The Make it Easy Training Participant Guide
42
HPS University Participant Guide The Make it Easy Training
Transcript of The Make it Easy Training Participant Guide
HPS University
Participant Guide
The Make it Easy Training
1
Table of Contents
The Make it Easy Customer Service Training ................................................................................ 2 The Make it Easy Experience ......................................................................................................... 3
Reasons for The Make it Easy Experience ................................................................................. 4 Introduction: Make it Easy Experience........................................................................................... 5
Make it Easy Basics .................................................................................................................... 6
Types of Customers .................................................................................................................... 7 Remember Me? ........................................................................................................................... 9
The Make it Easy Experience ....................................................................................................... 11 Putting your Best Ear Forward ..................................................................................................... 12
Active Listening ........................................................................................................................ 13
Open Questions ......................................................................................................................... 15 Closed Questions ...................................................................................................................... 16
Probing Questions ..................................................................................................................... 17 Saying Hello: The Opener ............................................................................................................ 18
Branding .................................................................................................................................... 19 Voice ......................................................................................................................................... 22
Between Hello and Goodbye: Helping the Customer ................................................................... 25
Expressing Empathy ................................................................................................................. 26 Positive Language ..................................................................................................................... 28
Connecting with the Member .................................................................................................... 30 Skill Check ................................................................................................................................ 31
Saying Goodbye: The Closer ........................................................................................................ 32
Summarizing ............................................................................................................................. 33
Paraphrasing .............................................................................................................................. 34 Skill Check ................................................................................................................................ 35 Closing the Call......................................................................................................................... 36
Standard Call Closing ............................................................................................................... 37 Skill Check ................................................................................................................................ 38
Creating your Goal and Action Plan ............................................................................................. 39
S.M.A.R.T. Goals ..................................................................................................................... 40 Action Plan................................................................................................................................ 41
2
The Make it Easy Customer Service Training
Program
Overview
The customer service foundations training is designed to teach participants
the skills necessary to provide customer service that is easy. This course will
explore topics such as call opening, helping the customer, and call closing.
Each of these topics is focused on how we can make our customers’
experience easy!
Program
Goals
Welcome to The Make it Easy Customer Service Training! Upon the
successful completion of the training session, the participant will be able to
do the following:
1. Describe customer service while identifying the types of customers.
2. Resolve customers’ inquires so our customers experience is easy.
3. Recall the characteristics of active listening.
4. Utilize positive language to improve customer experience.
5. Conclude customer contact using proper call closing techniques.
3
The Make it Easy Experience
Introduction Traditionally, you have likely heard about customer service that wow’s
customers or even customer service that impresses. Today, we are going to
learn about how to make our customers experience easy. This is a whole new
way of thinking. An easy customer experience is the type of experience that is
sought after.
The Make it
Easy
Experience
The Make it Easy Experience involves several things:
Being proactive and not reactive.
This means being forward thinking and trying to anticipate the
customers’ needs. We want to be proactive and not reactive.
Spot on service!
This means we want to get it right on the first try. Our customers
should not have to call us numerous times about the same problem.
We want to resolve our customers’ requests on the first attempt.
Quality interactions.
The Make it Easy Experience means quality over speed. We want to
have quality interactions with our customers.
Loyal customers.
Making it easy for our customers creates loyal customers. When we
make our customers experience easier rather more complex we will
create loyal customers.
It is easy and not hard.
The Make it Easy Experience is easy and not hard. It is easier for the
customer and it easier for you as the agent.
4
Reasons for The Make it Easy Experience
Reasons There are several reasons we want our customers to have a Make it Easy
Experience including:
Repeat customers spend 33% more than new customer (Retail
Active).
We want repeat customers. Those types of customers are loyal and
they enjoy conducting business with us.
We want happy customers.
Happy customers make your job easier. Even if they have a complaint,
they are still generally happy which is useful for you as a call center
representative.
Referrals, referrals, and more referrals!
When our customers have an easy experience they want to tell others
which results in referrals. This is a win-win for both parties.
Raving Fans.
When we provide our customers with an easy experience we create
raving fans. These fans promote our carriers to their friends and
family.
5
Introduction: Make it Easy Experience
Overview How do you make the customers experience easy? This chapter will explore
what customer service is and how to make our customers experience an easy
one. Participants will learn what it means to provide an easy customer service
experience.
Objectives By the end of the introduction to the Make it Easy Experience, participants
will able to do the following:
1. Recall the definition of customer service.
2. Identify our customers.
3. Recall each type of customer.
4. Identify ways each customer can have an easy customer experience.
6
Make it Easy Basics
Definition According to Paul Mckinney, “Customer service is meeting the needs and
desires of customers”.
Who are our
Customers?
HealthPlan Services has three types of customers. Our customers include
the brokers and agents, the members, and the insurance carrier.
Customers are people that need your assistance.
Customers are not an interruption to our daily job, but the reason we
have jobs.
We want to establish a connection with our customers.
Customers are HealthPlan Services biggest asset.
7
Types of Customers
Feeler
(Empathy-
Oriented)
The customer that is a feeler has the following character traits:
• Cooperative
• Sensitive
• Loyal
When working with this type of customer remember to:
• Invite their opinion.
• Provide assurance.
• Show personal involvement.
Entertainer
(Social-
Oriented)
The customer that is an entertainer has the following character traits:
• Outgoing
• Enthusiastic
• Spontaneous
When working with this type of customer remember to:
• Maintain an informal tone.
• Mention personal information.
• Focus first on the big picture.
Thinker
(Process-
Oriented)
The customer that is a thinker has the following character traits:
• Analytical
• Thorough
• Serious
When working with this type of customer remember to:
• Avoid interrupting them.
• Explain processes.
• Slow down conversations.
Continued on next page
8
Types of Customers, Continued
Controller
(Results-
Oriented)
The customer that likes control has the following character traits:
• Independent
• Candid
• Determined
When working with this type of customer remember to:
• Directly address the issue.
• Speed up the pace of the conversation.
• Provide clear timeline for results.
9
Remember Me?
Poem Read the poem below and answer the questions found on the next page.
Remember Me?
Anonymous
I’m the person who asks:
“How long is the wait?”
You tell me ten minutes...
But it gets very late.
I’m the person who sees:
The whole staff loiters
While my waitress does everything
But take my order.
I’m the person who says:
“That’s not what I ordered...
but it’s O.K.
I’ll eat it anyway.”
I’m the person who calls:
To see if my lost item was found
And all I get is a
run-around.
I’m the person who should:
Write a negative letter
But feel it wouldn’t make
Anything better.
Yes, you might say that I’m a good guy...
That I understand that you kind of try.
But, please read on and you will see...
That there’s another side of me.
It amuses me to see you spending
Thousands of dollars on ads never ending
In an effort to get me back into your place
When you don’t even remember my face.
In order to keep me as a guest
I have but one simple little request...
When I am here all you have to do
Is give me the service I’m entitled to.
Continued on next page
10
Remember Me? Continued
Instructions Now that you have read and reflected on the poem about personal customer
service experiences. Answer the questions below.
1. Have you ever felt like this customer felt?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
2. Which type of customer is this?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
3. What are some ways we can make it easy for this customer?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
11
The Make it Easy Experience
Overview The Make it Easy Experience will explore ways to make the customers
experience easy. Over the years, it has been thought that providing experience
that wow’s is the way to achieve customer loyalty. However, recent research
has shown that providing an easy customer experience is the way to achieve
customer loyalty. This series will explore each component in detail.
The Make it
Easy
Experience
Diagram
12
Putting your Best Ear Forward
Overview Putting your Best Ear Forward is an important component of The Make it
Easy Customer Service Experience This component encompasses more than
simply picking up the phone and answering. It involves active listening. This
is the first component of The Make it Easy Customer Service Experience.
Objectives Upon the successful completion of opening the call the participant will be
able to do the following:
1. Demonstrate the ability to actively listen.
2. Recall the characteristics of active listening.
3. Demonstrate the ability to use open and closed questions
appropriately.
The Make it
Easy Diagram
13
Active Listening
Brainstorming How can you put your best ear forward? Brainstorm your ideas below and
write them in the space provided below.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Active
Listening
Definition
By definition, active listening is:
• Listening for meaning.
• Being attentive to what someone has said.
• Person centered.
Importance of
Active
Listening
Fill in the blank with the correct responses:
1. The majority of people spend up to _____% of their day
communicating.
2. Out of a 10 minute conversation, you may be getting ____ to ____
minutes of useful information.
3. We properly hear only ____ % to ____ % of what is said to us.
Continued on next page
14
Active Listening, Continued
Characteristics
of Active
Listening
Below are some characteristics of active listening:
• More listening than talking.
• Avoids interruption.
• Does not dominate the conversation.
• Observes more than words.
• Pays attention to the details.
15
Open Questions
Definition An open question can be defined as a type of question that is likely to elicit a
long answer.
Although any type of question can receive a long answer, open questions
deliberately seek longer answers, and are the opposite of closed questions.
Using Open
Questions
Open questions have the following characteristics:
• Open questions ask the respondent to think and reflect.
• Open questions will allow the member to express opinions and
feelings.
• Open questions hand control of the conversation to the respondent.
Examples • What did you do for the holidays?
• How are you?
• Describe what happened?
• What can I do to help you today?
16
Closed Questions
Definition A closed question can be answered with either a single word or a short
phrase.
A closed question can also be answered with either 'yes' or 'no'.
Using Closed
Questions
Closed questions have the following characteristics:
• They give you facts.
• They are easy to answer.
• They are quick to answer.
• They keep control of the conversation with the one asking the
question.
Examples • Where do you live?
• Are you happy with your current insurance company?
• If I can restore your policy, will you pay your premium now?
17
Probing Questions
Definition Probing questioning involves getting more detail about a particular issue or
problem.
Types of
Probing
Questions
You can use probing questions in a number of ways including the following:
Clarification: These are simple questions of fact. They clarify the dilemma
and provide more details.
1. What exactly did you mean by 'XXX'?
2. What, specifically, will you do next week?
3. Could you tell me more about YY?
Completeness and Accuracy: These are questions that can help ensure that
the listener understands what is being said. It also confirms that they do
indeed understand.
1. Sorry, I don't understand. Could you help by giving an example?
2. Could you give me an example of when you did XXX?
3. Tell me more about XXX.
Repetition: These are simple questions that allow you to repeat what was
said. It is a form of probing to ensure you have understood.
1. When you received the notice what happened?
2. What date did you receive the letter?
3. She asked you to “cancel your policy”?
18
Saying Hello: The Opener
Introduction Saying Hello: The Opener is all about greeting the customer, branding the
calling, voice quality, and the impact of voice quality on the customer’s
experience. This aspect is very important because it establishes the flow of
the call.
Objectives Upon the successful completion of Saying Hello: The Opener the participant
will be able to do the following:
1. Identify the importance of branding.
2. State the importance of voice quality.
3. Recognize the impact of voice quality on customers’ experience.
The Make it
Easy Diagram
19
Branding
Definition A brand is defined as “the idea or image of a specific product or service that
consumers connect with, by identifying the name, logo, slogan, or design of
the company who owns the idea or image”.
Brand
Recognition
When you see the brands below what comes to mind? What are these brands
known for?
Impact of
branding a
Call
There are several reasons each carrier brands their calls. Those reasons are as
follows:
• It helps distinguish one brand from another brand.
• It provides the customer with consistency.
• It identifies the company.
• It confirms to the customer that they have called the right place.
• It sets the tone for the call.
Continued on next page
20
Branding, Continued
Who you are
branding
You learned in the life of a case series that HPS is a Third Party
Administrator (TPA). When a customer calls into one of our call centers they
will reach us. Please keep in mind that our carriers have hired us to handle
some of their business functions therefore we represent them.
Example: When a customer calls into our call center to reach a
Cigna representative, the customer will be talking with us and we
represent Cigna. This is what it means to be a Third Party
representative.
Proper way to
brand the call
Most companies have a standard greeting used to greet their customers. Each
carrier has a standard greeting used to answer the phone.
Continued on next page
Thank you for calling
[Insert carrier name]
my name is [Insert your
name] how may I help you?
21
Branding, Continued
Carriers Here are a few of our insurance carriers below.
22
Voice
Components
of Voice
There are several components of branding including voice quality. You have
probably heard the saying; it is not what you say but how you say it. This is
also true for Customer Care Associates. Vocal quality is going to be essential
to providing an easy customer experience..
Chart
Continued on next page
23
Voice, Continued
Statistics The following are statistics about communication and customer experience.
55% of communication is non-verbal. For this reason, it is important
to develop good listening and verbal skills to compensate for the lack
of eye contact, facial expressions, and gestures.
By 2020, customer experience will overtake price and product as the
key brand differentiator. – Customers 2020 Report
In 2011, 7 out of 10 Americans said they would be willing to spend
more money with companies they believe provide excellent customer
service.
According to consumers, customer service agents failed to answer
their questions 50% of the time.
24
Image
Voice Your voice must consistently have:
• A pleasant tone
• Appropriate inflection
• Proper pitch
• Appropriate rate
• Normal volume
Every customer should receive the same level of enthusiasm and energy as
your first customer of the day.
Image It is important to note that your image consists of two things.
25
Between Hello and Goodbye: Helping the Customer
Introduction What happens between hello and goodbye is important. This part of The
Make it Easy Customer Experience is the majority of the call. This section is
where you begin to express empathy, reframe the word no, and connect with
the member.
Objectives Upon the successful completion of Between Hello and Goodbye: Helping the
Customer the participant will be able to do the following:
1. Describe what it means to be empathetic.
2. Demonstrate positive language phrases.
3. Use the tools learned to reframe the word “No”.
4. Demonstrate ways to connect with the member to ensure an easy
customer experience.
The Make it
Easy Diagram
26
Expressing Empathy
Definition The Merriam-Webster dictionary defined empathy as “the feeling that you
understand and share another person’s experiences and emotions: the ability
to share someone else’s feelings”.
Facts and
Feelings
Agents listen for facts throughout the call. It is your job. Customers express
facts and with feelings. When you address the customer be sure you are
addressing facts and feelings.
“I understand that you paid your premium a week late and you have now
incurred a late fee. I am sorry you are frustrated.”
Urgency and
Concern
Showing empathy means understanding and being sensitive to our customers’
feelings and thoughts. It does not mean we agree with our customers’ point of
view.
“John, if I heard you correctly you are saying that you received a letter in
the mail stating your policy was terminated. I understand that you are
frustrated. I will begin looking into that right away.”
Communicate
Sincerity
Tone of voice goes a long way in conveying empathy. If the agent says all the
right words, but delivers them with coldness in his or her voice, they will
sound insincere.
“John, I apologize for the inconvenience this has caused. We want to make
it right by restoring your insurance policy and applying your payment
correctly.”
Continued on next page
27
Expressing Empathy, Continued
Professional
Expertise
Know your limitations. You cannot solve everyone's problem. But you can
express genuine concern and do your best to ensure they get to someone that
can help.
“I apologize that I was unable to assist you today. I am going to transfer
you to Amber in Claims and she will be able to further assist you.”
Question 1. What are some other ways you can communicate empathy?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
28
Positive Language
Definition Positive words are uplifting and pleasant to hear. Positive wording tells the
customer what can be done and it does not focus on what can’t be done.
Situation Human nature
response The can-can response
A customer wants to
purchase something no
longer being offered
“I’m sorry, sir, we’re
no longer offering Gold
1234 Plan”
Can acknowledge: “While we are always
seeking to provide the
best options to our
customers, we may
have a comparable plan
that may be along the
lines of what you are
looking for.” Can do:
“I can help have
someone in Claims
assist you with finding
a comparable plan”.
A customer wants a
refund for a product
that he or she has
broken.
“Sorry, sir, I can’t give
you a refund on
damage merchandise”.
Can acknowledge: “I
hate it when things like
this break”.
Can do: “Even though
we can’t refund
damaged merchandise,
I can give you our best
price on a more durable
model”.
Continued on next page
29
Positive Language, Continued
Examples Below are some examples of ways to reframe the word no:
• If you can send us [insert item], we can complete the process for you.
• Might we suggest that you [suggestion].
• One option open to you is [option].
• We can help you to [insert topic] if you can send us [insert topic].
30
Connecting with the Member
Introduction Connecting with the member is an important aspect of making it easy for our
customers. Our customers want to know that we care. One way to show them
that we care is by connecting with them. This section will illustrate five ways
to connect with our members.
Tip # 1 It all starts with their name.
Dale Carnegie, the author of How to Win Friends and Influence People, states
that using someone’s name is incredibly important. He said that a person’s
name is the sweetest sound in any language for that person.
Tip # 2 Be Adaptable.
We are all unique and what works for one is not going to work for all.
• Customize your approach without changing consistency in service.
• Create a personal experience for the customer.
• Use personal experience to build rapport.
Tip #3 Let the Customer Vent.
It does not matter who is right or wrong. The only thing that matters is how
the customer feels.
You always listen. You do not argue. It’s not that the customer’s always right.
You’re not going to win the argument.
Tip # 4 Own the Problem.
Make their problem your problem. Own it. You will likely not be directly
responsible for the problem, but it is still your problem. When the customer
has a problem so do you.
Tip # 5 Active Listening
Active listening involves comprehending what the person has said and it
focuses on ensuring that you understand the other person.
31
Skill Check
Question 1 Which of the following statements is false?
a. Healthplan Services is a Third Party Administrator.
b. We should always say our greeting with a smile.
c. Branding identifies the company.
d. None of these statements are false.
Answer:___________
Question 2 Which of the following is NOT an impact of branding?
a. It sets the tone for the call.
b. It confirms to the customer that they have called the right place.
c. It does not provide the customer with consistency.
d. It helps distinguish one brand from another brand.
Answer:_____________
Question 3 True or False. The proper way to brand the call is “Thank you for calling
[insert carrier name] my name is [insert your name] how may I help you?
_____ True
_____ False
Question 4 Which of the following is not one of the four ways to express empathy?
a. Facts and feelings
b. Urgency and concern
c. Communicating insincerity
d. Professional expertise
Answer:__________
32
Saying Goodbye: The Closer
Overview Our members need closure. They want to know what is being done to take of
their request. Closing the call is the last component of the Make it Easy
Experience. Closing the call correctly is just as important as saying hello or
helping the customer.
Objectives Upon completion of Saying Goodbye: The Closer, the participant will be able
to:
1. Recall how to construct a summary.
2. Identify the reasons we summarize.
3. Demonstrate the standard call closing.
The Make it
Easy
Experience
Diagram
33
Summarizing
Introduction
One of the most important aspects of the call closing is summarizing.
Summarizing provides the customer with a recap of what took place during
the call. We summarize to make sure the customer understands what
happened during the call.
Definition Summarizing is simply restating the main ideas of a conversation in as few
words as possible.
Impact of
Summarizing
Summaries can be used at many points in the conversation including after
someone has finished speaking about a particular topic or experience and at
the end of a conversation when it is almost over.
Summaries:
Review what has been said during a session.
Show that you have been listening and clearly understood what the
participant said.
Invite the participant to add anything important that might be missing.
Example “It was great speaking with you Tammy and to recap what we spoke about
today we changed your billing method per your request. Instead of receiving
a paper bill you will now receive your bill electronically. Tammy, does this
sound correct to you?.”
Note: Don’t forget to use positive phrases like “It was great” or “It was my
pleasure”.
34
Paraphrasing
Definition Paraphrasing involves including the ideas or information from the caller and
rephrasing those ideas or information in your own words. The key to
successful paraphrasing is to use as few words as possible from the original
text and to be as accurate as possible.
Be mindful not to change the meaning that you are trying to convey as
you rephrase.
Examples Here are some starting phrases to be added in paraphrasing. Some of these
examples are:
• “If I heard you correctly, you were asking …”
• “You were asking me to…Is that right?”
• “As I understand it, you want to know if…. Am I correct?”
• “So your question is about…”
35
Skill Check
Question Read the statement below and paraphrase it using your own words and the
techniques learned in this section. Write down your paraphrased version
below.
“I am really frustrated because I received a letter in the mail that you are
going to cancel my insurance. I have diabetes and I really need my
insurance. I pay my bill on time every month through my Bank. I have them
mail a check each month with the total amount due. I am never late. I am
really frustrated because I paid my bill and now you are charging me.
Additionally, when I spoke with one of your agents she was very rude”.
Response Write your response in the space provided below.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
36
Closing the Call
Steps Now that we have established that callers need closure you need to know how
to do that. Before you close a conversation with a customer you need to do
following things.
1. When a follow up action is being taken, explain what they can expect
and when.
For instance, “I’ll have your insurance card in the mail to you in the
next 24hours” or “I have included the information you requested in an
email and you should receive it within 24 hours”
2. Make sure you have provided a thorough and complete response to all
the customers’ requests.
Always ask, “Have I answered all of your questions today?”
3. Express appreciation to the customer for bringing their request or
problem to your attention. Always brand the call.
For instance, “I hope this information was helpful. Thank you for
calling Cigna and enjoy the rest of your day”.
Quesiton True or false.
You are always required to ask the customer “Have I answered all of your
questions today?”
Answer:__________
37
Standard Call Closing
Introduction Each insurance carrier has a standard greeting that lets the customer know the
call is coming to a close. The call closing also serves as a way to brand the
call. You are required and are scored to properly close the call.
Example The following is the standard closing used across carriers.
38
Skill Check
Instructions Take a few minutes to answer the following questions below.
Question 1 True or False.
A summary is not required for every single call.
Question 2 Summaries:
a. Review what has been said during the session.
b. Show that you have been listening and clearly understood what the
participant said.
c. Invite the participant to add anything important that might have been
missing.
d. All of the above
Answer:____________
Question 3 “If I heard you correctly, you were asking” is an example of:
a. A summary
b. Paraphrasing
c. Closing the Call
d. None of the above
Answer:____________
39
Creating your Goal and Action Plan
Introduction Now that you have completed the customer service foundations course and
have a good understanding of what exceptional customer service is you are
going to create goals for yourself. These goals will equip you with the tools
necessary to wow our customers.
Objectives By the end of this module the participant will be able to do the following:
Recall the meaning of the acronym S.M.A.R.T.
Create an action plan utilizing S.M.A.R.T. goals.
Implement the smart created into their work.
40
S.M.A.R.T. Goals
S.M.A.R.T.
Goals
When creating your goals make sure they are S.M.A.R.T. This acronym
stands for:
Word Action
Specific What exactly are you going to do?
Measurable You need to be able to track your progress.
An easy way to do this is to quantify the
goal (how many or how much).
Achievable The goal should be realistic.
Relevant The goal should be important to you and
pertain to the topic.
Time-Based The goal should have an expected date of
completion.
Note: Remember, when setting a goal it should always be S.M.A.R.T.
41
Action Plan
Purpose of the
Action Plan
Utilize the template below to create a S.M.A.R.T goal. The purpose of this
action plan is to take your customer service skills to the next level. By
creating a specific and measurable goal you are likely to meet the goal if you
stick with it.
Goal
Template
My SMART customer service goal is to:
____________________________________________________________
Challenges to achieving this goal are:
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
My action steps to overcome my challenges are:
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
I will monitor my daily progress by:
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Celebrate your success!
Write below how you celebrate your goal achievement (for example, “I will
buy myself a new outfit”):
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
