Customer Service

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www.anglophonie.fr
Customer Service Training Course
(YouTube, 2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5KibZuz6Kk&feature=related
-Good morning, Forest National Bank, this is Kim.
-Hi, uhm, your drive-thru window at the branch on Springfield Road. Is that open on Friday nights?
- Gee, I don’t know. I’m new here.
We just saw forbidden phrase number one: I don’t know. Now that wasn’t a very tough question. It’s not
as though she asked:
- Hi, um, what time is it in China?
- What time is it in China??
Now that was a tough question. It didn’t concern your business. But for people that call with routine
questions about your organisation and get an I don’t know, that’s so frustrating!
Let’s see how the caller felt.
- I don’t know.
- I don’t know? I don’t know? I wonder about a company like that. You call with a simple question and
the person who answers the phone doesn’t know the answer. And worse, makes no offer to help!
Am I making a mistake thinking of dealing with them? How good could they be judging by the treatment
I just got? After all, that’s their representative. That’s who they chose to deal with the public.
I purposely waited to see if she’d offer help. Yeah, right! It’s as if she wanted me to hang up and call a
competitor.
That’s exactly what I’m gonna do. I’ll find a bank that’s just as convenient and offers better customer
service.
So how do we cure forbidden phrase number one? I don’t know. Here’s how.
First of all, we understand you won’t always have the answers at your fingertips. But we want you to treat
that customer with the positive attitude of I don’t know, but I’ll find out.
Next, leave out the negative parts. The I don’t know, but.. What’s left, it’s your job to help. Even if
you’re unable to get the information, you’ve made an offer to help.
You’ve gone that extra mile and that’s what’s important.
So when someone asks you a question that you don’t have the answer to, your reply should be a helpful:
Gee, that’s a good question, let me check and find out.
Understand the dynamics of this particular technique.
-Good morning, First National Bank. This is Kim.
-Hi, uhm, your drive-thru window at the branch on Springfield Road. Is that open on Friday nights?
-The Springfield branch? Gee, that’s a good question. Let me check and I’ll find out for you.
Now that’s better. The caller can feel you’re trying to help. Telling the caller I don’t know, with no
attempt to assist is one of the public’s major pet peeves. What are they supposed to do? Just hang up and
forget about it?
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And one more telephone doctor tip. Sometimes a customer will ask you an unusual question and you
need a little more time to decide where to transfer that call.
Use a few buffer phrases while you’re deciding rather than just leaving the caller hanging in silence.
Something like that’s a good question, let’s get you an answer or I believe one of our people can help you
with that. I’ll check with my manager. Are you able to hold?
Forbidden phrase number one: I don’t know.
Recommended: That’s a good question. Let me check and find out.
Now forbidden phrase number two.
When you ask for something, isn’t it abrupt and shocking when the answer is, We can’t do that ?
Why don’t they just tell you what they can do?
-Good afternoon, Connie Assessor’s office, this is Eric.
-Yes, I need to talk with your appraiser. I just received my new real estate tax bill and it’s way too high!
Now I work until a quarter to five, but I’m just a few blocks away. Can someone meet with me, say just
after five o’clock?
-Oh, we can’t do that.
Please don’t tell people what you can’t do. Tell them what you can do.
Let’s see how this situation should have been handled.
-Good afternoon, Connie Assessor’s office, this is Eric.
-Yes, I need to talk with your appraiser. I just received my new real estate tax bill and it’s way too high!
Now I work until a quarter to five, but I’m just a few blocks away. Can someone meet with me, say just
after five ?
-Well, here’s what we can do. We’re only open until five but let me transfer you to Mark Murphy. He’s
one of our appraisers. He can meet with you over the lunch hour or maybe you can get off work a couple
minutes early tomorrow. I’ll set it up for you. If you’re able to hold, I’ll transfer you…
Vocabulary
1. this is Kim
2. drive-thru window
3. gee!
4. forbidden phrase
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
now
tough question
as though
routine questions
I wonder
Kim à l’appareil
(or drive-through) = drive-in / fenêtre où on est servi
dans sa voiture
(interjection) eh bien!
expression interdite
une phrase = a sentence / a phrase = une partie de
phrase
= eh bien
question difficile
comme si
questions courantes
je me demande, je me pose des questions
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10. makes no offer to help
11. that I just got
12. their representative
13. to deal with the public
14. purposely
15. yeah, right!
16. as if
17. to hang up
18. I’m gonna do
19. as convenient
20. cure forbidden phrase number 1
21. first of all
22. at your fingertips
23. next
24. leave out
25. what’s left
26. you’ve gone that extra mile
27. let me check and find out
28. no attempt to assist
29. major pet peeves
30. are they supposed to do?
31. tip
32. to transfer
33. a few buffer phrases
34. rather than
35. hanging in silence
36. to hold
37. appraiser
38. real estate tax bill
39. way too high
40. a few blocks away
41. meet with me
42. say
43. should have been handled
44. get off work
45. I’ll set it up for you
ne propose aucune aide
que je viens d’avoir
leur représentant
pour s’occuper des gens
exprès
(fam.) c’est ça! tu parles!
comme si
raccrocher
= I am going to do (je vais faire)
aussi pratique
“guérir” la phase interdite N° 1
premièrement
(fingertip = bout du doigt) à portée de main
ensuite
excluez
ce qui reste à faire
vous avez fait cet effort supplémentaire
laisser-moi vérifier pour savoir
sans proposer (tentative) d’aider
grosse bête noire (fig.)
sont-ils censés faire?
conseil
passer une communication à quelqu’un d’autre
quelques expressions « tampons » pour vous donner
le temps réfléchir
plutôt que
laisser dans le silence
patienter
expert
taxe foncière
bien trop élevée
à quelques patés d’immeubles de là
me recevoir
disons
aurait dû être gérée
quitter le travail
je vais arranger (le rendez-vous) pour vous