Awareness Training

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Awareness Training

• Karen L. Hassan
• Director of Training
• Office of Lifelong Learning

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Why are you here?

• Mandated by the Administrative Council and the
  Board of Trustees
• Goal promote positive interaction with our
  customers

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Objectives

• Know how to handle inquiries (both in-person and
  on the phone)
• Know how to obtain the necessary information from
  callers and visitors
• Be able to utilize the features of the phones
• Know how to utilize the online resources

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Agenda Customer Service

• What is good customer service?
• Who are our customers?
• Why is good customer service so important?

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Agenda Communication Skills

• Good communication skills what are they and why
  do we find it so hard to communicate?
• How can I improve my active listening skills?

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Agenda Phone Coverage

• What to do when the phone rings
• What to say first
• Top 5 list of things to ask
• Handling transfers
• Putting them on hold
• How do I find the right person or department?
  What resources are available to me?

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Customer Service

• Part One

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Customer Service

• What constitutes good customer service?
• Reliable
• Confident
• Empathetic
• Responsive

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Why is good Customer Service so important?

• First impressions are indelibly marked on the
  fabric of the mind.
• Our goal is to create a positive experience for
  every customer.

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Who are our Customers?

• External
• Students
• Parents
• Other interested parties
• Internal
• Staff
• Faculty

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Self-fulfilling Prophesy
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But my degree isnt in Public Relations!!

• You come into contact with customers everywhere
• You are the face of Cal U they will judge Cal U
  by their impressions of you

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In other words..
You are
Cal U!!!
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Quick Check

• What is good customer service?
• Who are our customers?
• Why is good customer service so important?

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Communication Skills

• Part Two

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What are the costs of ineffective communication?

• Lost opportunities
• Mistakes/rework
• Confusion/mistrust

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Barriers to Effective Communication

• Environmental
• Verbal
• Interpersonal

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Barriers to Effective Communication

• Environmental parts of your surroundings that
  have a negative effect on the communication
• Verbal ways of speaking that get in the way of
  good communication
• Interpersonal relationship issues between
  people that have a negative effect on
  communication
• Stereotypes
• Hot buttons
• Attitude

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Ways to overcome barriers

• Environmental
• Control the setting
• Plan to talk when there are minimal disruptions
• Verbal
• Know what you want to say and be clear
• Ask questions and confirm
• Listen
• Interpersonal
• Set aside biases and assumptions
• Be alert for possible differences in perceptions

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Hearing vs. Listening

• Whats the big deal?

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Hearing vs. Listening
Hearing is a physical process.
The ears hear.
Listening is an intellectual and an emotional
process.
The whole body listens.
Hearing is a sense of sound.
Listening is a search for meaning.
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Why dont we listen?

• Interruptions
• Fear of not having all of the answers
• Believing that you know more than the speaker
• The speaker pushes a hot button
• Pseudo-listening

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Active Listening

• Confirm your understanding by repeating it
• Ask questions if you are unclear about anything
• Read back critical information to ensure that you
  got it right

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Top 10 Tips for Active Listening

• Take notes!
• 9. Be a CSI!
• 8. Stay calm!
• 7. Forget about this weekend concentrate!
• 6. Listen for the unspoken!
• 5. Dont be judgmental!

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Top 10 (continued)

• 4. Let the caller know you understand!
• 3. Dont interrupt well, unless you must!
• 2. It ISNT all about you!
• AND
• 1. Be prepared!

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There is a reason why we were born with
2 ears and only 1 mouth!
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Quick Check

• What are the three costs of poor communication?
• Name three types of barriers to communication.
• How can you overcome those barriers?
• What are 5 reasons we do not listen well?
• Name the top 10 tips for active listening!

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Phone Coverage

• Part Three

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Its ringing now what??

• Offer a salutation
• State the name of the department
• Give your name (first name only, no nicknames)
• Offer assistance how may I help you?

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Whats Hot Whats Not

• May I tell him who is calling, please?
• May I ask what you call is in regard to?
• May I have your phone number, please?
• May I have her return the call?

• Whos calling?
• Whats your name?
• Will she know who you are?
• Whats it regarding?
• What do you want?

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Would you like to leave a message?

• Full name
• Date and time of call
• Company or department or students name (if a
  parent)
• Their phone number
• The message

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I cant tell them what??

• Do not disclose information about a student to a
  external caller (parents, other parties)
  schedules, grades, SSNs, financial aid
  information, etc.
• WHEN IN DOUBT, DONT GIVE IT OUT!!

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Transferring a Call

• How do you feel when someone says they will
  transfer you?
• Why do you feel that way? What is the worst that
  can happen?
• Try alternative phrases
• Ill connect you with Ms. Burns now
• I will put you in touch with the Bursars office
  now

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• And, most importantly

Dont hang up!!!
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Why stay on the line?

• Avoid the dead-end transfer
• Provide the introduction
• Name
• Reason for the call and transfer
• Just remember the caller can hear you the
  ENTIRE time so be RESPECTFUL!

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How to transfer a call in 5 easy steps

• Tell the caller
• that you are going to transfer the call
• the name and extension of the person you are
  transferring to
• preview the process if applicable
• Press the FLASH button once. Hear three beeps.
• Enter the extension you are transferring to. It
  will ring and the person will pick up. Tell them
  you have a call for them.
• Press the FLASH button again. Now both the
  caller and the recipient are on the line. Make
  the introduction. Thank the caller for allowing
  you to transfer them.
• Hang up! Job well done!

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What if I reach their voicemail instead of the
live person?

• Press the FLASH button to return to the caller
  and tell them that the party is not answering.
• Ask if they would like to leave a voicemail
  message
• If YES tell them to follow the directions to
  leave a message and hang up.
• If NO tell them to call back later and hang up.

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How to put a call on hold

• Ask permission FIRST!!
• Press the HOLD button.
• To pick up again, press the HOLD button.
• When you come back on the line, THANK THEM for
  holding.
• Dont leave them on hold more than 30 seconds
  without checking back
• Dont leave them on hold more than 3 minutes
  EVER.

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Top Five Hot Buttons for Callers

• 5. I cant
• I dont know
• Ill be honest with you
• Youll have to
• AND
• 1. Ill try

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What do we do with an angry caller?

• Duck!
• Hit back!
• Disconnect them!
• These solutions render you

Powerless!!!
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What do we do with an angry caller? Lets try
again

• Why do we get angry? Because we care about
  something!
• You have been given a gift the opportunity to
  make something good happen!
• Just do it!!

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Handling an Angry Caller

• Use the EAR method to calm an angry caller
• E Empathize
• A Acknowledge/Apologize
• R - Responsibility

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Show em what you got!

• Be careful with humor!
• Avoid jargon!
• Avoid slang!
• NEVER speak disparagingly about the department,
  the school, your coworkers!
• Put a smile in your voice!

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Wait, Wait, Dont Tell Me

• Online Resources
• www.cup.edu Quick Links
• Telephone Directory
• Organized by name and hierarchy
• Has name, department, title, room, phone and
  mail-stop number

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Quick Check

• What do you say when you answer the phone?
• What information should you obtain when taking a
  message?
• What are the steps for transferring a call?
• What are the steps for placing a caller on hold?
• What is the EAR method for handling angry
  callers?
• What two resources should you always have handy
  when answering the phones or greeting visitors?

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Completion of Course
In order to complete the course, you must
successfully complete a short test on customer
service and listening skills. The link for the
test is on the Awareness Training website on
Cal-U. You will need to use a SCANTRON form for
the answers. If you do not already have one, you
may request one from your work site or pick one
up in the Office of Lifelong Learning, Eberly
202, from 800 400 daily. Be sure to include
your name, phone number, and email address on the
SCANTRON form. Return it to Eberly 202. When you
complete the test successfully, your Certificate
will be mailed to you. If you do not complete the
test successfully, you will be asked to review
the materials and re-test. Please call Karen
Hassan, Director of Training, at x5887 with any
questions. Good luck!