Selasa, Desember 30, 2008
Selasa, Desember 16, 2008
The Reiki Ideals
Just for today do not anger
Honour your parents, teachers and elders
Earn your living honestly
Show gratitude to everything
Minggu, Desember 14, 2008
Why You have Gone...
Geliat semangat gundah melayani
20 Oktober 2008 cahaya visi mendadak pergi
Tinggalkan kebingungan dan cercaan sakit hati
Kenapa Tuan biarkan kami menanggung luka itu sendiri
Kenapa Tuan menari di gelap sepinya sunyi ini
Kenapa masalah Tuan-Tuan harus membenamkan karsa dan asa kami
Melangkah di jalan berjelaga tanpa peta arah
Menatap cinta yang makin memudar pasrah
Melihat sekeliling sahabat yang bersikap terserah :
Menunggu kepastian tanpa jerah
Atawa pergi dengan marah
Why you have gone
when together we shone
leading a market where competition had never been known
Now, still waiting for everybody won by their own...
Selasa, Desember 09, 2008
10 Customer Service Quality Statements
"We're increasing our turnover by 14% year to date"
"Our customer complaints are now less than 4% or our transactions"
...might sound like music to your ears, but that's just the time you need to be very careful.
A regular measurement of where you are as your organisation, not depending on some of the easy-to-fake figures, might just make the difference in how well you are doing now, and into the future.
Try these quality statements and set up a mechanism whereby you review them monthly - yes, that's right, monthly. This needs to be thorough and objective. And maybe even the scores made by a cross- section of your people in all areas of your business - then you get objectivity and a true picture of how you are scoring. It is a great activity to score each of these out of 10, make a tracker month by month and each time you review, ask yourself the question:-
"What would we need to do to move our score up by 3 points"
Do it point by point and then, after you have that 3-point question, work out a monthly action plan, so that step-by-step, you gradually improve. (Note:- If you are too near a score out of 10 to have three points to go - upgrade your statement!).
Then and only then will your improvement be sustainable and you can reset the questions over time to a higher standard. Then you truly will be The Best in class!
The Quality Statements:-
1. We use a variety of staff to monitor customer service on a regular and consistent basis
2. We know and can clearly state our customer groups
3. We listen to customers about our products and proactively seek to redress issues
4. We notice and congratulate our people and teams when they perform well
5. Senior management are fully and visibly engaged in customer activities
6. Our people enjoy the challenge of changes
7. Our organisation and our people have aligned values
8. Our customers find working with us easy and pleasurable
9. We know how our people feel about working here and always respond to make it better
10. We have teams and individuals who can respond quickly to changes circumstances, whatever they are .
Keep a track of these - visually represent it somewhere very publicly for your people. Involve many of your them in monitoring, finding solutions and taking accountability for change, where needed and your business, your people and you will thrive.
One final point.
Starting is good, being able to demonstrate your success in 12 months is another thing - as is still doing this review at that time.
(c) 2008 Martin Haworth is the author of Super Successful Manager!, an easy to use, step-by-step weekly development program for managers of EVERY skill level. You can get a sample lesson for free at http://www.SuperSuccessfulManager.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Martin_Haworth
Sabtu, Desember 06, 2008
Poems by Rumi
Be Lost in the CallLord, said David, since you do not need us,
why did you create these two worlds?Reality replied: O prisoner of time,
I was a secret treasure of kindness and generosity,
and I wished this treasure to be known,
so I created a mirror: its shining face, the heart;
its darkened back, the world;
The back would please you if you've never seen the face.Has anyone ever produced a mirror out of mud and straw?
Yet clean away the mud and straw,
and a mirror might be revealed.Until the juice ferments a while in the cask,
it isn't wine. If you wish your heart to be bright,
you must do a little work.My King addressed the soul of my flesh:
You return just as you left.
Where are the traces of my gifts?We know that alchemy transforms copper into gold.
This Sun doesn't want a crown or robe from God's grace.
He is a hat to a hundred bald men,
a covering for ten who were naked.Jesus sat humbly on the back of an ass, my child!
How could a zephyr ride an ass?
Spirit, find your way, in seeking lowness like a stream.
Reason, tread the path of selflessness into eternity.Remember God so much that you are forgotten.
Let the caller and the called disappear;
be lost in the Call.-
"Love is a Stranger", Kabir Helminski
Threshold Books, 1993
O you who've gone on pilgrimage -
where are you, where, oh where?
Here, here is the Beloved!
Oh come now, come, oh come!
Your friend, he is your neighbor,
he is next to your wall -
You, erring in the desert -
what air of love is this?
If you'd see the Beloved's
form without any form -
You are the house, the master,
You are the Kaaba, you! . . .
Where is a bunch of roses,
if you would be this garden?
Where, one soul's pearly essence
when you're the Sea of God?
That's true - and yet your troubles
may turn to treasures rich -
How sad that you yourself veil
the treasure that is yours!Rumi 'I Am Wind, You are Fire'
Translation by Annemarie Schimmel
Senin, Desember 01, 2008
Managing a High Performance Call Center
Managing a High Performance Call Center : An Overview
Is your call center's service quality low even though your costs are high? If so, there are reasons why, and you can do something about it.
Even if your requests to management for more staffing result in a resounding "No!," don't despair. A productivity increase of only twenty percent could completely offset your needs for additional manpower! I will share with you on how to make it happen.
In Managing a High Performance Call Center, we have :
-to Understand human performance factors and how they are influenced;
-to Identify opportunities for increased productivity
-to Implement productivity improvements using proven step-by-step techniques
-to Monitor the ongoing performance of your call center using one of today's most effective measurement tools: the Automatic Call Distributor (ACD)
The skills and knowledge in service level management and call center cost management we need to diagnose our call center's performance weaknesses and implement productivity improvements. It explores the human resource component of call center operations and demonstrates how to identify and correct productivity problems to improve agent and supervisor performance. We will also review the most important features of an ACD system and learn how system features can be set up and programmed for optimal benefits.
1-Human Resource Performance Management
-Why 70% of hard working call center agents are still far beneath their performance potential
-Using call center statistics to estimate reasonable targets for your call center's performance improvement.
-Measuring the quality of each individual agent's performance and service delivery
The critical balance between quality and productivity and how to achieve it Supervisory coaching in practice
-Applying "variation analysis" techniques to productivity and quality data
-How to improve the performance of struggling agents
-Knowledge and skills gap analysis
Service Level Management
-Forecasting call loads
-Translating call loads into staffing needs
-"Hitting the target" with real-time service level management
-Improving agents' adherence to schedules
-Preparing staff increase estimates
-How to justify staff increases to upper management
Cost Per Call Management
-Calculating cost per call
-Aligning the cost per call with service level
-The high cost of poor service
Getting the Most Out of Your Automatic Call Distributor (ACD)
-How to determine if you are fully utilizing your current ACD system before purchasing a new one
-ACD functionality for business people
The telecom /call center knowledge gap
-Communicating ACD programming features to your telecom department
Actual ACD reports from our call centers will:
i-Determine how much additional performance is "on the table" in our call center
ii-Learn how to transform our ACD data into powerful and focused charts for agent coaching
iii-Learn from our own data and compare our results with others
2-Essential Skills and Knowledge for Effective Incoming Call Center Management
This dynamic course was the industry's first seminar created specifically to meet the unique needs of incoming call center managers. Since its inception in 1986, the course content has been further developed and refined to provide attendees with some of the most valuable information on call center management skills available today.
-Plan and manage call center resources
-Handle a growing variety of customer contacts
-Effectively use reports and measurements
-Establish and meet performance objectives
-Win top management's support
An Inside Look at the Call Center Profession
-How skills and knowledge are developing
-How the best call centers operate
Understanding the Driving Forces of Incoming Call Centers
-How random and peaked call arrival effects staffing decisions
-How callers feel about waiting in the queue
-How callers react to waiting, busy signals, and IVR's
-Abandonment
Establishing an Effective Planning Process
-The 7 inter-related planning steps
1-Forecasting call load
2-Calculating base staff
3-Calculating trunks and system resources
4-Calculating shrinkage
5-Organizing schedules
6-Calculating costs
7-Developing a proven planning process
Understanding Service Level
-Service level: tying the resources we need to the results we want
-How quality and service level are inter-related
-Choosing a service level objective that is right for us
Acquiring the Data We Need
-Sources of call center management data
-Avoiding "info-glut": determining what's relevant
Forecasting the Calling Load
-The difference between call volume and call load
-Long and short-term forecasting methods
-Blending in judgment: how politics, personalities, and organizational realities influence forecasting
-Avoiding the ten common forecasting mistakes
-How call center size effects your tolerance for inaccuracies
Staffing the Right Way
-Defining answer groups
-The capabilities of Erlang C and computer simulation
-Staffing for e-mail, networks, skill-based routing, long calls, and blended environments
Indispensable Calculations and Projections
-Base staff and trunks required
-Occupancy and adherence to schedule
-What you can expect with the staff we have
-Anticipating growth
-Factoring in non-phone activities
-The impact of skills-based routing
The Implications of The "Immutable Laws"
-Service level versus occupancy
-The powerful pooling principle
-Staff versus trunks and network costs
-The dynamics of group size
-The law of diminishing returns
Organizing Effective Schedules
-The alternatives available
-Preparing for exceptions
-Getting buy-in from staff
-Schedule adherence - without autocracy
Cultivating Collaboration and Buy-In Throughout
-Why and how agents should be involved in the planning process
-Making a case to senior management
-Coordinating with other departments
Real-Time Management
-The information to watch
-The "where is everybody?" issue
-Understanding caller behavior
-Identifying feasible real-time actions
-Utilizing real-time strategies appropriately
Performance Measurements
-Why this is such a "hot topic"
-How your "actions" may be conflicting with our objectives
-What to measure - individuals
-What to measure - the call center as a whole
-Getting the information we need
-Effective monitoring and coaching
Improving Quality and Efficiency
-Service level with quality
-Beyond platitudes - improving the process
-Ten assignments that will yield proven results
-The structure of our call center
Leading Practices and our Professional Development
-Characteristics of leading call centers
-Our professional career path and development
-Action Plan
3-Help Desk Professional
Help Desk Professionals who provides front line support represent the entire organization. That means it's essential that Help Desk Professionals offer the highest quality customer care to every caller.
Providing excellent support and customer care, as well as an established and highly marketable skill set that will be valued by management in performance and salary evaluation.
· Enhance the skills and characteristics that make you a successful help desk professional
· Understand the elements of a service level agreement
· Strengthen your customer care techniques
· Manage customer expectations during a call
· Improve your active listening and problem solving skills
· Negotiate wins for the customer and the help desk
· Make high-impact follow-up calls
· Professionally escalate while retaining call ownership
· Handle difficult customers and effectively deal with stress.
The Help Desk and the Business
The traditional help desk
The help desk of the new millennium
The help desk evolution
Determining the help desk's role in the organization
The Mission of a World-Class Help Desk
The structure of the Help Desk
Why have a mission statement?
Meeting the Needs of the Customer
Service Level Agreements
Business priorities vs. technical importance
Severity and priority levels
Help Desk Best Practices
Standard operating procedures
Customer greetings
Placing a customer on hold
Three methods of handling a call
How to make follow-up calls
How to close a call
Troubleshooting
Recording accurate information
How to ask questions
Open-ended questions
Close-ended questions
How to solve problems
IMPACT method
Communicating
Skills and characteristics of a world-class help desk professional
Vocal elements
Listening Skills
Active listening
Managing Difficult Customers
Identifying customer behaviors
Strategies to diffuse challenging situations
How to handle difficult customers
How to say "no"
How to manage and avoid stress
Stress-reduction techniques
4-Essential Customer Service Skills for Help Desk Analysts
When customers call our help desk, most of them want just three things: courteous treatment, answers to their questions, and solutions to their problems. It's that easy. And that hard.
More than 96% of unhappy customers stop using a support center without ever saying why. And, because customers rate the quality of their personal experience every time they come into contact with your organization, each interaction - no matter how brief or seemingly routine - is an opportunity to enhance the relationship.
In two information-packed days, you'll learn how effective communication builds customer satisfaction. You'll cover attitudes, behaviors, and consequences that impact your customers, our organization, and we have to:
-Create positive interactions with customers and co-workers
-Foster a service attitude through effective listening and questioning techniques
-Pinpoint customers' needs, motivations and reactions, and build rapport quickly
-Solicit agreement from customers and manage interactions effectively
-Maximize assertiveness while minimizing extremes in behavior
-Handle irate or angry customers, manage customers' unrealistic expectations, and control ramblers
-Appreciate the difference between providing solutions and satisfying a customer's psychological needs
-Recognize stress symptoms and manage counterproductive stress levels
-Understanding our Customer's Needs
-The importance of help desk job components
-How to gain rapport with your customers by understanding their needs
-Factors That Influence Customer Service
-Why our behaviours affect customer service
-How to remain positive when managing customer moods
-Strengthening your service attitude
-Effective Techniques for Satisfying Customers
-How to handle different types of communications (face-to-face and over the phone)
-Seven key steps to effective communication
-Communication Skills
-Steps for handling a call
-Greeting the customer
-Ways to improve your listening skills
-Factors influencing your ability to listen
-Effective listening steps
-Active listening skills
-Asking questions
-Problem identification through the use of open- and closed-ended questions
-Pros and cons of open- and closed-ended questions
-When to use open- or closed-ended questions
-Understanding actual and psychological needs of the customer
-Effective steps for responding to a customer's need
-Showing empathy
-How to reach agreement with our customer
-Explaining the plan of action
-Concluding the call
-How to Work With Challenging Situations and Difficult Customers
-Effective communication behaviors
-The rights everyone has
-Learning to say "no"
-When and how to use the limited yes
-How to achieve results with assertive communication
-Getting results with the angry or irate customer
-How to focus the customer with unrealistic expectations on realistic options
-How to gather information from the "mumbler"
-Learning to Manage Stress
-Different types of stress and how they effect us
-Strategies for minimizing time-linked stress
-Methods for managing stress
-Relaxation techniques
-Common causes of stress
-How our body reacts under stress
-Key Factors in Achieving Results
-Focusing on the key points
-Improving each component of your customer service skills
(I've collected and condensed them from many places, over much time, and don't always know.)
Senin, November 24, 2008
Quotes on Service
Albert Einstein:
Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.
Try not to become a man of success but rather try to become a man of value.
Albert Schweitzer:
I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.
A man is truly ethical only when he obeys the compulsion to help all life which he is able to assist, and shrinks from injuring anything that lives.
Reverence for Life affords me my fundamental principle of morality, namely, that good consists in maintaining, assisting, and enhancing life and that to destroy, harm, or to hinder life is evil. Affirmation of the world -- that is affirmation of the will to live, which appears in phenomenal forms all around me -- is only possible for me in that I give myself out for other life.
Alex Noble:
If I have been of service, if I have glimpsed more of the nature and essence of ultimate good, if I am inspired to reach wider horizons of thought and action, if I am at peace with myself, it has been a successful day.
Ann Radcliffe:
One act of beneficence, one act of real usefulness, is worth all the abstract sentiment in the world.
Anne Frank:
How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.
Antigonus of Sokho:
Do not be like servants who serve their masters expecting to receive a reward; be rather like servants who serve their master unconditionally, with no thought of reward.
Barbara Bush:
Giving frees us from the familiar territory of our own needs by opening our mind to the unexplained worlds occupied by the needs of others.
C. S. Lewis:
Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman:
Human life consists in mutual service. No grief, pain, misfortune, or "broken heart," is excuse for cutting off one's life while any power of service remains. But when all usefulness is over, when one is assured of an unavoidable and imminent death, it is the simplest of human rights to choose a quick and easy death in place of a slow and horrible one.
(Suicide Note, August 17, 1935)
Charlotte Perkins Gilman:
The first duty of a human being is to assume the right functional relationship to society -- more briefly, to find your real job, and do it.
Confucius:
He who wishes to secure the good of others, has already secured his own.
Edmund Burke:
Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little.
Eleanor Roosevelt:
When will our consciences grow so tender that we will act to prevent human misery rather than avenge it?
Emily Dickinson:
If I can stop one heart from breaking,I shall not live in vain.If I can ease one life the aching,Or cool one pain,Or help one fainting robinUnto his nest again,I shall not live in vain.
Eugene V. Debs:
Now my friends, I am opposed to the system of society in which we live today, not because I lack the natural equipment to do for myself but because I am not satisfied to make myself comfortable knowing that there are thousands of my fellow men who suffer for the barest necessities of life. We were taught under the old ethic that man's business on this earth was to look out for himself. That was the ethic of the jungle; the ethic of the wild beast. Take care of yourself, no matter what may become of your fellow man. Thousands of years ago the question was asked; ''Am I my brother's keeper?'' That question has never yet been answered in a way that is satisfactory to civilized society.
Yes, I am my brother's keeper. I am under a moral obligation to him that is inspired, not by any maudlin sentimentality but by the higher duty I owe myself. What would you think me if I were capable of seating myself at a table and gorging myself with food and saw about me the children of my fellow beings starving to death.
1908 speech
Felix Adler:
Ethical religion can be real only to those who are engaged in ceaseless efforts at moral improvement. By moving upward we acquire faith in an upward movement, without limit.
To care for anyone else enough to make their problems one's own, is ever the beginning of one's real ethical development.
George Bernard Shaw:
Perhaps the greatest social service that can be rendered by anybody to this country and to mankind is to bring up a family.
Helen Keller:
Happiness cannot come from without. It must come from within. It is not what we see and touch or that which others do for us which makes us happy; it is that which we think and feel and do, first for the other fellow and then for ourselves.
Herman Melville:
We cannot live for ourselves alone. Our lives are connected by a thousand invisible threads, and along these sympathetic fibers, our actions run as causes and return to us as results.
Horace Mann:
Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity.
To the graduating class, 1859, Antioch University
James M. Barrie:
Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others, cannot keep it from themselves.
Jimmy Carter:
Government is a contrivance of human wisdom to provide for human wants. People have the right to expect that these wants will be provided for by this wisdom.
John F. Kennedy:
Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.
Lao-Tse:
Kindness in words creates confidence.Kindness in thinking creates profundity.Kindness in giving creates love.
Maimonides:
Anticipate charity by preventing poverty; assist the reduced fellow man, either by a considerable gift or a sum of money or by teaching him a trade or by putting him in the way of business so that he may earn an honest livelihood and not be forced to the dreadful alternative of holding out his hand for charity. This is the highest step and summit of charity's golden ladder.
Margaret Chase Smith:
My creed is that public service must be more than doing a job efficiently and honestly. It must be a complete dedication to the people and to the nation with full recognition that every human being is entitled to courtesy and consideration, that constructive criticism is not only to be expected but sought, that smears are not only to be expected but fought, that honor is to be earned, not bought.
Margaret Fuller:
If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it.
Marian Wright Edelman:
Service is what life is all about.
Marian Wright Edelman:
You just need to be a flea against injustice. Enough committed fleas biting strategically can make even the biggest dog uncomfortable and transform even the biggest nation.
Marian Wright Edelman:
I'm doing what I think I was put on this earth to do. And I'm really grateful to have something that I'm passionate about and that I think is profoundly important.
We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee.
You're not obligated to win. You're obligated to keep trying to do the best you can every day.
Service is the rent we pay to be living. It is the very purpose of life and not something you do in your spare time.
It's time for greatness -- not for greed. It's a time for idealism -- not ideology. It is a time not just for compassionate words, but compassionate action.
A lot of people are waiting for Martin Luther King or Mahatma Gandhi to come back -- but they are gone. We are it. It is up to us. It is up to you.
Martin Luther King, Jr.:
An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.
Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.
Mohandas K. Gandhi:
The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.
Ralph Waldo Emerson:
Religion is to do right. It is to love, it is to serve, it is to think, it is to be humble.
It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life, that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.
Rick de Marinis:
Kings and cabbages go back to compost, but good deeds stay green forever.
Seneca:
There is as much greatness of mind in acknowledging a good turn, as in doing it.
Thomas Jefferson:
Too old to plant trees for my own gratification, I shall do it for my posterity.
Vaclav Havel:
Genuine politics -- even politics worthy of the name -- the only politics I am willing to devote myself to -- is simply a matter of serving those around us: serving the community and serving those who will come after us. Its deepest roots are moral because it is a responsibility expressed through action, to and for the whole.
Walter Reuther:
There is no greater calling than to serve your fellow men. There is no greater contribution than to help the weak. There is no greater satisfaction than to have done it well.
William E. Gladstone :
Never forget that the purpose for which a man lives is the improvement of the man himself, so that he may go out of this world having, in his great sphere or his small one, done some little good for his fellow creatures and labored a little to diminish the sin and sorrow that are in the world.
William Menninger:
Six essential qualities that are the key to success: Sincerity, personal integrity, humility, courtesy, wisdom, charity.
Sorry, I don't have the time to do custom quote searches or find the original source of quotes on this site. (I've collected them from many places, over much time, and don't always know.)
Tips to Build Customer Loyalty
The words are simple enough to say--"thank you." Then why is it so rare for customers to hear them? What's even more rare is for customers to see those words in writing.Consumers are starved for recognition. They want to be noticed, valued and appreciated by the people with whom they do business. A primary reason that customers stop doing business with a company is because they don't hear those words, or they're not communicated with sincerity.Thanking your customers needs to be at the top of your daily "to do" list. When customers receive a handwritten "thank you" note with no strings attached, it is a powerful way to let them know they are truly valued. Here are four ways that a handwritten "thank you" note builds customer loyalty:
1. It's unexpected.
Customers simply do not expect to feel appreciated. A simple thank you note will surprise your customers and give them something positive about your company to tell their friends. That's why it's so important to send a "thank you" with no strings attached. Don't enclose your business card or information about a "special offer." Keep the message pure.
2. It's personal.
Don't use a label for the envelope. A handwritten address and note is more likely to be opened and read by your customer. The fact that you were willing to take the extra time needed to write the message tells your customer that you are sincere.
3. It's classy.
Handwritten "thank you" notes are viewed as outdated. In the old days, it was considered a disgrace to forget to send a "thank you" note to someone who has done something nice for you. You can probably think of times when your kind deeds or gifts have gone unacknowledged. Every time a customer chooses to do business with you, he or she is giving you a gift. Employees that send handwritten "thank you" notes will stand out from the crowd because it is a classy thing to do.
4. It's contagious.
The more "thank you" notes you send, the more "seeds" of goodwill you plant. This will benefit you and the company for which you work. Your customers will recognize that you do value them. When customers feel appreciated, they are generally more pleasant and refer more business.
Thank your customers when:
They refer a new customer. This one's important because word-of-mouth advertising is what keeps a company healthy.
They suggest how you could improve service or other aspects of the business. When your customers feel they've been heard, they automatically feel valued.
They reach milestone anniversaries as a loyal customer; one year, five years, ten years, etc. A little gift could be included with these "thank you" notes.
They've been patient with service glitches such as a delayed shipping dates, long telephone hold times, web site problems, or other issues. This lets your customers know that you recognize the value of their time.
They've made your day brighter due to their positive attitudes. It's a great way to guarantee more smiles in the future.
They purchased a product or service based on your recommendation. Your customers haven taken some risk when they trust you enough to act on your advice.
They compliment you, especially in front of another customer or better yet--your boss. Customers like to hear that their positive comments made a difference.
They complain and give you the opportunity to resolve the problem. These customers care enough to give your company a second chance.
They turn down your sales pitch because your product or service wasn't the right fit for them. Just because a customer or prospect says "no" doesn't mean there won't be another opportunity to do business with them in the future.
It's easy and fun to send notes to your customers. Just set aside 10-15 minutes each day to write three notes. It's just that simple. By the end of the week, you'll have sent 15 "thank you" notes. Now, imagine if every employee in your company took the time to send three "thank you" notes each day. That's a lot of customer appreciation!
Debra Schmidt [newsletter@loyaltyleader.com]
Kamis, November 20, 2008
On a recent trip that was part of a group tour, one of the guests was extremely upset. It had taken nearly an hour for his family to be checked in at our hotel. This occurred after we had just completed an eight hour plane ride followed by a five hour bus trip.
While this same family was finally getting settled in their room, the tour bus departed without them. The entire group was on their way to attend a professional soccer game in Valencia. The tour guide never noticed that the family had been left behind. When we arrived at the stadium, several guests pointed out that this family was missing. The tour guide chose not to return to the hotel to retrieve them even though it was only 20 minutes away. He simply shrugged and stayed for the game.
Upon returning to the hotel, the guest angrily confronted the tour guide (who also happens to be the owner of the company). Rather than apologize and take ownership of his mistake, he became very defensive and the two had a heated argument. Many of the other guests witnessed the interaction and it set an underlying negative tone for the rest of the trip. Several impressions of the tour guide were formed during that single argument, none of them were flattering. Every time there was a miscommunication or a minor problem, it was underscored by the fact that many of the adults on the trip had decided they didn't like the tour guide.
When dealing with an angry customer, you have a variety of options on how you choose to respond. Among them are ignoring your customer, rolling your eyes, pretending you're listening while doing other things, actively listening or defending yourself. Of these options, the one that can do the most damage is taking a defensive posture. The minute you start defending yourself or your company, you have created a lose-lose situation. Your customer will never agree with your side of the issue and all you will have accomplished is escalating their anger.
When you argue with a customer and try to prove your point, the customer may think that you are questioning their honesty or integrity. You are also telling your customer that he or she has no right to be angry. But, most importantly, you are clearly demonstrating to the customer that you are unwilling to take ownership of service.
Within two hours of the argument that took place in our hotel lobby, every adult on the trip was fully aware of what occurred. The guest had vented his frustrations with the tour guide by telling everyone who would listen. The negative word-of-mouth spread like wildfire. For the rest of the trip (remember, this was the first day), people were looking for problems with the tour guide. Several days into the trip, the wife of the angry guest tried to diplomatically give some feedback to the tour guide's wife. There were several of us sitting together at dinner when she suggested ways on how the situation could have been handled differently.
To our surprise, the tour guide's wife blurted out in anger, "We're the experts here and I don't want to hear any more about this."
Thankfully, we all had a wonderful time in spite of these problems, but her comment pretty much sealed the deal on whether or not anyone on the trip will ever travel with that tour company again. I'm certain that the negative word-of-mouth will continue to circulate throughout our community, as well.
The negative aftermath could have been easily avoided if the tour guide had taken responsibility for the problems that occurred. He only needed to follow five simple steps to create a totally different outcome. If you are dealing with a customer who is angry, upset or concerned, the following steps will not only resolve the problem, but may actually increase customer loyalty.
1-Listen carefully to what your customer is telling you. Be sure that you are fully engaged in the conversation. Maintain eye contact and refrain from doing other tasks while the customer is talking.
2-Empathize with your customer. It does not matter who caused the problem. Simply say, "Thank you so much for bringing this problem to my attention."
3-Apologize even if it was not your fault. When expressed with sincerity, the words, "I'm sorry," can go a long way toward calming down a customer. An apology implies that you are willing to take ownership of the problem.
4-Resolve the problem, even if is not your job or it's the customer's fault. You do not need to prove to the customer that he or she did something wrong. Simply fix the situation.
5-Now is the time to correct the problem. The faster that a complaint is resolved, the more loyalty will actually increase.
Look at the five steps: Listen, Empathize, Apologize, Resolve and Now. They spell LEARN. That's because every time a customer complains, it provides us with an opportunity to learn how we can do a better job.
Debra Schmidt [newsletter@loyaltyleader.com]
Kamis, November 13, 2008
Still Fighting
dalam gelap termanggu menjalar resah menderu
ku lalui kelima rukun yang diseru
fatamorgana nirvana tergenggam kaku
:sudahkan ini milikku?
mendadak rasa dan karsa ini jadi tak menentu
kala dunia meninabobokan jiwa yang terbuai lugu
kala yang hak dan yang batil menjadi satu
: Panglima hati, kenapa pakaianmu bertambah lusuh...
sutopo yuwono : citragraha, 14 Novemebr 2008
Building Customer Loyalty : Harley-Davidson's Experience
During August of 2008, several hundred thousand Harley-Davidson® motorcycle owners from all over the world descended on Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They came together to celebrate the company’s 105th anniversary. So why all the hoopla? What has Harley done to build this immense base of loyal customers? Let's take a look at five Harley strategies that you can apply to your business to build customer loyalty:
1-Sell An Experience Visit the Harley-Davidson® website and you'll see "Experience" as one of the buttons. Offer value to your customers that goes beyond the purchase. Provide resources to help your customers get the most out of your products or services. Harley® offers ride planners, educational materials, customer support, riding classes, tip sheets and organized tours.
1-Create An Emotional Connection With Your Customers
Focus on building relationships based on emotional connections with your customers.
Find out how they "feel" about doing business with your company. Do they feel reassured, confident or inspired? Do they feel that it's easy or difficult to access service? Successful businesses are sensitive to customer wants and needs. See yourself through your customers' eyes and remember they need more from you than just basic service.
3-Give Your Customers A Sense Of Belonging When you buy a Harley, you become a member of a family. Harley-Davidson® established the Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.) in 1983 in response to a desire by Harley riders for an organized way to share their passion and show their pride. Today, there are more than 750,000 members of H.O.G., and it’s continuing to grow at a rapid pace. Any organization can create a family atmosphere for its customers.
4-Send Your Employees To The Customers Employees at Harley-Davidson® are encouraged to get to know the customers by working at a rally or riding in demo ride. This brings them closer to the customer and helps them to relate to customer needs. Most of the employees become Harley owners or riders.
5-Bring Your Customers Inside Your Organization Offer tours of your company. If you don't have a physical location your customers can visit, you may want to give them a virtual tour of the company via a website. Include photos of your customer service team and customers using your products. Keep the site up-to-date with the latest news releases about the company. Invite key customers to your annual meeting and ask them to talk about the good and bad aspects of doing business with the company during the past year. Employees will find this more interesting than listening to someone from marketing say, "Here are the customer satisfaction survey results."
source:Debra Schmidt [newsletter@loyaltyleader.com]
Your business customers are extremely busy people and they don't want their time wasted. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't stay in touch with them. A phone call to your customer is justified when you have a valid reason for calling. Your business customers will not mind frequent contacts as long as they trust that you are putting their business needs first. This is done by providing value. Value comes in many forms such as tips, information, resources, contacts, events, referrals and education. Here are examples of valid reasons to call your customers:
Invite your customer to be your guest at an event such as a professional association meeting where the speaker will be addressing a topic that is relevant to your customer's business.
Advise your customer of new products or services that will save time or money.
Ask your customer about changes in his or her business or industry.
Congratulate your customer on their good news such as acquiring a major new client, a job promotion, business growth and other successes.
Ask your customer to give you personal feedback on how well your company is performing when it comes to providing service.
There are other effective ways to stay in touch with your business customers.
Fax over articles that are pertinent to your customer's business.
Mail a copy of your favorite business book to your customer.
Use email to send tips and resource links that provide useful information for your customer.
Employees are on the move. It is highly likely that, in the near future, your business customer will change jobs and move to a different company. You will know that you have done a good job of building a solid relationship when your customer continues to conduct business with you after he or she has settled in at their new company. Because people leave, you need to build multiple relationships at each of your business accounts. Don't limit your business-to-business relationships to one or two employees in the company. Go wide and deep to make connections with as many key decision makers as possible. Get to know senior managers and include them on your contact list. Meet with a cross section of managers at all levels of the organization. Seek opportunities to connect with as many employees as possible. You are not in the product business, you are in the relationship business. Your products and services are secondary to the more important goal of building solid relationships with your business customers. They have many options available to them when they choose their vendors. When you stay in touch, you are letting your customers know how important they are to your company. This creates top-of-mind awareness about you and your products. The more you stay in touch, the more you will learn about what's important to your customers. Showing interest in your customers and their organization's business goals will increase your perceived value. When you become sufficiently valuable in your customers' eyes, they will be more likely to turn to you for solutions.
source: Debra Schmidt [newsletter@loyaltyleader.com]
Customer Service Excellence Manual (2)
Your customers are more nervous than ever about tapping into their budgets to spend their hard-earned dollars. If they seem hesitant about purchasing or act aloof, there may be something bothering them about your organization's products or quality of service. In order to build solid customer relationships, you need to ask probing questions to help you zero in on their concerns. Asking relevant questions is an excellent way to let them know you sincerely care. Too often, typical customer interactions involve asking customers two predictable questions:
"How can I help you today?"
"Is there anything else you need?"
While it is essential to ask your customers these questions, don't stop there, because their responses will rarely give you any valuable insight into what is most important to them. You need to dig deeper to help you identify potential warning signs of dissatisfaction or potential opportunities to introduce your customers to new products and services.There are several different types of questions that you can use when trying to understand the needs and concerns of a customer. Avoid closed-ended questions that can be answered with a simple "yes" or "no". These types of questions will not give you an accurate picture of how your customer feels about doing business with you. Instead, ask opportunity questions. For example, after you have explained a new product or service to a customer, you can ask, "What do you think about this option as a possible solution?"Asking your customers probing questions will help you to gain greater insight into their decision making process. For example, a banking customer may express fears about the stability of the funds they have in various accounts. Your customer will probably resent it if you respond, "I know how you feel." You probably don't know how that person actually feels until you've probed deeper into their concerns. Ask your customer, "Can you tell me about the types of accounts that are causing you the most concern?" You can also ask for more details, "What steps, if any, have you taken to safeguard against risk with your other investment accounts?"Sometimes customers keep their emotions in check but you still sense that they are frustrated or annoyed. Address the issues head-on to show your customer that you care enough to acknowledge their signals. Asking about their frustrations may prevent them from boiling over to the point where they choose to take their business elsewhere. Very kindly ask, "You seem unhappy about our service today. May I ask why?"Of course, any time you ask your customers questions, you need to actively listen to their responses. Pay careful attention not only to their words, but also observe their tone, body language and facial expressions. Show empathy for their concerns even if you don't agree with what they are telling you. In this economy it's more important than ever for customers to feel that service providers are sincerely interested in their opinions and feedback.
source :Debra Schmidt [newsletter@loyaltyleader.com]
Customer Service Excellence Manual (1)
There is no such thing as business as usual during this economic downturn. When the economy is weak you need to strengthen your customer service delivery. Now, more than ever, it's essential to do everything possible to keep your customers from leaving. In order for companies to maintain stability, every employee needs to focus more time and energy on making customers happy. Customers' budgets are shrinking. If you can help your customers through this tough time, you may be creating customers for life. Don't stick your customers with unexpected or hidden expenses. Because my business owns ten website domains, renewing them can be costly. I contacted Rick, the owner of the company that hosts and manages the Loyalty Leader website and asked him to renew all of my domains for five years. After he completed the task, he sent me an email stating that they had accidentally renewed my domains for six years. He was very apologetic about the mistake. His error added $180 to my renewal bill. I immediately picked up the phone and told him that I was unhappy with the added expense. He listened carefully, took complete ownership of the problem, and, less than five minutes later he sent me another email stating that his company, Wisnet.com would pay the $180 difference. He did exactly the right thing and this is a reflection of the integrity of Rick and his co-workers. In addition to their excellent website development skills, their exceptional service is one of the reasons I love doing business with Wisnet. Look for ways to offer meaningful discounts to your customers.
You do not need to wholesale discounts on all your products or services. Instead, identify cost-savings opportunities that can truly benefit your customers. This may involve placing larger orders on a less frequent basis. By increasing the quantity on the reprint of my tips booklet, 101 Ways to Build Customer Loyalty, my printing vendor was able to save me $660. As a result, I am able pass along a volume discount to my customers.Be flexible on your pricing strategies to build long-term profitability.We recently purchased a new refrigerator. I had done extensive price shopping at the large appliance and home improvement stores. Then, I stopped in at a small, privately owned store in Milwaukee to check out their selection and prices. Last year, a technician from this store had repaired our washing machine. We were impressed with his friendly, knowledgeable service, so we wanted to try to bring our business to their store. When I arrived, they had the exact make and model of the refrigerator we wished to purchase but it was priced $100 higher than the larger stores. When I mentioned this, they immediately offered to match the other store's price. They delivered our new refrigerator the very next morning and have our loyalty for our future appliance purchases.Show your customers value.Your customers will ask, "What's in it for me if I choose to do business with you instead of your competitors?" You had better know the answer. If you can honestly respond that they will receive outstanding, personalized service, you are well on your way to building customer loyalty. Customer retention is essential for survival in a weak economy. Be specific. Describe what that service looks like from the customers' point of view. Guarantee that they will speak with a live person when they call. Offer faster response times on their requests. Pay careful attention to their needs and position yourself as a solution-oriented partner so they find it easy to conduct business with your company. Follow through on your promises. Above all, keep on smile on your face, so they know that they are dealing with a person who sincerely care about their concerns.
(source :Debra Schmidt [newsletter@loyaltyleader.com])
Waktu
: dekat?
Tapi tak terlihat
:lebih dekat dari urat leher
Tapi tak terasa; swear!
:di Arasy-Nya bersemayam
Aku tak paham
: coba berotasi setiap hari
terus tanpa henti
konsisten pada hati
mengitari jagad tak terperi
Tapi tak bisa konsentrasi
dunia terlalu banyak senyuman bidadari;
terlalu banyak harta menari
terlalu sering waktu tercuri
terlalu jauh keluar dari rotasi
: coba lagi kembali
jika menujuKu berjalan;Ku 'kan berlari
menyambutmu dengan seluruh kasih
Tapi malu lebih mengurui
takut siksa yang pedih
: Aku selalu menerima hambaKu yang mencari
jalan mendaki menuju Kasih abadi
Tapi jelaga menebal lebih
mendekap waham-waham duniawi
yang tak mau juga lepas pergi...
: Aku masih menunggu
hingga sampai waktumu...
(sutopo yuwono)
Rabu, November 12, 2008
A poem from Robert Frost
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
(Robert Frost)
Senin, November 10, 2008
Lesson From Warren Buffet*
1.Pertama kali dia membeli saham investasi pada usia 11 tahun dan dia katakan itu sudah terlambat !
Ajarkanlah anak – anak anda berinvestasi sejak dini.
2.Dia membeli sebuah ladang kecil pada usia 14 tahun dari hasil mengantar koran
Sesuatu bisa dibeli dengan sedikit tabungan .
Ajarkanlah anak – anak anda untuk memulai sebuah bisnis.
3.Dia tetap tinggal dirumahnya yang kecil berkamar tiga yang ia tempati sejak menikah 50 tahun yll. Dia katakan : saya memiliki segalanya dirumah ini.
Jangan membeli sesuatu yang tidak benar – benar anda butuhkan, dan ajarkanlah anak anda berpikir demikian.
4.Dia menyetir sendiri mobilnya kemana saja dia ingin pergi dan dia tidak membutuhkan sopir pribadi maupun bodyguard . Jadilah dirimu sendiri
5.Dia tidak pernah mengendarai jet pribadinya, meskipun ia memiliki perusahaan jet terbesar didunia.
Selalu berpikirlah cukup dengan apa yang kau miliki.
6.Perusahaannya, Berkshire Hathaway, memiliki 63 anak perusahaan. Dia hanya menulis 1 surat tiap tahun untuk para CEOnya , memberikan mereka target tahun tsb. Dia tidak pernah mengadakan rapat atau memanggil mereka .
Letakkankan orang yang tepat pada posisinya.
7.Dia hanya membuat 2 peraturan untuk CEOnya
1: Jangan habiskan uang pemegang saham
2: Jangan lupa peraturan no.1
Buatlah suatu target dan buat mereka fokus dengan target tsb .
8.Dia tidak memiliki pergaulan kelas atas. Dia menghabiskan waktunya makan popcorn dan menonton TV dirumah. Jangan mencoba untuk pamer, jadilah diri sendiri
9.Warren Buffet tidak membawa handphone dan tidak memiliki komputer dimejanya.
10.Bill Gates, orang terkaya no.1 5 tahun yang lalu mengadakan janji temu dengan Warren Buffet.Dia merancang pertemuan untuk 30 menit saja, tapi dia menghabiskan 10 jam untuk belajar menjadi seperti Warren Buffet .
Nasehatnya untuk anak – anak muda:
"Jauhkan dirimu dari pinjaman bank atau kartu kredit dan berivestasilah dengan apa yang kau miliki serta ingat :
A.Uang tidak menciptakan manusia, manusialah yang menciptakan uang.
B.Hiduplah sederhana sebagaimana dirimu sendiri.
C.Jangan melakukan apapun yang dikatakan orang, dengarkan mereka, tapi lakukan apa yang baik saja.
A.Jangan memakai merk, pakailah yang benar – benar nyaman untukmu.
B.Jangan habiskan uang untuk hal – hal yang tidak benar – benar penting.
C.Jika itu telah berhasil dalam hidupmu, berbagilah dan ajarkanlah pada orang lain.
"Orang yang berbahagia bukanlah orang yang hebat dalam segala hal, tapi orang yang bisa menemukan hal sederhana dalam hidupnya.”
Let us choose the way to live.
*source is unknown.
