As my wife often says, "this is old school".
While Carol's programs are probably pretty good, they're way too basic and the concepts are dated. As I mentioned in one of my recent posts, most customer service training companies are full of this sort of thing.
If you don't have these basics in place (or at a minimum understand that they are missing), you really need help. My advice, hire someone like Carol first, then use my services later to make your service really memorable, and move past your competition. Just doing the basics like not talking on the phone when your customer approaches the counter might keep you out of bankruptcy, but you'll never get past "average" in the eyes of the folks paying the bills.
Anyway, here's some of what Carol has to say:
The Customer Service Hall of Infamy Top Ten - By Carol Verret :: Hotel News Resource
It has been my experience that all business owners and managers have their own values of customer service, which we try to identify in the seminar, Creating A Culture of Customer Service. It is each owner/operator's choice to prioritize the ranking that customer service has in their organizational values and culture.
The following are some of the requirements to land your business in the customer service Hall of Infamy:
1. Never smile and a greet a customer - after all, you showed up for work didn't you -- what more do they want?
2. Always tell a customer with a plaint that you can't fix it because it is not your job or it goes against company procedure.
3. Never make eye contact with a customer when they e to the desk or counter.
4. Never ask a customer "How may I help you?" - after all if they want something they will ask.
5. Never interrupt a personal phone call to answer the other line when it rings. After all, if it is important they will call back and that is what voice messaging is for. Never interrupt a personal phone call when a customer approaches you - ignore them and they will go away.
6. Make certain that neither you nor your employees e out of the back office when a customer enters and either o