The Guide: Tools and Guidelines for Success to Provide Great Call Center Customer Service: The Reps Guide to Success, Second Edition, Evolution!

By Dr. Harold L. Price

Harold L. Price has experience in call center customer service with a myriad of entities, such as Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Aetna U.S. Healthcare, The U.S. Small Business Administration, and the Social Security Administration. In addition, he is extremely pleased to have the opportunity to serve his country in the U.S. Coast Guard. This book provides a synopsis of the professional life of Dr. Price, as well as the gratitude he has for his educational accomplishments. One thing Dr. Price is keen to point out is that it's not about how or where you start in life but how you finish.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 17, 2023
• ISBN: 9798886546682

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The Guide: Tools and Guidelines for Success to Provide Great Call Center Customer Service

The Reps Guide to Success, Second Edition, Evolution!

Dr. Harold L. Price Sr.

Copyright © 2022 Dr. Harold L. Price Sr.

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2022

ISBN 979-8-88654-667-5 (pbk)

ISBN 979-8-88654-668-2 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

About the Author

Chapter 1

The Importance of Greeting

Chapter 2

Proper Call Management

Chapter 3

The Importance of Pronunciation and Enunciation

The Importance of the Use of Proper Pronunciation

The Value of Enunciation

The Benefits of the Combination of Proper Pronunciation and the Value of Enunciation

Chapter 4

The Value of Tone

The Advantages of the Proper Use of Tone

The Disadvantages and Perils of Using Improper Tone

The Advantages of Using Proper Tone as Opposed to the Disadvantages and Perils of Using Improper Tone

Chapter 5:

Identifying the Needs of the Caller

The Drawbacks of Failing to Identify the Needs of the Caller

The Benefits of Identifying the Needs of the Caller versus Failure to Identify the Needs of the Caller

Chapter 6

Call Center Marketing

Call Center Target Marketing

Call Center Marketing Segmentation

The Benefits of Target Marketing Derived from Market Segmentation

Chapter 7

Inbound and Outbound Call Center Customer Service Sales

Inbound Call Center Customer Service Sales

Outbound Call Center Customer Service Sales: Warning: The Danger of Over-Aggression!

Warning: The Danger of Over-Aggression!

Inbound and Outbound Call Center Customer Service Sales Combined

Chapter 8

The Importance of Good Mental and Physical Health

Precursor

The Perils of Poor Mental Health

The Benefits of Good Mental Health

The Benefits of Good Mental and Physical Health

The Benefits of Good Physical Health

Summation

About the Author

Acknowledgments

At this time, I would like to thank God, who blessed me to be able to write this book. I would also like to thank my daughter, Anitra R. Price, a successful practicing attorney in Newnan, Georgia. In addition, I would also like to thank my son, Harold L. Price Jr., a successful Police Officer in the city of Houston, Texas. I thank them for all their love and support. I give special thanks to my sister, Mary Langley, who encouraged me to get my PhD. Lastly, I give thanks to my old mentor, Frank E. Adams Sr., my old Elementary School Band Director. Mr. Adams introduced me to music and made me a Student Conductor. Most importantly, Mr. Adams taught me how to build character! May God rest his soul. I would also like to give special thanks to my High School Band Director, Adolphus Williams, for his inspiration and encouragement. In addition, I would like to give a very special thanks to the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and all the people of Ukraine for defending their country, democracy, freedom, and our way of life! Indeed, I am greatly humbled and extremely grateful for their courage, fortitude, and their will to be victorious.

Introduction

Customer service is a relatively simple term, yet so vital to all organizations. I have learned through my experience that customer service is oftentimes taken for granted. The objective of this material is to augment the skills of the representative. To provide good customer service, one can be good at what they do, but to be great is an entirely different ball game. Through working in call center customer service for over twenty years, I have been fortunate to learn a few things regarding the field. It is also my experience you want find a plethora of books written on the subject. Therefore, I am driven to share my knowledge in a manner that is user-friendly to the representative.

Let us consider the term service. Service is defined as the contribution to the welfare of the individual. We live in a service-driven society. Therefore, we seek great customer service, and as call center reps, hereinafter referred to as the CSR, have a duty to provide such. The reason great customer service is so vital to the organization is because of its direct impact on shareholders' wealth!

The CSR is the front line for all organizations. The primary responsibility for proper representation is the direct duty of the CSR. The CSR makes the first impression. Please note that first impressions are lasting impressions! I have found this to be true, even on a global level. During the time of my graduate studies in Europe and Africa, I was able to confirm this fact. I have also concluded one of the main reasons many representatives fall short in providing great customer service is because of the following reason: The representative believes he or she should be doing something more important! In many cases, such a summation is true. However, customer service provides a foundation for the opportunity to gain and understand the basic function of the organization. In other words, it gives the employee something to build on.

I, too, had the same attitude. I believe this perspective is normal for anyone who aspires to excel in life. Whether your objective is short-term or long-term, I strongly suggest you take advantage of the here and now, the moment! A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. One key to providing great customer service is your ability to listen and decipher. Perhaps the latter term is better defined as the ability to think on your feet. Oftentimes customers call and are unable to communicate the reason they are calling. However, they are upset about something. Such instances can be the CSR's moment to shine. The role of the CSR requires the ability to multitask. I have concluded it is not a good habit to stereotype callers. By gaining experience, you will soon garner the ability to decipher various callers in an expedient manner.

I will strive to make a conscious effort to avoid boredom. However, the objective of this material is to provide insight. I have included evolution as a component of the topic of this material for a specific reason. In this second edition, I attempt to emphasize the importance of being mindful of evolution because the needs of the customer are ever-changing. People, as customers, are becoming more sophisticated on a daily basis. I besiege you to read this material with an open mind to improve your skills in the field. I have found that when working in customer service, it is vital to maintain a positive attitude. To have a negative attitude when providing customer service is to invite disaster. In other words, one is defeated before taking the call.

Good customer service is contagious. This is true for anyone. For example, while driving, when someone affords you the courtesy to change lanes, you are more than likely to pay it forward. Common courtesy is inherent in the field of customer service. Oftentimes, I have observed what customers perceive to be a major problem is not as problematic as it seems. It is most important for the CSR to recognize this issue as expeditiously as possible. It is vital to note that one of the main duties of the representative is to resolve the issue, if possible, thereby mitigating the possibility of escalation. By doing so, the rep will garner the gratitude of the customer by rendering great service. The objective is to provide stellar representation for the company.

Customer service, particularly call center customer service, is not a field for everyone. Many employees are better suited for technical as well as manual responsibilities. It is my sincere hope that you, as a CSR, will advance to positions requiring greater responsibilities in your organization. Perhaps you, as an individual, will own your own company one day. Remember, it is the end result that counts, so always keep the end in view! I have been fortunate enough to learn to take