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From Classroom to the Workplace:Challenges Faced by Todays Knowledge Workers in the Customer Service Profession

A Case Study

Presented to the Faculty of theExpanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation ProgramCapitol UniversityCagayan de Oro City

In partial Fulfillmentof the requirements for the degreeBachelor of Science in Business Administration major inHuman Resource Development Management

Submitted by

Vivien Gaerlan Aguilar

February 15, 2015

APPROVAL SHEET

This paper entitled From Classroom to the Workplace: CHALLENGES FACED BY TODAYS KNOWLEDGE WORKERS IN THE CUSTOMER SERVICE PROFESSION, prepared and submitted by VIVIEN GAERLAN AGUILAR in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree, BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION major in Human Resource Development Management has been examined and recommended for ORAL EXAMINIATION.

DR. ELIZABETH E. FIGUEROAAdviser

PANEL OF EXAMINERS

Approved by the committee on Oral Examination with a grade of ___________.

PROF. GELDOLIN L. INTEChair

DR. LILIA P. DURALIZAMARK P. DOBLAS, MBM Member Member

ACCEPTED in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Business Administration major in Human Resource Development Management.

PROF. GELDOLIN L. INTE ETEEAP, Assistant Director

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Much appreciation and gratitude is given to the Lord Almighty, for being a God of second chances, and for bestowing upon blessings in the form of the skills and talents needed for the formulation of this paper. A shower of love and dedication to Francesca, Mayena, and Paula for being constant inspirations and reminder that life is worth fighting for and that giving up is not an option. Thanks to Jomel for the entertainment and laughter in times of great pressure.

To Henry- thank you for sharing your brilliant mind; the world is becoming smaller through extending your mindspace to the other side of the galaxy. You are a breath of fresh air.

Lastly, thank you to Dr. Elizabeth Figueroa, and to the Capitol University, for helping a dream turn into reality.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Introduction..5

II. Rationale of the Study5

III. Company Background.6

A. Brief History of the Company B. Organizational Structure ..8

IV. The Case Presentation and Analysis

The Situation.9

Statement of the Problem.11

Objectives..13

Areas of Consideration .14

Courses of Action..15

Recommendation..17

V. Bibliography ..18

I. Introduction

The Philippines has just recently found itself owning the title of the Call Center capital of the world in 2014 edging India (How the Philippines is crushing the Indian call center business Hint: small talk = big cash. By Patrick Winn, GlobalPost | May 12, 2014). This edge has become a blessing to Call Center- related industries and the Philippine economy considering that it contributes up to 5 percent of the nations Gross National Product (GDP) translating to 900,000 Filipinos employed in Call Centers around the country. It is forecasted that Call Centers will very easily employ 1.3 Million Filipino workers before the end of this decade.

Packaged in this economic boom are attendant problems wrapped in the rocketing success of the Call Center industry. Since the primary commodity of a Call Center is customer service, it follows that interaction with customers would eventually create workplace challenges in spite of corporate efforts to achieve zero-defect status.

II. Rationale of the Study The study is to equip the graduating students, who are open to become a part of the Business Process Outsourcing industry (BPO).

The study will explicitly explain the importance of Customer Service and its framework; correctly implementing the proper Customer Service mindset apropos to a Call Center Professional. Promote ethnorelativism by being accessible to diverse cultures and behaviors.

III. Company BackgroundA. History and Profile:

Concentrix helps clients build demand generation and renewal marketing programs across media channels (such as telephone, Web, and mail). Through about 50 call centers in 25 countries spanning Asia, Latin America, the US, and the UK, it provides such outsourced sales and marketing services as database development, analytics and campaign planning, customer contact, and digital printing and fulfillment services. Concentrix can provide its services as an integrated marketing program or by allowing clients to choose which services they need and then molding it to fit their specific needs. Established in 1983, Concentrix is a subsidiary of information technology services provider SYNNEX Corporation.

Concentrix Cagayan de OroFounded in May 2005, Concentrix CDO is located at Block 2 Lot 3 Trade St. Pueblo de Oro IT Park, Pueblo de Oro Township Upper Carmen Cagayan de Oro City 9000.

The Concentrix Core Values:VisibilityTransparency is at the core of everything that we do. Throughout our organization, visibility is a critical ingredient to quickly address problems and capitalize on opportunities.VelocityWe remain nimble while capitalizing on the strength of a large global footprint and robust service capabilities.

ValueWe continuously strive to find new ways of bringing value to our staff, clients, and shareholders.

B. Organizational Structure:

(Concentrix CDO-DVO Training Department)

AbbreviationJob Title/Position:Line of Business (Support Groups):

Sr. Mgr.Sr. Manager/ManagerLevel 1 Voice (L1)

Supv.SupervisorNon-Voice (Chat Support)

SPTSPT (Senior Product Trainer)International (INTL)

PTPT (Product Trainer) Customer Assurance Team/Small Medium Business (CAT/SMB)

SCSTSCST (Senior Communication Skills TrainerSocial Media Response Team/Customer Service (HS/SMRT/CS)

CSTCST (Communication Skills Trainer)Other Accounts (SPX/Divergent)

IV. The Case Presentation and Analysis

The Situation:For the 3rd quarter of 2014, data shows that customer satisfaction dipped dramatically to 20% compared to the previous quarter, according to company researchers. Survey scores have proven to be challenging on the part of the Customer Service Department. Customers replied to the Customer Satisfaction survey with mediocre to unsatisfactory rating in return for the service provided to them, whether it is product-related, or simply referring to the call handling process. Although, training was provided as part of the On-boarding process, it was evident that the learning curve of the agents needed improvement, because of the lack of knowledge in providing excellent Customer Service. This was a clear manifestation of poor performance, affecting the overall productivity of the team, hence the data below. The effect of poor overall customer satisfaction on the business is reflected through Returns on Investment (ROI), which in return is closely anchored to Customer Satisfaction. When a customers needs have not been met, his negative experience would definitely be translated on the Customer Satisfaction Survey that is sent to them randomly after each call. They would express their frustrations through describing the event of the dissatisfaction, or outright, put a failing grade of 0. There are several questions on the survey form. However, we put a premium on one question, which is How was your overall experience with the service?This referring to product and the representative, plus the service granted to them. Scenarios like these raise a red flag to the management team, and would need the collaboration of key departments, most especially the Training Department to conduct Training Needs Analysis, and come up with an appropriate course of action.Breakdown of Outliers and DISSAT Counts:NameStatusDSAT Counts

Agent 1Active3

Agent 2Active4

Agent 3Active4

Agent 4Active5

Agent 5Active4

Agent 6Active4

Agent 7Active8

Agent 8Active5

Agent 9Active6

Agent 10Active5

Agent 11Active3

Agent 12Active3

DISSAT Reasons:

Statement of the Problem

Definition of Terms

CSAT Customer Satisfaction DSAT Customer Dissatisfaction Agent Status tells if the statuses of the agents whether active, resigned, AWOL, or on Paid Time Off Tenure the period/term the agent has worked for the company Outliers agents whose metrics did not reach the goals DSAT Counts- the number of DSAT survey returns per agent BPO Business Process Outsourcing

The purpose of this case study is to foster awareness for the graduating HR students of Capitol University by equipping them with proper skills needed in preparation to their entry in the corporate world; specifically the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) or Call Center industry--Concentrix. Data shows that majority of the customer dissatisfaction is contributed by newbies, ranging from 4-6 months in tenure. The basic hypothesis is that, majority of these outliers comprising the 46.30% are fresh graduates and never had any work experience, not to mention the lack of understanding of the effect of customer service vis--vis customer satisfaction in a business entity.

1. Below is the DISSAT trend for the Customer Service department for Q3 of 2014.

2. The following are factors affecting the decline in customer satisfaction, as a result of the analysis:Lacks the overall grasp of a customer-centric mindsetLacks enthusiasm during callsAbsence of empathy and positive scriptingNot having the right attitude during the callInefficiency in understanding and addressing different customer behaviorsImproper call handling3. Based on the findings of the study, it is vital to create a training module that would minister to the deficiencies experienced by the outliers, and this module will be central to honing the skills of the new and upcoming call center professionals and prevent, if not lessen the DISSAT contribution of the above mentioned.

Objectives1. Firstly, this Case Study focuses on the performance of workers involved in Customer Service within Concentrix Corporation (Cagayan de Oro location). Concentrix is an international company based in the USA employing close to 10 thousand Filipinos in various cities in the Philippines. The companys policy is to deliver a sustained competitive advantage to its clients by delivering a superb and world-class Customer Service.

2. Secondly, this inquiry addresses expected deliverables by Call Center agents whose performance are rated from a range between Positive Satisfaction (CSAT) on one end to Negative Satisfaction (DISSAT) on the other. However, in the process of attempting to achieve prescribed Customer Service deliverables, performance and customer problems have been emerged, and if left unchecked, may jeopardize the companys competitive edge in the marketplace.

3. Thirdly, this Case Study is designed to take an incisive look at the work performance of Call Center agents and in the process delineating their deficiencies, identifying their challenges and proposing key remedies.

Areas of ConsiderationData Analysis: DSAT data was gathered from June- September 2014, and the team identified 12 agents who have contributed to the high DSAT counts The data was gathered from the Quality Assurance team, with detailed information on the breakdown of the DISSAT counts, month on month. 54 of the 107 DSAT cases were from the 12 identified agents The 12 identified agents contributed 54 DISSAT counts coming from the survey. The total contribution of the 12 identified agents, or outliers is 54 out of the 107 DISSAT counts from the rest of Customer Service team. 51% of the total DSAT is contributed by the identified outliers, while 49% is contributed and by the rest of the team 46.30% of DSAT returns is contributed by agents under the 4-6 month tenure bucket Majority of the DSAT returns are from the newly deployed agents, who recently finished their on-boarding training, as well as their nesting period. This shows that their learning curve is longer due to the fact that they were not exposed to the customer-centric mindset early on. There are currently a total of 55 agents supporting the Customer Service Department This is the total number of agents supporting the Customer Service department, sharing the same goals set by the company.DSAT Count Distribution: Outliers vs. Team

Courses of Action

Before drawing any solution recommendation, it is important to validate the facts through these courses of actions:

a.) Conducted Training Needs Analysis

Pros: Gather data to identify the pain points of the support group by reviewing their 4-week stats/performance, scrutinizing the data from different angles that result to customer dissatisfaction. Since we are taking an in-depth look at the main objective, which is the increase in DSAT counts, we should consider interviewing the agents involved.

Cons: No solid claim will come out of the case study without implementing Training Needs Analysis. Data gathering is necessary to any case study, to take an in-depth look at the current situation, in order to execute a strategically thought of plan.

b.) FGDPros: The focus group discussion is a terrific avenue in getting the agents perspective why they were experiencing such inconsistency. There were different inputs as to why they were not able to meet the Customer Service mindset and a communication skill, the company has set.

Cons: Part of the problem solving process, is to listen to both sides of the story. Skipping the focus group discussion will resort to an autocratic decision that would hamper the recommended solution to the concern.

c.) Design a custom-made module that would address the challenge areas of the agents.

Pros: This custom-made training module design will target to decrease the number of dissatisfied customers, since it hits the key areas of the problem.

Cons: Hit and miss training modules will never serve its purpose. Discussing about any customer service-related topic is not the key to addressing the DSAT issue brought about by this case study. It is never recommended to cherry pick any desired topic without data analysis.

Recommendation

After an in-depth look of the CSAT performance of the 12 identified outliers, it is recommended to create a custom-fit training module that would address the aforementioned pain points leading to the decrease of customer satisfaction rating. The modules are divided into 3 major categories, which is centered on (1) Knowing the type of workers (2) Identifying what lands the job, and what keeps the job (3) Acquiring a customer-centric mindset.This custom-made training module is designed to bridge the gap of learning the concept, and impact of having a customer-centric mindset. This will solidify their knowledge on how to treat customers with the right personality fit for the job. To prevent DSAT returns and increase Customer Satisfaction scores, agents must go through a training program focusing on skills improvement in providing excellent customer service.

VI. Bibliography

Mehrabian, Albert (1981) Silent messages: Implicit communication of emotions and attitudes. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth (currently distributed by Albert Mehrabian, email: am@kaaj.com) Drucker, Peter (1959) Landmarks of Tomorrow Harper & Brothers Publishers, New York http://theweek.com/article/index/261311/how-the-philippines-is-crushing-the-indian-call-center-business How the Philippines is crushing the Indian call center business Hint: small talk = big cash. By Patrick Winn, GlobalPost | May 12, 2014

http://www.apmforum.com/columns/eaststrategy10.htm; The New Workers Are in Town, by Henry Astorga, East West Strategies| August 9, 2005

APPENDIX Content of Training Module:The topics will be divided into the three parts, as described below.PART I: Objective: This section presents a macro-look at the general landscape affecting the nature of the Customer Service industry, Customer Service workers and their development over decades past to most recent times. 1. Knowledge workers Who are we? Workers in the past were classified as Manual workers. During the 60s Peter Drucker introduced the concept of knowledge workers in his book, The Landmarks of Tomorrow. According to him, Knowledge Workers works primarily with information or develops and uses knowledge in the workplace. This concept has revolutionized the definition of a worker. In the past, workers were too focused on process, and tools. The old school type of organization is centered on hierarchies or management layers, well accustomed to paper works and reports, thus belonging in a closed culture environment. Workers were compelled to work in limited scope and workplace capitalizing on rigid ways of formulating information. The old ways took its toll on the workers, hence, the introduction of Peter Druckers Knowledge Workers. Workers in the past: Limited location Workers are confined within the walls of their workplace. --- Limited roles Inside the wall Stuck at the desk (and stuck using emails and other standard tools) Custodian of information Knowledge as process Uses rigid ways of organizing information Today, more and more organizations are applying this approach, empowering the workers to meet their full potential in the workplace. The focus has shifted to the people, by providing continuous education, development and training; investing more on the companys resources, seeing the people as real assets and true resources. Change is constant in the workplace; therefore Knowledge workers need to keep up with the technological advancements in the workplace. Knowledge Workers TodayThe emphasis of being a knowledge worker at this day and age is being creative and innovative; molding the workforce to reach an achievement, which is drawn from this theory, to deliver the expected results. The main task of a knowledge worker is to think through information and turn it into knowledge to perform the job. Learning becomes an active process of discovery based on motivation rather than of memorizing facts. To reach the outcome, a knowledge worker must be clothed with these skills: Not age-biased Broad skills on a solid base All around the organization Connects with clients, peers, and client community everywhere Understands the way we do things here Uses variety of tools Knowledgeable, engaged, contributing Shares and distributes information freely The Evolution of the knowledge worker in the digital economyHow does the knowledge worker impact the economy? Knowledge workers have emerged as a new gene pool of labor and output producing beings. They are for better or worse are inextricably linked to todays digital economy. And the critical element that links knowledge workers and the ever growing digitized economic environment is information. Evidently, knowledge workers possess varied but quite unique talents and skill sets that distinguish them from the rest of the types of workers as we knew them. They are more educated; more technologically savvy; more engaged in critical thinking; more information-oriented; and highly connected to the outside world. It is not surprising that knowledge workers ply their trade and work the fields in what we now know as the digital economy. This new phenomenon called the digital economy can best be distinguished for the agricultural age and the industrial revolution period. Todays digitized environment can be characterized although in a rather simplified way in one word: smart. According to BusinessWeek in magazine in 1994, the term smart was introduced by John Huey. In his article he expounded how change affected the economy; in which he mentioned that the new economy is all about competing for the future. Keeping up with change means, the capacity to create and transform businesses into unimaginable entities, where the day after tomorrow may become obsolete. The elements of change according to John Huey: The workers are smart The new generation workers are not only working for the company, but they are contributors to the growth of the organization by using their knowledge in implementing their jobs. They are more involved in the operations; keeping the power distance between executives to the employees with minimal gap. Workers today expect regular performance appraisal combined with continued program and skills development to keep up with their A-games. To top it all, knowledge workers expect technology to be part of their day-to-day routine. An accounting clerk easily finishes his report using Quickbooks or Peachtree. A Data Analytics staff can generate mega reports by creating formulas using Excel file. A trainer can create smarter, more creative decks via PowerPoint presentations. Keeping up with technology is a way of life. Cars are smart Too drunk to drive? The car won't start. Passing an historic site? An audio and video broadcast explains what happened and when. An integrated system monitors both your driving performance and the car's operations, automatically scheduling service visits where the technician plugs in and knows immediately what's wrong under the hood. Maps and directions will be broadcast via global positioning satellites. No man will ever again have to admit to his wife that he's lost. Houses are smart Burglar and fire alarms, appliances, and lighting can be controlled from a handy keypad or by dialing up the system from an outside phone. You can check on the room temperature, get supper started in the oven, feed the dog, and monitor goings-on to ensure that your teenagers aren't breaking too many pieces of furniture at the party they're not supposed to be having while you're on vacation. Soon, the pantry will keep track of items you're running out of and automatically issue food and beverage replenishment orders for food that is delivered to your door. Gadgets are smart Already phones have built-in answering machines and come with faxes and caller ID, but there's more yet. The smart telephone will combine all known communications functions, offer mobility, plus handle voice, video, and data at the same time. Now, if only there were a function known as call backward, so that you could turn back the clock and speak the wonderful sentence that you thought of five minutes after you hung up from that important conversation. Customers are smart Customers nowadays resort to information drive prior to purchasing a product. They start to fire up their laptops and PCs to make sure if the product they wanted is indeed of exceptional quality. An example is to access e-bay or Amazon just to click on the latest consumer reviews on product performance and its cost equivalence. PART 22. Introduction to Hard Skills and Soft Skills: Objective: This section covers the micro-aspect of the Customer Service worker covering skillsets, competencies and technical abilities.Hard and soft skills are often referred to when applying for a job. For most jobs, while the hard skills are essential to getting the interview, it's the soft skills that will land the job because employers want someone who won't just perform their job function, but will be a good personality fit for the company and make a good impression on clients. 2.1 Hard Skills lands them the job Specific, teachable abilities that can be defined and measured.

Examples: Technical or Academic Orientation - Associate or Degree Easy to define - Can type 50 WPM Measurable by tests - License holder (Certified Public Accountant) Directly taught in schools - High School Graduate/Stenographer etc 2.1.1 Soft Skills lets them keep the job The ability to communicate and interact positively and productively with others Examples: Good listener Effective Communication Skills (Oral and Written) Dependable Neat Friendly Organized Prompt Fair Hard Worker

PART 33. How to keep the job: The Customer-centric Mindset How Customer Service impacts the workplace: This section centers on the conceptual principles workers must exhibit in order to be effective and competitive in the workplace. 3.1 What is Customer Service? Customer Service is how you treat the people who support your company. These can be paying (external customers) or staff members (internal customers). People who provide good customer service earn psychological benefits in addition to any rewards given by their company. The Elements of Customer Service are centered on the following traits below: 3.1.1 Customer service focus Service is a philosophy, not a department, a program, or a policy. It means meeting the customers' expectations, not exceeding it. Service is general is not always automatic, natural, or coincidental. 3.1.2 Who are your Customers? Internal Customers It is comprised of people we work with from other departments, and or agencies, as well as other customers we supervise within our workplace. We have at least on customer: our boss. External Customers These are the people, departments, or tenants who are the end users of the organization's product and services. It is a much more traditional use of the term "customer". Whether internal or external customers, they must be treated like VIPs. 3.2 The Velvet Rope: VIPs OnlyA visual representation of customer service: The ConciergeIn France, during the1800s, concierges were referred to as the doorkeepers, or the landlord's representatives, or an apartment caretaker. Today, a concierge is a hotel employee whose job is to assist guests by arranging tours, booking theater tickets, or it could be anything and everything under the sun. In one of the interviews on hotel services, a guest was asked by the reporter, "If you were marooned in an island, what would you bring with you? Water? Food? Clothes?". The guest replied...no, no, no. I would bring the concierge, because they make the impossible into a-possible." The concierge concept is to provide a clear image of how taking care of customers can impact a business. According to Thomas Munko, Ritz -Calrton Belrin's head concierge, and was acclaimed Concierge of the year in 2010, five-star hotel standardization is the same world-wide. He mentioned in his interview that in the hotel industry, "we don't sell rooms, we sell service". Just like in any Call Center industry, most of the contact centers have the same standards and metrics with regard to customer relations, however, the only component that cuts the company above the rest is their regard with Customer Service, and how the agents provide help to the extent of exceeding the customers' expectations.This topic will expand the mindset of the agent of the concierge mindset: extending VIP treatment to customers.The concierge mindset means: going the extra mile with your Customer. being excited about our newest products and sharing that excitement & enthusiasm with our Customers being a Trusted Advisor for your Customers individual needs and making them feel special its not just providing tech support, its providing moral & emotional support sharing the enthusiasm a Customer has about his or her new product by talking and elaborating on the benefits being an excited YOUHow does one convey the concierge attitude?The concierge attitude can be conveyed by treating our Customers like Gold. Going over and above and beyond in the way we treat them. Thinking of outside-the-box solutions to make their lives better with one call. A concierge mindset is capable in executing his or her duties with urgency and fervor, with enthusiasm and excitement. Concierges are trained to be discreet and display integrity. There is no challenge too great and no task too small, so long as it is not illegal or immoral 3.3 Take Care, "Cause I careProviding the Service the Customer DeservesThree steps to Customer Satisfaction?Transmit a Positive AttitudeIdentify Customer NeedsProvide for the NeedWhat are the basic needs of the Customer?Product or ServiceThe reason why the customer calls.

PsychologicalWhat the customer needs you to address, without even telling you.The Role of a Support Representative....is the voice of the organizationis the customers primary contactprojects the companys imageplays a critical role in building customer relationshipDealing with different customer behaviorThe Angry/Irate CallerOne who has momentary lapses of unreasonableness, but is still basically rational and reasonable.What should we do when someones angry? Hear them out Empathize Apologize for the inconvenience (if and when needed) Take actionThe Talkative CustomerTalkative customers are usually easy to talk to. The best part is that they build the rapport for you. Unfortunately, they have the tendency to unnecessarily take a lot of your timeWhat should we do when someone talks too much? Ask closed-ended questions; Use their pauses to talk and direct them back to business; Provide minimal responses to unrelated topics; Remain courteousThe Demanding CustomerThis is the kind of customer who will generally make outrageous demands and be very impatient during the conversation.How do we stay on top of the conversation? Do not let the customer make demands that you cannot meet. Stay with Propose an action plan for the customer so s/he knows what you CAN and CANNOT do for him/her. NEVER promise anything that you cannot provide to the customer. The Passive CustomerPassive customers are less stressful to handle because they dont react much. However, they may also be the type who just says Yes to everything you say and pretends that theyve done what youve instructed them to do. When someones not really paying attention? Do not assume that everything is okay with them. Ask questions that will require them to explain, narrate, etc.

3.4 Saying no without saying "NO"Positive scripting generally refers to messages that provide a positive or constructive idea or meaning to a person that would help inspire, build confidence or esteem or remove any depressing or negative notion or feeling to a person.Positive scripting tips1. Stay calm.Staying calm gives you more time to think about: your customers their problem and how you project your companys image

2. Apologize.Effective apologies must adhere to the following principles: Only apologize after allowing the customer to express their complaint fully. Offer an empathic statement that reflects the customers perception of his/her problems severity. When relevant

3. Use powerful words / phrasesThe first words that you say to customers can welcome them into your business, giving them a sense of warmth and friendliness, or they can make your customers feel so uncomfortable that they want to leave. The temperature of your words can either be warm and inviting or cold and unwelcoming. Its your choice. When you choose phrases of welcome, you open the door wide and increase your chances of successful customer interactions.Offering a warm welcome to your customers helps break the ice; helps your customers begin forming a positive impression of you, and helps to create an atmosphere of comfort.Using phrases of welcome can improve even negative persons attitude.Welcome Phrases: Hello!/Hi! Good morning/afternoon/evening! What can I help you with today?4. Dont use negative phrases, such as: Who told you that? Its not my job Its company policy... Youre wrong......5. Be Positive and cheerful.

The Secret FormulaEKW+EMO+AS Whenever the customer expresses frustration, annoyance, or even dissatisfaction, then comes silence, or the excessive usage of the word "I am sorry", which to the customer is a bit overrated and unnecessary. So how does one react appropriately to this scenario? It is by simply using the secret formula. Our customers could not see our facial expressions and body language, but we do have our voice matched with the right choice of words that would lead to pivoting the customers' perception in a positive manner.EKW - Empathizing Key Words, are sense words that lets you UNDERSTAND, KNOW, and SEE the concern. This helps us see the customers' state, whether they are frustrated, angry, upset, or disappointed. The AS- will tell what you are going to do with the customer's concern.If we put them together, we have....I (EKW) how (EMO) you are right now. (Here's what I'm going to do to solve your problem immediately...)Specifically stated as:I understand how frustrated you are right now, don't worry I will do my best to help you resolve your concern or I understand why you are upset right now. Here's what I'm going to do to solve your problem immediately....3.5 Telephone EtiquetteHere are some tips to avoid dissatisfied customers:Seven Speaking Dos Smile Use the caller's name Echo important points Use courteous remarks and power words Acknowledge the customer and the concern Mirror your customer Record practice sessionsFour Speaking Donts Don't use jargons (terms specific to the support/internal only), it will only confuse the customer Don't use negative language like "mistake, overlooked, fault...which will trigger adverse gut reaction; or weak words such as maybe, probably, I believe as it will discredit your role as an expert. Don't mumble. Mumbling is a sign that you are not ready and equipped to take the task. It also adds to the perception that you do not know what you are doing. Don't argue. Period.When placing the customer on hold, follow these steps: A- ask permission that you need to place the customer on hold G-ive the reason why you need to place the customer on hold E-xact time is key. Give the exact time so the customer knows how long he/she has to wait on the line (usually 2-3 minutes) TH-ank the customer once you get back on the callExample:"John, I need to place you on hold for 2-3 minutes to check on the status of your order."If you need more time to verify or check your resources, get back to the customer and inform him/her that you need more time....-or-Example:"John, I need more time to check on our replacement status, can I place you on hold for 2 more minutes?"General Call Handling Techniques Greeting - the moment you open your mouth the customer will start judging you if you are a trusted ally or not. Make sure that when you do the opening spiel; use a smiling voice, be lively, and captivate them by a warm greeting. Paraphrase- after asking for the customer's concern, it is best to paraphrase it. Paraphrasing is summarizing the concern using your own words. Listening and acknowledging is reinforced, since it only means that you are paying attention to the customer. Empathize- the simplest way of explaining empathy: UNDERSTAND. Empathy is different from sympathy. It is not solely used for negative scenarios; on the contrary, it can be used for both positive and negative customer experience. If the customer is frustrated, you need to empathize by showing your concern. If the customer is happy, you need to reinforce that feeling for them (example: "Good to know that you are satisfied with our product"). Apologize- only when needed. If it is a routine concern, may it be a technical problem or an inquiry; there is no need to apologize. If the concern has something to do with ineffectiveness of the previous representative or a product, then it is best to apologize. Use the secret formula. This usually works after empathizing (for a negative experience) or apologizing. An assurance statement work best after acknowledging their current emotional state. EKW+EMO=AS. Setting expectations- it is inevitable with human beings that we always want to be in the know. The best way to handle any call is by setting the right expectations to the customer to become efficient on both sides. This is a great avenue to establish that the agent and the customer both agreed on the recommended solution, hence cooperation will be established during the call. Summarize- after everything is said and done, once the representative is ready to wrap up, providing a very short and concise summary of the resolution is needed to remind the customer that, yes, we have resolved your concern. This is also a way to ask the customer if there is anything else he needs assistance with. If none, remind the customer to visit the support site and bid him a wonderful day ahead. If these steps are followed, it is much of a guarantee that both the agent and the customer will have an experience they will never forget.By implementing the refresher training for the Customer Service Representatives, it is expected that the number of DSAT (dissatisfaction) survey will decrease, therefore, CSAT scores will increase.

Case Study SummaryConsequently, this study has provided a 360-degree look at the entire Concentrix CDO Customer Service operation. The output of this review can be gleaned from four (6) potential conclusions:Conclusion 1: Customer Service Workers and customers undergo a developmental process that transcends personal and professional developments. This suggests that as customers develop, workers who serve them ought to change in the process with workers preferably outpacing the customer. Conclusion 2: For workers to effectively respond to customer needs, they ought to bring a variety of skillsets to the workplace. These skillsets range from technical to the relational. Although the growing reality is that a new generation of workers has already sprung from the ranks of today's job-seeking population, they must, however, be equipped with a careful blend of hard skills and soft skills. Conclusion 3: As much as the developmental focus is for Concentrix-CDO to elevate the customer service skill set of its agents, the true end-goal is to satisfy the customer. This initiative is to be guided by the following facts: (1) Todays customers are smarter and more insistent than ever. Customers are no longer beholden to the buying modes and ties of the past; (2) Customers transcend physical and cultural barriers; (3) Todays customers are technology savvy and armed with the power of the Internet they can buy products and services from anywhere in the globe.Conclusion 4: For Concentrix CDO to maintain and improve its sustainability and competitive advantage, it must develop and institute training programs to make sure its agents are kept abreast and trained in the latest trends in Customer Service both technologically and relationally. At the forefront of training should be a keen and competitive On-boarding process that separates the mill from the chaff at the front end of the hiring process. Conclusion 5: Teachable moments generated from this study provide a test bed of practical skills and competencies for graduating HR students that would help equip them to become an effective and employable workforce in the Call Center industry. Conclusion 6: The knowledge base culled from this study provides a learning output that can hence be translated into a teach-back presentation for students who may be looking at Customer Service as part of their career options.

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VIVIEN G. AGUILAR

Blk 8 Lot 18/20 Silver Creek Subdivision, Puli Carmen Cagayan de Oro City

+ 63 906 2434113

veevee555@live.com

Work Experience

Senior Soft Skills TrainerConcentrixNovember 2013- Present

Conduct Language Awareness, Accent Neutralization, and Customer Service Training as part of the onboarding process for new hires. Evaluate and Assess trainees to pass the Workshop and Soft Skills Training (for the English Language) by using the standardized GRAMS, or the Grammar and Accent Monitoring Sheet, and the Communications Skills Assessment tool or CSA.Conduct Training Needs Analysis process for Refresher Trainings depending on the need/area of opportunity per support group.Design training modules for specific areas of competency for new hire, and reinforcement programs in order to enhance continuous skills improvement. Implement initiatives and campaigns to promote English Only Policy.

Soft Skills Trainer,Synnex-Concentrix February 2011- November 2013

Conduct Language Awareness, Accent Neutralization, and Customer Service Training as part of the onboarding process for new hires. Evaluate and Assess trainees to pass the Workshop and Soft Skills Training (for the English Language) by using the standardized GRAMS or the Grammar and Accent Monitoring Sheet.Conduct second level interviews for applicants and filter them according to the standards set by the company.Join company Job Fairs in different locations and areas and represent as the key person to qualify applicants through the interview process.

LEVEL 2 Team Captain, Synnex - Concentrix Corp.September 2007- February 2011

Manage day-to-day planning, operation and problem solving of a team of agents to meet the required service level components and Technical skills, standards and targets, to develop the team and ensure delivery of a consistently superior customer experience by highly knowledgeable and customer focused agents; and to act as the communication conduit between Frontliners and Management to offer creative solutions. Delivery of team service level components, quality and productivity of targets and indicators. People Management as well as team development. Operational Management; adherence to work schedule/s Call monitoring, coaching and feedback; responsible for delivery of superior customer experience in every call. Conducting performance appraisal for the team and agents. Contribute to the initial hiring and selecting process of the front line. Compiling reports on teams performance and customer feedback. Communication and being the focal point of dissemination of information; general and Technical from management to team and vise- versa. Work very closely with team members to solve customer problems. Also needs to understand agents problem areas and address these. Offer solutions and suggestions for agent improvement. Required making decisions on any matters that require improvement.

LEVEL 1 Team Captain, Link2Support, Inc.November 2006- August 2007

Manage day-to-day planning, operation and problem solving of a team of agents to meet the required service level components and, standards and targets, to develop the team and ensure delivery of a consistently superior customer experience by highly knowledgeable and customer focused agents; and to act as the communication conduit between Frontliners and Management to offer creative solutions. Delivery of team service level components, quality and productivity of targets and indicators. People Management as well as team development. Operational Management; adherence to work schedule/s Call monitoring, coaching and feedback; responsible for delivery of superior customer experience in every call. Conducting performance appraisal for the team and agents. Contribute to the initial hiring and selecting process of the front line. Compiling reports on teams performance and customer feedback. Communication and being the focal point of dissemination of information; general and from management to team and vise- versa. Work very closely with team members to solve customer problems. Also needs to understand agents problem areas and address these. Offer solutions and suggestions for agent improvement. Required making decisions on any matters that require improvement.Customer Service Representative, Link2Support, Inc.August 2005-November 2006

Answer phones to respond to customers concern for basic set-up of wireless devices; to properly pitch the Easy Link Connect tool and ensure to give quality service to customers as well as project a professional company image through phone interaction.

Administrative Assistant, Golden Era Corp. (Dunkin Donuts)November 2004- January 2005

Provide administrative support to a department and/or Manager. Duties include general clerical, receptionist and project based work. Project a professional company image through in-person and phone interaction.Assistant Operations Manager, System Net International, Phils., Inc.December 2003- November 2004

Assists the operations manager in planning and managing day-to-day operations. Liaising for different departments to uphold a common goal. Responsible for Accounts Payable, Payroll Management, Accounts Receivables, Check Disbursements. Oversee Sales and Marketing Targets, Promotional Activities and Advertising; Duties also include managing through Administrative tasks.

Marketing Manager,System Net International, Phils., Inc.November 2002- December 2003

Oversee all marketing, advertising and promotional staff and activities. Establish marketing strategies to meet organizational objectives. Evaluate customer research, market conditions, competitor data and implement marketing plan changes as needed.Account Executive, System Net International, Phils., Inc.February 2000-November 2002

Duties would include communicating effectively with Internet customers and prospects, directing customers to product information resources, and identifying and contacting new sales prospects among others. Demonstrates the products and advise clients on how using these products can reduce costs and/or increase revenue or whichever can be beneficial to the customer.Account Executive,Radio Mindanao NetworkOctober 1999 December 1999

Main duty is to sell advertising air time for TV and radio network programs. Account Executive, Video Sonic Corporate CommunicationsMarch 1996 October 1998

Acts as a link between the client and the advertising agency. Responsible for the project management of their clients' campaigns and deal with the day-to-day work, ensuring it is produced on time and on budget.

Traffic Coordinator, Video Sonic Corporate CommunicationsJune 1995 March 1996

Responsible for scheduling/booking Video Equipment and Van rentals as well as Recording and Editing Suites to support in-house, different Production outfits and Events Centers.

Receptionist,Video Sonic Corporate CommunicationsFebruary 1993 June 1995

Responsible for greeting clients, answering all incoming calls, managing all mail and couriers, entering invoices, and handling general office duties.Receptionist, Alcantaras Dental ClinicJune 1992- January 1993

Responsible for greeting clients, answering all incoming calls, managing all mail and couriers, entering invoices, and handling general office duties, also includes cashiering and billing.Receptionist, Pardos Dental ClinicJanuary 1992 - June 1992

Responsible for greeting clients, answering all incoming calls, managing all mail and couriers, entering invoices, and handling general office duties, also includes cashiering and billing.EducationCS in Computer Secretarial, Saint Scholasticas College Manila, 1988-1991

Accomplishments Top CSAT agent (Concentrix, 2006) Top Performer (Concentrix, 2013, 2014)

Trainings Total Quality Management (Video Sonic Corporate Communications) Face to Face Selling Skills (Mansmith and Fielders) Trainer On-boarding Process (Concentrix) Training Needs Analysis (Concentrix)

Affiliations Toastmasters International (District Champion: Evaluation Speech Contest October 2014, SM City CDO)

References Aissa Marie Tacbas (Senior Communication Skills Trainer, Concentrix, 63-917-7034807) Anie Ramos (Operations Manager, Concentrix 63-88-8532200) Vic Marion Madriaga (Social Media Senior Coordinator, Concentrix, 63-936-8145210) Henry Astorga (Corporate Ed/Training Softskills Verticals, Achievemate Learning, 1-510-2098413)