| In Customer Service, the outcome for the Customer | | | | 1. Poor Customer Focus |
| and for the Company is in the hands of the | | | | Characteristics of someone with poor Customer focus |
| professional Customer Service person. How well they | | | | are – |
| perform in each contact with their Customers depends | | | | - Thinks negatively about customers |
| on a number of factors. Their training will have an | | | | - Thinks of THEIR OWN feelings and interests before |
| impact, as will their knowledge, skills and motivation. | | | | that of the Company or the Customer |
| One of the strongest influencer on their performance | | | | - Thinks he/she knows better and they already know |
| with the Customer will be their ATTITUDE. | | | | what the customer needs |
| If you are a Customer Service person, or are building a | | | | - Is uncomfortable with new people contacts or |
| Team of Customer Service people, it is important that | | | | different types of people |
| you work at developing the RIGHT attitude, values and | | | | - Is unwilling to handle complaints or special requests |
| beliefs. We all recognise someone with a bad attitude, | | | | - Does not listen well to customers and does nothing in |
| someone who thinks Customers are stupid, or | | | | response |
| annoying, or someone who hates their job or their | | | | - Is defensive and blames the customer |
| Company. These types of attitudes ensure that these | | | | - Is afraid of difficult situations or people and may react |
| Customer Service people are guaranteed to give their | | | | with aggression. They might say, you can’t handle |
| Customers a very bad experience. | | | | people like that. |
| Identifying the IDEAL Customer Service attitude is | | | | 2. Overly Accommodating Focus |
| important, so that we can build this ideal attitude in | | | | Characteristics of someone who is overly |
| ourselves and in our Teams. We call this attitude an | | | | accommodating to Customers are – |
| Assertive Customer Focussed Attitude. | | | | - Overly responsive to customer demands |
| An Assertive Customer Service Team | | | | - Negative about the Company, its organisation, its |
| In Customer Service, the ASSERTIVE zone is one of | | | | products and services |
| mutual respect, having a positive, respectful attitude to | | | | - Too willing to change established processes and |
| the Customer, the Company and to themselves. | | | | timetables to respond to unreasonable customer |
| This compares to – | | | | requests |
| - An aggressive attitude, trying to put the other person | | | | - Makes too many exceptions and does not form |
| down | | | | consistent policies, practices and processes for others |
| - A submissive attitude, feeling weaker and pushed | | | | to learn and follow |
| round by other people | | | | - Does not look for other workable options to solve |
| - A defensive attitude, feeling weak but lashing out to | | | | customer problems and can resort to blame game |
| protect this weakness | | | | - Has real difficulty with complaint handling |
| Assertiveness in a Customer Service Team is that | | | | - Has long, ineffective interactions and has difficulty |
| zone of quiet confidence and helpful competence that | | | | steering back on track |
| Customers will like and trust. | | | | - Sides with the customer too much |
| Identifying Positive Customer Focus | | | | 3. Positive Customer Focus – the ideal |
| To identify the right Customer focus for ourselves or | | | | Characteristics of someone who has the RIGHT |
| our Team, we again look at the place we do NOT | | | | Customer Focussed Attitude are – |
| want to be. We will compare 3 types of attitudes | | | | - Wants to serve customers, to work with them to |
| typical in Customer Service Teams – | | | | ensure every customer has a good outcome |
| 1. Poor Customer Focus | | | | wherever possible |
| 2. Overly Accommodating Focus | | | | - Believes in the Company and our products / service. |
| 3. Positive Customer Focus – the ideal | | | | |