Customer Service Strategies for Animal Welfare Agencies

Transcription

1 Customer Service Strategies for Animal Welfare Agencies Prepared by Cathy M. Rosenthal, Animal Welfare Consultant Specializing in Public Relations, Marketing, Education and Customer Service Skills for Animal Welfare People The shared customer service experience g Failing to greet them Making them feel uncomfortable Lack of eye-contact Being too busy to help or checking s/cell phones Gossiping about customers Body language Keeping them on hold Judging them October 10-13,

2 Word travels fast. I thought long and hard before doing this post, but feel its necessary. 46 responses Dec. 13 Dec. 19 On November 9 th, the owner of The dddddd Original Italian Cafe's throughout downtown adopted a little dog, Alley, who had a huge scar on her back. She was 14 weeks old. He had someone drop her off for us to watch, while he finished work on his house. We remained in contact for three weeks - keep being told the construction was still going on and he would pick her up by November 30th. Then he stopped answering the phone. Would not respond to texts and the one time we called to the restaurant, we were told never call again. As someone who cares about animals and the perception of people with money care for their pets, we had to return her to the rescue group she was a adopted from. We are writing off a bill for more than $1,000. If I ordered food in that amount from his restaurant, and not paid for it, he would be after me. I'm compelled to tell my animal rescue friends to not support his business - to embarrass him for what he's done and to say that Alley deserves a much better life than he was ever committed to giving her. October 10-13,

3 Did you know? Of the customers that you lose, 69% don t return because of bad service. That s a lot of turned away adopters and donors. 86% of the message your customers receive on the telephone is through tone of voice. Your tone of voice and call management skills will make a lasting positive impression. More than 80% of people expect to get a return from their within one day of writing. Develop bullet points for most commonly asked questions and ensure someone is assigned to answer these s every day. Customer service more powerful than marketing and media DONATION S STAFF MORAL ADOPTIONS VOLUNTEERISM FOSTER CARE October 10-13,

4 Why you get upset People get rid of pets. People lie about why getting rid of pet. People dump pets. People allow pets to reproduce. People would rather euthanize than medically treat. Most people are not good enough adopters. Do you see what I see? October 10-13,

5 October 10-13,

6 October 10-13,

7 Perception stories A true story One day, a Hispanic woman in her 80 s walks into the shelter. She is hunched over and walks with a cane. She says she found a pit bull in her neighborhood and has been taking care of the dog for a week while she looked for the owner. She never found the owner and says she has two other dogs and can no longer care for this lost dog. The staff at the shelter go out to the car to see the dog. She has a chain around the dog s neck. There appears to be no collar or tag. He is very large and barking. They tell her that they have no room to accept the dog and turn her away. The woman sits in her car and cries. What do you think the staff is thinking? Why is the woman crying? What could they have done to better help her? October 10-13,

8 More of the story Because she continues to cry and won t leave, the staff gets the E.D. What does the E.D. ask? The E.D. asks the staff if they checked the dog for microchip, which is standard procedure at the shelter for all incoming pets, even for pets they can t take in. The staff replies No. She asks the staff to bring a scanner to the car to scan the dog for a microchip. Does the dog have a microchip? YES! Turns out the dog was adopted by that very shelter to a neighbor a few blocks from her house. The agency accepts all tagged and microchipped pets regardless of space because now there is a chance to track down the owner. They take the dog in. Does the staff want to return the dog to the original owner? Why? What should happen? One more true story The executive director took a 12-year-old blind dog as a featured pet on a popular radio show and told his story. The dog had been relinquished by its only owner and needed a good home. The dog was blind and diabetic and would need someone special to love him. The ED knew it wasn t going to be easy to find a home for this dog. When she got back to the shelter, a nice middle-aged woman was waiting at the shelter to adopt this dog. She looked and appeared perfect. But after interviewing her, the staff said she would not be a good adopter and wanted to refuse the adoption. She had told the staff that she didn t want the dog on the furniture. Normally, that would have been the end of the story. But since the dog had been on radio, the staff felt they needed to tell the executive director. What did the ED want the staff to ask her? If the dog will not be on your furniture, where will the dog be? October 10-13,

9 Why don t we ask questions? Appear weak Too busy Don t care Already decided Describe your agency mission. Describe your job. October 10-13,

10 To save lives and find homes for pets by Showcasing adoptable pets Telling their/your story Helping potential adopters Educating people on pet care Coordinating volunteers Cleaning kennels Feeding animals Finding donors Telling good stories to the media 3 Types of Customer Service Exceptional Good Poor/Indifferent October 10-13,

11 Does not acknowledge people Does not make eye contact Uses a tone Judges people Shows frustration through body language Poor/Indifferent More interested in personal matters Poor/Indifferent More interested in talking to staff Talking to staff loud enough that visitors can hear conversations Walks past visitors and doesn t make eye contact October 10-13,

12 Good Customer Service Meets expectations Takes care of problems with they arise Makes people feel welcome Can you take it to the next level? The people who were the winners were really passionate about what they did. For example, I called about one dog, and the people said, Well, he s not here, but we have another dog the same size, and they were really excited to keep me talking and keep me on the phone. It was the same with the s. I got a few that said, Well, that cat s been adopted, but the best thing to do is to set up an appointment and get you in here, and here s some literature [about adoption]. Lisa Robinson, Petfinder Foundation October 10-13,

13 Exceptional Customer Service Meets and exceeds expectations Takes care of problems before they arise Follows up Makes people feel like friends Good vs. Excellent Shuttle driver at airport gets your bags Taxi cab driver gets out and opens your door Dry cleaner replaces a button on your shirt Hotel calls up to your room 15 minutes after you check in to see if room is okay October 10-13,

14 What corporate America does Walmart greeters Target policy Ability to make small decisions Name tags/shirts Register line monitors at HEB Volunteers at the entrance to your shelter or working in various buildings How do you rank? Customer Service Quiz October 10-13,

15 QUIZ 1. When someone walks into your shelter, they should be greeted within: By :15 seconds By: 20 seconds. By: 60 seconds. They are not greeted at all. Signs show them the way. 2. Which of the following is most likely to help in calming an angry customer when face to face? Crossing your arms Rapid nodding of the head Smiling a lot Slow, deliberate nodding of the head 3. Which of the following contributes the least to the image you project? Body language Choice of words Your job title Tone of voice QUIZ 4. When it comes to customer service, the shelter staff should: Ignores the customer, letting them walk through the shelter Talks to the customer, only when they ask a question Talks to the customer, but don t appreciate the interruption Greet people, start conversations, and see if there is anything they can do to help 5. Which of the following statements most closely reflects good customer service? I need to change my personality to match that of the customer The customer has a perfect right to be rude, if necessary I can listen and try to be helpful to everyone that enters the shelter If people don t like how we do things, they should leave 6. Treat others as you d like to be treated is a good guiding principle behind offering outstanding service or sales through service. True or False True. October 10-13,

16 QUIZ 7. In responding to a frustrated customer, it s a good idea to tell them to calm them down. True or False. 8. Most upset people will calm down if you offer a sincere apology. True or False. 9. Little things, such as greeting staff and visitors, taking pride in Your work, smiling, and being alert and aware, can improve you overall customer service. True or False. False. True. True. 10. The most credible advertising is a satisfied customer. True or False. True. How does your agency rank? 8 to 10 Like many of the dogs in your shelter, you re jumping up to greet potential adopters and making them feel special. You deserve lots of doggie kisses. 5 to 7 Your tails wag when you see potential adopters, but you all often stay in a sit position. With a little training, you can learn to initiate conversations and make people feel more welcome. 3 to 5 You keep your head down and your tail tucked between your legs. Visitors don t feel comfortable at your agency. It s time everyone begins learning how to treat people more like friends. 0 to 2 You re sleeping in a corner, showing no interest in the people that visit your agency or the people that work there. Time to wake up and learn all about delivering better customer service! October 10-13,

17 What everyone expects from you To greet quickly. To greet them in a friendly way. To appear eager to help. To say thanks for coming by and/or adopting. To smile and make eye contact. 5 skills every staff person needs Empathy and Patience Social Skills Organizational Skills Communication skills Sincerity October 10-13,

18 Organizational Skills Social Skills What holds us back? October 10-13,

19 Customer Service: Understanding Those Two-Legged Animals #1 Fear of being judged Fear of being embarrassed (or the curse of feeling self-conscious) #2 We re taught never to talk to strangers Scarlett O Hara complex Re-define friend October 10-13,

20 We believe good things come to those who wait. Good things don t come to those who wait. Good things come to those who initiate. What does initiation look like? Move from guest to host behavior. October 10-13,

21 What would you do? Someone walks in the door 3 people are standing in line and you are on the phone You pass by someone wandering through shelter casually looking at animals Someone looks lost (what does lost look like?) Someone stops to look at a dog or cat for a few minutes, walks away, comes back Someone asks about the adoption process while in the kennel Consider open adoptions A philosophy that advocates the purpose of adoption counseling is to help people succeed in adopting. October 10-13,

22 What is an open adoption? No perfect adopter Chance to educate Chance to listen Finding good intentions Expand possibilities Why practice open adoptions? Graphic Source: PetSmart Charities : Removing Barriers to Adoptions (IPSOS Survey) October 10-13,

23 Where people get their pets? Cats Stray 30% Family member 25% Shelter 24% Dogs Family member 25% Shelter 24% Breeder 12% Graphic Source: PetSmart Charities : Removing Barriers to Adoptions (IPSOS Survey) Qualities of a good pet owner October 10-13,

24 Sit down if you have ever Missed giving heartworm medication at the beginning of the month Bought a dog rather than adopted Had pets that were tagged, but not microchipped Had pets that were microchipped, but not tagged Moved and not updated tags/microchip for at least a month Gone more than two weeks over on pet s vaccination dates Has had an animal bolt out the door or yard Has not gotten all family pets sterilized by six months Has yelled at their pet for doing something wrong Has rented a home with pets Has rented a home with pets and not told the landlord Has had pets and children under the age of 5 Has lost a pet to an accident Has had an outdoor cat or an indoor/outdoor cat Has left their dog home alone for more than 8 hours Works more than 40 hours a week Has given your pets human food Reality Check Not everyone has knowledge of animal welfare/care Missed vet appts, giving heartworm meds, etc. Lost or injured pets Economic euthanasia No collars or tags October 10-13,

25 Common reasons for denials Rent versus own Children Veterinary checks Inside/outside animals Home checks Previous return of an animal Gut reaction Avoid Samples close-ended of close-ended questions questions Do you own or rent your home? Do you have a fenced yard? How many hours are you away from home? Have you ever lost a pet due to an accident? Are you planning on having children? October 10-13,

26 Ask open-ended questions What does your daily routine look like? What arrangements will you make for your puppy while you are at work? Have you ever used a pet sitter? What kinds of characteristics do you want in a pet? My Rocky adoption story October 10-13,

27 Creating a caring environment Look for reasons to adopt Provide resources (articles) Ask non-judgmental, open-ended questions Conversational tone, friendly Show respect Build relationships Benefits of open adoptions Increased adoption numbers Decreased length of stay Gain widespread public support for mission Turn adopters into donors Retain long-term relationships with adopters October 10-13,

28 Body language and the power of words or First Impressions People size people up within 10 seconds to 2 minutes Appearance Ability to speak Overall demeanor All encounters are now filtered through this lens October 10-13,

29 Where do customers make their first impressions? A flier Mission statement Newspaper ad Volunteer/staff encounter An Voice mail system A media interview Your appearance Your attitude The cleanliness of the organization or outreach EVERYWHERE October 10-13,

30 Body language Body language, words, tone of voice Columbia study Mirroring behavior 100% 75% 50% 25% 0% The Impact Words 7% Tone 38% Body Language 55% Based on UCLA study How your message is conveyed Facial Expressions Social Distance Hand movements Appearance Nonverbal Communication Head movements Physical Contact Voice, Tone, Volume Body Posture October 10-13,

31 BMT What we think does show in our faces Turning Bad Mind Talk around This person is an idiot. I wouldn t adopt a pet to them. This person needs more information on pets before adopting. Based on that one answer, this person would not be a good adopter. I need to ask several questions before making a final decision on an adoption. October 10-13,

32 Put on a happy face Tone and inflection Volume Breathing Pacing/matching rate of speech Tone Tone is defensive What would you like me to do about it? What would you like me to do about it? Tone is apathetic What would you like me to do about it? How can I help you? October 10-13,

33 Words still matter I don t know say I ll find out That s not my job say Let me get the right person to help you You re right this stinks say I understand your frustration We can t do that say Let me explain how that process works Words still matter You need to talk to my manager say Let me get a supervisor to help you. Please calm down say Let me see what I can do to help. I am busy right now say I will be with you in a moment. Can you call back in 10 minutes?...say May I call you back in a few minutes? October 10-13,

34 The art of listening out loud Ignoring distractions Stillness Leaning forward Tilted head Gaze Furrowed brow Open body Slow nodding Interest noises Reflecting How do you build rapport? 1. Casual conversation 2. Body language connections 3. Assume you already have it. Use body language, your voice tone, pace, and volume, and active listening skills during an interview to communicate your interest in the conversation. October 10-13,

35 Have a conversation about adopting a pet Getting to yes: Using agreement frames Agree with one thing they say to get them to listen and then make the factual statement to build potential agreement. As you know, we want to make the best adoption possible for this dog/cat and ensure you have the right pet for your home. This is a great dog/cat Now get to the problem/potential denial. Did you know that this dog likes to dig out under fences? Would that be a problem in your yard? Do you know how to reinforce the yard to keep your pet from getting out? This particular dog has some special issues/needs that I want to review with you to see if you have the resources to handle him or provide for his care. October 10-13,

36 Questions Sometimes the right question provides the right answer. You have really been busy trying to find the right pet. Did you find lots of great dogs/cats today? You have been busy trying to find the right pet. Maybe I can help. I know the personalities of a lot of the animals here. What kind of dog/ cat were you looking for? I see you picked a very different dog/cat from the one you were looking for? What made you choose this particular dog/cat? What you can do when you can t say YES Getting agreement Nodding behavior Choice of words Respect and tone Body language October 10-13,

37 How to Answer the Phone Smile Speak clearly / moderately Raise your energy (DJ vs. monotone) Answer by the third ring Keep customer informed if on hold Let me connect you with Get back to customer every seconds Always ask if you can put them on hold Customer service online Facebook and twitter Google alerts Responding to s October 10-13,

38 Handling difficult/angry people Don t say, calm down. Give them the space to vent, so long as Buddy system Don t take it personally. No BMT Listening behaviors The one who won t give up How we respond to difficult/angry people Teeth/jaw clinching Lips tightening Shoulders rising Angry Short and curt Throwing hands up Raising your voice Are you aware of the body language of co-workers? October 10-13,

39 5 steps to better customer service Listen Use body language to connect Offer a solution; ask for solution if needed Provide options for the solving the problem October 10-13,

40 Class is the ability to make people of all walks of life feel comfortable. columnist -- Dear Abby, advice October 10-13,

41 What s the difference between you and another agency s mission? YOU! YOU create value by: Being friendly Being a resource Anticipating and delivering services Keeping in touch Describe your job again. October 10-13,

42 A Little Story This is a story about four people named, respectively, Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to be done, and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done. Questions Cathy M. Rosenthal cathy@writingforacause.com October 10-13,