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Greetings
From Telephone Doctor ATLANTA!
This month our communication article is about Self-Assessment.
Telephone Doctor has designed a Ten-Point Self Assessment Quiz to
identify your organizations commitment to the customer service
delivery process. We want you to invest three minutes in the
health of your organization by completing this Ten-Point
Organizational Self-Assessment Quiz. To gain greater insights, you're
welcome to distribute this assessment to others in your organization.
When completing this evaluation, think about your experience, your
co-workers' experience and most importantly, how you'd imagine your
customers might answer each question.
If by chance your score isn't where it should be or where you'd like
it to be, consider doing something about it, by checking out our
Telephone Doctor On-site Workshop Programs or
Training Videos. Click
Here for more information. You (and your customer) will be
glad you did!
Best Regards,
Sherry Redden Evans
Telephone Doctor Atlanta
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Telephone Doctor® Ten-Point
Organizational Self-Assessment Quiz
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If by chance your score isn't where it should be or where you'd like
it to be, consider doing something about it, click
here to check our instructor-led on-sight workshop titles.
Ten-Point Organizational Self-Assessment Quiz
1. Our entire staff has been comprehensively trained on the
techniques needed to handle, defuse and retain angry customers:
Disagree
1 2 3 4
5 Agree
2.
When handling calls from our customers, all our team members employ a
uniform, effective greeting:
Disagree
1 2 3 4
5 Agree
3.
When an employee has a performance shortfall, our managers are trained
to implement a proven coaching process:
Disagree
1 2 3 4
5 Agree
4.
Customer contact employees at our organization know how to present
negative information in a positive way:
Disagree
1 2 3 4
5 Agree
5.
Our team is skilled at knowing how and when to use a variety of
questioning techniques in their customer interactions:
Disagree
1 2 3 4
5 Agree
6.
New employees are well educated on issues such as dress code, limits
on personal calls and steering clear of office politics:
Disagree
1 2 3 4
5 Agree
7.
Our customer contact employees do a great job of rapport building and
making our customers feel like friends:
Disagree
1 2 3 4
5 Agree
8.
When a team member is having a "bad day," that negative emotion
is NEVER obvious to a customer:
Disagree
1 2 3 4
5 Agree
9. At
our organization, co-workers are always treated as well as we try to
treat our outside customers:
Disagree
1 2 3 4
5 Agree
10.
Customers are usually astounded by the high level of care they
receive from our team:
Disagree
1 2 3 4
5 Agree
Total
Score: ________
45-50 - If
this is an accurate assessment, we'd like to congratulate you. If
your customers rate you this high, you're obviously doing many things
very well. We'd like to speak with you about establishing a long-term
plan to ensure this level of excellence continues.
27-44 -
Most organizations rate themselves in this range, about average, but
still not excellent. How would your customers likely answer the same
evaluation? We invite you to learn more about our solutions so we can
help you close the gap between where you are now and where you should
be.
26 or below
- Congratulations on recognizing a shortfall. You've taken the first
step on the road to improvement. The next critical step is begin steps to fixing it. We look forward to
working with you on improving the level of service at your
organization.
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International
Customer Association Georgia Chapter
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ICSA July 29, 2010 GA Chapter Meeting
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Mark Your Calendars for July 29! ICSA Georgia Chapter Lunch &
Learn
We are very exited to announce that Sherry
Redden Evans will be discussing the importance of Customer Retention.
Sherry will identify some very simple steps that you can utilize to
handle upset customers that will help you build customer
confidence and trust in your organization.
Meeting Details
DATE: July 29,2010
TIME: 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. (Registration &
Networking - 11-11:30 a.m.)
LOCATION: MARTA
Headquarters Building, 2nd Floor Training
Room, 2424 Piedmont Road
NE, Atlanta,
30324. Parking is Free
Cost: $10 (Register at door $15)
Registration Options:
To Register by Email: Simply Click Here to send
an Jackie Dewtitt an Email
To Register by Phone: Call Jackie at 678.589.8249
To Register On-Line: Click
Here
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Five Most Frustrating Voice
Mail Phrases
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 By Nancy Friedman, The Telephone Doctor
Voice mail remains a large frustration in this busy business world.
And it's not just voice mail. The automated attendant is also on the
list. In an effort to help reduce voice mail frustration, here are
the five most frustrating phrases that your callers don't want to
hear. These tips also apply to your cell phone voice mail.
1. I'm not at my desk right now
DUH? That's a hot lot of news. What a boring statement. Live a
little. Let your callers know where you ARE - not
where you're not. Tell them, "I AM in the office all this
week" OR "I'm in a sales meeting till 3 pm." Let them
know if you do or don't check messages.
2. Your call is very important to me
A big time waster. The caller is thinking, "Well, if I'm so darn
important, where the heck are you?" And then again, think about
it. Maybe the call isn't so important to you. You just don't need
this phrase.
3. I'm sorry I missed your call
How dull. Of course you are. (Although, there are probably some that
you're not sorry to have missed.) Leave this phrase out! It's a
given. Use the time and space for something more valuable. Like where
you are and when you will return!! Or, who they can call for the
information.
4. I'll call you back as soon as possible or I'll call you
back as my earliest convenience
Not interesting and not fun. And based on Telephone Doctor surveys,
probably not true. The truth is most people aren't returning their
phone calls in a timely fashion. If you're telling your callers
you'll call them back, make sure you do. If you think you may not
return the call...then try this: "Go ahead and leave your phone
number and I'll DECIDE if I'll call you back or not." (Just
kidding!) Unreturned phone calls rank high on the frustration list.
"As soon as possible" is not an effective phrase. All you
need is to say, "I will call you back." (Then do it! Or
have it returned on your behalf.)
5. No escape
Remember to tell callers to hit ZERO for the operator if they need
more information. Or better yet, give them another name and
extension. Although for the most part, that voice mail may come on
also. (Then you're into what we call Voice Mail Jail!!!) Main point
here is to offer an alternative if you're not there. Plus, you've
bought back some time to say something more interesting or helpful to
the caller. (Escape may not apply to cell phones.) Try using case studies,
success stories, testimonials or examples of how others used your
product or service successfully. Or, offer to answer reader
questions, and publish the questions and the answers in your next
issue. Add a "Find out more..." link to additional information
on your website.
Let's talk about voice mail in general. Voice mail, per se, has three
parts - the automated attendant, the greeting your callers hear, and
the message you leave for someone on their voice mail Or as many
refer to it..."The Groaner." It's that voice that is a
large part of the frustration. Especially when you're not able to get
out of the system. (i.e. - no escape).
Is there anyone reading this right now who would argue against the
fact that the first voice you hear when you call a company sets the
mood, sets the tone for all future interactions? Then why on earth
would you leave a robotic, monotone, dull voice to greet your
callers? The voice (or digital chip) that came along with your system
has a number of options for you. You can record it yourself or you
can have one of your employees with a great upbeat voice record it.
Or you can find a professional in your area that will be happy to
help. Point being...you want a voice that
says, "Hey, we're so glad you called." You want a greeting
that is warm and friendly.
The Greeting On Your Voice Mail - A reminder: People want to
know where you are - not where you're not!
It's pretty simple. Leave an escape for the caller. Some place they
can get information if needed.
As for "dating" your recording with the day and date, you
might want to think twice on this. I don't say it's wrong or bad. But
I do say there are too many ways to slip up and not record each day
thereby making your recording outdated. And an OUTDATED greeting was
high on the list of voice mail no, no's! You sound foolish and the
caller wonders what else you might not be doing if you're not
updating the greeting. I'd play it safe and not use a day and date.
Which leads us to the message that YOU leave for
someone. It's your electronic business card and it needs to be
GREAT.
There are 3 kinds of messages to leave: a poor, an average and a
great. The message you leave for someone needs to be GREAT.
Here's a sample of each. Which one are you?
Poor: Hi this is Bob. Gimme a call.
Average: Hi this is Bob at Acme Widgets. Call me at 291-1012.
(Said wayyyyyy too fast. - You know exactly
what I'm talking about!)
GREAT: Hi Nancy.
This is Bob Smith, at Acme Widgets. I'd like to get with you to talk
about the plan for the meeting on the 27th. I'll plan on having lunch
brought in at our office. I'm excited to get with you on this. I'm at
314 - that's central time in St.
Louis, Missouri
- 314-291-1012. Again, that's 314-291-1012. Look forward to it, Nancy. If I'm
not in, ask for JUDY, at extension 42 and leave a message with her
for me there. Thanks.
Let's not make it any more difficult than it really is. Voice mail
can and should be a productivity enhancer. The automated attendant
was not installed to replace people. It was installed to 1) answer on
the first ring, and 2) expedite a phone call. And it does do both.
That being said...it's still a big frustration in the business world.
Make it less frustrating for your callers!!!
Now that you've read this article, trying calling into your own voice
mail system and see how many of these frustrating phrases you
use...then eliminate them. REMEMBER - check your cell phone voice
mail too.!! Good luck!
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ABOUT US.
When you spend money to hire a consultant, project
leader or trainer you want a balanced combination of experience AND
knowledge. Our team provides just the right mix to ensure success and
promote confidence. For more information about our team click
here.
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The Instructor-led Workshop Division of Telephone Doctor Atlanta
offers on-site training sessions for delivery at your organization or
off-site meeting.
Our comprehensive half-day training workshops feature an interactive
presentation delivered in a classroom format for up to 25 attendees
per workshop.
We use a trademarked combination of laughter and learning known as EnterTraining®. The advantage of this style is
that workshop participants learn faster and retain the message
longer. These sessions all subscribe to the notion that adults learn
the best by hearing, seeing and doing.
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If you would like more
details on our workshop programs, simply click here
and we will email you a package of information. Or give us a
call at 770.442.3365.
(For email request, be sure to note workshops in the subject line.)
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50 Little
Tips
That Make a BIG Difference!
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by Nancy
Friedman
Complimentary
Customer Service Book
Available to the first 25 responders.
Limit of one per address and offer available only to our clients in Georgia.
Click Here to Request
Your Copy
(Be sure to note Complimentary Book in Subject Line)
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Save Almost 50% by Ordering the 18 Module Complete
DVD Library
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America's
Favorite Customer Service Training Series
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The 18 Module Complete DVD Library is
our flagship training package which is currently helping tens of
thousands of organizations worldwide. Hosted by Customer
Service Expert Nancy Friedman, this series will add instant
credibility and proven content to your next customer service training
workshop, staff meeting or training class. These skill-driven courses
will give your managers and supervisors the flexibility to train on a
variety of communication topics for months, without repeating
content. This award winning training collection will save hundreds of
hours of preparation time and is equally effective in a self-study
environment - for employees who choose to learn on their own or are
located in geographically dispersed offices.
Each training module features broadcast-quality production values and
offers easy-access chapter points. Users have the option of viewing
each DVD course in its entirety or watching selected segments to
focus on specific skills. All titles include a comprehensive leader's
guide to ensure the facilitation goes smoothly along with 25 desktop
reminder cards so your team can take the teaching points from each
module back to their work area for ongoing reinforcement. Also included
are one-year duplication rights for the accompanying participant
workbooks and accompanying PowerPoint - with the option to renew
after that period.
Click here to send us
an email to request detailed information on our ancillary material.
Individually, each DVD-based training course is $495. Most
organizations elect to save nearly 50% by ordering the Complete DVD
Library for $4,490. Find out what over 25,000 organizations
already know...Telephone Doctor Training means results.
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