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February 2006
  Articles on this page: • Quick Tips from FRONTLINE Training & Consulting Quick Tips from FRONTLINE Training & Consulting QuickQuiz So, here it is…the New Year. Time to start anew. Time to refresh our thinking and attitudes. Time to take a quiz aimed at helping us deal more effectively with our customers. When greeting a customer you should r call them a name r call them by name When helping to solve a customer's problem, you should r make believe that you care r stare off into space r shrug your shoulders and exhale r ask effective questions When you put a customer's phone call on hold, you should r leave them there until they go away r disconnect them "accidentally" r ask for permission to put them on hold When you don't understand what the customer is asking you, you should r blame them for being incomprehensible r start laughing uncontrollably r ask them for clarification When you know you are right and the customer is wrong, you should r talk down to them r shake your head in disagreement while walking away from them r calmly explain your point of view, and why you think you are right When you overcharge the customer, and they bring it to your attention, you should r ignore them r disagree with them r apologize and correct your mistake When you interrupt the customer, you should r keep talking r get annoyed that they are getting annoyed r apologize and let them finish When the customer gets upset and emotional over something your business has done to them, you should r suggest they shop elsewhere r tell them to leave you alone r deny what they are saying r offer assistance When a customer asks for a refund, you should say r "Are you bonkers?" r "Yeah. Like that's going to happen." r "I'll mail you a refund check. You should receive it sometime around the twelfth of Never." r "I'm sorry you weren’t pleased with this product. I’ll be glad to refund your money." When a customer is browsing in your store, you should r keep working on your crossword puzzle r assume that if they want your help they will ask r not let them interrupt what you are doing r acknowledge them, offering assistance and suggesting one or two items they might want to look out When a customer registers a complaint with your business about the service they received from you, you should r retaliate r deny, deny, deny r blame the customer r own up to it and try to make good When a customer compliments the business, you should say r "Whatever…" r nothing r "Thank you. That's very nice of you to say that." When a customer threatens legal action, you should r begin speaking in an obscure foreign language r growl at them r promise them a visit from your "Uncle Vinny" from Brooklyn r Listen closely to what they are saying, make notes and contact your own lawyer When saying goodbye to your customer, you should r assume you will never see them again r thank God they are leaving r walk away from them as you mumble "Good-bye" r look them in the eye, tell them how glad you were to help them and that you look forward to seeing them again soon Peter Coombs of FRONTLINE Training & Consulting provides Berkshire Business News with QuickTips, a series of columns on how you can be more effective with customers and be more productive. He may be reached at (413) 644-0180 or at www.frontlinetraining.com.  RETURN TO TOP |
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