not responding?

What happens when you try going On-line?

What are the changes you made to your network setup recently?

Open ended questions are helpful when dealing with passive customers. It helps in understanding the whole picture, as to how the issue started.

The Big Question

A very important skill that the Agent needs to possess is the skill of asking the right question in the right manner at the right time. In an in-bound tech service call, the entire trouble shooting section is heavily dependent on the questions the Agent asks the customer. It helps the agent to probe deeper into the problem, get a clear perspective and navigate the call to a successful closure.
Remember to use the right pitch and tone when asking questions. You must not sound intrusive, offensive or disinterested. Questions you ask the customer would reveal more about
* His/her product
* His/her knowledge level
* Situation/Issue
* Whether he/she has attempted troubleshooting on his/her own, and if yes, to what extent
* his/her current mood (whether MAD, GLAD or SAD)

How to ask the right questions

Never assume. Do not hesitate to ask for further clarification. It is much better than having to come all the way back to where you started. Ensure you have all the right information you need to have, before you start giving a solution. If you do not have the correct details you will end up giving a solution to a problem that never existed in the first place. Treat each situation as a new one and give it all the attention it deserves.
Be patient even if the customer jumbles up information, sounds confused or get all the facts in the wrong place. Remember the customer is not a communication expert, you are. It’s your skill to un-jumble the puzzle which the customer presents to you.
Ask questions politely like a service agent not a cop. Find out, don’t investigate. Be friendly with your questioning and keep your cool if the answers don’t come by easily. Don’t threaten. Don’t be aggressive.
Question + Answer = Information + Action = Customer Service. Your ability to be of service depends on your getting all the information you need before you act.
Ask one question at a time. Try and collect even complex bits of information through simple questions.
Allow the customer time to answer your question. Don’t complete the answer for the customer. It may work sometimes, but often can create complications.
Do not act superior. Never let the customer feel he knows less. It’s you who needs to know more. The purpose of asking questions is to get information. Let that be a positive act.
Don’t ask more questions than you need to. Don’t make the customer feel that he is on trial. The moment you have enough information, stop. Get on with customer service.
Make your questions, ‘questions’ and not statements. Often a customer will ask, ‘ are you asking me or telling me?’ ie., do not make a statement into a question.

Active Listening Vs Passive Listening

When you do not respond to what the customer is telling you, it is passive listening.
If one responds immediately to the query is active listening l. Passive listening is when one does not respond or responds inappropriately. At which, the customer gets the feeling that he/she has not been heard.

Eg:

Customer – My name is Robert Hanks. Call me Bob, I want you to know that my system is not able to go On-line.
Agent – Ok Mr. Hanks, tell me how may I help you today?
This kind of a response shows that the agent was not listening. The correct response should have been
Sure Bob, tell me what happens, when you try going On-line?
Paraphrasing after listening to the issue is a another way of active listening. Paraphrasing is to re-state what the customer has said and to confirm facts, ideas and information.
This is a very important aspect of listening. Make sure that you have not only heard the information but also understood it. Paraphrase (what you have heard) to the caller in simple sentences using only some essential words. Paraphrasing makes the customer feel that he/she is being understood and encourages him to continue. It builds the customer’s confidence.
Fillers like "aha aha"," uh uhm"," okay", "alright", "go ahead" "please proceed"... etc., which are called as Verbal Nods makes the call flow smoothly.
When the call is interactive, there is no dead air, call becomes informal and the customer becomes very co-operative.

Bad Calls Good Calls
Listening 01.mp3 Listening 01.mp3
Listening 02.mp3 Listening 02.mp3

Active Listening

Active listening happens when you are listening attentively to what the speaker is saying, without interrupting him/her. At this point in time, you listen to comprehend the words, tone, the mood and the meaning behind the words. When you are listening to the issue of the customer, you are listening actively.

Concept 1:

In an in-bound call, you need to understand the need of the customer. So an agent needs to listen carefully to find out why the customer has called. It would be that the customer
* Wants information
* Needs instruction OR
* Has a problem that needs to be solved
Eg:

I would like to change my password – the customer needs instructions

I want to download software – needs instructions

How many computers can I connect to the router – wants information

I see an error message when I try to go on line – requires resolution

How do I find an IP address? – wants information

My Internet is not working – requires resolution

Concept 2:

The agent needs to ask relevant questions to understand more about the issue, and understand the situation around the problem.

Eg 1:

‘My system is unable to go On-line ’.

The agent needs to probe further and get a clearer picture of the issue.

‘Unable to go on-line again. The issue was resolved yesterday but it stopped functioning again today’.
When the agent understands the situation, he knows he has to refer to check the previous case to find out as to how the problem was resolved the previous day. Moreover he/she needs to tread cautiously because the customer might be upset that the problem has re-occurred in such a short span of time.

Eg 2:

‘I have been on the phone for 3 hours and transferred several times. I think my modem is not working, for my system is not able to go On-line ’.
Concept 1 – problem solving

Concept 2 – customer is frustrated and you need to tread carefully

Concept 3 – the emotion of the customer

Concept 3:

Concept 3 of active listening is to understand knowledge level, emotion, accent etc.,

Every customer expects to be treated in a special manner. Therefore, understanding the customer and understanding his/her emotions is an important aspect to solving the issue.
Understanding the age of a customer is important because the agent needs to be patient and respectful towards an elderly person.
You need to know the gender to address a person properly. Sometimes names and voices can be confusing. The agent needs to know clearly who he/she is speaking to.
Understanding the knowledge level of the customer is also very important. If the customer has an in-depth knowledge of the customer, the agent can guide the customer through the resolution quickly. If the knowledge level is low the agent needs to be patient and give detailed instructions.
Emotion – if the customer is irate the agent should apologize and proceed with the call being sensitive to the feelings of the irate customer. The agent should respond immediately and not be taken aback and be silent if the customer starts shouting, at the beginning of the call. But should remain calm, apologise in a sincere tone for the inconvenience faced by the customer and sound confident while suggesting steps for the resolution.
Accent – if the accent is thick, the agent should listen very keenly and pick up the keywords to understand what is being said. Also should paraphrase to ensure understanding of the issue.

Listening Skills

Listening Vs Hearing

When a door closes, we hear it. When we put our ears to the closed door to find out what’s happening behind it, we start listening. When you sit in a training session you can hear the sound of the a/c, the sound of the birds chirping etc.
Hearing is a physical, biological act. Listening is a conscious act.
Listening = hearing, receiving, understanding, comprehending and then responding appropriately.
First, ensure you can hear everything clearly; secondly ensure that the other person knows you are listening. Affirmative verbal nods - e.g. "‘I see", "Okay", "uhuh", "mmm"," go ahead ","please carry on"and so on, help the customer continue the conversation. Don’t let the silence break down the conversation, forcing the customer to ask, "anybody out there?" Short statements like "I get what you mean" and "‘that’s clear" gives a feeling of assurance to the caller that he/she is being heard.
Listening is a skill.

There are 2 types of listening.

* Active
* Passive

Characteristics of an apprehensive customer

* They seem unsure and mumble
* Reluctant to interact with people
* Requires constant reassurance
* Needs step by step instructions

How to deal with an apprehensive customers

* Sound confident when giving resolution
* Be friendly and courteous
* Build rapport
* Empathize
* Listen carefully
* Give step by step instructions
* Ensure that the customer is satisfied with the service rendered.

Characteristics of a passive/neutral customers

It is easy to provide service to a passive customer. They are generally satisfied customers who have a good relationship with the company. They are patient and generally co-operate with the agent. But it would be a mistake to take them for granted. Absence of complaints shouldn’t be taken as an expression of satisfaction. If the agent fails to gauge the dissatisfaction, he might stop calling rather than voicing his resentment.

* Non-committal about the quality of service received
* Patient, co-operative
* They do not complain or demand better service


Techniques to handle passive customers

* Never take their silence as satisfaction
* Treat them with respect as they are your best customers
* Try to establish a rapport with them to strengthen the relationship and business bond
* Ask for feedback periodically since he may not volunteer it himself. This will help to improve your service.

Characteristics of an analytical/detail oriented customer.

* He is usually accurate, keeps records and expects the same from the agent
* He would remember earlier calls he has made to your organization.
* Expects to be told the how, where and when of the solutions to be provided to him.
* Needs detailed information and time to analyze the situation
* Takes a lot of time to take a decision.

How to handle an analytical customer

* Get your facts right – this customer will not be happy with incomplete or vague details. Research the solution you are about to offer. If you give incorrect information, you will annoy the customer.
* Be logical – think before you speak. Make sure the resolution is logical, clear and simple. Verify that the customer has understood what you have told him.
* Document for future use – after successful resolution (or otherwise) document it properly for future use.

Characteristics of an Angry/Irate customer

* Shouts
* Insults And threatens
* Makes accusations

Angry customers are a challenge even to the most experienced agent. The task may be very difficult, but it is a great feeling to handle an irate customer succesfully.
To handle an irate customer in the right manner, you need to understand the reason behind the caller’s anger. It may be that
* The service was not up to his expectations or
* Some misunderstanding on the part of the customer or a communication gap

Techniques to deal with an irate customer

* Pacifying – apologize sincerely for the inconvenience caused. This decreases the displeasure the customer has to a great extent – give a general apology.
E.g. I apologize for the inconvenience.
* Understand the root cause of ire – identify the main reason for his anger and make a specific apology for the same.
* Accept responsibility for failure and take steps to avoid recurrence of the same problem.
* Be calm and patient – do not take the customer’s anger personally. The customer is not shouting at you but is simply expressing his anguish over the problem.
* Let customer vent his feelings – do not interrupt a customer when he is venting his emotions. He will feel better after he finishes shouting.
* Keeps commitments – don’t promise anything that you cannot deliver. Keep commitments that you make. Make notes of it so that you don’t forget.
* Always be courteous, even if the customer is wrong in blaming you or the company.

Bad Calls Good Calls
Irate Customer 01.mp3 Irate Customer 01.mp3

Characteristics of a talkative customer

* Usually friendly
* Conversation may move from something relevant to something non-relevant like weather, sports etc.
* Takes up a lot of time talking.

How to manage a talkative customer

* Ask close ended questions – the answers to these questions will be short and will keep the customer from elaborating on an issue.
* Space control – allow minimum space between statements so that the customer doesn’t get an opportunity to talk. If the customer digresses, the agent might interrupt politely and get the customer back to business.
* Provide minimal response – don’t encourage unnecessary conversation. Keep your responses to such conversation to a minimum and encourage business talk.

Characteristics Of An Assertive Customer

* Talks business
* Wastes no time in exchanging pleasantries
* Does not believe in relationships
* Straight forward and logical approach
* Might demand unusual favors
* Quick to show authority and demands a quick redress to his problem
* High rate of speech and to the point.
E.g.
I want it fixed now.
I don’t want to know how or why, BUT JUST GET IT DONE.
I can’t wait. Get me your superior.

Demanding customer

* Complains about waste of time, money and the inconvenience caused.
* Interrupts often
* Threatens if they don’t get their way.
* Demands immediate solution and does not tolerate delays
* Has a superior attitude.

Agent skills required to deal with assertive/demanding customer

* Listen and get details – He is a perfectionist. So listen carefully and note down the details accurately as this customer would lose his cool if asked to repeat information.
* Ask close-ended questions – to stop the customer from arguing and to take control of the call, ask maximum as many close – ended questions as required. Keep non-business conversation to a minimum.
* Relate to the customer – be courteous, but make no commitment. The details the customer provides should be cross checked to arrive at a solution. If it takes time, ask for time politely or seek permission to call back.
* Be objective and professional – don’t get affected by the customer’s emotional state. Be polite, courteous and assertive.
* Be direct – the agent’s assertiveness should be just a level below the customer’s. Match the customer’s style of communication without competing with it.
* Pamper – it helps to pamper this type of customer a little bit.

Types of Customers

A Customer can be defined as one who utilizes or intends to utilize the product or service offered. So, a prospective customer is equally important to the company as the present one.
In an in-bound call, a customer usually calls when he has a problem with the company’s product. Therefore it is very important to solve the issue as quickly as possible. At times, when a customer dials in, he is angry or frustrated. But this should not be taken personally. He is only exposing his frustration over the condition he is in. If you were in his position wouldn’t you be frustrated? According to surveys 90% of customers who are dissatisfied with the service received will not come back or buy again. These customers would tell at least nine other people their experience. 13% of these people will talk about this to another 20 people. No company can afford to have even a single dissatisfied customer.

Customer types

Each call, each customer is unique. Nevertheless, customers can be grouped into different categories based on their emotions, goals and tone. When an agent is able to identify the customer type, it is easier for him to give a satisfactory response. Following are the six different customer types based on their distinctive behaviors.

* Assertive Customer
* Angry/Irate Customer
* Talkative Customer
* Analytical Customer
* Passive/Neutral Customer
* Apprehensive Customer

Stage 7 - Closing the Call

This is the final stage of the call. You thank the customer for using your services. Call closing should be done in a warm and friendly manner. The customer should feel that you were happy serving him.
* Task 1 – Thank the customer
* Task 2 – pleasantry

Bad Calls Good Calls
Close 01.mp3 Close 01.mp3
Close 02.mp3 Close 02.mp3

Script

* Task 1 – Thank you for calling XYZ.
* Task 2 – You have a nice/great day.
OR
* It was a pleasure assisting you.