Alltel Voice of Customer

8/14/2019 Alltel Voice of Customer

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VOICE OFCUSTOMER


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Objectives

At the end of this course, you will beable to:

Understand how VOC relates to our NPS

score Identify key concepts that lead to VOCRecognize the impact of listening,

politeness, patience, friendliness andappreciation, and how it improves thequality of service we provide to ourCustomers

Learn how to easily communicate bad


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How does VOC relate toNPS?

ListeningCarefully

Politeness

Patience

BeingFriendly


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LISTEN CAREFULLY


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Lets see how well youlisten

Listen carefully to the story and answerthe question as fast as you can. Thequestion will only be asked once.

The first person who answers correctlywins a prize!


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Techniques for EffectiveListening

Give appropriate responses to aCustomers questions andstatements: Listen carefully to whatthe Customer is saying to ensure yourresponse is appropriate.

Limit distractions around you so you

can focus on the Customers messageand respond appropriately to questionsand statements.


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Use passive listening: Passivelistening is an indication to the speakerthat youre paying attention. Thesecues are verbal since you are on thephone (e.g., saying Yes or I see).

While responses such as Uh-huh and

Yeah may be common in dailyconversation, you should avoid usingthem in business situations.


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Use paraphrasing: Paraphrasing isrephrasing what the Customer said andrepeating the message as you

understood it. This reduces thepossibility of misunderstanding.

To avoid mimicking, restate what theCustomer has said in your own words.Use phrases such as: If I understand you correctly, you have a

question about your mother-in-laws bill.You would like to receive the information by

e-mail, not direct mail. Is that correct?


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Avoid interrupting: Listen all the waythrough the Customer's message.

Interrupting conveys rudeness andgives the impression that you assumeyou know exactly what they are goingto say. This is frustrating and can add

tension.


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BE PATIENT ANDPOLITE


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What are courtesyphrases?

Please. Do youmind?

May I also


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Have you ever been in a conversationwith someone where you saidsomething and the intention of thestatement you made wasmisunderstood?

What was the experience like for you?


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From Harmful to Helpful

"I can't do that." What do you think isharmful about this message?

No one likes to hear I can't. It shows anunwillingness to help. Instead, considerusing

What I can do is

This gives a positive impression of youand Alltel.


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"That's against our policy." If it really is apolicy we have, what would be harmful aboutsaying this to a Customer?

To Customers, saying It's against policy isusually seen as an excuse and not anexplanation. Always explain the reason orbenefit of the policy to the Customer. Oneway to do this is to say,

To protect the confidentiality of ouremployees, we dont provide thatinformation without a signed release.


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"I need you to give me someinformation." Whats harmful aboutthis message?

Although you may need to getinformation from a Customer, stating Ineed doesnt leave the Customer withany options and is demanding. A betterway to get information would be to ask,

May I get some information fromyou, please?


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"That's not our department." Whywould this cause a Customer to have anegative perception of Alltel?

Although that's not our departmentdoes sound as if youre providinginformation, it doesn't sound helpful. Abetter way to say this is

I can connect you to thedepartment that specializes in thatarea.


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"You'll have to hold." What may beconsidered harmful about thismessage?

Hearing what you have to do isperceived as demanding.

Will you please hold while I verifythe information? is a more helpfulway of handling this situation. TheCustomer will then think of you ascourteous, helpful, and friendly.


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ACT FRIENDLY


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What is friendly?


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Components of VoiceQuality

Tone of voice, the speed at which theyspeak, and the way they enunciate canmake some people very difficult to

listen to at length.A voice with little inflection sounds flat

and can seem uninteresting or boring.Talking too fast makes it difficult to

hear all of the information and cancause miscommunication.

A voice tone that shows interest and

enthusiasm encourages interest in the


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AcknowledgingCustomers

Customer Statement: I was just speaking witha representative and my call dropped. Youre thethird person Ive spoken with today.

Try this!I tell you what. You and I are going toget this fixed so that Ill be the last person youtalk to. How does that sound?

Customer Statement: I lost my phone! Thelady at the store said Im not eligible for a free

phone and I dont have insurance! Try this! Oh, Im sorry to hear that. Lets see

what avenues are available so we can get yourphone replaced.


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Customer Statement: I was trying to get anumber change. I dont know what wentwrong, but my phone doesnt work now.

Try this! Well, were going to makewhatever went wrong go right!

Customer Statement: Ive been at work all

day. I dont have time to spend on the phonetrying to get my charges fixed. Try this! Let me fix this issue so that you

can get back to things that you like to do.


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Customer Statement: My phone wontturn on. I charged it all night, but it just sitsthere with a blank screen.

Try this! Oh, wow. Thats not good! Letsfigure out whats wrong.

Presenting a great tone of voice and

acknowledging Customer statements aretwo great techniques for being friendly.Some Reps are naturally friendly,however others may need some reviewon these techniques.


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THANK THECUSTOMER


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Thank youfor what?

In theory, thanking the Customerseems simple. But thank you for what?

By using the Customer's name andadding specific information about whatyou are thanking the Customer for,makes this statement much more

personal and specific.


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Examples

"Mr. Smith, thank you for calling intoday to advise us about the issue youare having with your phone."

"Mrs. Jones, thank you so much for yourpayment you submitted last week."


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Everyone LikesCompliments!

Thanking the Customer is like givingthem a compliment.

Customers who feel we value theirbusiness, will stay with us and tell theirfriends to switch to a carrier thatappreciates them.

Using value statements is also a way togive compliments to the Customer.Great value statements are personal

and specific, just like a great thank you


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Examples

"Ms. Caldwell, wow, I see youve beenan Alltel Customer for more than five

years! We appreciate your business and

your loyalty! "Mr. Mayer, It looks as if you became anAlltel Customer recently. We appreciate

the opportunity to be your wirelesscompany. Hows it going so far?"


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Everybody LikesCompliments!

Whether you specifically say thank you,or you use another value statement,Customers like to hear they are valued.

Reps should look for creative waysto compliment the Customer. When wesay the same compliment to eachCustomer, the sincere tone of voicemay be lost.


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COMMUNICATINGBAD NEWS


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Communicating Bad Newsis a Skill

Humans are emotional beings and we dontstop being human when we get to work. Likeit or not, feelings are going to come up,

sometimes in unexpected ways.The thinking part of our brain functions poorly

when were in the grip of emotion. The fightor flight portion of our brain has control.

So, when youre delivering bad news tocustomers (or anyone else) you need to besensitive to the emotions. Logic, alone, wontwork. People arent thinking clearly; their

brains wont let them!


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When bad news hits

A person goes through a process that issimilar to the grieving process. Theintensity will vary with the individual

and the situation, but a form of grievingtakes place whenever there is change.

As a Rep communicating bad news to

customers, you can expect them toexperience these feelings andbehaviors as they try to process theinformation and work through theirfeelin s.


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Breaking the Bad News

Communicating bad news is an essential skillfor Reps.

Many of you find this skill particularly

challenging.You probably fear that the news that you

present will be distressing and adverselyaffect your customers and your relationship

with them. Breaking bad news to customers in a direct

and compassionate way can actually improvethe situation by not stretching the interaction

by endless suggestions when no alternatives


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Group Discussion

Relate an experience when you had tocommunicate bad news to someone.Share about: What worked well

What didnt work so well

What would you do differently in the future?


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RULES IN

COMMUNICATINGBAD NEWS


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Rule #1: Show you care

Remember your good communicationskills!

When you are communicating badnews, empathy is a critical skill. As areminder, to empathize, you must useyour imagination to put yourself in

someone else's head and understandhow they feel and why they feel thatway.

When empathizing, you feel, to some


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Rule #2: Be Responsive

Remember that your customers needyour understanding more than youragreement!

Customers dont need you to agree withthem; they need you to understandthem.

Customers may not always be right, butthey seldom raise a concern they knowto be wrong.

Dont blame customers for things they


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Different Perspectives

Engage in different perspectives:Different people may see the sameevent or issue differently.

What do yousee?


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What do you see?


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PARIS

IN THE

THE SPRING

BIRD

IN THE

THE HAND

R l #3 B F


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Rule #3: Be FaceSensitive

Allow your customers to save face.

When our face is stepped on, wereact by suppressing, withdrawing,seething, lashing out, retaliating orbecoming resistant.

Use active listening skills to determine

and empathy with your customersface concerns.


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Rule #4: Give Information

Communicate the following to yourcustomers: What happened?

What does the customer need to do? What is being done to correct the problem?

Remember:

Never speculate about the cause of theissue; offer facts only

Dont mix facts with reassurances

R l #5 D t G t


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Rule #5: Dont GetDefensive

Responding to criticism: When a giantwave rushes towards you, you caneither stand up and get knocked down,

or you can simply dive underneath.


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Rule #6: Fairness Matters

What makes a procedure fair? The consistency rule: Consistency across

people and time

The bias suppression rule: Personal selfinterest and blind allegiance to narrowpreconceptions should be prevented.

The accuracy rule: The process is basedas much as possible on good informationand informed opinions.


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What makes a procedure fair? The correctability rule: Opportunities

exists to modify and reverse decisions.

The representativeness rule: Theprocess must reflect the basic concerns,values, and outlooks of importantsubgroups.

The ethicality rule: Allocations must becompatible with fundamental moral andethical values.


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HOW TO

COMMUNICATEBAD NEWS


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Planning What to Say

Before starting to communicate anynews, plan what will be discussed

Set customer expectations.

Ensure that all the needed informationis available (e.g. Einsteinarticles, jobaids, etc.)

If this is an unfamiliar task, rehearsewhat you will say

Dont delegate the task

G idelines for Breaking


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Guidelines for BreakingBad News

Deliver the information in a sensitivebut straightforward manner

Say it, then stop

Do not over-react to the customersemotions

Avoid delivering all of the information in

a single, steady monologueUse simple language that is easy to

understand

Guidelines for Breaking


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Guidelines for BreakingBad News

Avoid technical jargon

Check for understanding

Do not minimize the severity of thesituation

Do not make promises about the futurethat may not hold true

Well-intentioned efforts to soften theblow may lead to vagueness andconfusion


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Explain Why?

Explain why the action is being taken

What is the logic behind the action?

Explain how the decision is fair to asmany people as possible

The test of success is reactions suchas, I dont like it, but I can see why its

fair.


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Examples

You might choose to break badnews by using language like: Mr. Lopez, I feel badly to have to tell you

this Im afraid I have news that you may not

want to hear..

When and How to Say


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When and How to SayIm Sorry

Be aware that the phrase, Imsorry may be easilymisinterpretedTo imply that the Agent is responsible for

the situation

If you use the phrase, adjust it to showempathy. For example, Im sorry to haveto tell you this.

Acknowledge the customersemotions I imagine this is difficult news.


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SETTING

CUSTOMEREXPECTATION


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Setting Expectations

Customer satisfaction is a primary focusof Alltel.

Even though it is difficult to tell thecustomer that his issue is not going tobe resolved, it is still possible tomaintain high customer satisfaction.

Setting appropriate expectations is theway to deliver bad news and stillachieve the Alltel goal of customersatisfaction.


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Setting Expectations

When customers contact Alltel Support, theyexpect that their Alltel issue is going to beresolved to their satisfaction.

When customers are told that we cannotprovide the exact resolution they are seeking,their satisfaction is in jeopardy.

Customer disappointment can be reduced bysetting appropriate expectations at the

beginning of the call and using appropriateempathy. After summarizing the customersissue, provide facts on what it may take tobring the issue to a resolution.


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Examples

Scenario: Customer wishes to suspend a linebecause of a stolen phone

Try: Set expectations by telling the customerthat he will continue to be charged for the MSC

for the line even when it is suspended.

Scenario: Customer wants to change the MDN

Try: Inform the customer that there is a $15 feefor every MDN change.


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How to Set Expectations

To set expectations, create an actionplan for approaching the customerssituation. Then present your action plan

to the customer for agreement.When creating your action plan,

consider all the elements of the

customers issue, including the rateplan, features and equipment involved.


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After all elements have beenconsidered, tell the customer whatelements you are able to support. Then

clearly explain to the customer whichproducts or hardware may be causingthis issue, identifying any elements that

are not supported. Even if the issue and resolution are

known, an action plan is the best way to

set a customers expectations for what


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An action plan consists of thefollowing elements: What steps will be taken.

How the steps will benefit the customer.The hardware and other programs involved.

The time frame in which the customer will expectresults.

That issues may occur that may best be handledelsewhere.

Which contingencies may be available such asrefund, return of product, rate plan change, orhardware replacements.


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SAYING NO


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How to Say No Effectively

Your 2 major goals when saying Noeffectively are:

1. Say no without sounding negative

2. Be assertive and empathetic


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Tips!

There are ways of delivering the nomessage without sounding negative.Here are some tips:

Know your boundaries. You must knowthe policies and boundaries that guide whatyou can and cannot do. Understanding

these parameters will help you say no withauthority.

Emphasize what you can do, not whatyou cannot do.


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Tips!

Avoid the word policy.The policy willalways be an unspoken presence; however, theword policy can make many people angry.

The customer may feel they are fighting

against a huge machine or bureaucracy insteadof dealing with people.

Avoid false apologies. Empathize but do notapologize for Alltel support policies. If youapologize, the customer will want you to dosomething about it.

State the bottom line, when required. Some

people may just want to hear you say, I cannot

When You Have to Say


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When You Have to SayNo

When you have to say no, dontneedlessly extend the length of the call.

There are certain situations when the

answer will always be no! In theseno situations, follow the following 3-step process:

3-step Process of Saying


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3-step Process of SayingNo

1. Empathize with the customer to showthat you understand his feelings.

2. Explain the situation so that thecustomer understands why finaldecisions are made and why his inputsmay have been overridden in final

decision.

3. End the call appropriately; dontneedlessly extend it.


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Summary

Communicating bad news is a difficult skillbut one that you must master to become asuccessful Rep. The key take-home points

on this module include: 1. Set expectations with the customer so youreboth on the same page.

2. Dont extend the call needlessly. If there are noviable alternatives for the customer, be polite,

explain the situation and end the call. 3. Always remember to use your best

communication skills (active listening, empathy,etc.)


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Alltel Voice of Customer

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