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.