Strategic Customer Servicing and Account Management

In this course we cover all the most important elements of service any person involved in direct interactions with customers should know and apply. From the necessary behavioral and communication skills to the right attitude, and including specific methods to analyze and improve the service provided, we cover it all in a straight forward and effective manner that will help participants ensure customer satisfaction and delight in the most challenging situations. Equally important aspect covered in the Key accounts relationship management which will help participants a great deal in managing various group of highly important customers. 

Course Methodology 

Several methodologies are used in this course. In addition to brief presentations by the consultants, we use case studies, self-awareness exercises, exercises to practice some of the methods learned during the course, video clips and role plays. 

Course Objectives 

By the end of the course, participants will be able to: 

• Explain the importance of customer service in a competitive environment
• Defend the vital role internal customers play and show that their satisfaction is key for the success of an organization
• Practice the techniques of managing customer expectations and delighting customers
• Provide better, faster service and increase customer satisfaction
• Recognize early signals of customer irritation and respond appropriately in order to quickly find a workable solution to the problem

Target Audience 

Customer service representatives, technical and support personnel, field service representatives, account/key account managers, credit and billing specialists as well as managers who want customer service training in order to reinforce their skills and train their staff. 

Target Competencies 

• Customer orientation
• Self confidence
• Personal accountability
• Persuading others
• Empathic outlook
• Emotional control
• Key accounts partnership and relationship

  Key Course Outline  

Customer Service 

• Quotations on customer service 
• Service definitions and concepts 
• Quality service requirements 
• Cost of bad customer service 
• Customer care foundations 
• Learning from the best 

Internal Customer Service 

• Identifying internal and external customers 
• Customer requirements 
• Foundation of great service people 
• The service profit chain 

Managing Customer Expectations 

• What to say and what not to say 
• Calming upset customers 
• Comments you should avoid 
• Managing customer expectations 
• 'RATER' and the service quality (SQ) factors 
• Flying over customer expectations 
• Role-plays and exercises on dealing with different personality styles 

Effective Communication Skills for Handling Customers 

• Active listening 
• Effective listening skills 
• Phone etiquette 

Professional Behavior with Customers 

• The power of behavior 
• Principles of effective behavior 
• How to behave professionally with the customer 
• History of communication 
• Interesting study 
• Interpreting nonverbal behavior 
• The right behavior with the customer 
• The wrong behavior with the customer 
• Assertive, passive, and aggressive behavior 
• Verbal and non-verbal components of communication styles 

Dealing with Difficult Customers 

• Dealing with different personality types 
• Service recovery strategies 

Customer Servicing in Key Account Management (KAM) overview 

• The changing nature of sales force activity 
• Definition of key account management 
• Criteria for qualifying Key Accounts (KA) 
• Strategic accounts versus key accounts 
• Objectives of KAM 
• Managing customer profitability and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) 

Key Account analysis: defining and selecting KA 

• KAM: best practice actions 
• Account analysis insights 
• Account analysis methods 
• Important 'KPIs' for KA qualification 

Key account relationship development 

• Business partnership defined 
• The partnership skill set 
• The KA relational development model 
  • Pre-relationship stage 
  • Early relationship stage 
  • Mid-relationship stage 
  • Partnership relationship stage 
  • Synergetic relationship stage 
• Reasons for divesting partnerships 
• The KA quiz

Duration: 3 days