Principles

of Good
Customer Service
Module 1

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A customer is… 2

» A person, group, system

and organization that one
interacts with in his/her day
to day function
 3

Internal Customers External

Customers…
• A company’s most vital asset
• “The Boss”

Listen to
customers

Good
Customer
Service
Give the
needs of 4
customers
The 10 Commandments
of Great Customer Service
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1. Be a Good Listener
• Take the time to identify customer needs by
asking questions and concentrating on what the
customer is really saying.
• Listen to their words, the tone of voice, body
language, and most importantly, how they feel.
• Beware of making assumptions, thinking you
intuitively know what the customer wants.

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2. Identify and Anticipate Needs
• Customers don't buy products or services. They
buy good feelings and solutions to problems.
• Most customer needs are emotional rather than
logical.
• The more you know your customers, the better
you become at anticipating their needs.
• Communicate regularly so that you are aware of
problems or upcoming needs.
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3. Make Customers Feel
Important and Appreciated
• Treat them as individuals.
• Always use their name and find ways to
compliment them, but be sincere. It creates
good feeling and trust.
• Think about ways to generate good feelings
about doing business with you.
• Customers are very sensitive and know whether
or not you really care about them.
• Thank them every time you get a chance.
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4. Body Language is Key
• Be sure that your body language conveys
sincerity.
• Your words and actions should be congruent.

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5. Understanding is Crucial
• Help customers understand your systems.
• Take time to explain how your systems work and
how they simplify transactions.
• If customers don't understand them, they can
get confused, impatient and angry.
• Be careful that your systems don't reduce the
human element of your organization.

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6. Appreciate the Power of “Yes”
• Always look for ways to help your customers.
• When they have a request (as long as it is
reasonable) tell them that you can do it.
• Look for ways to make doing business with you
easy.
• Always do what you say you are going to do.

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7. Know How to Apologize
• When something goes wrong, apologize. It's
easy, and customers like it.
• The customer may not always be right, but
the customer must always win.
• Deal with problems immediately and let
customers know what you have done.
• Make it simple for customers to complain. Value
their complaints. As much as we dislike it, it gives
us an opportunity to improve.
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8. Give More Than Expected
• Since the future of all companies lies in keeping
customers happy, think of ways to elevate
yourself above the competition.
• Consider the following:
• What can you give customers that they cannot get
elsewhere?
• What can you do to follow-up and thank people even
when they don't buy?
• What can you give customers that is totally
unexpected? 13
9. Get Regular Feedback
• Encourage and welcome suggestions about how
you could improve.
• There are several ways in which you can find out
what customers think and feel about your
services.
• Listen carefully to what they say.
• Check back regularly to see how things are
going.
• Provide a method that invites constructive
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criticism, comments, and suggestions.
10. Treat Employee Well
• Employees are your internal customers and need
a regular dose of appreciation.
• Thank them and find ways to let them know how
important they are.
• Treat your employees with respect and chances
are they will have a higher regard for customers.
• Appreciation stems from the top. Treating
customers and employees well is equally
important.
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The Top 10
Customer Service Skills
Employees Should Have
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1. Listening
• Listening is an important part of your overall
communication skill. Active listening helps minimize any
misinterpretation that could further impact the customer
service experience.
• Listening is about hearing what the customer says but
also what they’ve left unsaid. It means considering the
customer’s tone and body language to truly understand
how they feel and how you can help.
• Whether you speak to the customer in person, on the
phone, or through a follow-up email, paraphrase what
the customer said to let them know you’ve been listening
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and want to ensure it’s what they meant.
2. Problem-solving
• Problem-solving involves focusing on ways to fix issues by
both developing solutions and helping alleviate conflict,
a customer’s pain point, or anything else that stands in
the way of a customer feeling good.
• Problem-solving is a critical skill because it addresses the
customer’s desire to get some type of assistance from
you. Showing a desire to help and putting your
knowledge, expertise, and creativity to work can create
an exceptional service experience for customers.

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3. Patience
• Patience is the ability to remain calm despite being
under pressure while dealing with an angry client or
confused customers.
• Even in the face of conflict, holding onto your patience
can make the difference between alleviating the anger
and stirring up the client even more.
• No matter what the situation, working in customer
service requires you to separate personal feelings from
the exchange even if a customer is verbally abusive.
• Whether it is an online review or you are face to face
with the customer, showing patience makes a good
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impression on the unhappy customer as well as everyone
else around you.
4. Service Heart
• Having a service heart means having the ability to put
others first in thought and action and doing so with a
passion to help others.
• It shows humility and gratitude as well, illustrating to
customers that you find them all more important than
anything else.
• Customers will rate an experience as exceptional when
service far surpasses their expectations.
• Doing even seemingly small things for them — show that
you put the customers first and want to "serve" them.
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5. Positivity
• Positivity is looking on the bright side.
• It means being kind, polite, and cheerful.
• Customer service staff who smile exude this positivity.
• A positive employee is always focused on a solution.

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6. Persuasive Speaking
• This customer service skill can also fall into the list of
essential sales skills.
• Using a customer’s name along with action words can
help you sell what you are offering without making the
customer feel like that’s what you are doing.
• Instead, this persuasive speech makes clients feel like
you are putting them first and appreciate their business.
• To deepen this skill, it’s important to spend time getting
to know your customers and leveraging what you know
about them to create a personal experience.
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7. Time Management
• Being mindful of your time and the appointments you set
or the deadlines in place can translate into a better
customer service experience.
• Customers truly appreciate that you respect their time.
• Sticking to appointment times
• Offering a fast checkout experience
• Meeting all deadlines
• Delivering earlier than expected

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8. Empathy
• Empathy is the ability to understand another person’s
emotions and their point of view because you have
experienced something similar.
• Although you may not always know the exact feelings
that your customers have, an empathetic approach will
help you focus on a similar experience or what you
imagine they are going through.
• When customers believe a company "gets" them, they
are more likely to return and share their positive
experience with others.
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9. Flexibility
• Being able to adapt, pivot, and bend the general rules to
please a customer enhances the service experience.
• Mental flexibility is a skill because it involves the
willingness and creativity to adapt on the spot.
• It’s important to also have an organizational structure
and culture that allows customer service personnel to
make decisions and execute on their own rather than
wait for permission.
• For example, providing a discount, squeezing a client in
for an appointment, or delivering a product earlier are all
ways to show the customer your business is about their 25
needs.
10. Communication
• Besides listening, communication skills involve how
clearly you speak (not mumbling or using confusing
words), your focus, and body language.
• All of these tell the customer how interested you are in
them and their needs, how willing you are to help them
satisfy those needs, and how you feel about what you
are doing.
• For example, enunciating your words, using simple
language, and avoiding jargon are good ways to create a
positive customer service experience.
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What Are Soft Skills?
• Soft skills are the personal attributes, personality traits,
inherent social cues, and communication abilities
needed for success on the job.

• Soft skills characterize how a person interacts in his or

her relationships with others.

• Unlike hard skills that are learned, soft skills are similar to
emotions or insights that allow people to “read” others.
What Are Soft Skills?
• Soft skills include attitude, communication, creative
thinking, work ethics teamwork, networking, decision
making, positivity, time management, motivation,
flexibility, problem-solving, critical thinking,
and conflict resolution.

• Hybrid skills are related to soft skills in that they

include a combination of non-technical and technical
skills.
Exercise 1
Principles of Customer Service
Entering the ABC pharmacy, MP remembered the41
advertisements and commercials focusing on the
expertise, availability, and compassion of the
pharmacists at this pharmacy.
MP entered the pharmacy clutching a handful of
prescriptions for her aging mother who had just been
discharged from the hospital following a heart attack.
MP anticipated that she would be taking care of her
mother in her home for the next several weeks and
would be responsible for her mother’s medications.

Case scenario
Fighting her way down aisles clogged with boxes, MP42
made it to the pharmacy and was greeted by a 19-year-
old clerk. The clerk was chewing gum and was casually
indifferent, instructing MP to take a seat.
Counting the prescriptions yet to be completed, the
clerk said that it would take at least an hour, if there
were no problems.
Ninety minutes later, MP was still waiting. In addition,
her mother was waiting outside in the car. Insistently
and loudly, MP asked what the problem was.

Case scenario
At this point a stressed-out pharmacist walked over to43
the counter. Without calling the clerk by name, the
pharmacist said he was very busy, only worked in this
store once a month, was having problems with the
insurance company, and needed to talk to the doctor.
Further, the pharmacist informed MP that interrupting
him by asking questions would only add to the wait.
Finally, 30 minutes later a new technician, not the one
who had greeted her, came to the counter with her
prescriptions. MP never saw the pharmacist again but
remembers signing some book.

Case scenario
 Of the six prescriptions she presented, four were44
filled and two were not filled, one because, the
pharmacy was out of the medication and the other
because of delays in the doctor callback. Of the four
prescriptions filled, two of the names on the
prescription bottles did not match the list of names
given her by the doctor.
MP left the pharmacy considering the discrepancy in
the experience at this pharmacy portrayed on the
television and the reality of actually being there.

Case scenario