The role of technology in closing the global service gap

Technology is affecting positive global customer service and some ways in which service providers are using a variety of technology formats to meet the needs of their customers. Below are some key concepts that you can explore:

• Billions of dollars are being spent worldwide to create systems through which customers can access products and services to satisfy their ever-changing needs and whims.
• The wonderful thing about technology is that through the use of such innovations, even small organisations can create an image equal to that of their larger counterparts, since someone visiting their Webiste or contacting them would have no idea how many employees or assets they have.
• With the fast pace of today's world, customers have come to expect that an organisation will invest in service-based technology initiatives, customers and service providers benefit from such applications.
• Convenience, cost-savings, efficiency and enhanced information flow are some of the benefits of information technology use when delivering service.
• Integration of technology components and training of employees on effective usage and etiquette are key elements of successful organisational marketing and service strategy.
• Like computer, cell phones, and other technology, service systems re evolving at an extremely rapid pace. Tasks previously handled by people are now often completely automated. The key to implementing a service technology strategy is to recognise the extent to which it should be used.
• Just as with any other area of human interaction, in dealing with your customers, there are some basic rules of etiquette that you should consider when communicating through technology. If you fail to adhere to some fairly standard practices, you risk a breakdown in the service-provider relationship.

Addressing service breakdowns

As part of a successful business venture is the ability to predict, plan for, and deal with unforeseen breakdowns in service. Below are some strategies for potentially preventing and dealing with service breakdowns:

• Because humans are complex and bring a variety of backgrounds to a customer-provider encounter, even though a product or service delivered may function exactly as it was designed, it may be perceived as defective if the customer expected it to perform in another manner. This can lead to service breakdowns.
• There are so many potential reasons that something can go wrong when you are interacting with a customer or potential customer. By considering each when you deal with a customer, you can potentially avoid situations in which your customer, you can potentially avoid situations in which your customers become angry, complain to management, defect to a competitor, or take some other negative action.
• To help reduce emotion when dealing with a stressful customer situation, "sandwich" the emotional issue between 2 customer-focused messages.
• Service recovery efforts are made to salvage the customer-provider relationship and help ensure future customer loyalty when something goes wrong in the service process.
• Using the six-step problem solving model is one strategy for figuring out what customers need and what to do when they do not receive what they expected.

Improving Interpersonal Communication Skills

Ways to improve communication and relationships with your customers. Below are some key concepts:

• It's almost a certainty that on any given day you will interact with a customer who speaks another native language.
• People from other parts of the world, or who are different from you, will have a communications style and preferences that differ from yours.
• Effective communication skills can lead to more positive customer-provider relationships and stronger interactions in your personal life.
• Service breakdowns cost your organisation money and should be avoided whenever possible. Take proactive steps to correct any situation immediately.
• You can help ensure service success when interacting with all customers by simply focusing on their needs, wants, and expectations and delivering the same quality of positive global customer service. 
• Generalisations are often made about others as a result of perceptions that you might have.
• Stereotypes are typically based on partial truths, misinformation, and assumptions about another group. There is no place in today's business environment for stereotyping.
• No mater what your personal beliefs or feelings are about a particular person or group, you have a responsibility as an organisational representative to focus on customers in a manner that sends a positive message about your employer. 

Creating a Professional Service Image

What it takes to create a positive professional image and the various aspects that can influence your customer's perceptions of you and your organisation. Below are some concepts:

• Factors like tone of voice, responsiveness, knowledge, ability to help resolve an issue, and manners can often impact the outcome of a customer interaction.
• First impression are crucial and often lasting.
• From the time you first come into contact with a customer until the time a transaction ends, you are sending messages about yourself and your organisation.
• Your degree of professionalism and enthusiasm when you greet customers can leave the feeling excited about working with you and your organisation.
• In a multicultural world, you also have to remember that people from many cultures have specific expectations related to employee appearance.
• The manner in which you present yourself through grooming and hygiene and your manner of dress send a powerful message of either indifference or professionalism.
• In many instances tattoos and piercings not only raise some eyebrows but also can cause a negative customer reaction based on stereotypes of people who have such things.
• If your organisation has gone to causal or dress-down days, remember that the word casual should not be interpreted as sloppy.
• Unlike many other nonverbal cues used around the world, the smile I one of those, with a few exceptions, that can universally signal friendliness or friendship and acceptance.
• Simple eye contact can alert customers to the fact that you see them and are ready to respond to their needs, answer questions, or assist them if needed.
• Simply by using your customer's name, you may put your relationship with the customer on a positive track.
• When working with customers, your goal should be to build rapport and trust and create a situation in which you are both on the same wavelength.
• One strategy that you can use to develop rapport with customers is to apply concepts from the field of neurolinguistic programming.
• Gestures can send powerful positive or negative messages.
• Matching a customer's rate of speech is crucial to understanding.
• Basic expressions of good manners such as "please" and "thank you" are simple tools for demonstrating that you value and respect your customers.
• Demonstrate patience by listening to what your customers have to say to the point where you understand the issue and can assist them effectively.
• Your central focus should be on creating a positive environment in which customers have to say to the point where you understand the issue and can assist them effectively.
• Your central focus should be on creating a positive environment in which customers can satisfy their needs and experience positive global service.
• Credibility and believability are crucial aspects of the quality service equation.
• You do not have to be a supervisor or manager to assume responsibility for helping a customer of handling a situation.
• When customers perceive unethical behaviour, there is a good probability that they will not remain loyal to your organisation if something goes wrong.
• In today's global business world, people expect that you will provide products or services in a timely manner and better than your competition.

Delivering positive global service in a diverse world

Doing business in a global world in which you might encounter people who are different from and yet similar to you. You can also explore some of the possibilities fro providing positive global customer service to those customers, includes the following below:

• Diversity is not just cultural; encompasses human characteristics that are different from one's own but that occur within other culture and diverse groups.
• In our highly mobile, technologically connected world, it is not unusual for many service providers to encounter within the course of a day a wide variety of people with differing backgrounds.
• You must know and comply with various laws related to dealing with people, both internal and external, in variety of protected diversity categories. If your employer does not provide training on these laws, ask your supervisor about them and do research on your own to ensure compliance and equitable treatment of others.
• Positive global customer service involves being willing to do the extra little things that project a customer-centric attitude.
• As a service provider, you are the face of your organisation. What you do or say from the time you greet the customer until the transaction ends will cement an image in the customer's mind.
• Trust typically equates to customer loyalty - vital element of a positive global service environment because without it, you have no customer - provider relationship.
• It is crucial that you under promise and over deliver so that customers are pleasantly and consistently surprise with the level and quality of products and services they receive.
• For people from many countries, building a strong interpersonal relationship is extremely important and in many instances must be accomplished before business is conducted.
• Values are the "rules" that people use to evaluate issues or situations, make decisions, interact with others, and deal with a variety of situations.
• Although many cultures have similar values and beliefs, specific cultural values are often taught to members of particular groups starting at a very young age.
• The key to positive global service success is to be open-minded and accept that someone else has a different belief system from yours that determines his or her needs.
• Often, a sense of modesty is instilled in people at an early age, and a customer can display modesty in many ways.
• You do not have to agree with beliefs and practices related to gender roles, but you will need to take them into consideration when interacting with customers from countries in which these practices are common.
• Strive to recognise your own biases toward other people and groups and keep your personal preconceptions in check. This can help reduce the potential for disagreement.
• Often, expectations of privacy will vary from one country or region to another.