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Asalamo Alaykom , Customer Service representative from Egypt

 
Author sarahaziz
Member 
#1 | Posted: 20 Jan 2007 22:52 
Actually I have no experience in working in customer service field but, I am trying to read as much as I can and so far I am very interested in knowing more and more about how to communicate with people and understand different types and nationalities and I am so willing to do lots of things to my organization and put all the thing I read till now into action but have no idea how to do so?

Author heidik1725
Member 
#2 | Posted: 22 Jan 2007 10:33 
Hi Sarahaziz-

One thing that I would suggest is purchasing a book on how different cultures react to business situations. One that is primarily used for business travels,but offers great insight is called: "Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands" by Terri Morrison, Wayne A. Conaway, Wayne A. Conway

This book highlights how interactions with individuals that are from different countries are viewed.

I think the first lesson to be learned in customer satisfaction is that your customer is who keeps your business alive. Therefore, you must do anything and everything in your power to ensure that, while working within company guidelines, you are ultimatly working to ensure that this customer comes back. First impressions are lasting impressions, and the way you present yourself to a customer is going to make or break that relationship.

What items are you thinking of putting into action? Maybe we can offer some insight on how to make it work!

Author sarahaziz
Member 
#3 | Posted: 25 Jan 2007 04:04 
Actually my company didn't have any customer service dept before I joined that's why I think there is a big responsibility on my head. I like what I do but I think I cannot do it on my own, as I think customer service is not reading the feedback forms and translating them, then call the angry ones and compensate them (Like I do now).

I think customer service is about not giving any chance to customers to get angry because I read that only 10% of angry customers will put in their feedback, but the majority will prefer to take their business some where else and not come back again.

So first I want to meet all the staff working in stores and have good relation with them and know all their problems and know how satisfied they are and give them the incentive to work hard in order to achieve a better service and sales.

Second I need a promise from my manager that if the stores staff and I worked together to show them how customer service can change the fate of a company (I think he knows that's why he hired me) by achieving sales then I can confidently ask for a raise for the staff as I know they are not satisfied with their salaries and they have lots of problems.

What do you advise as I wanted to ask for a budget first for the customer service then I thought that it will be more powerfull if we achieved that under the going circumstances then ask for the budget.

The fact is I am lost and there is no guidance and staff on the floor need guidelines on how to achieve customer service.

I want to do whatever it takes to achieve the best customer service but I need support and I think as of now my company is going through lots of changes and the managers are very buisy by their own issues (Marketing ,Finance,..etc)and they don't give much attention for customer care.

So my question is can I achieve customer service in these conditions and on my own which is a big challenge for me?

Author sairaali
Member 
#4 | Posted: 26 Jan 2007 04:02 
Sarah,
during the meetings with other departments you need to also reinforce the importance of customer services (for internal and external customers).Only when the whole organization realizes the importance will you manage to provide good customer services to your customers.
All deparments need to work together to provide the customer support you are taking about.
Maybe you can prepare a presentation of your objectives and roll it out to all HODs for better understanding.

Author sarahaziz
Member 
#5 | Posted: 29 Jan 2007 03:43 
Thank You Sairaali for your advice

I will ensure that other departments know the importance of customer service so we can work as a team to achieve that

I think that I am rushing things let the organization take its time and I think that it is a good step that they hired someone in the head office to handle customer service and I will do my best to proove to my self and to them that they have taken the right decision and that customer service is the back bone of any organization

Thanks Again

Author pltech
Member 
#6 | Posted: 11 Feb 2007 11:50 
Hello!

I couldn't agree with Sairaali enough. Speaking from my personal experience, I've worked for both the "company that does not value service as a whole" and now the "company that considers it first on the list". If the entire organization realizes the importance of service for ALL members of the organization, even the accountants :), then any interaction with the client becomes enjoyable and profitable. At our organization, we expect that every employee is able to "sell" our culture at any time...which is of course...GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE. I would suggest getting the top level executives to buy in from the beginning and set the example.

I hope your new venture is rewarding for you and your organization.

Author sarahaziz
Member 
#7 | Posted: 12 Feb 2007 21:49 
Thank you PItech,

I am already working on that, I even i started printing out useful articles and guide lines to give to the general manager I am reporting to in order to carry that to the top level executives and make them aware of the importance of the customer service. And so far he is responding and agreed with me. I hope I can get more support in the future but it should be an actual support because I am enough of speaking and I totaly agree with you that the external satisfaction comes from the internal one. This means that we need every body in the organization to breath customer care and care for each other. I think It will be very easy to implement it externally because I think that the hard work is to change the internal then the external will come automatically.

Thank you for sharing with me your experience

Wish you all the best

Author remonshaker
Member 
#8 | Posted: 13 Feb 2007 10:58 
I need your advice, I am working as a customer relation and we used to use CRM to organize our work, I have to inquire and I hope that some one will reply to me, is it logic to create ticket (customer issue) and close it in my side without assigning.

Will appreciate you reply

Author sarahaziz
Member 
#9 | Posted: 13 Feb 2007 20:53 
Dear Remon,

I think you asked that question because you know that it is not allowed and you don't feel comfortable while doing it .

Every one of us has something inside of him tells him what's logic and what's not .

My advice for you is before doing anything just see if you can let every body around you know about it starting by collegues and your managers without feeling bad or guillty Go Ahead with it and the oppose it if you dont feel the same.

Hope I was of help for you and I understood your point.

Thank you for sharing me this

Author remonshaker
Member 
#10 | Posted: 14 Feb 2007 08:31 
Dear Sarah,
I want to thanks you you so much for your reply, it's really touched my heart.

Regards,
Remon Shaker
Customer Relation

Author sarahaziz
Member 
#11 | Posted: 22 Mar 2007 03:33 
What can customer service do to a very succesful company or how can i convince a company that customer service will definetly do a big difference if implemented even if that company is doing a great business ??????

Who's Who Customer Service Manager Forum / Who's Who /
 Asalamo Alaykom , Customer Service representative from Egypt

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