Customer Service Approximate Time to Complete

Training Activity

Record answers to these questions in your activity packet:

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  Stop your other non-critical tasks and focus on the visitor. Unless you are dealing with a current customer’s immediate needs, this customer deserves priority attention.
  
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  Smile. Everyone can use a day brightener.
  
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  Introduce yourself by name. Create a personal relationship with your client by giving your name.
  
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  Learn the client’s name and use it often. This will make clients feel that you genuinely care about them.
  
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  Know children’s names and speak directly to them. This will allow children to feel included in the program and actions that will be taken.
  
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  Ask personalized questions. If greeting a current client, instead of saying,
  

information that will help you to meet her needs.

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  Explain what will happen during the visit. By explaining what will occur and how long it will take, you can quiet many clients^’ fears. Be sure to encourage and answer their questions.
  
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  Accept clients for who they are. You can help clients feel more comfortable and more receptive to using WIC foods to improve their families’ health if you are respectful and supportive of their background, cultures, and beliefs. The more you learn about your clients, the more comfortable you will be while serving their needs
  

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  Answer the phone before the 3rd ring, or say ^“I’m sorry it rang so long.”
  
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  Identify WIC as the organization that the client is calling.
  
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  Ask the client how you can help them. If a caller is LEP (Limited English Proficient), follow clinic policies for providing quality service (this may include returning the call later through an interpreter, referring to a language line, etc.)
  
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  Put a ^“smile” in your voice: project energy, interest and concern (since the customer can^’t see you, your voice must convey your meaning).
  
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  Always identify yourself by name. During the conversation, ask for the caller’s name. Use it throughout the discussion to help personalize the call. If the caller doesn’t use his/her first name, don’t use it either.
  
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  Make sure customers feel that their problems will be solved.
  

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  ^“Someone will be calling you back today.”
  
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  ^“Will that take care of the problem?”
  
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  ^“I’m sorry for the difficulty. I hope this will take care of it.”
  
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  When the caller is satisfied, thank him/her for calling and let the caller hang up first.
  

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  Ask clients if you can put them on hold first and wait for them to agree.
  
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  If they are unable to hold, try to connect them to the correct party, or get their number so they can be called back.
  
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  Check back with people on hold every 30 seconds or so. Give them the option to continue to hold or offer to take a message for a callback. Thank them for their patience and assure them you are monitoring their wait.
  
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  If there is a chance you will lose them in a transfer because the phone system is unreliable, warn them before you make the transfer, and take their number so you can call them right back if they are accidentally cut off.
  

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  Make sure to get the time and date of the call, caller’s name and telephone number (including the area code if appropriate).
  
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  Request information about the customer^’s needs so the person calling back will be better able to serve them.
  
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  If you think someone else could help once you know the nature of the call, ask the caller if he can hold while you check.
  
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  Repeat the message information back to the caller.
  
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  Ask for a convenient call-back time.
  

KWIC TIP: