Brilliant Customer Service - How to Impress your Customers! - Chapter 3

Summary

In this chapter of 'Brilliant Customer Service,' Tony Hunt emphasizes the importance of effective communication via phone and email. He advises focusing on tone, which conveys 85% of a message, and suggests originality in script usage. For emails, he stresses professionalism, avoiding emotional responses, and maintaining a corporate identity. The chapter also covers handling difficult calls, making promises, and ensuring customer satisfaction through proper call and email etiquette.

Takeaways

• 😀 Focus on delivering 'brilliant' customer service, as it's the standard to aim for.
• 📞 Remember that 85% of the message in a phone call is conveyed through tone of voice, so train to sound enthusiastic and genuine.
• 📝 When answering the phone, use a script but personalize it to avoid sounding robotic.
• 🤔 Before answering a call, ensure your mind is focused and try to pick up within 3-4 rings.
• 🙂 Introduce yourself and ask for the caller's name to establish a personal connection.
• 🔍 Be prepared to offer action or solutions during the initial part of the call.
• 😊 Smile while on the phone, as it can be heard in your tone and makes the interaction more pleasant.
• 🔄 If you need to put a caller on hold, consider their emotional state and whether hold music might aggravate them.
• 📅 When promising to call back, under promise and over deliver to ensure customer satisfaction.
• 👤 Maintain professionalism during difficult calls, listen actively, and avoid escalating the situation.
• 📧 Email is a critical communication tool but is low on the list of preferred communication methods; use it carefully and professionally.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the video script titled 'Brilliant Customer Service'?

The main theme of the video script is to emphasize the importance of excellent customer service, particularly focusing on effective communication through telephone and email.

What percentage of the message is said to come from the tone of voice during telephone communication?

According to the script, 85% of the message during telephone communication comes from the tone of voice.

Why is it suggested to avoid reading a script in a repetitive manner when answering the phone?

Reading a script repetitively can make the caller feel like they are just another call, rather than being treated with individual attention and enthusiasm.

What is the recommended approach when answering a call for the first time, even if it's the 100th call of the day?

The recommended approach is to answer each call with enthusiasm as if it's the first call ever received, showing genuine interest in the customer.

What should be done before lifting the receiver to answer a call?

Before lifting the receiver, one should focus their mind and be prepared to answer within three to four rings.

Why is it important to give your name when answering a call and what additional step is suggested?

Giving your name establishes identity and trust. The additional step suggested is to ask for the caller's name and make a note of it to maintain personalization throughout the call.

What is the suggested protocol when a caller is put on hold?

The protocol includes asking periodically if the caller is happy to wait, ensuring that the call is still owned and the caller's needs are met.

What are some alternatives to putting a caller on hold when dealing with an unhappy customer?

Alternatives include asking if the caller is prepared to wait, directing them to voicemail, offering to call back later, providing a colleague's email for direct contact, or transferring to another person who might be able to assist.

How should one handle a situation where a customer uses inappropriate or offensive language during a call?

One should take an assertive approach, warning the customer that the call will be ended if the inappropriate language continues, and follow through with ending the call if necessary.

What is the principle of 'under promise and over deliver' and why is it suggested in the context of making promises over the phone?

The principle of 'under promise and over deliver' involves setting expectations lower than the actual delivery time for resolving an issue, ensuring that if the issue is resolved faster than expected, it results in a positive experience for the customer. It helps in managing customer expectations and avoiding disappointment.

Why is it advised not to express emotions such as anger in emails, especially in a professional context?

Expressing emotions like anger in emails can lead to regret later, as the written word is permanent and can be read by unintended audiences, potentially causing embarrassment or legal issues.

What are some best practices for writing professional emails as outlined in the script?

Best practices include using correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation, maintaining a professional tone, using a consistent corporate identity in formatting, and avoiding the expression of emotions.

Outlines

00:00

📞 Enhancing Telephone Communication Skills

This paragraph emphasizes the importance of telephone communication in customer service, focusing on the tone of voice, which conveys 85% of the message. It suggests training to answer calls with enthusiasm and originality, even when using a script. The speaker advises to focus the mind before answering, introduce oneself, and ask for the caller's name. Offering immediate action and maintaining a smile are highlighted as key to building rapport. The paragraph also addresses how to handle callers on hold, suggesting alternatives to putting them on hold and providing a protocol for doing so if necessary.

05:02

🤝 Navigating Difficult Phone Conversations

The second paragraph discusses strategies for handling difficult or unhappy callers. It recommends maintaining a professional demeanor, changing one's physical posture to reflect readiness, and actively listening for both spoken and unspoken cues. The speaker advises against escalating the call and suggests using empathetic language to establish a connection. In cases of offensive language, a clear warning is given, and if the behavior continues, ending the call is justified. The paragraph also provides tips for transferring calls without transferring negative emotions and emphasizes not taking the caller's anger personally.

10:04

📝 The Art of Effective Email Communication

This paragraph explores the role of email in business communication, noting its prevalence but lower preference in relationship building. It cautions against using email for emotional expressions, such as anger, due to its permanence and potential for misinterpretation. The speaker stresses the importance of professionalizing email correspondence with correct spelling, grammar, and corporate identity. Tips for effective email include using clear subject headings, maintaining message threads, focusing information in the first paragraph, and avoiding emotional expressions that could be detrimental in the long term.

15:06

🔑 Keys to Professional Email and Call Handling

The final paragraph provides additional guidance on email and telephone communication. It advises against overpromising and emphasizes the importance of following through on commitments. The speaker suggests underpromising and overdelivering to exceed customer expectations. For telephone messages, it recommends being clear and concise, and for email, it stresses the need for error-free, consistent, and professional communication. The paragraph concludes with a reminder to avoid emotional responses in emails and to maintain a professional tone in all correspondence.

Keywords

💡Customer Service

Customer service refers to the provision of assistance and support to customers before, during, and after their purchase or use of a product or service. In the video's theme, it is emphasized as 'brilliant customer service,' highlighting the importance of excellence in every interaction. The script mentions that 'nothing less than brilliant will do,' indicating the high standard expected in customer interactions.

💡Communication Systems

Communication systems encompass the various methods and channels used to convey information. Within the video, two specific systems are discussed: telephone and email. These are highlighted as 'very important methods of communication' that can significantly impact the quality of customer service by allowing personalized and professional interactions.

💡Tone of Voice

Tone of voice is the emotional and attitudinal quality conveyed through spoken communication. The script points out that '85% of the message will come in the tone of voice,' emphasizing its critical role in telephone interactions. It suggests that even scripted responses should be delivered with originality and enthusiasm to avoid sounding mechanical or disinterested.

💡Professionalism

Professionalism is the quality of conducting oneself with expertise, integrity, and courtesy in a professional context. The video script repeatedly stresses the importance of professionalism, especially in handling telephone calls and emails, to ensure that every interaction reflects positively on the company and enhances customer relationships.

💡Email Correspondence

Email correspondence is the exchange of messages via electronic mail. The script discusses the importance of writing emails with a high standard, noting that it is a frequently used but low preference method of communication. It cautions against expressing emotions like anger in emails, as they can have lasting negative impacts and be misinterpreted.

💡Empathy

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. The video script suggests using empathetic words and phrases to establish a relationship with the customer during difficult conversations. This approach helps in resolving issues by making the customer feel understood and valued.

💡Promise Keeping

Promise keeping involves fulfilling commitments made to others. In the context of the video, it is advised to 'under promise and over deliver' when making promises to customers over the phone. This strategy aims to exceed customer expectations and ensure satisfaction by managing their anticipations effectively.

💡Handling Difficult Conversations

Handling difficult conversations refers to the skill of managing discussions that involve conflict, dissatisfaction, or strong emotions. The script provides strategies for dealing with such conversations, such as maintaining a professional tone, listening actively, and avoiding escalation, which are crucial for resolving issues and maintaining customer relationships.

💡Scripting

Scripting in the context of customer service involves using pre-prepared statements or responses to address common customer inquiries. The video emphasizes the importance of delivering these scripts in an 'original way' to ensure that each interaction feels personalized and not repetitive.

💡Corporate Identity

Corporate identity refers to the set of recognizable qualities that distinguish a company from others. The script mentions the importance of maintaining a consistent corporate identity in email communication, including the use of specific fonts, colors, and styles, to project a professional and unified image.

💡Message Clarity

Message clarity is the quality of being easily understood. The video script advises focusing the information in an email into the first paragraph and keeping emails to one page maximum for clarity. It also suggests avoiding justified text, which can lead to uneven spacing and reduced readability.

Highlights

The importance of delivering 'brilliant' customer service, as nothing less is acceptable.

The significance of face-to-face communication in customer interactions.

The role of telephone and email in customer service and their impact on work quality.

85% of a phone call's message is conveyed through tone of voice.

The need for originality when using scripts to answer the phone.

Approaching each phone call with the same enthusiasm as if it were the first.

The practice of focusing the mind before answering a call and answering within three to four rings.

The necessity of introducing oneself and asking for the caller's name during a phone call.

Offering action during the initial part of a phone conversation to address customer needs.

The effect of a smile on the tone of voice during a phone call.

Responsibility for a call even when the caller is on hold and the importance of meeting their needs.

Alternatives to putting a caller on hold and considering the caller's emotional state.

The protocol for handling a call when a caller is put on hold, including asking if they are happy to wait.

Approaches to dealing with difficult or unhappy callers with professionalism and empathy.

The importance of listening in difficult conversations and understanding the emotional cues.

The impact of tone of voice in difficult conversations and how to manage it professionally.

The strategy of under-promising and over-delivering when making promises to customers.

The importance of following up with customers to ensure task completion to their satisfaction.

Tips for leaving effective voice messages, including mentioning names and stating the purpose clearly.

The role of email in business communication and its position in the hierarchy of preferred communication methods.

The need for professionalism in email communication, especially when expressing negative emotions.

Guidelines for writing effective emails, including correct spelling, grammar, and corporate identity.

The recommendation to use email as a follow-up to previous conversations and maintaining consistency.

Transcripts

hello and welcome to chapter three of

our five chapter program which I've

called brilliant customer service

because nothing less than brilliant will

do I'm Tony

hunt in the last chapter I asked you to

think about the way in which you deal

face to face with customers and clients

in this section I'd like to think about

the other communication systems that we

operate in particular the way in which

we handle the telephone in our

transactions and the way in which we

write our email because both of these

very very important methods of

communication allow us to develop

further the quality of the work that we

are doing and if we can be brilliantly

focused on the best possible telephone

techniques and if our email and physical

correspondence can be of an absolutely

high standard we will

win with regard to the telephone it's

important to bear in mind that

85% of the message will come in the tone

of voice and so for example if you use a

script to answer the telephone can you

train yourself and train those people

around you to answer that telephone with

that script but in an original way not

in a way that says you've already done

this 50 times already thank you for

calling the best hotel in the world my

name is Tony how can I help

you and as soon as you do that our heart

sinks what I'd like you to think about

doing even if you answer a 100 incoming

calls every day the true professional

answers each call with enthusiasm as if

this is the first call that you have

ever

received and that you can warm to your

customer simply by speaking that script

as as if it were absolutely

natural when we make a connection there

are a number of things that we ought to

think about doing this I hope will

become second nature to you as you

practice it first you focus your mind

don't lift the receiver don't take the

call until your mind has been focused

try to answer within three to four rings

if you possibly can give your name so

that people know to whom they are

speaking ask for their name so you know

to whom you are speaking and make a note

of what their name is so you don't

forget it halfway through the telephone

call try during the course of the

initial part of the conversation to look

to be able to offer some kind of action

after all that is why your customer has

phoned you and

smile we can hear a

smile we know if you're smiling we also

know if you're

frowning as a professional telephone

talker you will then warm the customers

who speak to you if you have to put them

on hold some thoughts for you here even

though you've placed somebody on hold

you still own the call it is still your

responsibility therefore try to meet the

caller's need if I have to put you on

hold perhaps perhaps I need to do some

thinking first before transferring can I

suggest you listen for any emotion that

there might be because if there is a

very very unhappy person at the end of

the telephone line putting them on hold

and having them listen to some random

music May well make them very angry

indeed you might want to reconsider how

you handle that perhaps it' be polite to

ask the caller if he or she is prepared

to

wait this is all before before we think

about placing the caller on hold so

there are some alternatives to putting a

person on hold that you might wish to

consider let us imagine that you suspect

that this person is very unhappy and

that putting on hold is just going to

anger them there are seven Alternatives

here that you might want to consider are

you prepared to wait Madam while I find

the person concerned could I put you to

her

voicemail would you like us to call you

back

later could I return your call as soon

as I get some further

information could I give out my

colleague's email address so that you

could contact him or her directly would

you like to speak to somebody

else could I help you in

this each of these is a possibility that

does not involve having to put that

individual on

hold but if you have to there is a

protocol that I'd like you to think

about

following the first is to ask

periodically if they are happy to wait

many telephone systems will beep to

remind you that you have a caller on

hold but I would like you to think about

going back to the caller and ask are you

still happy to wait because they may

elect to choose a different option and

do remember you still own that

call sometimes you have to handle

unhappy or difficult conversations and

in order to do that I recommend that you

think about simply being the perfect

professional it might be a good idea to

change your seating position when

dealing with a difficult call sit up

straight maybe even stand because your

body is wired to your feelings and if

you feel galvanized into action your

body will make you will underpin that

and make you feel better about yourself

when dealing with difficult

conversations concentrate on listening

for what is said but equally try to

listen for what is not being said any

kind of undercurrent anything that is

happening below the

surface can you think when you're

listening to to your call uh to the

caller of any trigger words or phrases

particular words particular phrases that

seem to to strike a cord negative or

positive and are you listening for those

emotional responses to cues that you

give certain questions certain

statements attract a particular kind of

emotional response we're listening for

the feeling here and that sometimes

helps us to move to a

conclusion of course it's not what you

say it's the way the you say it 85% of a

difficult conversation is communicated

through tone of voice I don't like your

tone and when

that accusation comes your way I don't

like your

tone be courteous be absolutely

professional do not allow yourself to

escalate this call in any way at all

attempt to establish a relationship by

using empathetic words and

phrases and very importantly avoid the

Temptation avoid your own reactive

behaviors with one

exception imagine a set of circumstances

where you are speaking to a customer who

becomes aggressive and offensive and

that same customer starts to use what

you consider to be um inappropriate

unacceptable language maybe even

obscenity or swearing

words can I suggest that you take a very

assertive approach here and you simply

say to that

individual if you use that language

again I have to tell you that I'm going

to hang up this call and I would like

you to continue with the call and if

that customer uses that inappropriate

language again simply put down the

telephone please do not not not warn the

customer warn the customer I if you

continue I'm warning you I'm because

it's almost as if you are complicit in

the abuse then so to be strong about

this after all you own this call if you

decide that that language is entirely

inappropriate you have absolutely every

right to give one warning and then put

down the

telephone however I'm sure that most

difficult callers are not going to

behave in that kind of way and this is a

wonderful opportunity for you to show

your professional so how professional

You Are by clarifying their issue

confirming that you understand it let

them know that you will own this matter

if you possibly can they love to hear

you say things like I will make sure I

will take charge of this then offer them

some choices and by doing that make a

true connection between somebody who has

an

issue and somebody you who can resolve

that

issue a couple of additional tips when

transferring a call to a

colleague pay attention to your caller's

attitude but don't transfer the emotion

because quite what often happens is that

you at the first line of attack as it

were will get an angry caller shouting

at you when you transfer that to another

person don't transfer the emotion with

it because that person may be entirely

different in the way in which he or she

speaks to the next person so don't trans

the

emotion I'll give you an example of what

I mean imagine a set of circumstances

where you have answered the the phone to

a very very angry caller who then says

put me through to your manager put me

through I'm not standing for this I'm so

angry I want to speak to your

manager and you put that person through

to the manager you know the chances are

that that individual won't continue in

this angry mode he or she will modify

their language because they're now

talking to a

manager so don't transfer the emotion

and very importantly please do not take

any of this personally don't behave

angry or offended it is not you they're

being angry with it is your role that

has dissatisfied them and you are strong

enough to be able to take

this we make promises we all make

promises and if you have made a promise

on the telephone keep it there is a

principle that you may wish to operate

and I think it is well worth doing it's

called under promise overd deliver if

it's going to take me an hour to resolve

your issue I will tell you it's going to

take me two hours to resolve the

issue and if I resolve it in an hour I'm

going to get back to you and that's a

win if I get back to you in an hour and

5

minutes if I've promised to get back to

you in 1 hour and it's an hour and 5

minutes before I get back to you I

haven't kept my promise so under promise

overd deliver rather than

overpromise and underd

deliver when making a promise do what

you said you would do quite simple call

back with updates if necessary so that

your customer knows this is what you're

doing and ensure that your customer is

Satisfied by calling back and asking

have I completed this task to your

complete satisfaction and if not start

again because that's what we're there

for if you have to leave a message with

a customer or an internal customer some

suggestions here that will help reduce

confusion mention their name so they

know the message is for them and your

name so they know it's from you state

the purpose of the message clearly State

the main points of the message request

any action that is needed and indicate

the best way of reaching you and if you

use that as a template your messages

will be taken and understood stood and

responded to as

appropriate some telephone tips to make

sure that you get the right message

across may I ask who's calling is really

quite important put me through your boss

he knows who I am may I ask who's

calling I need to know your name and the

nature of your business would be your

response and giving too much information

away is not such a good idea so think

about things like she's away from her

desk may I instead of she's gone off

she's gone out shopping she's away from

her desk may I take a message he's out

of the office until tomorrow she's out

of the office for the next two weeks I

don't want you to say she's gone to

Lisbon for a

holidays that's to information she's out

of the office she's not available may I

help may I take a

message another major form of

communication other than the telephone

of course has become email email

is a vitally important part of the way

we do business it's the most frequently

used form of

communication however it's low on the

list of preferred means of

communication and for that reason I

think we've got to be quite careful

about how we use

email especially in a kind of

relationship build with our customers I

know we email shot people regularly I

know we send lots of email EMS out in

order to do our marketing I understand

that entirely however if I try to

conduct a relationship with you via

email it may well fail because it's low

on the list of preferred means of

communication for most people the

hierarchy is this at the very top of it

people prefer face Toof face

communication I want to be able to see

you and if I can't see you one to one

I'd like to be in a meeting where I can

discuss things with you the third choice

is for me to watch a presentation live

when you can outline what it is you

propose for me and if I can't do that a

video conference where I can perhaps see

a presentation or participate in a

meeting the

telephone comes next on the list of

preferences where I can telephone and

talk with you but remember 85% of that

message now is coming in tone of voice

not in any visual aspect and a

teleconference

might be next on my list because at

least I can hear and therefore I can

draw some kind of emotional connection

from your tone of voice next on the list

is

email it's way down there because email

says a lot but it doesn't connect with

me in any kind of emotional way and if

I'm your customer and I get an email I

hope that that is only part of what

you're trying to communicate to me

because email doesn't not do things like

humor irony

angry we can't manage good customer

relationships through email only we can

use it in an entirely professional

way but for example writing an angry

response to a customer in an

email is simply

stupidity I am angry today so I'll write

an angry email and I'll even put it in

capital letters that shows how angry I

am well you won't be angry

tomorrow but your email is going to be

angry for the rest of time isn't

it and not only that that email that

you've sent out is not just going to be

read by the

recipient it's going to be read by a

journalist it's going to be read by a

lawyer it's going to be read by a boss

we've got to be really really careful

that we professionalize our email

correspondence so that it enhances our

service rather than diminishes

it so correct spelling grammar

capitalization and punctuation are

vitally important and if you can't do

that check with somebody who can involve

yourself in peer proof readings so that

a colleague can look at anything that

goes to a third party that is generated

from you and you will do the same for

that person because one single error in

an email says everything about your

company that that customer wants to know

so should be error

free we need to use

templates which have a corporate

identity we don't want to choose

randomly the the font the size of print

the color of the ink we want to give

some kind of corporate identity I'd like

you to use email as a follow-up to a

previous conversation and restating

matters agreed in other media absolutely

fine to use that but let's make sure

that there is a consistency in every

email that we send

out some tips for getting your emails

right use a good subject heading retain

the message thread so that you can

follow through the transaction write

correctly I mean grammatically correctly

with correct punctuation capitalization

and so

on try to focus the information in your

email into the first paragraph and keep

the length of almost all emails that you

send out out to the length of one page

maximum try not to justify down both

edges of the page because you get

disproportionate spacing in the middle

of the sentences ragged right hand side

is what most people like to see as

they're

reading use an AG greed house style and

do not repeat not try to express emotion

through email because it will only hurt

you email does not do

emotion and you may well find yourself

being very very

angry in the email that you send but

tomorrow you're not going to be angry

but that email is now going to be read

by a lawyer or a journalist or your

boss and it will turn out at some point

later on down the chain to be an

entirely embarrassing and absolutely

inappropriate piece of writing that

you've done so no emotion in your email

thank you I look forward to seeing you

in our next

chapter