Bako TVET Institute Department of

ICT

UNIT OF COMPETENCE
Record Client Support
Requirements
LEVEL-1
INFORMATION SHEET

Prepared by IT Department.
 Learning Outcomes
At the end of the module the learners will be able to:
LO1: Log requests for support
 Record Client support requests and requirements according to
organizational standards.
 Review client support history and details
 Check and request the information for accuracy and urgency
according to organizational standards
LO2: Prioritize support requests with appropriate
personnel
 Identify guidelines for prioritising or rating client requests
 Prioritise client request based on its criticality or effect on business
2
 LO1: Client support requests and requirements
What is a client?
A Client is a person, company, or other entity
which buys goods and services produced by
another person, company, or other entity.
A client also looks to follow the advice and
professional knowledge of an IT Support
person .
Most jobs in the IT industry require you to
interact regularly with clients. Some of these
interactions include: attending to customers’
enquiries and complaints, determining a client’s
needs, obtaining feedback from a client with regard
to an installation, customisation, or support issue
3
and providing a client with information.
 Client support requests and requirements
What is a client support?
It is a service that computer and software manufacturers,
and third-party service companies, offer to clients.
It is the discipline of providing the best possible
solutions and support to your valued client.
For personal computer products, the following are
common client-support options:
 mail-in service: The manufacturer will repair
your equipment if you mail it in. Typical
turnaround time is about four days. In some
service plans, the manufacturer charges you
for shipping expenses.
 carry-in service: The manufacturer will
repair your equipment, but you must deliver it
to a local service site. This is sometimes
4 called depot service.
 Client support requests and requirements
 On-site contract: For a monthly or annual fee, a repair
person will come to your site to fix problems. (The fee is
included in the purchase price of some machines.) Most on-
site contracts guarantee that the service will be rendered
within a fixed number of hours from when you report a
problem.
 Hot lines: Many software manufacturers provide a phone
number that you can call for advice and trouble-shooting.
Often the number is toll-free. The quality of this type of
support varies considerably from one company to another.
Some hot lines are so good that they enable you to solve most
problems yourself. Others are so bad that you are unable even
to get through.
 bulletin board system : Some companies maintain
electronic bulletin boards (or forums within online services)
staffed by service engineers. If you have a modem, you can
report a problem to the bulletin board and a technician will
respond. This can be convenient because bulletin boards are
5 usually open 24 hours a day. Also, bulletin boards enable you
to download software updates that correct known bugs.
 Support clients in a courteous
and professional manner
When dealing with clients, it is important for you
to ensure you establish and maintain a courteous
and professional manner.
To be courteous means to show good manners and
respect for others’ opinions and needs.
To be professional means to conduct yourself in a
manner that is mature, responsible and fair. When
dealing with clients in a workplace setting,
professionalism is critical.

6
 Group Discussion
? Imagine you are a client and
you ask an IT Support person
for help.
1. What behaviour would you
expect from the IT Support
person if you were to consider
them courteous?
2. What behaviour would you
expect from them if you were to
consider them professional?
7
 Courteous and Professional behaviour
Behaviour that is considered courteous is:
 being friendly
 showing respect for the other person, and
 assisting the other person.
Behaviour that is considered professional is:
 being courteous
 focusing on the needs of the client
 assisting the client to meet their needs
 following organisational policies and expectations of good
conduct
 ensuring the client’s needs have been met.
 Another key element to professionalism is doing all of the
8 above within an appropriate timeframe.
 Determining client support needs
Knowing what your client needs is the primary factor
to excellent client service.
Sometimes it is not easy to know exactly what your
clients want.

? Group Discussion
1. When was the last time you asked for assistance from
the IT department?
2. Did you know what you wanted?
3. Did you know what was causing the problem you had?
4. How did the IT Support person get the information they
required from you to solve your problem?
9
 Determining client support needs
Gathering information
 It is important to collect as much information as possible about:
 what is happening?
 when it started happening?
 what may have caused it to happen?
 how urgent it is.
Giving feedback to your client
 You’ve analysed your client’s requirements and decided on a
solution:
 You tell the client whether you (or your organisation) would be
able to meet their requirements,
 Let them know of other options or possibilities of which they
had not been aware.
10  Provide the client with any information that will help them
 Determining client support needs
Applying organisational policy
Every client interaction should be
guided by the policies and guidelines
of the organisation.
These policies and guidelines are often
documented, but can also be
established ways of behaving that form
part of the culture of the organisation.
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 Determining client support needs
Types of policies and guidelines
There are policies and guidelines that govern how IT Support Person:
 Answer the telephone to a client,
 Document client requests
 Provide follow up to clients.
The need for organisational policies and guidelines
Some reasons for putting organisational policies and guidelines in place
are:
 To show the IT Support Person what the organisation considers
professional conduct.
 To standardise the interactions between IT Support Person and clients.
 To ensure the process of supporting clients runs smoothly. The policies
and guidelines may contain details on how to deal with unusual and
12 difficult situations.
 Determining client support needs
General Guidelines of Telephone for IT Support Person:
All telephone calls shall be answered on time and in a
professional and courteous manner
 Telephones should be answered within three (3) rings and it becomes
each employee’s job to answer it.
 Most organisations require their staff to answer the telephone with a
greeting, identifying the organisation, the department/section, their
name and offering help with an opening statement. For example:
 Good Morning. Mary Help College, Jane Doe speaking. May I help
you?"
 Sometimes callers(clients) are in a hurry. They may interrupt you and
seem rude. You should remain cool, friendly and cooperative.
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 Determining client support needs
Guidelines…
Stop talking and focus your attention on the caller or avoid
distractions and Concentrate on what the other person is saying.
Show interest and concern to the reason for the call.
Find out what the caller needs and don't be afraid to ask the
caller questions to find out his or her concerns.
If you have determined you are not the person they should talk
to, apologize to the caller and briefly explain why you are
unable to assist him or her. Give the caller the correct telephone
number and the person's name which can assist him or her.
Example
"Ms. Smith, I am really sorry you are having a problem computer ;
however, I am not the person you should talk to about this issue. I do
know whom you should talk to and if it is all right with you, I am
going to transfer you to him. So that you have the correct information,
his number is 0911738476 and his name is Jane Doe."
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 Determining client support needs
Guidelines for Written Communication
Communication in the form of a letter or memorandum
shall be written in a professional and courteous manner.
The response shall be done in accordance with the
origination guidelines for written communication
Care should be taken to ensure that all responses provide
the appropriate information to the client.
Letters and memoranda should be written in a professional
format with the standard style, font and size used by the
individual agency or division. All letters and memoranda
should be proofread carefully, not only for spelling and
punctuation, but also for consistency and accuracy.
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 Determining client support needs
Guidelines for Electronic Mail (E-Mail)
All e-mail messages are handled appropriately and Communicate in a professional
manner.
All information contained in the e-mail message is considered public information
therefore never put anything in an e-mail message that would be viewed as
offensive or inappropriate for the business environment.
Always check for spelling, punctuation, and formatting errors before sending the e-
mail message.
Care should also be taken to ensure that all responses provide the appropriate
information to the customer by checking for consistency and accuracy.
Your electronic mailbox should be checked frequently for messages.


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 Determining client support needs
If you don't have an immediate answer, acknowledge
receipt of the e-mail message, but note that you need
additional time to research and respond.
If the e-mail message requires a response from someone
else, acknowledge that you have received the e-mail
message and note that you are going to forward it to the
appropriate person who should handle the request. Include
the person's name and e-mail address in your e-mail
response.
Always include a closing sentence in your e-mail message,
giving them options to contact you if he or she needs
additional assistance.
When you are away from your office longer than a normal
17 timeframe, your e-mail should reflect that schedule.
 Determining client support needs
If you should receive an e-mail inquiry that would
require a response that could contain confidential
information or if you need to attach documentation
that is confidential, you should first respond to the e-
mail message with a disclaimer statement. This
statement would give the sender an option to have the
information sent to them by regular mail through the
U.S. Postal Service.

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 Determining client support needs
Cultural differences
 ‘Culture’ refers to the values, beliefs and attitudes shared by a group.
 When it comes to communication and interaction, it is important to have
respect for the differences between cultural groups within your
organisation
Group Discussion
 Can you think of any differences in communication style you have
noticed when interacting with someone from a different culture?
The following differences can make effective communication difficult:
language
behavioural expectations
the written word
19 
values.
 Maintaining client contact
How to obtain client feedback?
 Obtaining client feedback is an important part of maintaining
contact with clients.
 Feedback is the information that you gather from your clients.
Group Discussion
 Think of the last time you requested help from the IT help
desk. In order to get assistance, what type of feedback did you
have to give to the help desk support person?
 Some of the things the IT Support person needs feedback on
include:
1. A need — What does the client need? Have I understood the
needs of the client correctly?
2. The solution — How can I meet the client’s needs?
20
3. The implementation — Has the implemented solution
 Maintaining client contact
How to obtain client feedback?
Whether you are trying to find out what people
need or trying to obtain client feedback, you
have a number of ways of obtaining your
information.
 You might decide to phone your clients, visit
them face-to-face, send an email or get them
to complete a feedback form over the internet.
Questions are the main way we obtain
feedback. They may be used in a range of
situations, from informal face-to-face
encounters to well-structured formal
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questionnaires.
 Maintaining client contact
Examples of User Request or questions
Can you answer a question about the operation
of my computer?
Can you install a program on my computer?
Can you safeguard my data?
What Operating Systems do you support?
Can you fix my personal computer?
Can you help me support our departmental
server?
Can you help me with a repair that someone else
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could not fix?
 Group Work#1
Part 1 – Recording clients’ problems accurately
To record a client's problem accurately, it is useful to
have a set of questions ready to ask. You are an IT
Support operator supporting PC hardware and software
in a networked environment. Design a set of questions
to ensure you gather all the required information about
the problem for recording.
You should have about 10 questions.

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 Maintaining client contact
The following are the sample questions that an IT
Technician asks a client to gather all the required
information about problem of network server:
 When was the last time that the network server was
operational?
 What has changed since the last time the network
server was operational?
 What hardware or software has been recently added
to the network server?
 Who first reported the problem with the network
server?
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 Maintaining client contact
IT help desk database
A good tool to assist IT staff to maintain client contact is
the IT help desk database. This is a database that records all
of the requests coming in from the organisation to the help
desk.
The IT support staff take clients’ requests from the
database and obtain feedback from the client directly about
the specifics of the problem.
When the client is visited, the database is updated. Any
feedback provided by the client is recorded on the
database. When the problem is rectified, the database is
updated and the request is ‘closed off’.
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 Respond to client Requests
Effective strategies for dealing with client complaints.
Working in IT, you will need to deal with complaints from
clients. There may be complaints about simple things like
not fixing a problem in a reasonable timeframe, or
something more serious.
Here are some strategies to help you deal with those

complaints:
 Sensitivity and discretion
 Establish boundaries with the client,
 Prepare yourself for the complaint before you meet with
client and
26  Hear both sides of the story the client complaint
 Effective strategies....
1. Sensitivity and discretion
Often when people make a complaint, they say and do things that
they later regret. One of the most important things when handling
complaints is to show sensitivity and exercise discretion.
This means keeping conversations confidential and not repeating
them unless absolutely required. This applies to written
documentation as well.
2. Establish boundaries with the client
 It’s important to establish boundaries with the client so that they know
what is appropriate in terms of your role. You should tell clients:
when it is appropriate to speak to you
what topics they can discuss
where they can go to get the appropriate support.
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 Effective strategies...
3. Prepare for the meeting
The key to a successful meeting is preparation. Before
meeting with a client to discuss a complaint, prepare
yourself by thinking about past successful and unsuccessful
meetings.
Is there a particular way you have handled these meetings
in the past to reach a successful conclusion? Use that
experience to prepare for the upcoming meeting.
You can also put together a list of questions that will guide
your approach.
You will need to have a clear understanding of the
objectives of the meeting, that is, what you want to have
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achieved by the end.
 Effective strategies....
4. Hear both sides of the story
Before acting on a complaint, always seek ‘the other
side’s’ version of events or do your research about the
context for the complaint.
It is often the case that people see things from their own
point of view and this can colour their memory of the
facts.
Considering both sides of a complaint is critical before
acting because after considering all factors, it might not
be appropriate to take any action at all.

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 Tips for responding to complaint
Tip Explanation
Don’t take it personally. When someone makes a complaint, keep an
objective view
Do not allow your personal feelings or
opinions to get involved.
Verify the facts. Make sure that the complaint is based on facts
such as dates, times, etc.
Keep a record Keep a detailed manual record of what has
happened, who said what, etc.
Select an appropriate After considering the facts, decide on a course
resolution based on the facts. of action to resolve the client complaint.

Apply the organisational Follow the organisational guidelines to

policies resolve the client complaint. .

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 Respond to client Requests
Refer the complaint to the appropriate person
When you receive a complaint, you may not be able
to resolve it effectively.
If that is the case, you will need to identify the most
appropriate person to resolve the issue.
You may need to ‘escalate’ the complaint to a more
senior person who has the:
Authority to make a decision to resolve the
complaint
Knowledge to offer a resolution to the complaint.

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 Respond to client Requests.
Use Active Listening when you are responding to client complaints
 When you are dealing with client complaints, it is critical that you
listen carefully to the facts and respond appropriately. To do this,
people often use a technique called active listening.
What does ‘active listening’ mean?
 Active listening occurs when you focus on the message you’re
receiving from the other person, without thinking about what you
want to say next.
 Your response to the client is one that paraphrases what you’ve heard.
That is, you summarise what you’ve heard, and say it back to the
sender in your words. This ensures that you have understood the idea
the sender wants to give you.
 One of the key principles of active listening is allowing the other
person to talk freely.
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 Key principles of active listening
Principle Description

Do more listening than Give the other person time to talk. Show that
talking. you are interested in what they have to say.
Show encouragement. Use non-verbal as well as verbal cues to show
you are listening. For example, maintain eye
contact, nod, sit upright and say ‘yes’ or ‘I
see’ at appropriate places, and use a positive
tone of voice.
Avoid appearing tense. For example, avoid sitting with arms and legs
tightly crossed and speaking in a hurried and
agitated tone of voice.
Try not to agree or If you feel you have to disagree, wait until the
disagree right away. other person has explained and then disagree,
33 but provide reasons for your stand.
 Key principles...
Principle Description
Show empathy. Imagine yourself in the other person’s position.
Respond to their feelings.
Be ‘other-directed’. In other words, don’t project your feelings or
ideas on them.
Be accepting of the other This means being non-judgmental and non-
person. discriminatory.
Be non-defensive. Instead, admit any errors or oversights on the part
of yourself or your organisation and apologise for
that.
Paraphrase (summarise) In other words, restate key facts, issues,
what the speaker is saying. perceptions and interpretations. When you
receive a client request, even a simple one, it’s
important to check that you’ve understood it
correctly.
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 Key principles...
Principle Description
Be aware of the other If you need to ask questions of a sensitive nature, ask
person’s sensitivities. them in a gentle, polite and supportive manner and tone
of voice. Assure confidentiality. Wait for the right time to
ask as well, that is when the other person is relaxed and
you have gained their confidence.
Reflect every now and For example, you might say: ‘So you were quite upset by
again on what the other that behaviour because you felt that it was quite unfair?’
person is saying. This shows the other person that you understand how
they feel and that their concerns and feelings are valid.
Show warmth and support. Smile, where appropriate. Look concerned. Avoid being
cold or abrupt.
Admit it when you’re lost. Avoid pretending to understand. Simply say something
such as: ‘Sorry, could you just say that again?’ Clarify
anything you don’t understand. This lets the other know
that you have been listening and that you understand
what they’re saying.
35
 Respond to client Requests
Use a Reflective Question when you respond to client
You can also use a reflective question to correct and
clarify any misunderstandings you have with clients and
other staff.
This is the technique of repeating the sentence with a
few changes (paraphrase), but phrased as a question.
A reflective question copies a sentence like an echo, but
changes the wording to say the same thing your way.
For Example:
Mr. X: So you say i should use up-to -date antivirus?
Mr. Y: That’s right. An up-to-date antivirus can protect
36 your computer from any recent virus.
Respond to client Requests
Use Open-ended and closed questions to respond to client complaints
 Open-ended questions gather more information. Someone
answering an open-ended question cannot answer with a ‘yes’ or
‘no’, because it wouldn’t make sense.
Examples:
Can you tell me a bit more about the problem?
What kinds of programs are you running at the moment?
 Closed questions do require a ‘yes’ or ‘no’, or a similar
response. These are used to clarify what you’ve received or to
seek confirmation of the idea that you have.
Examples:
Was your computer working yesterday?
Did you try re-booting?
37 
Are you saying that your email system is not working?
 Respond to client Requests
Other types of questions
i. What-if questions
Use what-if (or hypothetical) questions to explore the possibilities
with the client (or on your own). You’ll also be able to bring out any
reservations that you or the client may have.
An example of this is:
What if we do not have any flights that week? Can you travel the
following week?
ii. Sorting and sifting questions
Sometimes a client might give you a lot of information. This includes
clients who: do not really know what they want, are verbose, do not get
to the point and don’t organise their thoughts in any way

38
 Other types of questions
Here are a couple of examples:
Which one of these is a priority for you?
Out of all the features you’ve mentioned, are there ones that you are most
interested in?
iii. Clarification questions
Sometimes what the client is saying may not seem logical or coherent.
Information may seem contradictory. Before you dismiss that
information as useless, ask for clarification. Perhaps the client had not
explained in great detail because they had assumed that you had the
prior knowledge to understand what they were saying. Here are a
couple of examples:
Which incident happened first?
Was it a pleasant or unpleasant visit?

39
 Other types of questions
iv. Planning questions
Sometimes your client will need your help to plan
ahead. An architect’s work, for example, may involve
planning a house that will accommodate a growing
family.
A Property Loans Officer’s work may involve planning
repayments.
He may ask the following question:
Do you want to pay off your loan sooner?
v. Strategic questions
Your client may need your help in working out how to
proceed next. One such question may be:
40 Which position, out of the two we’ve discussed, would
 Other types of questions
vi. Organising questions
These allow us to structure our information. Without a structure, the
information would just be bits and pieces without any discernable
patterns. With a good structure you’ll be able to:
 see trends or themes
 see how one bit of information fits in with others
 compare and contrast.
Here are some examples of organising questions:
Which of these documents belong to you? We’ll put these in this
folder.
Which ones belong to your partner?
Now which ones are in both your names?

41
 Communicating with Different
Client Personalities
Different clients need different kinds of guidance and
attention.
Although each client should be treated as an individual, it
takes a long time to develop an understanding of each
client’s needs.
Until you get to know a client well, the following guide may
help you to recognize his/her basic personality type so that
you can provide the kind of attention he/she may need.
Personality Type: Happy-Go-Lucky(cheerfully
unconcerned about the future.), very positive
 Attention Needs: Tends to be daring, attitude, self-confident,
Looks for challenges.
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 Communication with Clients
What is Communication?
 Communication is the process of transferring information from
source to destination.
 In fact, communication is only successful when both the sender and
the receiver understand the same information.
 Whether you are talking with a client on the phone or in person, it is
important to communicate well and to represent yourself
professionally.
 Your professionalism and good communication skills will enhance
your creditability with the client.
 A client can “see” your body language, can hear your sighs and sense
that you are smiling, even over the phone. Many call-center
technicians have a mirror at their desk to monitor their facial
expressions.
 Successful technicians control their reactions and emotions from one
customer call to the next. A good rule for all technicians to follow is
43
that a new customer call means a fresh start. Never carry your
 Communication with Clients
 The purpose of communication is to get your message across
to others clearly and unambiguously.
 Effective communication with a client will greatly reduce
stress for the IT Support Person.
 When you acquire a careful understanding of client’s needs,
mistakes and misunderstandings are eliminated.
 The IT support person can proceed with servicing the client,
knowing that he/she and the client have a mutual
understanding of the desired results.
 Good communication with a client promotes a trusted and
relaxed atmosphere for a doubtful or unsure client.
 Communication skills are easily learned but sometimes
difficult to put into practice.
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 Relationship Between
Communication and Troubleshooting
Skills
 As a computer technician, you will not only fix computers; you
also will interact with people.
 Good communication skills enhance a technician’s
troubleshooting skills
 As your hardware, software, and operating system knowledge
increases, your ability to quickly determine a problem and find a
solution will improve.
 The same principle applies for developing communication skills,
the more you practice good communication skills, the more
effective you will become when working with clients.
 Generally a knowledgeable technician who uses good
communication skills will always be in demand in the job market.
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 General Techniques for developing
effective Communication Skills
 You can develop more effective communication skills by practicing
the following techniques:
1. MAINTAINING EYE CONTACT: Look into the other person’s
eyes while speaking or listening... It shows that your are interested
and paying attention.
2. LISTENING: To avoid misunderstandings, give the other person a
chance to put their point across without interruptions.
3. LEADING: Make comments and ask questions that encourage the
other person to continue communicating in the direction you want.

46
 General Techniques for developing
effective Communication Skills
4. GIVE FEEDBACK: Help the other person understand your
position throughout the conversation by responding to
statements made. Feedback enables the other person to clarify
any misunderstandings and encourages him/her to continue
communicating.
5. ASK QUESTIONS:
 A. Closed Questions - Require very brief answers (yes, no,
name, number etc.) and usually begin with: Do you, who,
when, where, how many, how often, etc. Ask closed questions
when you want to receive minimum, specific information.
Closed questions enable a questioner to lead the conversation.
Example: "Do you live in the country or in the city?"
 B. Open Questions: Require lengthy, descriptive answers and
often begin with: How, why, and what. Ask open questions
when you want to receive maximum, detailed information.
47 Open questions enable the speaker to lead the conversation.
 Communicating with
Different Client Personalities
 Different clients need different kinds of guidance and
attention.
 Although each client should be treated as an
individual, it takes a long time to develop an
understanding of each client’s needs.
 Until you get to know a client well, the following
guide may help you to recognize his/her basic
personality type so that you can provide the kind of
attention he/she may need.

48
 Communicating with
Different Client Personalities
 Personality Type: Happy-Go-Lucky(cheerfully unconcerned
about the future.), very positive
 Attention Needs: Tends to be daring, attitude, self-confident,
Looks for challenges.
 Personality Type: Very negative or insecure. General
appearance is very important.
 Attention Needs: Tends to stick with one style for a long time. Will
change in a trust situation.
 Personality Type: Timid or introvert. Needs a lot of inspiration
(lacking in confidence)
 Attention Needs: Appearance important. Needs motivation.
 Personality Type: Determined and self-confident. Usually very
successful, may be a most loyal client.
49
 Attention Needs: Will tell stylist what they want and how they
want it.
How to manage different types of client on the
phone
A. Talkative Client
 A talkative client discusses everything except the problem.
 This kind of client often uses the call as an opportunity to socialize. It can be
difficult to get a talkative client to focus on the problem.
 Allow the customer to talk for one minute. Don’t encourage non-problem-related
conversation by asking social questions such as “How are you today?”
 Gather as much information about the problem as possible.
 Ask as many closed-ended questions as you need to after you have regained control
of the call.
B. Rude Customer
 A rude customer complains during the call and often makes negative comments
about the product, the service, and the technician.
 This type of customer is sometimes abusive and uncooperative and is easily
aggravated.
 Listen carefully, because you do not want to ask the customer to repeat any
information.
 Don’t ask the customer to follow any obvious steps if there is any way you can
50
determine the problem without the customer.
 How to manage different types of client on the phone

B. Rude Customer
 Follow a step-by-step approach to determining and solving the problem. Don’t
be rude to the client.
 If the client has a favorite technician, try to contact that technician to see if he
or she can take the call.
C. Angry Customer
 An angry customer talks loudly during the call and often tries to speak when
the technician is talking. Angry customers are usually frustrated that they have
a problem and upset that they have to call somebody to fix it.
 Let the customer explain his problem without interrupting, even if he is angry.
 This allows customer to release some of his anger before you proceed
 If at all possible, try not to put this the customer on hold or transfer the call.
 Don’t spend call time talking about what caused the problem. Instead, redirect
the conversation to solving the problem.
 Apologize for the wait time or inconvenience.
51
 How to manage different types of client on the
phone
D. Knowledgeable Customer
A knowledgeable customer wants to speak with a technician who
is equally experienced in computers. This type of customer
usually tries to control the call and does not want to speak with a
level-one technician.
If you are a level-one technician, you might try to set up a
conference call with a level-two technician.
Don’t follow a step-by-step process with the customer.
Explain your overall approach to what you are trying to verify.
Don’t ask the customer to check the obvious, such as the power
cord or the power switch. For example, you could suggest a
reboot instead.

52
 How to manage different types of client on the
phone

E. Inexperienced Customer
An inexperienced customer has difficulty describing the
problem. These customers usually can’t follow directions
or communicate the errors they encounter.
Use a simple step-by-step process of instructions.
Don’t use industry jargon terms.
Speak in plain terms.
Don’t condescend to your customer or belittle him or her.
Class Discussion : Identifying Difficult Customer Types
In this activity, the class identifies difficult customer types
through the use of five scenarios.
53
 Dealing with Unhappy Clients
 The specific tips and techniques that helps you to deal
with angry or difficult clients:
Step One: Adjust Your Mindset:
 Once you're aware that your client is unhappy then your first
priority is to put yourself into a client service mindset.
 This means that you set aside any feelings you might have
that the situation isn't your fault, or that your client has made
a mistake, or that he or she is giving you unfair criticism.
 All that matters is that you realize that your customer or
client is upset, and that it's up to you to solve the problem.
Adjust your mindset so that you're giving 100 percent of
your focus to your client, and to the current situation.
54
 Dealing with Unhappy
Clients
Step Two: Listen Actively
 The most important step in the whole of this process is
listening actively to what your client or customer is saying -
he wants to be heard, and to air his grievances.
 Start the dialogue with a neutral statement, such as, "Let's go
over what happened," or "Please tell me why you're upset."
 This finely creates a partnership between you and your client,
and lets him know that you're ready to listen.
 Resist the temptation to try to solve the situation right away,
or to jump to conclusions about what happened. Instead, let
your client tell you his story. As he's talking, don't plan out
what you're going to say when he's done - this isn't active
listening!
55  Also, don't allow anything to interrupt this conversation.
 Dealing with Unhappy Clients
Step Three: Repeat Their Concerns
 Once he's had time to explain why he's upset, repeat his
concerns so you're sure that you're addressing the right
issue. If you need to, ask questions to make sure that
you've identified the problem correctly.
 Use peaceful and objective wording. For example, "As I
understand it, you are, quite rightly, upset because we
didn't deliver the samples that we promised you last week."
 Repeating the problem shows the client you were listening,
which can help lower his anger and stress levels. More than
this, it helps you agree on the problem that needs to be
56 solved.
 Dealing with Unhappy
Clients
Step Four: Be Empathic and Apologize
 Once you're sure that you understand your client's
concerns, be empathic. Show her you understand why
she's upset.
 And, make sure that your body language also
communicates this understanding and empathy.
 For example, you could say, "I understand why you're
upset. I would be too. I'm very sorry that we didn't get
the samples to you on time, especially since it's
caused these problems."

57
 Dealing with Unhappy Clients
Step Five: Present a Solution
 Now you need to present her/him with a solution. There are
two ways to do this.
 If you feel that you know what will make your client happy,
tell her/him how you'd like to correct the situation.
○ You could say, "I know you need these samples by tomorrow to show to
your own customers. I will call our other clients to see if they have
extras that they can spare, and, if they do, I'll drop them off at your
offices no later than 5:00pm this evening."
 If you're not sure you know what your client wants from you,
or if they resist your proposed solution, then give her/him the
power to resolve things. Ask her/him to identify what will
make her happy.
○ For instance, you could say, "If my solution doesn't work for you, I'd
58 love to hear what will make you happy. If it's in my power I'll get it
done, and if it's not possible, we can work on another solution together."
 Dealing with Unhappy
Clients
Step Six: Take Action and Follow-up
 Once you've both agreed on a solution, you need to take action
immediately. Explain every step that you're going to take to fix
the problem to your client
 If she/he has contacted you by phone, make sure that she/he has
your name and contact details. This gives her/him a feeling of
control because she can get hold of you again if she needs to.
 Once the situation has been resolved, follow up with your client
over the next few days to make sure that she's happy with the
resolution. Whenever you can, go above and beyond her
expectations.
 For instance, you could send her/him a gift certificate, give
her/him a great discount on her/his next purchase, or send
59
her/him a hand-written apology.
 Dealing with Unhappy
Clients
Step Seven: Use the Feedback
 Your last step is to reduce the risk of the situation
happening again.
 If you haven't already done so, identify how the
problem started in the first place. Was there a
bottleneck that slowed shipment? Did a sales rep
forget to confirm an order?
 Find the root of the problem and make sure it's fixed
immediately, then consider using Kaizen to continue
improving your work practices. Also, ensure that
you're managing complaints and feedback effectively,
so that you can improve that way that you do things.
60
 Group work #2
 Develop a telephone/ face to face dialog b/n a client and
IT Support Person to solve the following Problems:
1. How do you solve if a client comes with the computer
which has slow performance when they run a program?
2. How do you solve if a client comes with the computer
that is not starting OS?
3. How do you solve if a client comes with the computer
which couldn’t set date and time on BIOS?
4. How do you solve if a client comes with the computer
which displays an error message “Boot Drive not found”
during the POST on the Blank screen?

61
Scheduling Appointments with clients
 In the event you are required to make an
appointment with a client, please remember that the
impression you make can determine whether or not
the client will want to visit you.
 New appointments are essential to keep our
business thriving! Never let the client feel that you
are too busy to be bothered with scheduling an
appointment. Instead, make the client feel that we
are pleased to have their business.
 Always conduct yourself in a pleasant and
professional way when you make an appointment
62 with any client.
 Scheduling Appointments over the Phone
1. Remember that the client cannot see you. This makes it even
more important that you sound pleasant. Smile with your voice!
2. Answer the phone professionally - "Good Morning, etc....name
of salon, your name, and may I help you".
3. Ask client’s name first, (may I ask who’s calling) then address
the caller by their name as you schedule an appointment.
4. Get all relevant information by asking closed questions. Do
not attempt to conduct a consultation over the phone.
5. Always repeat scheduled appointment time, day, date and
service provider's name.
6. Allow client to hang up first.
7. User proper grammar at all times.
Say this Do not say
"Would you hold for a minute" "Hang on"
"Yes" "Yeah"
63
"May I help you?" "Can I help you"
 Client Complaint Form
 A client complaint form is a document that records any
complaint made by a client that occurred within the
store.
 No matter the complaint, this form enables the incident
to be recorded and thus can be used as evidence in case
of a lawsuit(court case).
 This will also help you best understand the problem
and figure out how to resolve it
 Such forms should be available electronically on your
website. You should also have hard copies handy to
mail in the event a customer calls and does not have
64 access to a computer.
 Sample Client Complaint Form
Name of Complainant:______________________________________________________
Complainant’s Address: _____________________________________________________
Complainant’s Cell Phone Number: ___________________________________________
Complainant’s E-mail Address: _______________________________________________
Name of Company/Store: ____________________________________________________
Store Location/Store Number: ________________________________________________
Name of Manager/Supervisor/Employee: _______________________________________
Describe the Nature of Complaint: _____________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
If Applicable, Date of Incident: ________________________________________________
Detailed Description of Incident: _______________________________________________
If Applicable, Provide Name/Title of Person You Reported Complaint to:
____________________________________________________________________________
What Actions Would You Like Seen Taken to Effectively Deal with this Complaint?
____________________________________________________________________________
Any Additional Comments: ____________________________________________________
Your Signature: ____________________ Received by________________________

65 Date:______________________________ Date ______________________________

 Service Level Agreements (SLA)
What is Service Level Agreements (SLA)?
 When dealing with client, it is important to adhere to that client’s
service level agreement (SLA). This is a contract that defines
expectations between an organization and the service vendor to
provide an agreed-upon level of support.
 As an employee of the service company, your job is to honor (respect)
the SLA that you have with the client.
 An SLA typically is a legal agreement that describes the
responsibilities and liabilities of all parties involved.
 For example you may agree that for a High Priority request, defined
as a problem that is stopping the client performing a business critical
activity, you will fix the problem in one hour; Medium Priority
request, defined as a problem that is stopping the client performing a
non critical business activity, you will fix the problem in three
hours and Low Priority request you will fix in one day.
66
 Service Level Agreements (SLA)
Some of the contents of an SLA usually include the following:
■ Response-time guarantees (often based on the type of call
and the SLA)
■ Equipment and/or software that will be supported
■ Where service will be provided
■ Preventive maintenance
■ Diagnostics
■ Part availability (equivalent parts)
■ Cost and penalties
■ Time of service availability (for example, 24/7; Monday
through Friday; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST; and so on)

67
 LO2:Prioritizing client support
requests
 The priority of a support request is based upon its severity and
impact to an individual, a functional unit, or the organization.
 Priority levels help to determine which requests require more
immediate attention and assist in providing the best possible
service as quickly as possible to our clients.
 All support requests are serviced in order of the priority assigned
to them. This means that at any given moment, a higher priority
request may require more immediate attention than lower
priority request.
 If you feel that a support request’s priority needs to be
escalated(more serious), contact the staff member to which the
support request is assigned.

68
 Severity Levels

69
 Severity Level: Critical
 This is the highest level of severity and should only be
assigned to issues that require immediate attention.
 A critical issue is one which satisfies any of the following
criteria:
• Undermines business critical processes essential to the
mission of the organization.
• Prevents the effective use of any major service.
• Seriously affects a large number of computer users.
• Causes a major threat to information security.
• Might severely impact the status of the organization.

70
 Severity Level: Critical
Examples
Hardware or software failure disturbing activities of
essential system and business critical activities.
Information security vulnerability posing risk to
access, integrity, or confidentiality of organization.

71
 Severity Level: Major
 Major issues are those that pose a serious impact to
business processes if they are not addressed quickly.
 A major issue is one which satisfies any of the following
criteria:
 Prevents the effective use of any service and affects a
substantial number of computer users.
 Disrupts the activities of a substantial number of computer
users and no work around exists
 Poses a minor threat to information security.
 Might possibly impact the reputation of the organization.
 Creates very serious implication for an individual user.

72
 Severity Level: Major
Examples
System unavailable to a percentage of the
organization’s users.
Failure disrupting activities of a functional area.
Inability of user to access essential piece of
information.

73
 Severity Level: Normal
 This represents the ‘typical’ problem, and should be
the most frequently assigned level of severity.
 An issue which satisfies any of the following criteria:
 Prevents the use of any fully supported service or
application by an individual.
 Disrupts the activities of a substantial number of
computer users, but a work around exists.
 Inconveniences the activities of a substantial number of
computer users.
 Might imply a minor threat to information security

74
 Severity Level: Normal
Examples
Monitor/LCD screen is dead
Computer won’t boot
Software installation when software is critical to job
responsibilities
File system quota exceeded
Shared network printer down

75
 Severity Level: Minor
 An issue creating minor business impact as it does not
threaten or impact productivity.
 An issue which satisfies any of the following criteria:
 Causes inconvenience to an individual
 Any problem in a "limited support" category

Examples
 CD-Drive non-functional
 Mouse is jumpy on the screen
 Questions regarding application features
 Installation of most peripheral devices

76
 Severity Level: Enhancement
 Enhancements are those issues that have little to no
business impact and do not materially affect
productivity.
 All issues that do not fall into the above described
levels of severity.
Examples
 Installations of software peripheral to business
functions
 Cosmetic enhancements (e.g. desktop settings,
browser settings, and favorites)

77
 Prioritise client support request using “Who,
What, When, Where, and Why” approach
Who: This attribute looked at the relative importance of
who or how many people were affected by the
problem. The bigger the impact, the higher the points.
Higher points were also provided to special cases like
traveling users because we would have limited access to
their computers. Some examples of the value picks we
came up with were: Entire Company, Sales Office,
Department, User, Traveling User, Lost Sale, and
Executive.
What: Here we would look at the service affected, for
example e-mail, fax, phone, or billing system.
78
 Prioritise client support request using “Who,
What, When, Where, and Why” approach
 When: This characterizes the type of response
needed. These value picks ranged from
Immediate to Same Day, Next Day, Next Week,
or No Hurry.
 Where: This attribute included Departments,
Airport, Hotel, and Home. A traveling user in
an airport, working on a sale, would be allowed
an immediate response, for instance.
 Why: This attribute clarified the nature of the
problem with value picks such as Not Working,
Intermittent Problem, Research, Question, or
79
Workaround
 Prioritise client support request using “Who,
What, When, Where, and Why” approach

Caller number one

Client Problem: Corporate e-mail is down.
Who is affected Company 10 points
What is affected E-mail 10 points
When is response needed Immediate 10 points
Where is response needed Corporate 10 points
computer room
Why is response needed Not working 10 points

Total score 50 points

80
 Prioritise client support request using “Who,
What, When, Where, and Why” approach
Caller number two
Client Problem: Remote user cannot access e-mail and will not
need access until tomorrow.
Who is affected User 1 point
What is affected E-mail 10 points
When is response needed Next day 2 point
Where is response needed Home 1 point
office
Why is response needed Not 10 points
working
Total score
81
24 points
 Prioritise client support request using “Who,
What, When, Where, and Why” approach

Caller number three

Client Problem: Company president with a PowerPoint problem
going on vacation and in no hurry.
Who is affected User 1 point
What is affected PowerPoint 1 point
When is response needed Two weeks 5 points

Where is response needed Corporate office 1 point

Why is response needed Not working 10 points

Total score
82 18 points