YesNo1) During the last six months, have you ever assumed there is nothing you could do, in your job, to impact customer relations?
" str1A="There are few jobs in an organization that do not allow the job holder to impact customer relations, internal or external. But if you said yes, it's understandable. While little extra effort toward customers demonstrates you care about your relationship with the customer and are insightful about her needs, it's easy to be distracted by day-to-day activities.
If you answered no, you deserve to be congratulated. Despite the many requirements of your job, you still manage to show your customer that her business is more than just one transaction among many.
" str1D="There are few jobs in an organization that do not allow the job holder to impact customer relations, internal or external. But if you said yes, it's understandable. While little extra effort toward customers demonstrates you care about your relationship with the customer and are insightful about her needs, it's easy to be distracted by day-to-day activities.
If you answered no, you deserve to be congratulated. Despite the many requirements of your job, you still manage to show your customer that her business is more than just one transaction among many. " str2="
2) During the last six months, have you ever promised something you didn't deliver?
" str2A="The correct answer is no. True, it's easy to let promises slip sometimes especially when you offer something on the spur of the moment-something perhaps the customer didn't even ask for. But, as you know, these extras demonstrate that you are insightful about your customer's needs. If you offer, make a note as soon after as possible so your offer doesn't get forgotten." str2D="
The correct answer is no. True, it's easy to let promises slip sometimes especially when you offer something on the spur of the moment-something perhaps the customer didn't even ask for. But, as you know, these extras demonstrate that you are insightful about your customer's needs. If you offer, make a note as soon after as possible so your offer doesn't get forgotten. " str3="
3) During the last six months, have you ever talked more than you listened during a discussion with a customer?
" str3A="Since the more time we spend talking, the less time we have to learn, the right answer is no. When we are quiet as a customer shares his complaint with us, we will not only discover the specifics of the customer's immediate problem but gain information about his broader needs, thereby helping us convert this single piece of business into a long-term relationship." str3D="
Since the more time we spend talking, the less time we have to learn, the right answer is no. When we are quiet as a customer shares his complaint with us, we will not only discover the specifics of the customer's immediate problem but gain information about his broader needs, thereby helping us convert this single piece of business into a long-term relationship." str4="
4) During the last six months, have you ever failed to solve a customer problem the first time it was brought to your attention?
" str4A="No is the correct answer. Well, nobody solves every problem on the first try. But the key words here were the first time it was brought to your attention. No customer should have to tell you twice that something is wrong. After all, problems are great opportunities for developing relationships with customers. In fact, studies show that solving a customer problem gives you a higher satisfaction rating than selling that customer something that never causes a moment of trouble." str4D="
No is the correct answer. Well, nobody solves every problem on the first try. But the key words here were the first time it was brought to your attention. No customer should have to tell you twice that something is wrong. After all, problems are great opportunities for developing relationships with customers. In fact, studies show that solving a customer problem gives you a higher satisfaction rating than selling that customer something that never causes a moment of trouble." str5="
5) During the last six months, have you ever failed to empower your employees to solve a customer problem?
" str5A="You shouldn't have to step in to address customer problems. You won't have to do so if you give your employees the authority to solve problems. Either give your customer contact people more authority or replace them with people who already have it. " str5D="
You shouldn't have to step in to address customer problems. You won't have to do so if you give your employees the authority to solve problems. Either give your customer contact people more authority or replace them with people who already have it. " str6="
6) During the last six months, have you ever blamed another department or co-worker (justifiably or not) for a problem brought to your attention by a customer?
" str6A="Since you can undermine customers' confidence in your entire organization when you pass the buck to others in your company, the correct answer is no. Do yourself, your company, and your customer a favor by becoming the champion for solving customer problems-wherever they occur. " str6D="
Since you can undermine customers' confidence in your entire organization when you pass the buck to others in your company, the correct answer is no. Do yourself, your company, and your customer a favor by becoming the champion for solving customer problems-wherever they occur. " str7="
7) During the last six months, have you ever acted on your best guess about what a customer wanted?
" str7A="If you have no information, then you may have to guess. But you shouldn't have to guess. So no is the correct answer.
Part of building a good relationship with a client is opening up communication channels so that if you need more information about the client's needs, you have direct access to the answers.
" str7D="If you have no information, then you may have to guess. But you shouldn't have to guess. So no is the correct answer.
Part of building a good relationship with a client is opening up communication channels so that if you need more information about the client's needs, you have direct access to the answers.
" str8="8) During the last six months, have you ever failed to follow up on the delivery of a product or service to ensure that the customer got it, understood how to use it, and was able to get the maximum benefit from it.
" str8A="If you said yes, you have violated the first rule of customer relationship. Delivery is just the first step in building a customer relationship. All the work comes afterward. If you want to celebrate anniversaries with a customer, remember three key things: follow up, follow up, follow up.
The answer you should strive for is no. " str8D="
If you said yes, you have violated the first rule of customer relationship. Delivery is just the first step in building a customer relationship. All the work comes afterward. If you want to celebrate anniversaries with a customer, remember three key things: follow up, follow up, follow up.
The answer you should strive for is no. " str9 ="
9) During the last six months, have you ever refused a reasonable-sounding customer request due to a company policy?
" str9A="If you said no, you are fortunate. Some companies have rigid policies that can get into the way of fulfilling customer needs. Apparently, yours isn't one of them.
If you said yes, repeat after me: My mission in life is to get this policy changed. Do your homework to build a case for changing any policy that goes against your customer's legitimate interests.
Of course, if your homework reveals the policy isn't so dumb after all, then it's your job to develop an alternate way to meet the customer's end goals. " str9D="
If you said no, you are fortunate. Some companies have rigid policies that can get into the way of fulfilling customer needs. Apparently, yours isn't one of them.
If you said yes, repeat after me: My mission in life is to get this policy changed. Do your homework to build a case for changing any policy that goes against your customer's legitimate interests.
Of course, if your homework reveals the policy isn't so dumb after all, then it's your job to develop an alternate way to meet the customer's end goals. " str10="
10) During the last six months, have you ever ignored a customer complaint because it was so minor you knew the customer wouldn't pursue it further.
" str10A="If you said yes, you've just created a red hot prospect for your competitors. Maybe the problem is too minor to pursue further, but your customer is going to remember it -- and your lack of response to it -- if your competitor calls tomorrow. There goes that relationship.
You'll probably never know it, but your attention to a customer's minor problem may have been the crucial event that retained that customer's loyalty." str10D="
If you said yes, you've just created a red hot prospect for your competitors. Maybe the problem is too minor to pursue further, but your customer is going to remember it -- and your lack of response to it -- if your competitor calls tomorrow. There goes that relationship.
You'll probably never know it, but your attention to a customer's minor problem may have been the crucial event that retained that customer's loyalty." var anly = new Array(); anly[0]="You need a lot of work on your customer relations skills. You may want to learn more about customer relationships." anly[1]="You need a lot of work on your customer relations skills. You may want to learn more about customer relationships." anly[2]="You need a lot of work on your customer relations skills. You may want to learn more about customer relationships." anly[3]="You need a lot of work on your customer relations skills. You may want to learn more about customer relationships." anly[4]="You need a lot of work on your customer relations skills. You may want to learn more about customer relationships." anly[5]="You're batting about .500 when it comes to avoiding the traps that threaten to cripple customer relations. Unfortunately, that number is better in baseball than it is in customer relations. You may want to learn more about customer relationships." anly[6]="Not bad. You've avoided most of the traps that threaten to cripple customer relations. You may want to learn more about customer relationships." anly[7]="Not bad. You've avoided most of the traps that threaten to cripple customer relations. You may want to learn more about customer relationships." anly[8]="Very good! You've avoided nearly all the traps that threaten to cripple customer relations. You may want to learn more about customer relationships." anly[9]="Very good! You've avoided nearly all the traps that threaten to cripple customer relations. You may want to learn more about customer relationships." anly[10]="Congratulations! Your organization should erect a statue of you for your diligence in avoiding the constant traps that threaten to cripple customer relations. Still, you may want to learn more about customer relationships." var qstn = new Array(); qstn[1] = str1 +"
YesNo
YesNo
YesNo
YesNo
YesNo
YesNo
YesNo
YesNo
YesNo
YesNo
' + anly[myScore] + '
To view resources that will stimulate improvement click here.'; } document.write("
How Close to the Customer Are You?
by Donna Deeprose
Are you doing your part to build good customer relations for your organization? Here's a quick self-assessment that may produce some surprises, or at least some useful reminders. Answer ''Yes'' or ''No'' to each question, then view the result to understand the implications of your response. When you're done completing the test, you'll get an assessment of your appreciation of the customer service role.
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