Consumer's Role in Customer Service

http://newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=13878&article=1582&week=18


CUSTOMER CARE: Our role as consumers
By Sandra Idossou

In Rwanda’s vibrant economy today, there is competition almost in every sector and many business owners are putting in much effort to advertise their companies. There are lots of billboards, flyers, brochures, posters, radio advert all around town boasting and praising the benefits of products and services. Lately, I came across this advert that said, “we are the only ones that can offer you such unequal service”.

As I went to try those services, I was so much disappointed with such a huge gap between the promises we get from business owners and the real service offered to us.

As consumers, do we have to keep quiet and “suffer” without saying anything? I think we have a responsibility in today’s nationwide campaign on customer service. Businesses exist because of our patronage and we need to be more demanding by refusing mediocrity.

Whether in a restaurant, a retail shop or in a government institution, we have all experienced a poor customer service and we need to begin thinking more seriously about how we can help organizations rise to meet our demands.

Here below are some tips on what could be our contribution as consumers:

1. Give feedback to the service provider
The only way for business owners to get a true reading of their company’s customer service is to have our feedback not only when we are satisfied but also when we are not. This means complaining when the service is poor.

Our feedback helps business owners to know the things that are not going on well. If you go your bank and have to wait for 2 hours before getting your own money, let it be known to their supervisors or managers.

If you buy products that turn out to be faulty or experience unsatisfactory services you have paid for, do not keep quiet and accept that.

There is actually nothing wrong in complaining so far as we do it professionally by remaining calm and polite.

2. Change your service provider if his service is poor
Customer retention is often measured in repeat purchases and this plays a massive role in driving profits for any business.

If we are not satisfied with the services we get, we should go to another service provider. Thank God today there is competition in Rwanda, and in most cases we have choices.

If we boycott the poor service providers, they will start thinking about improving their services. Why go to a restaurant and pay lots of money for a terrible service and still decide to go back there? Change, because there are many other restaurants in town.

We really have to know that we are kings and queens that business owners should treat as such. I particularly like this quotation, “There is only one boss.”

The customer, according to Sam Walton can fire everybody in the company from the chairman down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.”

3. Respect the service people
It is not because the staffs we meet are serving us that they are inferior to us. It is their job and we need to give them a minimum of consideration. If they do not greet us, nothing prevents us from greeting them.

Note that the service person’s attitudes frequently reflect that of the customer. If you show them respect, they will equally show you respect.

Do not underestimate, devalue, look down upon them, hail or yell at them as if they were your house boys (even though you need to show some minimum of respect to the people who watch over you, your house, your food, your children so that you can have the peace of mind that allows you to be productive in your job)

I know of Consumers Associations in other countries that protect and educate consumers by helping them know their rights. Until such associations come up in Rwanda, let’s try and put these tips into action and we will be surprised of the results.

sandra.idossou@sheiconsulting.com

Article: Dealing with our Emotions

http://newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=13871&article=1571&week=17


CUSTOMER CARE: Dealing with our personal emotions
Sandra idossou

I traveled last time and met again Peace, this flight attendant who was as usual all smiles.

It’s always a joy meeting her on board as she is always very friendly.

She will have a pleasant word with most passengers especially during long hour flights.

During one of our chats, she explained to me that she is a mother of two children.

That fateful day, one of her kids was not feeling well when she was leaving home.

When I asked her how she manages to smile and be so friendly, her response amazed me “this is me at work and I have to carry on my job with a smile even if I am sad inside me, when I finish here, I will take back my role as a worried mum but for the meantime my passengers have paid for my smile”

Recently the whole nation went through a mourning period. Genocide survivors are still passing through a difficult moment while remembering lost ones.

I particularly have a deep thought for all Rwandans but most especially for customer facing working people This is a challenging period for service people who are supposed to be friendly, enthusiastic, smiling and excited as requires their job.

Yes we all in one way or the other have been affected by the loss of people or friends and this period of mourning is a sorrowful one.

This month, many will be sad, worried, devastated, shocked or angry. Others will be scared, confused, cheated, destroyed, guilty, exhausted, physically and emotionally traumatized or simply just empty.

Obviously, no word could ever describe the pains that most people have gone through.

But life continues and in any encounter with clients, service people can chose to remain sad by allowing the horrible past pull them down.

They can also chose to deal differently with their emotions by looking forward and doing things that can improve and build Rwanda.

Building Rwanda will need us to build today a positive thinking that will create positive attitudes in us.

If we decide to think positive this month, our mindset will become positive and so will be our attitudes. Let our words and actions expand and extent to positive attitudes.

The powerful thing about our mind is that, it is like a bank account. If we deposit in it positive thoughts, it will help us move forward.

Remembering the past is painful, yet the bright future of Rwanda lies in our hands today. Dealing with our emotions is not a simple matter.

But we can handle our emotions professionally if we are able to make a difference between our personal lives and the role we are playing as service people.

Actors have what they call their “concentration time” before going on stage. It is a psychological gymnastic whereby they are able to picture themselves in the role and completely forget who they really are.

This helps them to leave their personal problems and emotions somewhere in the corner of their heart so that they can adopt a new mindset for the role they need to play.

Take the decision this month to start your day with Peace, spend it with Peace, fill it with Peace and end it with Peace.

Let’s remember that most of the people we are serving this month have also their own emotions to deal with. Offer them today a smile and you can be sure that they will appreciate it as goes this quote “If someone is too tired to give you a smile, leave one of your own, because no one needs a smile as much as those who have none to give”.

www.sheiconsulting.com

Why Train on Customer Service?

http://www.newtimes.co.rw/index.php?issue=13860&article=1553&week=15
CUSTOMER CARE: Sandra idossou: Why I am a trainer of ‘Customer Service’

Last week I helped a new Rwandan consulting firm that was organizing its first training on Customer Service.

It was a three day training course held at the Top Tower Hotel in Kigali and was attended by 15 participants from 5 different companies.

Frances Kazarwa, a participant from OCIR THE had this to say “ I never knew I will have that much to learn in just 3 days and I really wish that all Rwandans in business will undergo this course so that together we can all improve on the image of service in this country.”

We can all agree that providing good customer service is not a simple thing as it involves many people in the chain of service delivery. This starts with the receptionist who takes the order, down to the person who sells the product or the driver who delivers it.

In most cases, there are more than 3 people in this chain of service delivery. Achieving good customer service is being able to give satisfactory service throughout all the links of this chain.

Last week Janet gave us the example of this poor customer service she experience at the German Butchery at MTN Center.

The cashier didn’t greet her, didn’t offer her a smile and didn’t show that she was happy that Janet had shopped in her shop.

It is true that in the past, no one complained about this lack of good service but with today’s economic environment, good customer service is a must. Business owners need to educate their staff to be equally as concerned about customers as they themselves.

This nation-wide campaign should involve everyone and not only the 10 member committee that was appointed last month by government.

If you think you’ve got no time to train your staff for what so ever the reasons, then you are completely losing so much. Your staff needs training to be productive.

Your best products in the world are just going to stay on the shelves and get dusty if you don’t support them with customer service training for your staff who have the power to make them look “better” and “more attractive” than at the competitor.

Of course, the best trainings will be done often by you on the working field but this need to be planned and done correctly. For instance, set a day and a specific time where you and your staff will discuss on this subject without any interruption.

Better still, hire a professional trainer who will use games and other productive materials to make your staff understand the importance of good customer service and what is in it for them, the client, the company and the nation as a whole.

The adult learning principles indicate that the approach and manner in which a training is conducted are as important as the content itself.

Sitting in a class for a week with a trainer who has no practical experiences on customer service can actually slow down the learning process.

Trainings should be with less theory but lots of real life experiences adapted to the local environment of Rwanda.
Participants to my trainings usually appreciate the sessions with Jean Paul, the professional actor that I bring in to make them see and act like real customers.

Being in the customers shoes usually creates a great deal of empathy, confidence and excitement for participants.
After training, make sure you follow it up. Monitor your staff and help them put into practice what they learnt.

Assess the changes and keep correcting your staff until they adopt new and positive habits on customer service.

Take the decision today to invest in your people through effective training and this will definitely have a positive impact on your bottom line.

The writer is a customer care expert currntly working in Rwanda

sandra.idossou@sheiconsulting.com