Customer Service

Module Objectives

By the end of this module you will be able to:

Explain what is customer service.

Explain how outstanding customer service can be a source of competitive
advantage.
Identify their role as a Customer Care Executive in garnering this competitive
advantage.
Identify the key attributes of a Customer Care Executive.
Identify the components of good customer service.
Explain communication skill as a process.
Use effective verbal and non-verbal communication.
Identify the barriers to communication.
Develop good listening skills.
Explain the importance of active listening.
Use active listening techniques while handling customer queries.
Demonstrate capability of identifying and handling different types of customers.
Explain the various stages of a telephone call.
Display basic telephone etiquettes.
Develop stress management skills.
 Discussion Point

1. Illustrate two different situations, one where you were satisfied with the service
provided by a company and another where you were highly dissatisfied with the
service.

2. What in your opinion resulted in the difference in the two experiences?

Exercise

Take the telecom industry and discuss the reasons for growth of the importance of
customer service over the past few years. You can also refer to various industries and
your own experiences to substantiate your arguments.
 Discussion Point

1. What is the difference between the three hotels that Ashton has visited in India?

2. How would you divide the various levels of customer service that Ashton got?

Caselet
At an MNC bank an employee made a fifteen-minute effort to get a crisp new Rs. 1000
note for an unknown customer who walked in off the street. The customer wanted the
crisp note, as he had to present it at an award function that afternoon. This is what the
employee now has to say I made two phone calls, got the note, and put it in a little box
with a thanks for thinking of us note on my card. The chance visitor soon came back
and opened an account; in nine months his major law firm had deposited Rs. 2,50,000 in
our banks coffers.

What made the customer come back to the bank?

 Caselet
Ram was travelling to Goa on Rajdhani Express. He had opted for this train because of
its reputation of better customer service. However his actual experience was very
different. He was not at all satisfied with the service provided to him and felt stuck on the
train for his entire journey.

What could Ram have done?

Discussion Point

A customer of Airtel has a monthly bill of Rs. 1000.

What is his true value to he company? Is it 1000 or more? Why?

 Caselet
In 1981, Jan Carlzon took over as chairman of one of Europe's most poorly rated
airlines, Scandinavian Airline Systems (SAS). Carlzon quickly implemented many
changes, the most important of which was to manage the interactions that SAS
employees had with its customers.

In 1987, Carlzon wrote a book titled, Moments of Truth, in which he said, "Last year,
each of our 10 million customers came in contact with approximately five SAS
employees, and this contact lasted an average of 15 seconds each time. Thus, SAS is
'created' in the minds of our customers 50 million times a year, 15 seconds at a time.
These 50 million 'moments of truth' are the moments that ultimately determine whether
SAS will succeed or fail as a company."

Discussion Point

What are the various moments of truth for Airtel customers?

Concept
Customer service is the set of activities and programs provided by the seller to make the
relationship a satisfying one for the customer.
Levels of Customer Service
 Customer Reaction

Dissatisfaction Satisfaction Delight

Lifetime Value of a customer

Outstanding Customer Service

Customer Delight

High Lifetime Value of the Customer

Discussion Point

Refer to Ashtons story and answer the question below:

Who was responsible for making the difference in the levels of service?

Exercise
Write down five major events or accomplishments in your life, such as getting your first
job, earning a degree from school, getting married, running a marathon, or career
advancements.
How did you achieve these?
Transcript
Customer Care Executive: Good Morning Sir. How may I help you?

Customer: I cannot make any outgoing calls. Why have you barred my outgoing calls?

Customer Care Executive: Sir, it was done because the bill has not been paid.

Customer (furious): What do you mean by that? If you dont send me my bill, how the
hell do you expect me to pay? I even contacted your center several times but still havent
received my bill.

Customer Care Executive: Sir, the information we have with us shows that the bill has
been sent. But let me first apologize to you that your problem has not been resolved
despite your calling several times.

Customer: You ought to. I am an old customer and this is how you treat me.

Customer Care Executive: I fully understand. Your outgoing calls will be started but you
will have to pay your bill first. You can access your e-bill on the Airtel Website. We will
not charge any late payment fee from you. Will that be okay?

Customer: Please ensure that it does not happen in the future.

Customer Care Executive: I will Sir. Anything else I may help you with?

Customer: No

Customer Care Executive: Thank you for calling Airtel. Have a nice day.

1. How did the Customer care executive handle the situation?

2. How could the situation have been avoided?

 Discussion Point

What are the key attributes an effective Customer Care Executive should possess?

Discussion Point

You saw the key attributes of a customer care executive. It is important for you to
possess these attributes in order to be a successful Customer Care Executive.

But what is the one thing without which you cannot perform successfully even if you
have all these attributes?

Discussion Point

What are the key learnings from this video? Share your observations.
Communication

Scenario
A customer calls up Airtel Customer Care. He wants to know the various ways to receive
information services on his cell phone. He says he would like to receive news and cricket
updates on his cell phone. But at the same time he doesnt wish to spend too much on it.

The newly appointed Customer Care Executive is very enthusiastic. He tells him about
the Voice Recognition service of Airtel where he can just speak out the key words and
get updates. The customer accepts the option.

After a week when the customer receives his bill he is shocked to find that he was being
charged Rs. 6 for every update that he received on the IVR service. He feels cheated
and blames this on poor customer service.

1. What went wrong?

2. Who is responsible for the misunderstanding?

 Discussion Point

1. What is the importance of good communication skills?

2. How can good communication skills help you in your role?

Exercise

Think of any situation that makes you feel stressful and write down an assertiveness
response.

Role play

Customer: You are an Airtel prepaid customer. Your friend who is an Airtel postpaid
customer recently flashed his privilege passes sent to him by Airtel. You are angry, as
you have not been given the passes. You feel that as your monthly bill is almost the
same and that you have been a customer of Airtel even before your friend took a cell
phone, you also have a right to receive the privilege. You call up Airtel Customer Care to
claim the same.
Customer Care Executive: You have received this call. Handle it.

Exercise: Blind Mans Buff-I

Follow the instructions of the person and draw out the figure in your workbooks. You are
not allowed to ask any questions from the speaker or to take help from other participants.

Exercise: Blind Mans Buff-II

Follow the instructions of the person and draw out the figure in your workbooks. This
time you are allowed to ask questions fro the speaker.
Concept
Effective Communication implies conveying information ideas and meaning from one
person to another for the purpose of establishing a shared/common understanding.

The Communication Process

Sends message to

SENDER RECEIVER

Gives Feedback

Discussion Point

How can you use the learnings from the previous exercise to increase your effectiveness
as a Customer Care Executive?
 Discussion Point

Which of the two statements do you find more effective?

"I think you might like this new service we offer."

Or
"Youre really going to like this new service we offer."

Exercise
Remove/Replace the weak words from the following statements to make them sound
more confident and strong.

1. I was just calling to tell you about the new communication course were offering.
2. I was wondering if you might want to go to dinner and a movie with me this
weekend.
3. I think this sentence will be much stronger without those first two words.
4. I think you might like this product we offer.
5. I just called to tell you about the new store that we have opened in your locality.
Transcript
Customer Care Executive: Good Morning Sir. How may I help you?

Customer: My cell phone is not catching the network signal. I cannot make or receive
any calls.

Customer Care Executive: Dont worry Sir as it happens all the time. The network will
come itself in a while.

Customer (surprised and a bit angry): What? It happens all the time. That is a sign of the
kind of service you provide. If this kind of thing happens all the time with your network,
what do I need it for, then? (Hangs up)

What communication flaw do you see in this case?

Exercise
Read the following sentence. Write it down in your own words.

I didnt say he stole that money!

 Discussion Point

When you converse, you use a combination of verbal and nonverbal signals. You
usually supplement the words you speak with nonverbal signs such as gestures and
facial expressions.

How is non-verbal communication important for a Customer Care Executive?

Exercise
Draw simple faces, depicting eyebrows, eyes and mouth.

Illustrate the following emotions:

Happiness
Sadness
Anger
Surprise
 Exercise
Read the following sentences to first communicate praise and then criticism.
You really know yourself.
You are an expert.
You are so observant. Im really astonished.
Your friends are really great.
Are you ready? Already?
You are really photogenic.
You seem to have lost weight.
You look much younger than that.
Youre going to do a good job.
That was some meal.

Concept
Impact of Non-verbal on Verbal Communication

Helps to:
Emphasize
Complement
Substitute
 Exercise

Nine Dots

Balance the equation

Make it Six
 Discussion Point

Think of a personal experience where you committed a mistake due to inaccurate

perception of reality.

How can perceptual errors reduce your effectiveness as a Customer Care Executive?

Discussion Point

How can a Customer Care Executive have lack of attention? Paying attention to the
customer is his job. Isnt it?

Role play

Customer

You are an Airtel customer. You are having difficulties with your connection. Everyday
when you go to office, which is in a sub-urban area, the signal goes off and you are
unable to make or receive any calls. Since you spend your entire day in the office you
are fed up with this connection as it is of no use to you. You have called Customer Care
before but have not received any solution from their side. You decide to call up again.

Customer Care Executive

You have received a call from the customer. Handle the call.

Observers

1. Did the Customer Care Executive handle the call appropriately?

2. Did he use appropriate communication skills to convince the customer that his
problem will be resolved?

3. Identify the verbal and non-verbal techniques used by the Customer Care
Executive.

4. Can you identify any barriers to communication that hindered the successful
handling of the call?

Discussion Point

1. How do these barriers affect your communication ability?

2. What can you do to avoid them?

Concept
Barriers to Communication

1. Semantic Barrier
Semantic refers to the meaning conveyed by a word or a sentence in a language.

Use of inappropriate or ambiguous language can lead to misunderstandings.

2. Perception
The lens through which you see the world.

The way you presume plays a significant part in the way you interpret a message
in the communication process.

3. Non-clarified assumptions
When you receive a message, you make your own assumptions about the details
that are missing. If you do not seek clarification on these assumptions, you are likely
to misunderstand the message.

4. Lack of attention
Inattention and selective listening can lead to your missing out on important
information and therefore hamper effective communication. Reasons for lack of
attention are:
Time pressures
Communication overload
Unsolicited information
Listening

Exercise

Follow the instructions of the facilitator to complete the exercise. After the exercise is
over answer the following questions.

1. As the speaker in Part One, how did you feel? Why did you feel that way?

2. What were some of the effective listening techniques used by the listener in Part
One?

3. As the speaker in Part Two, how did you feel after the listener stopped paying
attention? What made you feel that way?

4. If you use such listening style with your customers, how do you think they would
feel?

Exercise: Ferret them out

Locate the abductors on the map provided below.

CityMap o EnggCollege ESE-OH21.1.1

v
Industrial Area
e
r
Church

b Factory Stadium
Hotel
r
i
d
g Mosque
Market Tannery
e

Discussion Point

How are listening skills important for me

- As an individual?
- As a Customer Care Executive?
 Role play

Customer

You are a customer of Airtel. You want to know the various ways to receive information
services on your cell phone. You would like to receive news and cricket updates on your
cell phone. But at the same time you dont wish to spend too much on it. You call up
Airtel Customer Care.

Customer Care Executive

You have received this call. Handle it.

Observers

1. What process was taking place in this activity?

2. Can you identify the steps in this process?

Discussion Point

1. Did the Customer care executive interpret the query properly?

2. Did he respond to it well?

Concept
When you listen, there are five related activities that you perform. You might do these
consciously or involuntarily. These activities generally occur in the following sequence.

Receiving
You first receive the messages that a speaker sends. These messages can be both
verbal and non-verbal.

You might sometimes find the reception of your message blocked by various factors.
These could be interfering noises, impaired hearing, or inattention.

Tip: Tune out distractions and focus on registering the message.

Interpreting
You interpret a message by absorbing and decoding what you hear. This is where you
understand what the speaker means by the thoughts that are expressed as well as by
the emotional tone that accompanies these thoughts.
Tip: Be open to the possibility that the speaker's frame of reference could be different
from yours. Also, increase the accuracy of your interpretation by paying attention to
verbal as well as non-verbal cues.

Remembering
When you receive a message, you need to retain it for at least some period of time,
which is normally the time till you finish responding to the message.

Tip: Identify central ideas and create a mental outline of the key points stated in the
message. To augment your memory, you can tape-record the messages or make notes.

Evaluating
When you evaluate a message, you judge the message or form an opinion about the
message. At times, you might also try to evaluate the speaker's underlying intentions or
motives and perform a critical analysis of the message communicated. Often, this
evaluation process happens without much conscious awareness.
For example, Kelly tells you that she's up for a promotion and she's really excited about
it. You might try to judge her intention. Is she looking for a compliment? Does she want
you to use your influence with the Director? Is she preoccupied with her promotion and
so goes around telling everyone about it?

Tip: While evaluating a message, you should:

Try to resist evaluation till you completely comprehend the message.

Distinguish facts from inferences or opinions.
Identify any biases or prejudices that might have influenced the speaker.

Responding
You respond to or acknowledge a message by reacting to the speaker in some fashion.
These responses are feedback, the information that you send back to the speaker, which
tell the speaker how you feel, and what you think of his or her messages.
Tip: You can make responses:

When the speaker is talking

These responses should be supportive, and should acknowledge that you are
listening to the speaker. These are what nonverbal researches call 'back-
channeling cues', such as "I see," "yes," "uh-huh," and similar signs that let the
speaker know you are listening.

When the speaker has finished talking

These responses are generally more elaborate. Here, you could:
Express sympathy ("I understand how you must feel.")
Ask for clarification ("Do you mean this new plan replaces the old one?")
Challenge an opinion ("I think this plan is too optimistic.")
Agree ("It's a great idea. Let's go for it.")

Caselet
Sumit is working with a financial services company. He is a part of the marketing team.
He has to attend weekly review meetings with his supervisor. The purpose of these
meetings is to take a load of where the team is going and their future action plans. Sumit
does not like to be a part of these meetings and as a result is generally quiet during the
meetings.

His other team member, Abha on the other hand is a very attentive person. She always
likes to ask a lot of questions. She also asks for feedback proactively.

Due to his attitude Sumit often misses out on important inputs given by his supervisor
and has to repeatedly go back to Abha to clarify his doubts.
Do you identify a difference between the listening styles of Sumit and Abha?

Discussion Point

1. Which listening style is more effective?

2. How can you practice an effective listening style?

Exercise
Read the statements below and identify what the Call center Executive is trying to do.

1. Sir, You seem very upset.

2. Can you tell me more?

3. When did this problem start happening?

4. This seems to be the problem you have expressed.

5. I truly appreciate your willingness to resolve this matter.

 Role play

Customer

You have been a customer of Airtel for a long time. You used a prepaid connection
earlier but for the past two years you have been using a postpaid connection. For the
last month, you did not receive your bill due to which you could not pay the bill. You
called up Airtel Customer Care but nothing happened. Now your connection has been
discontinued because of non-payment of bill. You call up again.

Customer Care Executive

You have received a call from the customer. Handle the call.

Observers

1. Did the Customer Care Executive use any active listening techniques to
understand the situation of the customer?

2. Could the call have been handled in a better way? Would you suggest use of any
active listening techniques?

Concept
Active listening is the method of sending back to the speaker what you think the speaker
meant, literally as well as emotionally. This does not mean you simply repeat verbatim
what the speaker says. When you listen actively, you put your complete understanding
of the speakers message in some meaningful whole. This includes what you
understood of both the content and the feelings of the message the verbal and the
nonverbal.

Benefits of Active Listening

It helps you to:
1. Verify a message
You should listen actively to check how well youve understood what the speaker
really meant. When you reflect back what you perceive of the speakers message,
you give the speaker a chance to affirm, clarify, or amend your perceptions.

2. Express acceptance
When you listen actively, you identify and accept the speakers feelings without
challenging them. By not denying or dismissing these feelings, you provide the
support and empathy that the speaker needs.

3. Prompt the speaker

By listening actively, you prompt the speaker to explore his or her thoughts or feelings
further. In this way, you give the speaker a chance to explore and elaborate on his or
her feelings without having to defend them. Active listening can promote meaningful
dialogue, where there is mutual understanding between the speaker and the listener.
This encourages the speaker to resolve his or her own conflicts.

Active Listening Techniques

1. Reflecting
2. Encouraging
3. Summarizing
4. Clarifying
5. Validating

Exercise

Write down at least five characteristics of a good listener. These characteristics have to
be in the form of a displayed behavior.

Caselet
Caselet 1
Shweta is a housewife. She visits the neighborhood grocery shop regularly to buy her
household requirements. She likes to go to the same grocery shop because the owner
recognizes her and she also gets good discounts on her purchase.
Caselet 2
Nancy is a high-flying career woman. Her time schedule being very tight, she relies on
her servants for regular shopping. Whenever she goes to the market for personal
shopping, she expects a quick job and hates having a sales person on her back all the
time.

Caselet 3
Rahul is a rich businessman. Whenever he goes out he only likes to go to the best
places. Be it shopping or dining in an expensive restaurant, he likes it that people
recognize him at once. He expects nothing short of a princely treatment from the
salespeople.

Answer the following questions for each of the situations.

1. Identify the various needs of the customer.

2. Can you make a distinction between the needs of different customers or different
needs of the same customer?

Exercise

You have to take your girlfriend/boyfriend on a date. You take him/her to a restaurant.
You have been visiting this restaurant but today is special. What are your needs?
Classify your needs into material and emotional needs.
 Discussion Point

There is no doubt that to keep a customer satisfied you have to meet both their material
and emotional needs. However to do that you first need to correctly identify these needs.

How can you identify the needs of the customers?

Discussion Point

Probing involves asking questions. Is asking questions all that it takes to discover the
needs of the customer?

Exercise: Build the Story

The story given below is incomplete. Follow the instructions of the facilitator to complete
it.
There is a room. In the room is a bed. On the bed is a man (his name is John). Under
the bed is a small pile of sawdust. On the floor by the side of the bed is a piece of wood,
ninety-nine and a half centimeters long. The door opens and another man (his name is
Mack) comes in. He looks around the room, smiles to himself and walks out.
Customer Care

Caselet
Raj got a cell phone as a gift on his 17 th birthday. He knew the basic operations of a cell
phone. He has also heard of GPRS but doesnt know how he can avail of this service.
He is enthusiastic about his new possession and calls up Airtel Customer Care to find
out more about their offerings.

1. What is different about this customer?

2. How should a customer care executive handle this customer?

Discussion Point

Think of your own experience as a customer.

What are your expectations when you go to a shop for the first time?

Now think from the point of view of an Airtel customer.

How do the needs of a new customer differ from those of an existing customer?
 Do they need to be handled differently?

Role play

Customer

You are Ravi. You are a 15 years old boy who is a customer of Airtel. You are very
enthusiastic about your possession and call up the Customer Care often to find out
about new offers. Whenever you call you start talking about how other operators are
offering this scheme or that plan. Basically you want to know if Airtel is also offering any
such schemes and if not then why.

Customer Care Executive

You have received a call from the customer. Handle the call.

Observers

1. What are the needs of this customer?

2. Did the Customer Care Executive handle it well?

 Discussion Point

Customers are better informed and better educated today than they were before. Also
mobile telephony is a rage and many customers would like to know more about it. As a
result many customers are well aware of the uses, benefits and limitations of the
products and services offered by the mobile industry.

1. Will this kind of customer ever call in a Customer Care Center?

2. What should be your approach towards this customer?

Scenario
Sanjeev: A Customer Care Executive working for Airtel.
Om Puri: A customer who has bought a GPRS handset and wants to enable GPRS on
the handset.

Om Puri: Hello, I want to talk to someone who can help me out.

Sanjeev: Good afternoon Sir, How may I help you?

Om Puri: I want to activate GPRS on my handset.

Sanjeev: Sir, it is a simple process. Please follow these steps.

(He starts giving the instructions.)

Om Puri (tries to follow the steps for a while, then gives up): I think I should ask my son
to do this for me when he comes back from the office. I am unable to do it myself.

Sanjeev: Sir, it is very simple. Let us start again. I am here to help you. You will be able
to do it.
(This time he goes a bit slowly and checks after each step if the customer is following.)

Om Puri (Appreciates the concern shown and follows the process again.): Yes, I have
completed the last step.
Sanjeev: Good Mr. Om. That was a very good job done by you. Incase you have any
other problems please feel free to contact us.

Om Puri: Thanks a lot Sanjeev. That was very helpful of you. Bye.

Respond to the following questions.

1. What is the impression Om will have about this company?

2. Will Om recommend this product to others?

3. Comment on Sanjeevs Customer service.

Exercise: Deal With It

Think of an achievement in your life. Respond to the following questions.

1. What were the facilitators?

2. What were the barriers to your goals?

3. How did you deal with the barriers?

4. What was your overall feeling when you overcame the barriers?

Note: These questions are not for discussion with the group.

Discussion Point

What can be the reasons for a customer to be angry?

Caselet
This is perhaps one way to deal with an angry customer!

So the story goes a crowded United Airlines flight was cancelled.

A single agent was rebooking a long line of inconvenienced travellers. Suddenly an
angry passenger pushed his way to the desk. He slapped his ticket down on the counter
and said,

"I HAVE to be on this flight and it has to be FIRST CLASS."

The agent replied, "I'm sorry sir. I'll be happy to try to help you, but I've got to help the
passengers in front of you first, and but if you are patient I'm sure will be able to help
you".

The passenger was unimpressed and asked loudly, so that the passengers behind him
could hear; "Do you have any idea who I am?"

Without hesitating, the gate agent smiled and grabbed her public address microphone.

"May I have your attention please?" she began, her voice bellowing through the terminal.
"We have a passenger here at the gate WHO DOES NOT KNOW WHO HE IS. If anyone
can help him find his identity, please come to the gate."

With the crowd of passengers laughing hysterically, the man glared at the United Airlines
agent, gritted his teeth and swore "(Expletive) you."
Without flinching, she smiled and said, "I'm sorry, sir, but you'll have to stand in line for
that, too."

Discussion Point

After viewing the video answer the following questions.

1. How can you deal with angry customers?

2. What can be the reasons for a customer to be angry?

Exercise: Deal With It

Think of a situation when someone was really angry with you.

How do you respond to anger?

Angry Defensive Reaction

Avoidance Reaction

What is the impact of your behavior on the angry person?

Note: These questions are not for discussion with the group.
 Exercise: Taking Charge of Your Emotions
Circle the emotional position you would adopt in the following situations. Then, discuss
how you would turn the situation into EP #3.

You have brought some work home to do in the evening. Instead of starting it right after
dinner, you decide to watch TV for 1/2 hour. After you do that, theres another program
that you want to see so you say to yourself, Oh, ho. I think Ill watch TV tonight and do
that work tomorrow night.

What emotional position are you assuming? EP#1 or EP#2

How could you turn this into EP #3?

Scenario
Vineet an Airtel customer requested for national roaming activation when he was going
on a trip with his family. However when he reached there he could not make or receive
any calls. He was quite angry, as his service was not activated despite paying up the
deposit. He tried calling the customer care but to no avail. After coming back to his home
he called up Airtel customer care again. The call center executive duly apologized and
even agreed to return his deposit.

When Vineet received his monthly bill he was shocked to find that he has been charged
for multiple roaming calls when he had not even made one call. This time he is angry
beyond words. He calls up Airtel customer care and says, I want to disconnect now.

How would you respond to this customer?

 Caselet
On a certain Airlines flight a stewardess accidentally spilled coffee on a passengers
shirt. The passenger got very angry, as he was to attend a meeting as soon as the flight
landed and he was not carrying any luggage.

When the flight landed the passenger got off the plane and was moving towards the exit
cursing the Airline and its staff and swearing never to fly on this Airline again.

He was met with a pleasant surprise when he found representatives from the Airline
holding five brand new shirts of different shades of blue (the color of the shirt he was
wearing). And all these shirts were his for free. The representatives said that this was an
apology for the trouble caused to him.

He was deeply touched by the gesture as the company went the extra mile to get him
out of his difficult situation.

Caselet
Gaurav bought a video camera from a major high street retailer a couple of months ago.
Now the camera bag is splitting and he wants to return it. The manager says he cant
help it because the bag is not covered under the guarantee.

He says he has to travel a lot and he needs the bag for protection. The manager says it
is not my problem and refuses to help the customer in any way.

1. Was the manger right in telling the customer that he cannot replace the bag?

2. What could have been done differently to avoid upsetting the customer?
 Discussion Point

What if the customer does not want to listen? I can only give an apology and provide
service recovery. What if the customer refuses to accept it?

Discussion Point

After viewing the video answer the following questions.

What is the one major learning that you have derived from the video?

Role play

Customer

You are an Airtel customer. You have received he bill for this month and discovered that
a wrong bill plan has been installed in your account, which has led to an increase in your
bill by Rs. 1500. You are very angry about it and call up Airtel Call center.

Customer Care Executive

You have received this call form a customer who seems to be very angry. You know the
three steps of customer service. Use them to handle this customer.

Observers

Discussion Point

1. If waivers can correct the situation always, there should be no problem dealing with
angry customers?

2. What if the customer refuses to listen even after following all the three steps? What
should be done in such a situation?

Discussion Point
1. Do you have the confidence of demonstrating all the components of good
customer care to all kinds of customers?

2. Do you think dealing with angry customers is difficult?

Exercise: Mind Binders

1. How many mind binders apply to you?

2. What other mind binders are you using? How are they affecting your life? Your
self-confidence? How can mind binders affect your health? Your success? Your
relationships with others?

3. Mind binders are negative beliefs. What positive beliefs can you use to eliminate
your mind binders?

Role plays

Customer Care Executive: You are a Customer Care Executive working with Airtel. You
receive the following calls during the day. Handle the calls.
Role Play 1
You are an Airtel postpaid customer. You received your bill this month and discovered
that the monthly rental for GPRS has been charged multiple times amounting to an extra
charge of Rs. 1500. You are furious as it is your due date and if you dont pay up the bill
your calls will be barred. You call up Airtel Customer Care.

Role Play 2
You are Atul. You are an Airtel postpaid customer. You had applied for roaming two
months back. You were on a business tour and had gone to various cities. However you
did not use your cell phone for more than a few calls. When you received your bill, you
saw that your roaming bill amounts to Rs. 5000, which is beyond your imagination. You
are extremely angry and shocked at the same time. You call up Airtel Customer Care.

Role Play 3
You are an Airtel postpaid customer. You have recently shifted your home to another
locality. You had requested Airtel to change your billing address well in time. They had
also promised that it would get changed. Yet you did not receive your bill last month due
to which you could not pay. Your calls were barred because of non-payment. You are
very upset about this and call up Airtel Customer Care. You are even thinking about
disconnection.
Telephone Skills
Discussion Point

1. Why are telephone skills important?

2. What are the challenges you face when you communicate with a customer over a
phone?

Transcript
Customer: Hi I am Manish.

Customer Care Executive: Good Morning Manish. How may I help you?

Customer: I was out of town for the past week due to which I have not received my bill.
Can you tell me my bill amount so that I can make the payment?

Customer Care Executive: Sure, Manish Let me check this for you. Please verify your
billing address.

Customer: Yes. It is 20, M.G. Road, Delhi.

Customer Care Executive: your Bill is Rs. 2350. I will request a duplicate copy of your
bill. You will receive it soon.

Customer: Thanks.

Customer Care Executive: Your Welcome. Anything else that I can help you with?

Customer: No. That will be all.

Customer Care Executive: Thank you for calling Airtel.

Identify the various steps in the call.

Discussion Point

1. What is the first thing you should say when a customer calls you?

2. Why should you greet the caller properly?

Discussion Point

The customer calls me because he has a problem. He will be anyway talking about it.
What is the need for you asking questions for discovering his need?
Transcript
Customer: Hi this is Reema.

Customer Care Executive: Good Evening Reema. This is Manoj. How may I help you?

Customer: I had requested for activation of ISD on my connection in the morning. I was
told that it would be activated in 4 hours. It has been 6 hours now and I still cannot make
international calls.

Customer Care Executive: Will you be able to hold the line while I check this for you?

1. Which stage is this telephone call in?

Discussion Point

Why is Call Processing important?

Caselet
Anand wanted to purchase a fax machine. He called up a well-known supplier of office
equipments. The person who picked up the phone asked him to wait till he transferred
him to the concerned person. He waited for two minutes before a voice came on the
other end. He again had to repeat his requirement. The person told him that this is the
computer department and that he will get him transferred to the concerned department.

This time he again waited for three minutes, only to have the first person telling him that
the person who takes orders for fax machines is out and can be contacted tomorrow.
Anand was so offended by this treatment that he decided to buy a fax machine today
itself and FROM ANOTHER SUPPLIER.

What can you identify as the cause of Anands decision?

Role play

Customer

You have been facing a problem with your bill for the last three months. Every month you
have to call to get your bill and the call center executive tells you that your bill has been
sent. Last month also you accessed your e-bill and made the payment. This is the fourth
time and you feel that no action has been taken to resolve your problem. You call the
customer care again but this time you will only speak to the supervisor.

Customer Care Executive

You have received a call from the customer. Handle the call.

Observers

Discussion Point

1. What is the next step?

2. What is the objective of this step?

Discussion Point

The solution to the problem has been reached. Is there anything more left to be done?

Discussion Point

After viewing the video answer the following questions.

1. How crucial is it to satisfy customers?

2. How can customers be satisfied?
 Discussion Point

1. What are the various stages in a call?

3. What was the objective of understanding these stages?

Role plays

Customer Care Executive: You are a customer care executive working with Airtel. You
receive the following calls during the day. Respond to the customer queries.

Role Play 1
You are Puja. You received your bill this month and saw that you have been charged as
per the wrong bill plan. You call up Airtel Customer Care to get the error corrected and
also to request for the correct bill.

Role Play 2
You are a busy executive of a multinational company. When you received your bill you
saw that you have been charged for GPRS rental but you had never applied for the
service. Instead you had requested for MMS activation, which you have not even used in
the past month. You are a bit angry as this is causing unnecessary obligation on you to
get it corrected. You call up Airtel Customer Care.

Role Play 3
You are Savita. You have recently shifted your home to another locality. You are an Airtel
postpaid customer. You call up Airtel Customer Care to request them to change your
billing address.

Role Play 4
You are Seema. You have recently purchased a GPRS phone and want to get the
service activated. You call up Airtel Customer Care.
Stress Management
Discussion Point

Why didnt all the balloons burst?

Discussion Point

1. What will be the sources of stress for you?

2. Why do you need to manage stress?

 Role plays
Customer Care Executive: You are a Customer Care Executive working with Airtel. You
receive the following calls during the day. Respond to the customer queries.

Role Play 1
You are an Airtel postpaid customer. You have taken your connection a few months
back. Your phone is working fine but the Caller ID (CLIP) is not being displayed when
you receive calls. You have enrolled for this service while taking the connection. You
have also paid the monthly charge for this as well. Earlier you had called up Airtel
Customer Care Center and told them about this problem. However, no action was taken.
Today you are calling up once again. Tell them that you are thinking of taking another
(competitors) connection if Airtel does not rectify the error. You are very annoyed about
the carelessness of the company.

Role Play 2
You are an Airtel customer who had a prepaid connection earlier. You have just changed
to a postpaid connection. You were promised that your new connection will get activated
in two hours, but even after 24 hours, the connection is yet to be activated. You are
angry with this. You call Airtel Customer Care Center and express your annoyance.

Role Play 3
You are an Airtel postpaid customer, and you travel a lot. While traveling, you are able to
be in touch with your friends through SMS. However, you also want to keep in touch with
the friends who do not own a mobile phone, but use e-mail and Messenger. You want to
find out if Airtel can help you keep in touch with all your friends, including the ones who
do not own a mobile phone. You call up Airtel Customer Care Center.

Role Play 4
You have a lot of friends and all of you communicate with each other through SMS. More
often than not you find yourself sending the same message to a lot of people, especially
when you want to convey a plan to meet or a sudden change of plan. You find it very
inconvenient to keep sending the same message to many people. You feel it is
painstaking and also wastes time. You call up Airtel Customer Care Center to tell them
about your problem.

Role Play 5
You are an Airtel customer and hold a bank account with ICICI Bank. You are very busy
and hardly get the time to go to the bank to carry out transactions with the bank. You
have heard something about mobile banking but you do not know anything about it. You
decide to call up Airtel Customer Care Center and find out.

Role Play 6
You are an Airtel customer. You want to activate Airtel Live on your cell phone. You call
up Airtel Customer Care.
Role Play 7
You have an Airtel post paid connection. In the past few months you have had a lot of
problems related to your bill. You are not very happy with the service provided by the
company. You have considered switching but decided not to as you are happy with the
performance of the network. You have now decided to switch to a pre paid connection so
that at least you are free from the hassle of bills. You call up Airtel Customer Care.

Role Play 8
You are an Airtel post paid customer. You had activated your roaming service last month
when you went to South Africa for a business trip. You used it primarily to receive
emergency calls from your family, which was only twice. However when you received
your bill, you discovered that multiple international calls have been charged to your
account. You call up Airtel Customer Care.

Role Play 9
You are an Airtel post paid customer. You had activated your roaming service last month
when you went to South Africa for a business trip. You used it primarily to receive
emergency calls from your family, which was only twice. However when you received
your bill, you discovered that multiple international calls have been charged to your
account. You called up Airtel Customer Care and were told that your problem will be
rectified and a new bill will be sent to you. However you only received an unpleasant call
from a collection agency on behalf of Airtel that your connection will be withdrawn if you
dont pay immediately. You were surprised at this call. The next day your connection was
cut. You are enraged and call up Airtel Customer Care to express your anger.

Role Play 10
You are an Airtel post paid customer. Last month you had placed a request for a change
in your bill plan and you were told that it would be done with effect from the requested
date. However your bill for this month reflects your previous bill plan. You are annoyed,
as your bill plan has not been changed. You call up Airtel Customer Care.

Role Play 11
You are an Airtel post paid customer. You recently put a request for change in your billing
address. You were told that it would be done. You did not receive your next month bill at
the new address. You enquired at your earlier address and got the bill. However, the
delay led to an imposition of a late payment fee. You are not ready to pay the late fee
and call up Airtel Customer Care.

Role Play 12
You are an Airtel post paid customer. You recently put a request for change in your billing
address. You were told that it would be done. You did not receive your next month bill at
the new address. You enquired at your earlier address and got the bill. However, the
delay led to an imposition of a late payment fee. You are not ready to pay the late fee
and call up Airtel Customer Care.

Role Play 13
You are an Airtel customer. As soon as you reach your workplace the cell phone network
goes off and you are unable to make or receive calls. You have repeatedly called
Customer Care to get your problem resolved but havent met with any luck so far. You
have decided to leave the network as it is of no use to you. You make your final call to
the Customer Care.

Role Play 14
You are an Airtel Post paid customer. You are currently facing a financial crunch and
want to cut down your cell phone bill. It is mid-month and you are worried about your bill.
You call up Airtel Customer Care to know the amount already spent for this month.