Customer Service Fundamentals

Customer Service Fundamentals

A Comprehensive Training Course

Overview

You're familiar with that sinking feeling when a customer leaves upset, and you're wondering what you missed? You know what, I've been there, and I've seen it happen time and again, across businesses all over Australia. The reality is, most of us learn customer service by winging it, adopting tricks in the hope that, eventually, we'll perfect our grip…but, more often than not, we're left struggling when the going gets tough.

This programme tackles the real shortfalls in customer service skills that I see having been a consultant to Australian industry for several years. The same core issues pop up from small family run shops in regional Queensland to large corporations in Sydney. Technical, staff who know their stuff but lack in people facing situations. Well intentioned team members who create even more frustration by miscommunicating.

The difference, though, with this course is practical, here and now, skills orientated focus. We're not discussing memorising scripts or becoming false selves. Instead, you'll build real skills to connect with customers, understand what they need and solve problems efficiently. These are the very ideas I've watched revolutionise customer service teams nationwide.

Learning Outcomes

Once finished with this course, participants will have the ability to:

Show them the art of active listening By practising this skill, you will uncover customer pain points and establish trust

Use effective communication skills for in person, telephone, and online interactions

Use of de escalation tactics to handle difficult clients in a professional manner

Use questioning techniques that lead to identification of issues and solutions

Carry out follow up reinforcement that reinforce customer satisfaction and loyalty

Don't cross the professional line but demonstrate that you genuinely care and feel empathy

Match communication style to different customer type and situation

Course Modules

Module 1: The Psychology of the Customer Basic principles of people really want besides what they asked for, focussing on emotional needs and managing expectations.

Module 2: Critical Communication Skills Strategies concerning verbal and nonverbal communication, active listening, and clear explanation.

Module 3: Managing Difficult Situations Techniques for both de escalation, managing your own stress responses and turning complaints into opportunities.

Module 4: Rapport And Trust The importance of and methods for establishing positive connections quickly and maintaining them throughout interactions.

Module 5: Methodical methodology to spot problems, offerings, solutions, implement solutions to accurately resolve the same.

Module 6: Follow Up and Relationship Management How to keep in touch with your clients and ensure they are getting the full benefit from your services.

What You Will Learn

This class provides you with immediately applicable on the job skills. You'll even fine tune the skill of actually listening to customers – not just hearing what they say, but tapping into the emotion or need beneath their words. This involves understanding when someone is upset about something entirely different than what he's complaining about.

You'll learn to ask questions as if you're less of an order taker and more of a detective. The right question can help customers articulate their needs and demonstrate that you truly care about assisting them. You'll uncover how to steer conversations towards solutions and avoid making customers feel flame broiled or disregarded.

The class focusses on how to manage your own emotional reactions in difficult interactions. When somebody is mad at you, it makes sense to feel defensive or alarmed. You'll rehearse strategies for remaining calm, focussed, and helpful even when dealing with criticism or unreasonable requests.

And you'll discover the subtle, yet compelling dimensions of superior customer service – the nuance of inflection, body language and word choice that fortify and build both bridges and barriers. These skills work whether you are supporting someone in the flesh in Brisbane, over the phone from Perth or replying to emails at your Melbourne desk.

Concluding Remarks

Excellent customer service is not about being perfect, and it's not about having all the answers. It's the sorting hat of skills and approaches that work across the board: in all situations and with all personality types. That's what this course is, establishing the footing for conviction which will make you stable when you get various customer interactions.

Everything you'll learn here has been tested in the Australian Business world – from retail shops and restaurants to professionals and government. They work because they are rooted in real, human psychology and communication principles that have nothing to do with canned scripts or fake behaviour.

Whether you are new to customer service or deficient in any advanced level, this course will teach you how to leverage the aspects of every customer interaction in the favour of both positive connection and successful resolution.