BUS151 People Skills

1
BUS151 People Skills

• Chapter 2
• Contributing to the Service Culture

2
What is a Service Culture?

• The answer is different for each organization. No
  two organizations operate in the same manner,
  have the same focus, or provide management that
  accomplishes the same results.
• Different cultures have different values,
  beliefs, norms, rituals, and practice.
• You play a role in communicating the culture to
  your customers.
• You may communicate it through your appearance,
  your interaction with customers, and your
  knowledge, skill, and attitude.

3
Service Culture

• Culture also encompasses your products and
  services, and the physical appearance of the
  organizations facility, equipment, and other
  aspects that the customers comes in contact with.

• Unfortunately, many companies are
  product-centered and view customers from the
  standpoint of what company products or services
  they use.

Successful organizations are customer-centered
and focus on individual needs.
4
Some of the More Common Elements of a Successful
Organization

• Service philosophy or mission
• Direction that supports day-to-day interactions
  with the customer.
• Employee roles and expectations
• Defines what is expected of employees in customer
  interactions defines how employee service
  performance will be evaluated.

• Management Support
• Level of management involvement and enthusiasm in
  coaching/mentoring.
• Motivators and Rewards
• Feedback that prompts employees to continue to
  deliver at a high level of effectiveness and
  efficiency.

5
Common Elements of a Successful Organization
(contd)

• Training
• Instruction/information provided through various
  techniques that teach knowledge or skills
  attempt to influence employee attitude toward
  excellent service
• Products Services
• State of the art competitively prices meets
  needs of customers.

• Policies Procedures
• Guidelines are established as to how transactions
  and situations will be handled.
• Delivery System
• The way an organization delivers its products and
  services.

6
R.U.M.B.A.

• For you and your organization to be successful in
  providing superior service to your customers,
  your roles and expectations must be clearly
  defined and communicated.
• Realistic
• Understandable
• Measurable
• Believable
• Attainable

7
Service Employee Competencies

• Broad general knowledge of products and service
• Interpersonal communication skills
• Technical expertise
• Positive, customer-focused, can-do attitude

• Initiative
• Motivation
• Integrity
• Loyalty (to organization, products, and to
  customers)
• Team spirit

8

• Look for a strong mentor in your organization.
• They are well connected.
• They have ability and desire to assist you.
• Strive for improvement
• Create self-motivation strategies
• Remain optimistic
• Look for ways to improve your skills
• Avoid complacency
• Make recommendations for improvement
• Look for ways around roadblocks
• The fact that others arent doing their job does
  not excuse you from doing yours.

9
Employee Empowerment

• Delegation of authority where a frontline service
  provider can take action without having to call a
  supervisor or ask permission.

• Such authority allows on-the-spot responsiveness
  to the customer while making service
  representatives feel trusted, respected, and
  important.

Empowerment is an intangible way that successful
service organizations reward employees. Often
someone who has decision-making authority feels
better about himself or herself and their
organization.
10
Customer-Friendly Systems

• Advertising
• Sends a message that products and services are
  competitive in price, quality, and quantity
  otherwise, customers go elsewhere.
• An advertisement that appears deceptive can cost
  the organization its customers and reputation.

• Complaint Resolution
• The manner in which complaints or problems are
  handles can signal the organization's concern for
  customer satisfaction.
• Make recommendations for improvement whenever you
  spot a roadblock or system that impedes provision
  of service excellence.

11
Tools for Service Measurement

• Profit and loss statements or management reports
• Employee exit interviews
• Walk-through audits
• On site management visits

• Employee focus groups
• Customer focus groups
• Mystery shoppers
• Customer satisfaction surveys
• Customer comment cards

12
Twelve Strategies for Service Success

1. Explore your organizations mission.
2. Help communicate the culture and vision to
   customers daily.
3. Demonstrate ethical behavior.
4. Identify and improve your service skills.
5. Become an expert on your organization.
6. Demonstrate commitment.
7. Partner with customers.
8. Work with our customers interest in mind.
9. Treat vendors and suppliers as customers.
10. Share resources.
11. Work with, not against, your customers.
12. Provide service follow-up.

13
Separating Average Companies From Excellent
Companies

• Executives spend time with the customer.
• Executives spend time talking to frontline
  service providers.
• Customer feedback is regularly asked for and
  acted upon.
• Innovation and creativity are encouraged and
  rewarded.
• Benchmarking (identifying successful practices of
  others) is done with similar organizations.
• Technology is widespread, updated, and used
  effectively.
• Training is provided for industry trends,
  organization issues, skills, and technology.
• Open communication exists between frontline
  employees and all levels of management
• Employees are provided with guidelines and
  empowered to do whatever is necessary to satisfy
  the customer.
• The status quo is not acceptable.

14
What Customers Want

• Enthusiastic service
• Empathy
• Patience

• Personal Recognition
• Courtesy
• Timely Service
• Professionalism