Customer Relations

Customer Relations : Customer Relations Hearty welcome to the session on “Customer Relations” Presentation by K . Nagaraja 1

Customer Relations : Customer Relations 1. Who is a customer? User of your products/services; any person influencing your market; any person taking your help in delivering ultimate service to the external customers. 2. What are the types of customers?   Internal & External 2

Customer Relations : Customer Relations 3. Do you have a customer data base? Can you draw a customer pyramid? 4. Knowledge of customers: Can you identify the top 25/50/100/>100 customers? Can you define the yardstick to be used for identification? Do you involve yourselves in customer segmentation? 3

Customer Relations : Customer Relations 5. The new market place for customers: Access (through internet), Control (customer’s choice of doing business), Speed, Globalisation and Automation 4

Customer Relations : Customer Relations 6. What do you mean by Benchmarking?   Benchmarking means comparison with the best in the industry. Measurable indicators are: a) Premises-space, parking, cleanliness and upkeep b) Attitude: Behaviour with customers, co-ordination, front office efficiency. c) Time Norms: Promised and Delivered time d) Service: Promptness, Courtesy, Etiquette, Uninterrupted service, 5

Customer Relations : Customer Relations 6. What do you mean by Benchmarking?   e) Guidance to customers: Display, oral guidance, Rules of business, Accessibility of officials, Customer meet etc f) Customer Survey  g) Rating (overall) 6

Customer Relations : Customer Relations 7. Customer Service concepts: Customer Satisfaction: Satisfaction with the product and the service delivered Customer Delight: Value addition or above customer expectation Customer Loyalty: Loyalty can happen when the customer experience either tangible (product quality, ease of use, prompt and effective service) or intangible (respectful communication, trustworthy company image). It is a behaviour built on positive experiences and value.The trend today is loyalty not to the organisation but to the excellence. 7

Customer Relations : Customer Relations Customer Preference: Why customer prefer your products/services over others? Customer Enrichment: The buyer to be influenced to place repeat orders. He is enriched by your relationship. Customer Intimacy: Building strong customer relations, really getting to know your customers, understand their situation which should yield the best total solution for the customer. OR How open is your customer to you in discussing with you the subjects other than your products/services? The more intimate the customer intimacy, the more the business Customer Advocacy:How customers act as brand ambassadors 8

Customer Relations : Customer Relations 8. Quality of Customer Service:   Hard Quality: Tangible or Functional characteristics: Product features like Ambience of the environment, Various schemes/products offered, Eg: In a bank--Home Loans--Quantum of loan, rate of interest, Repayment, EMIs, Securities, Easy documentation etc 9

Customer Relations : Customer Relations 8. Quality of Customer Service Soft Quality: Intangible or Non-measurable attributes like Taste, Flavour, Customer appeal, Service and Sales rapport…Courtesy, Promptness, Etiquettes, Overall behaviour, Concern for customers ( beyond the call of duty, sensitivity to the larger needs of customers, user friendly approach and boundaryless approach;   How much control of hard quality and soft quality do you have? 10

Customer Relations : Customer Relations What are the objectives of Quality Service? --Customer Maintenance --Customer Retention and --New Customer Development 11

Customer Relations : Customer Relations 9. Organisational structure for delivering customer service:   Front Office (Front Line Soldiers): Marketing, Sales, Customer Service, Product Support and any channel partner organisations performing any of these functions. Customers try to find answers to the following questions: Are they competent? Are they respectful? Do they keep me informed? Do they play fair? Are they flexible? 12

Customer Relations : Customer Relations 9. Organisational structure for delivering customer service: Back Office: Supervisory or Managerial Services, Management Information Systems, Liaison or rapport systems with channel partners, divisions/departments or HQ.   Support Systems: Service Units, Accounts departments, Clearing operations, Handling Customer Correspondence etc. 13

Customer Relations : Customer Relations 10. Role of employees/officers in Customer Relations How can you process the customer’s request? How can you deliver quality? How can you improve your performance to support the customer? How can you enhance the product/service quality? 14

Customer Relations : Customer Relations 11. Technology in customer service Technology is a means to an end and not an end. Difference between high tech and high touch to be understood   12. Communication skills for improving customer relations:   Listening skills, Eagerness to get Customer feedback; Written Communication; Telephone, Email and internet etiquette. 15

Customer Relations : Customer Relations 13. Customer/Consumer Behaviour: Customer Behaviour is influenced by the likes/dislikes, income levels, purchasing power, brand image, packaging, timing of purchases, the language and culture, buying motives, attention attracted by the product/service and the satisfaction levels 16

Customer Relations : Customer Relations 14. Building relationships: a) Match our operational processes to known customer expectations to meet the specific needs at the best overall cost. b) Build the products as per our knowledge of customer needs and wants c) Build and customise our product and service offerings to meet specific customer expectations. d) Understand the total customer experience – from the interactions he has had with the company. Match experience with expectations. 17

Customer Relations : Customer Relations 15. Answer the touch points:   Broadcast; E-mail; Systematic; Internet; Mail; Events; Phone/Fax; Personal. Note: The last one is crucial 18

Customer Relations : Customer Relations 16. Complaints: Customers complain because they still have confidence in your organisation They give you a chance to correct and restore the confidence The customer has a right to complain Every complaint is an opportunity to resell Customer who silently walks away without complaint is detrimental to your relationship building exercises. Customer has a right to redress his complaints through Consumer Forums, Ombudsmen and Civil Courts Customer Awareness is increasing—Consumer Movement—Citizen’s charter 19

Customer Relations : Customer Relations 16. Complaints: How to process complaints? --Say “Thank you” --Explain why you appreciate the complaint --Apologise for the mistake --Promise to do something immediately and if time is needed give an assurance and state the time by which you promise to set right --Ask for necessary information all at once --Check customer’s versions --Answer politely even if the customer is wrong. State only the facts. --Give an assurance on behalf of the organisation. 20

Customer Relations : Customer Relations Any questions please? 21

Customer Relations : Customer Relations Thank you all 22