I have a few weeks in which to do this, i dont really know what needs to be done. I have a few ideas but as this is my first role i really dont want to miss any important points out. All suggestions appreciated.

Hi Christopherj

Congratulations on the new role. Not sure what sector we are talking about - but actually that doesn't really matter as Customer Service is transversal.

Well - I am guessing that there is nothing currently in place - so whatever you develop is ging to be progress!

You manual could contain the following ( but this is by no means an exact or complete list). Effectively the manal will be evovling and shouldbe regularly reviewed and updated - with good version control.

Key contact names and numbers
Documented processes for all daily tasks
Checklists - daily, weekly, monthly
Best Practice hints and tips
Signature pages - for people to sign once a given task has been completed
Lists of key documents and their locations


hope this helps as a starting point.

good luck!!

Yell - if you need any further info or reviewers

Kind Regards

Bukola
providing quality service without compromise
bukola@btinternet.com

Dear Chris

Congratulations to you for the new Job. Here's an outline of basic customer service behaviors:

Greeting.
Acknowledge and welcome the customer. Identify yourself as a representative of the organization, and ask if you may be of service.
Determine the needs of the customer. Ask questions to fully understand the problems, concerns, constraints and desired outcomes of the customer. Apply the basic questions of what, where, why, when, who and how.

Offer options.
Present a number of possible solutions to the customer's problem. If none of those choices meet the customer's needs, gather more information to broaden or narrow the search.

Ask if there is more you can do.
Whether or not you have been able to satisfy the customer's initial problem, look for ways to provide additional products or services to assure that the customer has had a good experience.

Ask if the customer is satisfied.
Whether you have been able to provide the product or service the customer wants or not, they must be satisfied that you have done your best to understand them and their needs, treated them with courtesy and respect and provided them with the best solutions available.

Thank them.
The customer's time is valuable. Whether they spent money in your business or not, thank them for shopping with you and welcome them back.

Goodluck.

Hamid Ali
Yaaseen Shipping Lines
Customer Service Manager

Congrats on the new position.

I'd be sure to include the company's mission statement and the department's vision. As well as the good, the bad and the ugly: defining policy and procedures when things are great, when things are ok, and when things are sliding. Escalation procedures are paramount. When things are disintegrating, at what point should the situation be turned over to a supervisor? To a manager? To an executive?

In my experience, customer service usually means to both internal and external clients...which can often cause a conflict. What (or whom) is the priority?

Keep in mind, too, progress not perfection. You WILL miss important points. How can you not? It's ok, as long as you have a means by which to address them (to Bukola's point of this being an evolving document with version control).

Best wishes,
Karen