An overview of what to focus on when dealing with customers to ensure satisfaction.

1. SS
Ten Slides in Ten Minutes:
Customer Care and Communication
[Capturing the Hearts and Minds of Prospects & Clients]
Presented by:
Bill Graham APM.APMP
June, 2013
bill.graham@sales-synthesis.co.za

2. Dominant ExclusiveEmerging PervasiveAbsent
Symbiotic
relationship
with clients
Sustainability
Making the competitors irrelevant
Projects ParticularPerforming PertinentPeople Places
The Sustainable Business Imperative
Building mutually beneficial and sustainable long-term client relationships
Source: Sales Synthesis
Multi-National Companies [MNCs] may embrace a
new dawn or a long dark night.
Know where you are going
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Customers are extremely important to any business, they are the people who allow the
business to make money and thus ensure your employment in the organisation is
maintained – in essence, it is the customer that pays your salary. It is essential that all
employees look after their customers, treat customers with respect and view each
customer as an individual with individual needs that need to be met.
In dealing with customers, they need the undivided attention of whoever is helping
them and need to be seen as an extension and not an interruption to your work.
Customers can be internal, external, local, national and international. Each group has its
own individual needs and therefore need to be treated accordingly.
The Need for Customers

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a) High level of quality
b) High degree of flexibility
c) High levels of service
d) Low costs
e) Short lead times
f) Little or no variability
What Customers Want

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Customers complain when they want the service provider to correct something
that is wrong. A complaint in definitive terms is: “An expression of dissatisfaction
that requires a response.”
So customers complain because they are unhappy and it is your job to ensure that
you can resolve the complaint so that the customer ultimately leaves your
organisation smiling and with feelings of trust and happiness as opposed to anger
and frustration.
Why Do Customers Complain?

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What do we do badly?
If customers think that you do things badly, you need to know this immediately so that you
can make the necessary changes. When you get this feedback, listen carefully, no matter
how unimportant it may seem to you. If one customer is unhappy in this regard, others may
be too.
What should we continue doing?
In answering this question, your customers will tell you why they are continuing to use the
services that you are offering them. This feedback is important as it reinforces the positive
in your business and if this feedback is given to all employees of the organisation, it will
boost morale and encourage the positive behaviour to continue.
What do we need to change?
This question will allow you to discover what you need to do differently. Customers may not
necessarily be unhappy with the service that you are offering, but just give you information
on how you can improve on your processes.
Important Questions to Ask Customers

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Method Action
1. Complaints monitoring: This can be highly
effective if you have good processes in place to
capture the relevant information
Make sure all the complaints are written down. Check the
list regularly and take action to ensure it does not happen
again and again.
2. Suggestions schemes: This can be effective if well
managed.
You need to have a box on the front counter with an easy,
tear-off notepad. You could also offer a prize at the end of
the month for a randomly selected writer
3. Consultation with other businesses: This can be
done in the form of a mystery shopper. It is good
for picking up new ideas and seeing how other
businesses operate.
Join an industry group, attend their events and mix with
other attendees. Ask questions to learn about ideas to
apply to your organisation.
4. Service surveys: These are effective if done
properly and are relatively inexpensive.
By getting your customers to fill out a written survey you
can gain feedback on all aspects of your business.
5. Focus groups: Can be good for relationship
building
Call four to six of your regular customers in for tea or a
drink after work. Ask then the three key questions and list
their responses.
6. Customer panels: Give quick feedback and can
assist in gaining continuous feedback
Conduct on a regular monthly or quarterly meeting with
your focus group
7. Open days/road shows: Good for big businesses Conduct on a regular monthly or quarterly meeting with
your focus group
Methods of Consulting with Customers

8. The key to enhanced ‘Client Interaction’ performance is the consistent
handling of "moments of truth“ - those few interactions where clients have
an unusual amount of emotional energy invested in the outcome.
You have got to be able to identify and capitalise on these moments.
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Focus on Moments of Truth

9. Components of Trust:
1. Competence
2. Respect
3. Appearance
4. Positiveness
5. Responsibility
6. Listening
7. Empathy
8. Honesty
9. Patience
10. Common interests
11. Enthusiasm
12. Loyalty
13. Good communication
14. Security
15. Self-sacrifice.
Relationships can only be Developed through Trust
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10. Q&A
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