Archive for the ‘customer service team assessment’ Category

Year end – time for reflection and setting goals for next year

Monday, December 20th, 2010

We are approaching the year end, which is a great time for reflection and setting goals for next year. Take a bit of time out to review the performance of your group, your team, or your company. Do some analysis on Excel (if that’s your thing) and spend time talking to your people, one at a time if necessary, and in slightly more social or relaxed surroundings than they’re used to perhaps. Get some ideas going for what could be done better next year.

For many (but not all businesses) things quieten down a little just before Christmas or in the period between Christmas and new year. Use this natural break in the calendar to let your mind wander. Identify some specific goals for next year, and jot down some of those great ideas you’ve been having. Write them on a piece of paper. Ideally type them up into Word too. Print off the document and then file it for reading in the new year.

Setting personal goals for 2011 is the next important thing to do!

Setting personal goals for 2011 is the next important thing to do!

It’s certainly what we’ll be doing this week, before the rush of TV films, Christmas pud, whisky mid-morning (Christmas day only of course), plus peanuts and crisps and biscuits mid afternoon. Ah grand – bring it on. And a great Christmas and new year to all of you too.

And if training features in your list of how to get the team motivated and performing to the best of their ability, remember to give us a call on 01858 461148.

To Market runs telephone sales, telemarketing and customer service training courses across the East Midlands, Peterborough, Cambridge, Leicester, Northampton, Derby, Nottingham, Kettering, Corby, Wellingborough, Coventry, Birmingham, Lichfield, Solihull, Peterborough, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, Milton Keynes, Lincoln, East Midlands as well as wider parts of Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Buckinghamshire, Warwickshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire

Telemarketing, telesales and customer service team development – car companies

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

We offer training –  Telemarketing, telesales and customer service team development in car companies.  We’ve worked with many over the years ; 

  • dealers
  • finance divisions
  • vehicle leasing
  • car dealerships
  • after sales including service and parts

The recent troubles and global overcapacity of the motor industry have been well documented, but the clouds are beginning to lift for many. Customers are still a precious resource and many companies are saying to us that they want their customers to enjoy visiting the dealership and dealing with the service coordinator or the parts manager.

Car companies are gearing up with quality training to increase conversion

Car companies are gearing up with quality training to increase conversion rates

Many dealerships now look really funky with their glass sides, polished floors and coffee machines on tap. But it is the human element that has the most impact. Studies show that customers across all industries attach 80% of their customer service experience to the human interaction they have.  It’s not about the coffee, it’s about Sarah or Tom and whether they smile or not !

Car dealerships, car finance, leasing, car sales, vehicle after sales can all benefit from some tailored onsite training, as the market begins to come to life. Contact us on 01858 461148 if you’d like to discuss developing your own team.

Using positive language to influence customers – part of exceptional customer service

Saturday, November 7th, 2009

Using positive language to influence customers is all a part of exceptional customer service. And exceptional customer service is what your customers deserve. It is also what you have to aim for all the time, because if you don’t and one of your competitors does – you come second. There are no prizes for second in sales. 

Use positive language with customers - even when saying No !

Use positive language with customers - even when saying No !

You may have to give customers messages they don’t want to hear. But how many times do business people make the situation worse by the WAY they deliver the message ?

We talk about this on customer service training courses in the Language to Influence module. One of the first words we talk about is the word ‘No.’ It is just such a confrontational word. It leaves no room for manoeuvre on either side and it sounds like there isn’t any further discussion to be had.

And if it sounds confrontational the customer is not going to like it are they ? And who is going to win in that situation. Well it’s not going to be you is it ? The customer is in the stronger bargaining position. It is far far better to use conciliatory language such as

  • “while  I can’t do that for you, what I could offer you is ………”
  • or “well actually we don’t do it that way and it’s because ……” (then you explain policy)
  • I can think of a better solution in fact – what I suggest is ……..”
  • alternatively …..

These are all much more powerful as they keep the dialogue going with the customer, and that after all is what you want.

Travel industry sales training – holiday companies

Thursday, August 20th, 2009

Travel industry sales training – holiday companies. Travel companies often have a particular interest in working with training providers who have a detailed knowledge of the travel business.

Sales training and customer service training for these companies is as important now as it has ever been. We are pleased that we secured the services of a top travel industry trainer. Alan Cook has over 25 years experience working as a trainer and most of them with travel companies. He joined us back in 2007, with a wealth of experience in the travel and leisure industry. 

Alan Cook - specialist travel industry trainer

Alan Cook - specialist travel industry trainer

If you are looking to increase your conversion rates on the phone, to sell more, to make more bookings of your overseas, or ski or UK based holidays we know a man who can. He’s already been doing it for a number of years. Alan Cook has many years experience having worked for Thomas Cook at Peterborough, and Page and Moy a Leicester based travel company now owned by Market Harborough based travel group Travelsphere.

Contact us info@tomarket.co.uk if you are a travel industry company wanting to do more. We can help.

Expert travel industry training in Leicester, Market Harborough, Peterborough, Manchester, Brighton, London, Birmingham, York, Cambridge, Coventry, Nottingham, Derby. In-house training, coaching programmes and mentoring for customer service, telesales and sales agents for UK breaks, ski holidays, tours, cruises, chalets, escorted tours etc.

Exceptional customer service is about effort – it really is that easy

Monday, August 10th, 2009

Exceptional customer service and it’s really not that exceptional is it, is about effort. The businesses who do will prosper and those who don’t won’t ! It really is as simple as that.

Last week I went to a local town and was searching for a particular ordnance survey map. I visited 3 shops who sell maps. The first didn’t have the one I wanted on display. So I moved on. Shop number 2 had a small display and a lady stood behind the counter. “Do you have any others apart from these, as the one I want isn’t here ?” I asked. “No only those” she replied. “OK, when will you next have more stock in ?” I persisted. “We have a delivery every couple of months or so.” ‘Wow’ I thought, not exactly racing out of the shop then are they ?  

“And can you order the ones you want ?” I followed up with. “No, not really we just get issued with this small range.” At no point did she suggest that she could order it, not did she suggest another solution. I was unimpressed.

Shop 3 also didn’t have the map, and so I returned to shop 1 and asked the busy manager if she had any more stock. She said that she didn’t but she would be seeing the rep on Wednesday. She said that she was willing to call him, if I was prepared to wait 5 minutes. I did and she went off to make the call.

The outcome ? Well she is getting one dropped off on Wednesday afternoon, so guess which shop will be getting my map business. It may only be an £8 purchase, but it’s still all about effort. Make sure that you go the extra mile, and are willing to help people. Not only will your actions solve more customer problems, and help you maximise any opportunity, but also you’ll impress them !

And in these times where there is less money going round the economy, there is more need to make sure you get more than your usual share.

This is one of many important topics we cover on our 2 day customer service masterclass courses. The venue for the next course is likely to be the East Midlands and so is ideal for any customer service, contact centre, call centre personnel in Kettering, Wellingborough, Northampton, Peterborough, Corby, Market Harborough, Lutterworth, Leicester, Loughborough and Northamptonshire. http://www.tomarket.co.uk/courses.php gives you dates of this and other courses.

Benchmarking customer service teams for training – Auditing customer service team performance

Saturday, January 24th, 2009

Benchmarking a customer service team for training is a powerful way of getting the most out of any development programme. It can be used as part of your appraisal or training needs analysis process. To Market will carry out an onsite team audit to help benchmark your customer service, contact centre or call centre telephone team at your offices wherever they are : Leicester, Northampton, Coventry, Derby, Nottingham, Coventry, Kettering, Corby, plus wider parts of Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. We’ve also recently audited teams in Bedford, Hemel Hempstead, Stratford on Avon and Sudbuy Suffolk so we cover the UK.  

By appraising your telephone team on site at your offices helps you identify training needs before taking the plunge. Getting an independent view of your team can be helpful in the effective management your customer service or contact centre team.

The To Market customer service team appraisal takes place at your offices and so is completely tailored to your team and the feedback is specific. You can even download a copy of a real team audit report from the To Market website by clicking on http://www.tomarket.co.uk/sample-audits.php. There is a customer service team audit report and one for a telesales team. They have been cleaned up to protect client confidentiality.

Book a benchmark appraisal on your team today and you may be amazed at how much it helps demonstrate to help with the effective running of your customer service team for just a few hundred pounds. Our senior trainer Andrew Seaward – To Market will carry out the audit on your team.

Customer Service training courses tips and blog

Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008

Customer Service courses tips and a customer service blog are available from Leicestershire based training company To Market. Training can be in-house on your premises or open courses are run at  local venues including Leicester, Northampton, Coventry, Birmingham, Peterborough, Solihull, Lichfield, Cambridge, Warwick, Milton Keynes, Nottingham and Derby as well as Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Birmingham. More details can be found by clicking straight through to the To Market website.

Customer Service training is designed around how to how to exceed customer expectations, offer exceptional customer service, handle conflict and deal with difficult and demanding customers.

To Market will show you the secrets to exceptional customer service. There is a To Market customer service blog too where you can pick up tips and advice on all customer service issues – and comment on customer service training issues.

Finally you can have your customer service team benchmarked via To Market’s team audit. One of the To Market trainers will give you a report based on observing your customer service team dealing with customers live. Find out more by clicking on the team audits page on the To Market website.

Customer service training programmes are led by our senior trainer Andrew Seaward and cover customer care courses, customer service phone training and full programmes in training for customer service.