Customer Service for technical support staff
Course Description
This customer service workshop is designed specifically for technical support staff. It combines the key elements of customer service training with the skills required to present technical information to both technical and non-technical customers. The result is a workshop that recognises the technical nature of the service provided and the importance of the customer service staff`s role as translators and problem solvers when speaking with customers. This workshop will encourage the participants to think creatively about how to improve the customer experience and how their experience and ideas may be incorporated into continuous improvement programme.
Duration: 2 days
Who should attend?
Service representatives, technical support staff, utilities support staff and team leaders responsible for managing such staff.
Day 1
Technical expertise plus tact
How to react when the customer sees things differently
Why what we say is not necessarily what the customer hears
How to get a clear picture of your customer
The professional perspective for Customer Support staff
Process and outcome - the customer's view
Collaborative and persuasive behaviours
The Problem Solver
A systematic approach to solving problems
The Problematic Download exercise
Conclusions from the exercise and link to Day 2
Being effective as well as efficient
Do you sincerely want to be effective?
Timing - three things you need to address to be effective
Getting your priorities right - the priority matrix
Taking control of the communications process
Understanding the five factors at play in any communication situation
Using the appropriate channels
The principles of effective communication
A quick word about punctuation
Applying the principles to deliver good E-mails and reports
The Email Exercise
Day 2
The telephone call
Opening the call
Identifying the problem
Using technical terms and alternative words
Using transitions to move through the call
Using closed questions to check for understanding
Active listening
Importance of paraphrasing
Establishing your credibility as a techie problem solver
What are the key call drivers?
Working as part of the team
Which piece of the jigsaw are you?
Creating small internal improvements
Creating an action plan
Responding to criticism
Using fogging and negative assertion
The six step SOFTEN technique
Developing a problem statement
Recurring difficulties
When you can`t fulfil the requests
Staying calm in difficult situations
Avoiding escalations