subject: A Billion People Are Watching… [print this page] A Billion People Are Watching A Billion People Are Watching
There is no better time for companies to up their game when it comes to professionalism
and excellence in customer care. In a few months' time, the world's attention falls on
South Africa as it hosts the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and this is our opportunity to show off and impress visitors. Pundits say that this will be the most watched television event in history.
Business in South Africa must make sure it is polished enough to deal with the hundreds of thousands of expected visitors. "How we host our new customers is very important.
Are we actively encouraging them to return to our country, or are we disappointing them with our service?" says Clive
Price, Managing Director of The Peer Group, a local South African training company that specialises in sales and frontline customer service training.
First Impressions Count
Creating a positive first impression of your organisation is an important part in how you sell and how much profit you make. "Ask your company chairman to phone the company switchboard. He would probably be shocked by the level of service," Price says.
What many forget, is that each and every member of staff has a role in promoting a company's brand image and securing the sale. The Peer Group offers two courses that provide your staff with these tools: Professional Frontline Skills and Brilliant Customer Service.
Price believes receptionists are the brand representatives of a company and they should be superbly trained, kept informed, motivated and incentivised to provide
great customer service.
The first point of call in frontline/receptionist training is building self-image, followed by areas such as anger management and conflict resolution. Dealing with difficult customers is also
a key focus area.
Any business that is serious about its bottom line will have top-notch customer care and well-trained frontline staff. Your company may sell a great product or service, but does your
business excel at making a good first impression?
Everyone Counts
Employees working in administration, production, finance, dispatch and delivery are seldom the focus of customer care training programs, but they often determine the customer's
experience. Attention to detail is needed in every part of a business' processes, from the packaging of a product to sending out accounts. Unfortunately, in many cases these staff members are not included when sales or customer service training is discussed it's usually the salespeople. This is where The Peer Group steps in and reveals to other staff what a crucial part they play in the overall delivery of the brand promise.
World Class Methods
The Peer Group makes use of the "mystery caller" approach. Mystery calls assess how everyday calls are dealt with and also identify a company's strengths and weaknesses.
According to Price, this is one of the most effective ways to research and measure what training is needed and, after the fact, whether it worked.
As part of the mystery call research, a "first impressions index" is compiled, rating the call on speed, care or friendliness, clarity, efficiency, effectiveness, knowledge and attention to detail. Moneypenny, the UK's fastest growing telephone answering and
outsourced reception service, recently reported that mystery caller tests showed very poor results. They found that only one in four FTSE companies are rated as "excellent" on the phone, and only half the receptionists at companies called knew their boss' name. Further research showed that businesses deliver higher financial returns when there is a higher customer service ethic. Having the right training yields real results.
Top Class Trainers
Price is justifiably proud of The Peer Group's world class trainers. "They are not just course facilitators, but have worked in the field in these areas and match international standards in
all they do," he says. The Peer Group uses more than a "text book only" approach, with trainers using real business examples, instead of hypothetical or theoretical case studies.
Long Term Thinking
Memory Muza, The Peer Group General Manager, explains "We do not believe that training should be seen as a "quick fix". It is important to address internal communication weaknesses in a company, before dealing with the external face of the business."
Long term results are not possible if a "training only" approach is followed. There is a need to get to know the company culture and understand its ethos before training. "What sets us apart from the majority of training companies is that we do significant pre-training work and research to establish and corroborate the client's expectations," says Price.
Become a leader in 2010
Price believes that the best way to ensure the 2010 World Cup is successful is to create what business strategist Clem Sunter has termed "pockets of excellence". Make sure your
company excels at everything it offers. And the way to do that is to ensure that your Frontline and Customer Care staff offer brilliant service. "More than one billion people are going to be watching and judging us", he concludes.
