Customer Service : A Practical Approach

by Harris, Elaine K.

• ISBN13: 9780135064337
• ISBN10: 0135064333
• Edition: 5th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-01-01
• Publisher: Prentice Hall

Summary

For undergraduate courses in Customer Service, Training and Development, and Service Marketing; also as a supplement for a course in Marketing Principles.

The market-leader, Customer Service: A Practical Approach, goes beyond providing reasons why customer service is important to defining proven methods for creating customer service excellence. Using an organized and concise layout, it covers a wide range of knowledge and skills and offers an extensive collection of activities to enliven and invigorate any lecture.

This edition features a revised chapter on technology, new quick quizzes, job link activities, team building exercises, and expanded challenge projects. Focusing on problem solving, communication strategies and self-assessment, it transcends superficial elements and pinpoints the skills needed to improve and sustain customer satisfaction and business relationships.

In Customer Service: A Practical Approach, Harris develops:

(1) a thorough understanding of the customer service industry,

(2) a working knowledge of current trends and the ability to interpret those trends, and

(3) the fundamental abilities and strategies which lead to the successful implementation of customer service.

The text's unique approach unfolds the dynamics of the customer service industry while providing exercises to develop the skills necessary to compete in it.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. ix
About the Author	p. xiv
What Is Customer Service?	p. 1
Customer Service Is Important!	p. 2
What Is Customer Service?	p. 2
Understanding of Satisfaction	p. 2
Why Is Excellent Customer Service So Rare?	p. 3
Five Needs of Every Customer	p. 5
External and Internal Customers	p. 6
Customer Attributes	p. 8
Cost of Losing a Customer	p. 8
The Challenges of Customer Service	p. 14
Elements of Success	p. 15
Barriers to Excellent Customer Service	p. 15
Power of Perceptions	p. 16
Understanding Expectations	p. 16
Levels of Expectations	p. 17
Scope of Influence	p. 18
Reputation Management	p. 19
Techniques for Exceeding Customers' Expectations	p. 20
Keys to Credibility	p. 21
Importance of Values	p. 22
Ethics in Customer Service	p. 23
Current Status of Customer Service	p. 23
New Trends in Customer Service	p. 24
Problem Solving	p. 29
Role of Problem Solving in Customer Service	p. 30
Creativity and Problem Solving	p. 31
Problems as Opportunities	p. 31
Confronting Conflict	p. 31$$ Page mi
Power of Eye Contact	p. 80
Appeal to the Senses in Communication	p. 80
Communication and Technology	p. 80
Coping with Challenging Customers	p. 89
Who Are Challenging Customers?	p. 90
Why Are Customers Challenging?	p. 90
Are You Creating Challenging Customers?	p. 91
Characteristics of Challenging Customers?	p. 92
Respect: A Classic Idea That Still Works!	p. 98
Understanding the Positive Power of Empathy	p. 99
Responsibility Check	p. 99
What to Do When You Are Wrong	p. 100
Six Super Ways to Cope with Challenging Customers	p. 101
Payoffs of Coping with Challenging Customers	p. 101
Motivation	p. 106
What Is Motivation?	p. 107
Needs and Wants	p. 108
Motivating Factors	p. 109
Understanding of Morale	p. 110
Self-Concept and Motivation	p. 111
Power of Self-Motivation	p. 116
Teamwork	p. 117
Methods of Saying Thank You and Motivating Others	p. 117
Leadership in Customer Service	p. 121
Leadership Defined	p. 122
Know Thyself	p. 123
Formal and Informal Leaders	p. 124
Coach or Counselor	p. 125
Characteristics of Excellent Leaders	p. 126
Leadership and Goals	p. 127
Creation of a Customer Service Culture	p. 129
Benefits of Job Aids	p. 129
Leadership Without Position	p. 131
Your Boss Is Your Customer Too!	p. 132
Customer Retention and Measurement of Satisfaction	p. 138
What Is Customer Retention?	p. 139
Value of Existing Customers	p. 139
Understanding Churn	p. 141
How to Tell If You Need to Improve Your Customer-Retention Programs	p. 142
Development of a Customer-Retention Program	p. 142
Measurement of Satisfaction	p. 143
Sources of Information	p. 145
Benefits of Measuring Your Effectiveness	p. 146
Tips for Realistically Determining Your Effectiveness	p. 147
Why Surveys Do Not Always Reflect Reality	p. 147
Ideas for Evaluating Your Own Performance	p. 148
What Measurement of Satisfaction Means to Your Business	p. 149
Technology and Customer Service	p. 153
Today's Changing Marketplace	p. 154
Understanding the Customer of the Twenty-First Century	p. 154
Embracing New Technologies	p. 155
Call Centers	p. 156
Customer Service over the Internet	p. 158
Enhancing Service Experiences and Building Customer Loyalty	p. 161
Excellence in Customer Service	p. 165
Excellence Is the Goal	p. 166
What's Happening in the "Real World?"	p. 166
Getting Started	p. 171
Rewards of Providing Excellent Customer Service	p. 171
Glossary	p. 173
Index	p. 176
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