ANSWERS
KEY TERMS
angry customersproblem-solving model
customer defectionprohibitions
customer expectationsrude or inconsiderate customers
demanding or domineering customersservice breakdowns
difficult customersservice options
dissatisfied customersstrategies for preventing dissatisfaction
emotion-reducing modeltalkative customers
indecisive customersunderpromise and overdeliver
needswants
The answers to the statements (Key Terms) are placed below the statements:
- Alternatives offered by service providers when an original request by a customer cannot be honored because of such restrictions as governmental statutory regulations, nonavailability of products or an inability to perform as requested.
Answer: service options
- Local, state or federal regulations that prevent a service provider from satisfying a customer’s request even though the provider would normally do so.
Answer: prohibitions
- The process used by a service provider to assist customers in determining and selecting appropriate solutions to their issues, concerns or needs.
Answer: problem-solving model
- Techniques used to prevent a breakdown in needs fulfillment when you are dealing with customers.
Answer: strategies for preventing dissatisfaction
- Customers often take their business to competitors when they feel that their needs or wants are not met or if they encounter breakdown in customer service or poor quality products.
Answer: customer defection
- Process for reducing customer emotion in situations when frustration or anger exists.
Answer: emotion-reducing model
- People who seem to take pleasure in being obstinate and contrary when dealing with service providers and who seem to have their own agenda without concern for the feelings of others.
Answer: rude or inconsiderate customers
- Customers exhibiting extroverted behavior who are very people-oriented.
Answer: talkative customers
- A service strategy in which service providers strive for excellent customer service and satisfaction by doing more than they say they will for the customer or exceeding customer expectations.
Answer: underpromise and overdeliver
- Someone who does not (or perceives that he or she does not) receive promised products or services.
Answer: dissatisfied customers
- Customers who become emotional because either their needs are not met or they are dissatisfied with the services or products from an organization.
Answer: angry customers
- People who have difficulty making a decision or making a selection when given choices of products or services.
Answer: indecisive customers
- Customers who have definite ideas about what they want and are unwilling to compromise or accept alternatives.
Answer: demanding or domineering customers
- People who challenge a service provider’s ability to deliver service and who require special skills and patience.
Answer: difficult customers
- Situations when customers have expectations of a certain type or level of service that are not met by a service provider.
Answer: service breakdowns
- Things that customers typically desire but do not necessarily need.
Answer: wants
- Motivators or drivers that cause customers to seek out specific types of products or services.
Answer: needs
- The perceptions that customers have when they contact an organization or service provider about the kind and level and quality of products and services they should receive.
Answer: customer expectations
ASSESSMENT CHECK
Learning Objective 1
Define what a service breakdown is.
- In what types of organizations do service breakdowns occur?
Answer: They happen daily in all types of organizations. They happen whenever the product or service delivered fails to meet customer expectations.
- What happens when a customer’s wants and needs are not met?
Answer: Dissatisfaction and frustration can result.
- When expectations are not met, what may occur?
Answer: Dissatisfaction and in some cases confrontation and/or loss of business occurs.
Learning Objective 2
Apply knowledge of behavioral styles in difficult customer situations.
- What role do behavioral styles play in how people interact?
Answer: The preferences of people interact with the preferences of others. You need to know the major behavioral styles and the characteristics of each to help you interact more effectively with customers. The more you know about style tendencies, the easier it becomes to deal with people.
- What should you remember about behavioral style?
Answer: Everyone possesses all four and can display various types of behavior from time to time. Therefore, carefully observe the customers’ behavior and use the information as an indicator of the type of person with whom you are dealing.
- What are some expectations of customers related to people?
Answer: They expect friendly, knowledgeable service providers; respect (treated as if they are intelligent); empathy (feelings and emotions to be recognized); courtesy (recognize as the customer and as someone important to your organization); equitable treatment (do not want to feel others get preferential benefits or treatment over another).
Learning Objective 3
Recognize different types of difficult customers and effectively deal with them.
- Describe typical difficult customers.
Answer: You may think they are angry, negative, demanding or aggressive. They may be but also they may be dissatisfied with your service or products; indecisive or lacking knowledge about your product, services or policies; rude or inconsiderate; talkative; internal customers with special requests or speak English as a second language
- Why are customers sometimes demanding or domineering?
Answer: Many times it is part of a personality style or simply behaviors they have learned. It could be a reaction to past customer service. A demanding customer may feel a need to be or stay in control or feel insecure.
- What are some strategies for handling demanding customers?
Answer: Some strategies are to continue to be professional, be firm and fair, and focus on the customer’s needs, respect the customer, and tell the customer what you can do.
Learning Objective 4
Use the emotion-reducing model to help keep difficult situations from escalating.
- What are some symptoms that a customer is upset or emotional?
Answer: The person may be irritated, angry, upset, crying and raising his or her voice to show these emotions.
- What should you do to help calm a customer?
Answer: You must send customer-focused verbal and nonverbal messages. You need to demonstrate patience and use all the positive communication skills you learned in Customer Service: Skills for Success. Most important are the ability and the willingness to listen calmly to what the customer has to say without interrupting or interjecting your views. The key is to send customer-focused messages through use of the emotion-reducing model.
- At the end of a service breakdown, what may be appropriate to end the conversation?
Answer: One last apology may be appropriate for inconvenience, frustration, mistreatment and so on.
Learning Objective 5
Explain why customers defect.
- Sometimes a customer may not return after a breakdown. What is the cost of this lost customer?
Answer: It costs five to six times as much to win a new customer as it costs to retain a current one. A dissatisfied customer is also likely to tell others about the bad experience.
- Explain customer defection. What does it mean?
Answer: Customers often take their business to competitors when they feel that their needs or wants are not met or if they encounter breakdowns in customer service or poor quality products.
- Today’s world is very diverse and requires us to be more knowledgeable and accepting of ideas, values, beliefs, and needs of others. What can failure to be sensitive to diversity do for you and your organization?
Answer: Failure to be sensitive to diversity may set you, your organization, and your customers on a collision course. This can result in lost business and perhaps a lawsuit if discrimination is found to be the case.
Learning Objective 6
Develop effective strategies for working with internal customers.
- How can you enhance your interactions with internal customers?
Answer: You can stay connected, meet all commitments, do not sit on your emotions, build a professional reputation, and adopt a good neighbor policy.
- If you depend on internal customers for materials, products or information, they can negatively affect your ability to serve your external customers either intentionally or not. How can you prevent or reduce the possibility of such breakdowns?
Answer: You should honor all commitments and do your best to deliver at the agreed time. If you cannot do something, say so and let the customer know if something comes up to keep you from fulfilling your commitment.
- Why should you keep personal problems out of the workplace?
Answer: Do not burden coworkers with them. If you need assistance with personal problems, go to your supervisor, a team leader or human resources department and ask for suggestions. If you get a reputation for personal problems at work, your career could suffer.
Learning Objective 7
Identify strategies for preventing customer dissatisfaction and problem solving.
- What are some ways to prevent dissatisfaction and exceed customer expectations?
Answer: You can focus on the customers’ needs and seek ways to satisfy their needs quickly.
- Name some specific strategies for preventing dissatisfaction.
Answer: You should think like a customer, pamper the customer, respect and focus on the customer, and exceed the customer’s expectations.
- Why is it important to pamper your customers?
Answer: Customers like and want to feel special and important. Treat them as if they are the center of your attention and your purpose is to serve them. Take any extra effort needed and exceed their needs. If you are positive, enthusiastic and show initiative, customers can walk away feeling good.
Learning Objective 8
Explain the six steps of the problem solving model.
- When a customer does not really want you to “solve” the problem, what is the real issue here?
Answer: In some cases the customer simply wants to vent frustration or be heard. This is where the empathetic listener will come in handy. In many cases the customer already has a solution in mind when he or she calls or comes in. Your role may be to simply listen and offer to facilitate the implementation of the suggested solution. In some cases you may have to plant the seed by asking an open-ended question that suggests a solution.
- How does a customer feel if you jointly solve a problem?
Answer: The customer feels ownership—that he or she has made the decision. The customer is likely to be satisfied.
- What is the first step in problem solving?
Answer: Before you can decide on an action, you have to know the scope and nature of the issue you are facing. You need to identify the problem.
Learning Objective 9
Implement a front-line service recovery strategy, and spot roadblocks to service recovery.
- What is the primary purpose of any good service recovery program?
Answer: The primary purpose should be to return the customer provider relationship to its normal state.
- Name some typical reasons that necessitate service recovery action.
Answer: the following reasons are noted in the chapter:
A product or service did not deliver as expected.
A promise was not kept (such as failure to follow up).
A deadline was missed.
Customer service was not adequately provided (the customer had to wait excessively or was ignored).
- What is the first important phase in the service recovery process?
Answer: It is apologize, apologize, and apologize again.
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS
Learning Objective 1
- How do customer expectations affect how service is provided today? Think about the type of customer you may have today in many areas.
Answer: Customers today are more discerning, better educated, have access to more up-to-date and accurate information through the Internet and television commercials. They are often more demanding today and feel that they must be respected and treated as special and important. They have certain expectations about your product and services, and the way you will provide them.
Learning Objectives 2 and 4
- How should you prepare to handle angry or dissatisfied customers?
Answer: You have to try to make these customers happy, and you may not have been the one who made them unhappy. You may try these strategies:
Listen.
Remain positive.
Smile, give your name, and offer assistance.
Be compassionate and do not make excuses.
Ask open-ended questions and verify information.
Take appropriate action.
Before you deal with an angry customer, check with your supervisor to find out what your policies are and what level of authority (empowerment) you have in making decisions. You will have the tools you need to handle this customer as you use these tactics:
Be positive.
Acknowledge the customer’s feelings or anger.
Reassure.
Remain objective.
Listen actively; determine the cause.
Reduce frustration—don’t say or do anything that will create further tension.
Negotiate a solution and conduct a follow-up.
Learning Objective 6
- Focus on techniques for working effectively with internal customers; then list some tips to do that successfully.
Answer: Realizing that they may be more sensitive than external customers since you deal with them in the organization often on a day-to-day basis. You should stay connected and meet all commitments. If something goes wrong, talk about it with the person. You rely on these people so you cannot afford a relationship problem. Let everyone know you will keep a positive can-do attitude and will do everything to create a successful environment. Be a good neighbor. Keep talk down, maintain good grooming and hygiene, keep your personal problems to yourself, avoid gossip and politics in the office, pitch in to help, and always be truthful.
PRACTICE TEST ANSWERS
Multiple- Choice / Learning Objectives / Page1. A / LO1 / 166
2. C / LO2 / 168
3. D / LO3 / 168
4. B / LO3 / 170
5. C / LO3 / 171
6. D / LO4 / 174
7. C / LO5 / 175-176
8. C / LO5 / 176
9. B / LO6 / 177
10. C / LO6 / 176-177
11. D / LO6 / 178
12. B / LO7 / 178
13. D / LO7 / 178-181
14. C / LO8 / 181-183
15. D / LO9 / 187-188
True-False / Learning Objectives / Page
1. T / LO1 / 166
2. F / LO2 / 166
3. F / LO2 / 167
4. F / LO3 / 168
5. T / LO3 / 169-
170
6. T / LO3 / 172
7. F / LO3 / 173
8. T / LO3 / 172-
173
9. F / LO4 / 174
10. T / LO4 / 175
11. T / LO5 / 175
12. T / LO6 / 176
13. F / LO7 / 180
14. T / LO8 / 181
15. T / LO9 / 183
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