Chapter 13 Communicating with Customers

Case Study 13In his job as sales support associate, Cal helps four busy sales people at a

company that sells flooring, wallpaper, and countertop material for kitchens and bathrooms. The company, Floor & More, has four locations, each in a different city.

All the salespeople have cubicles, though they spend most of their time making sales presentations in peoples homes. Cal’s job is to process the salespeople orders. When a problem such as a back order comes up, he puts the paperwork back on the appropriate person’s desk. Cal has not learned how to solve the problems, nor has anyone suggested that he do so. He sometimes runs our of things to do. When that happens, he waits in a cubicle until something comes up.

In the showroom, the receptionist Angelica, also has a cubicle. Angelica answers all incoming calls. The phone rings 10 to 12 times per hour. Most calls are for the salespeople. Angelica takes messages for the absent salespeople. If showroom customers have questions, they often must wait until angelica is between phone calls. Sometimes, if a caller isn't someone she knows, she puts the call on hold and answers a question with the phone resting on her shoulder. Occasionally, customers in the showroom approach Cal with a question. Sometimes he just says “I'm not a salesperson, I cant help.” At other times, Cal tells them they’ll have to wait for Angelica or make an appointment with one of the Sales people. The salespeople, However, do not have telephones with them when they are out of the showroom, and angelica does not schedule appointments for them.

Case Study Questions

1. How important is customer service to the owners of Floors & More? How can you tell?

2. What messages does Angelica’s behavior send to customer’s? what could she or the company do to change those messages?

3. What role does technology play in how Floor’s & More employees communicate with both internal and external customers? How could the company use technology differently or more effectively?

4. How does Cal perform when he has opportunities for one on one communication with external customers? With internal customers?

5. What is Angelica’s strategy for telephone communications? How effective is her strategy? Explain your answer

Why is quality Customer Service So Important?

• Bad customer service

External and Internal Customers

Customer Service and Contact

Customer Interaction

• Starbucks customer service

Providing Service

Rachel Rays

Customer Service and Ethics

• Business ethics monsters inch

Technology and Effective Communication with Customers

Lets go back to questions 1, 2 and 3 of the case study.

1. How important is customer service to the owners of Floors & More? How can you tell?

2. What messages does Angelica’s behavior send to customer’s? what could she or the company do to change those messages?

3. What role does technology play in how Floor’s & More employees communicate with both internal and external customers? How could the company use technology differently or more effectively?

Telephone Communication and Your Voice

• President Obama

One-on-One Communication

Parts of a Conversation

Guidelines for Success

Telephone Communication

Lets go back to questions 4 and 5 of the case study.

4. How does Cal perform when he has opportunities for one on one communication with external customers? With internal customers?

5. What is Angelica’s strategy for telephone communications? How effective is her strategy? Explain your answer

Case SummaryFloors & More does not have a very strong service culture. Almost

everything about the showroom and the way the employees interact could be more customers friendly. The customers who come to browse the showroom are left on their own. In fact, there should be someone in the showroom whose sole responsibility is to take care of customers from the moment they walk in the door.

Angelica has her hands full with the telephone. If the company had a voice mail system, callers could leave voice mail for specific salespeople. This system would cut down on the volume of calls Angelica has to handle. Freed from the constantly ringing phone, Angelica could assist customers by scheduling appointments with the salespeople.

Cal needs to change his attitude. He should make himself useful in whatever capacity he can, including being more helpful to customers. Employees who are versatile and reliable and who anticipate the needs of those around them are likely to be secure in their jobs.

Contacting Customers: Case Study

• Page 477 of Textbook

• Must be typed in Times Roman Numeral Font.

• Complete Sentences!

• Don’t start a sentence with yes, no or maybe.