Customer Service Skills for Technical Professionals

 

Defining Excellent Technical Support

 

The first step to excellent technical support and successful interaction with other groups within your organization is to understand exactly what "service" is. The use of service skills must start inter­nally and then, of course, extend to the customer. Customers some­times develop a negative percep­tion regarding the service provided if internal groups do not support each other.

 

·        The 4 Keys To Excellent Support

·        How Positive Support Atti­tudes Are Developed And Maintained

·        10 Support Skills That Gener­ate The Customer's Trust And Respect

·        6 Steps To Build Communi­cation Skills That Work

·        A Professional Image Pays Off

 

Tenacious Technical Support

 

Technical support environments deal with technical problems 99% of the time which is why they dif­fer from other customer service centers. This is also why it is extremely important that problems are documented and managed in a clear and organized manner. This process has been identified as Problem Management.  The reward that is achieved is that we become pro-active.

 

·        The 4 Cornerstones Of Support

·        The Structured Flow Of Technical Support

·        The 8 Steps Of Every Problem

·        Sharing Problem "Ownership"

·        Customer Follow‑Up

 

The Constructive Communicator

 

In telephone and face‑to‑face sup­port, strong communication skills will quickly determine your cus­tomer's real problem and convey understandable solutions to them. How to ask the right questions so you can quickly resolve the prob­lem is crucial. Using feedback to clarify what you've heard and to avoid being misconstrued is also important. When and how to lis­ten actively is another key ele­ment in becoming a more effective communicator!

 

·        Take Control Without Offending

·        Active Listening

·        The Right Questions Deliver The Right Answers

·        Project A Professional Tele­phone Personality

·        The Rewards Of Uniform Telephone Greetings

·        13 Tips For Efficient And Effective Call Handling

·        Constructive Conversations With Difficult Customers

 

The Secrets Of Successful Problem Solving

 

There are proven steps you can take to improve your skills as a problem solver. For example, what questions should be asked; what facts should be analyzed, how do we determine and verify likely causes? Another skill, which ensures customer satisfac­tion, is to know when it is best to seek assistance and/or escalate the problem.

 

·        Understanding The Needs Of The Caller

·        Isolating The 'Real Problem'

·        Categorizing Customer Calls

·        Problem Analysis

·        When To Let Go

 

 

Create A Support Family

 

An important element of excellent service and support is learning from the experiences of your peers and sharing your knowl­edge; in other words, working as a team. It helps to increase the skill level of both yourself and your fellow co‑workers, which will greatly improve the overall performance of the service that is provided. Help your peers while boosting the morale of the entire department.

 

·        The 7 Keys To A Successful Support Team

·        A Skills Matrix For Support Professionals

·        Training Programs For Tech­nical Support Professionals

·        Techniques And Methods To Train The Customer

·        Alternative Training Methods For Technical Support Professionals

 

 

 

Managing Stress In The Support Profession          

 

Although you can minimize stress by handling its cause with strong customer support skills, it will inevitably occur. The key is not to let it get the best of you. There are proven techniques that are easy to use and immediately ef­fective for managing stress. When applied, they will help channel stress and lessen the po­tential of "burn‑out."

 

·        Learn To Relax

·        50 Quick, Effective Stress Relievers

 

 

 

 

 

 

Managing Time In The Support Profession

 

Surprisingly, honesty is one of the largest contributing factors in stress.  Agreeing to do sends the message of losing control if the true response should have been no.  To gain control of time and thus control stress, communicate true feelings. 

 

·        “No” Can Be Positive

·        4 Power Phrases To Put You Back In Control

·        Time Management Tech­niques For Technical Support Professionals

 

 

 

Taking Action

 

This workbook was created to use as a reference guide now and in the future. The skill development guides, checklists, and documents included in this workbook are de­signed with the technical support professional in mind. Affirma­tions have also been included to help maintain professional equa­nimity and continued success.

 

·        Develop An Action Plan

·        Food For Thought

 

 

 

 

Bonus Pak

 

·        Glossary Of Terms And Acronyms

 

·        Books And Other Things