Marketing Skill - Personalised Skilled Communications




	Training Tom O'Toole, author and owner of the highly successful Beechworth Bakery was once asked "You train your staff and spend money on them - what happens if you train them and then they leave?" "I like to look at it the other way" replied Tom "What if I don't train them and they stay?!" At Marketing Skill we have a very strong focus on Customer Service. I believe that Customer Service in Australia is generally poor and those providing outstanding customer service will benefit from greater profits, customer loyalty, referrals and an excellent reputation. Our training programs have all been designed with a customer service focus. Unfortunately most companies train their staff in general procedural duties and assume that customer service skills come naturally to everybody. We all have our own experiences of poor service. Excellent service is not difficult to provide, but it does require training and the right attitude. Staff experience greater job satisfaction through the positive feedback they will receive and this, in turn, results in less staff turnover. IS YOUR RECEPTIONIST CREATING A GREAT FIRST IMPRESSION? A new client has been referred to you and he rings your office. He is looking for a new and trusted provider. You're not available, so he talks to your receptionist. What is his initial impression of your company? New clients come in for a meeting with you. Your receptionist greets them, settles them down to wait, offers them coffee. They haven't met anyone else from your company yet, but they have already developed an opinion of your company. Is it positive or negative? A prospective client rings looking for help, which could potentially lead to a large order and ongoing business with your company. She got your companies name off the Internet. She asks your receptionist for some background information and who she should talk to. Even before she talks to anyone, does she sense she has made a good choice? Marketers tell us several things about first impressions. Positive or negative impressions are formed within seconds. They are based on feelings, not reasons or objective observations. An initial impression is easily reinforced, but very hard to dislodge. A poor first impression can doom a relationship, irrespective of good performance, while a good one can preserve it through considerable adversity. In any business, the first and ongoing impressions of many clients are based on their interactions with your receptionist. A good receptionist is a key element in a company’s success. Think about it. How many people base their mental picture of your company primarily or even exclusively on their telephone interactions with your receptionist? How many clients see your receptionist as often as they see you? What impression does your receptionist make on people? Customer Service Training Establishments that dedicate themselves to working hard to give their customers superior service produce better financial results. These establishments grow their businesses rapidly (even though they often charge more for their products and services) and are more profitable than those who appear to work as hard as possible to give their customers as little as possible. In short, establishments that emphasise customer service make more money and keep customers longer than those that don’t. These establishments also have lower marketing costs, fewer upset and complaining customers and more repeat business. Good service also has internal rewards; employee turnover and absenteeism are lower and morale and job satisfaction higher. Good service means creating a memorable experience for every customer. It means meeting and exceeding expectations and satisfying needs. A customer who experiences all that - will be your customer again and again. Sessions include: • Why is Customer Service so important? • It’s the little things that make a big difference • Attitude • What is quality customer service? • Face to face service • Telephone standards • What do customers want and expect? • Handling complaints • Measuring customer satisfaction • What makes a company successful? • Customer retention • Are you easy to do business with? • Establishing priorities • Reviewing service • Case Studies • Image First Impressions - Receptionist Training The receptionist is the first and often the most important contact point in a company. If they are not trained correctly, you could be losing business daily and you may not even be aware of it. Statistics show that less that 10% of people complain about poor service - they can tell up to ten others of their experience and take their business elsewhere. Complaints that do come to your attention are generally just the tip of the iceberg. We often assume that basic Customer Service skills are common sense and that a receptionist will naturally have the necessary skills. Unfortunately common sense is not always all that common. Many receptionists are simply not trained properly in the first place. Once trained they will have those skills for life and they will become an asset to your organisation. Sessions include: • The receptionist’s role as “The Director of First Impressions”. • Customer Service - standards and expectations. • The job description. • Telephone skills training. • Business etiquette and diplomacy. • Displaying confidence and professionalism. • Role playing. • Prioritising – always putting the customer first. • Attitudes and how they affect people’s perceptions. • Documenting areas for improvement and goals. • The Art of Communication • Setting measurable objectives. • Writing clear procedures to follow so there can be no misunderstandings. • Discretion • Discussions re job satisfaction. • Handling complaints • Building self esteem. • Documenting feelings and attitudes. Phone Skills – Telephone Training Designed for everyone in business who makes or receives telephone calls. Sales staff, service staff, telemarketers, accounts staff, complaints departments – all will benefit from this training. Increase profits and motivate staff. Turn average enquiries into sales. Sessions include: • Increase profits with effective use of the telephone • Turning incoming calls into Sales • Cross-selling and up-selling • Order taking vs Selling • Telemarketing • The Do’s and Don’ts of Telemarketing • Cold Calling • Getting Past the Gatekeeper • Targeting the Market and Understanding Prospects Needs • Warming up a Cold Call - When is a Cold Call not a Cold Call • Handling Objections • Writing Scripts • Relationship Management • Other Methods of Keeping in Touch • Asking for referrals to increase opportunities • Handling complaints • Why do Customers Quit? • Procedures and Systems