WALLNEWS ISSI
THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE UP INSTITUTE FOR SMALL-SCALE INDUSTRIES Special Edition ISSUE NO. 25
Moving towards becoming the National Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
President Alfredo E. Pascual University of the Philippines Diliman
Inspirational Message
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resident Alfredo E. Pascual stressed the importance of pursuing academic excellence and operational excellence in our vision of becoming a great university. We need to be excellent in our business, which is service. He mentioned that having excellent faculty and students is not enough, that the administrative staff has an important role in creating an enabling environment. The faculty and students must be able to focus on the tasks that they do through the support of the administrative staff. Operational
linking of the campuses electronically. He shared the relevance of attending training programs, whatever level one is at. There is a need to know the trends because change happens often. We need to know the best practices. Security guards will also be given separate training because it has been said that they lack courtesy. Talking about the term “customer,” President Pascual stated that the number one customer of the University of the Philippines is the students. Faculty members are also customers. It is the responsibility of the University to make sure that
Prof. Nestor O. Rañeses Director University of the Philippines Institute for Small-Scale Industries
adapt. He went on to say that “Excellence is a habit” and that great service comes from having great people. He imparted tidbits such as “There are no problems, only opportunities” and that “Worrying is optional.”
Customer Service Excellence Overview
Providing service is all about total customer experience. It is about being courteous and excellent, giving that “WOW feeling” to the customer so that he or she will come back.
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irector Nestor O. Rañeses shared the 90/10 Principle which tells us that 10% of what happens to us is something that we have no control over. It is outside of our sphere of to deal with what happens to us. It is about how we react. We need to adjust, respond and
those students whom we have accepted will be able to continue their studies. Education in UP
We also have rules on public service as stated and employees.
Going back to customer service excellence, President Pascual gave two important points: 1. We should know the job we are doing 2. Service must be done, not because it is a requirement but because we enjoy doing it
President Pascual ended by asking the participants to share to others, what they will learn from the seminar. He also mentioned that before he leaves his position in 2017, he hopes that there will be change and that everyone will enjoy the work that they do.
Customer Groups: the nation.” We cannot talk about academic excellence without talking about operational excellence. We have roles to play. Service Quality Attributes Mentioned:
» » » » Sometimes, negative perception about certain » aspects, or the expectation, becomes reality. A » practice that greatly affects one’s business is » word of mouth, which can contribute to the loss » or gain of customers. » » Honor and excellence are the ways in which we
Reliability Tangibles Understanding Security Credibility Communication Courtesy Access (approachability) Competence Responsiveness
» » » »
Loyalist and Apostle Defector and Terrorist Mercenary Hostage
Director Rañeses mentioned that every problem has a solution, only if we perhaps change our attitude. It is behavior though, and not attitude, that can be measured. Improving can be done by focusing on what to do and what not to do, creating an environment in which everybody’s ideas are heard and respected and igniting passion to lead us to our goals.
Why Service Excellence? Who are our Customers? How to Deal With Different Types of Customers Ms. Teresa Bagaman Strategy Partner/Executive Globe Telecommunications
forget to understand our customer. It is all about feelings. Everyone’s product is happiness, but to achieve that, one needs excellent processes. Excellence is the means to an end.
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To explain her points further, Ms. Bagaman used Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse as examples. It is Disney’s vision to make people happy and Mickey Mouse is a symbol of childhood, of happy times. She quoted Disney saying, “You can dream, create, design and build the most wonderful place in the world, but it requires people to make the dream a reality…If my employees are not happy, this will never be a
s. Teresa Bagaman said that “For me the most important job is the frontliner job…You can build, create or destroy lives.” She talked about increasing the level of satisfaction and understanding how one can effectively handle different types of customer interactions. The bottomline is that the customer should be
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reality.” In asking the question “Who are your customers?” Ms. Bagaman mentioned that they are the ones who pay for the employees’ salaries. There are internal customers and external customers. We cater to the needs of the internal customers (the ones we work for in the business or the partners) so that we can provide for the needs
customer’s perception that his or her expectations have been met or surpassed.” When it comes
to perception, there is no right or wrong, you cannot question it and tell the customer that he is wrong. And because there are different perceptions, there is no single way to deal with
Ms. Chit Ventura Consultant Investors in People
Ms. Chit Ventura
Stress and Anger Management
Ms. Imelda Clave Human Resources Intel
This session aims to: 1. Identify causes of stress, and 2. Assess oneself against systems of stress
Understanding and Practicing Good Customer Service Behavior
Ms. Ventura claimed that “stress is the body’s way of responding to the environment, to change or life events in general.”
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the following questions must be answered:
s. Chit Ventura, together with her partner, Ms. Imelda Clave from Intel, discussed practical ways to deliver good customer service. Aristotle was quoted, saying “For the things we have to learn, before we can do them, we learn by doing them.” Experience being the best teacher was stressed. Two types of services were mentioned: core service, which is the service or product that the organization provides to its customers, and customer service, which is all the actions you have when you are interacting with customers who seek your service. Reactive customer service was also differentiated from proactive customer service, with the former starting after receiving a complaint, and the latter, thinking of improving the customer service in advance. One important point raised was that we are also customers and that we should be good customers. Service Quality Characteristics Important to Customers: • Accurate • Friendly • Timely • • Courteous • Honest Customer Service Qualities: • Friendliness • Empathy • Fairness • Control – the customer has a say in the issue • Information – pertinent and time-sensitive manner
1. Where does my personal stress come from? What can I do? 2. Where does my professional stress come from? What can I do? Among the causes of stress are: • difficulties, retirement, death, change in living conditions, job loss, etc., • • Work events The table below shows the different symptoms of stress. method shared in dealing with negative reactions is through perspectives, seeking to understand
Physical Sympoms Sleeping too much Weight problems Constant physical
Simple actions such as smiling, being attentive and having eye contact were shared. Alternative responses used when communicating with customers were also tackled. For example,
Stomach trouble Can’t perform Abuse of alcohol/ drugs Chronic physical ailments Diarrhea Back aches
out.” Instead of saying “That’s not my fault,” use “Let’s see what we can do about it.”
Headaches
When it comes to creating positive impressions, being thoughtful, showing concern and solving problems quickly are just a few things that can be done. Frowning, speaking condescendingly and not responding properly, on the other hand, create negative impressions.
Mental Symptoms Feeling rushed and under constant pressure
interpersonal
loneliness Feeling vulnerable to
Frequent discord Problems with authority
Feeling misunderstood Denial of any problems decisions Worrying frequently Frequent feelings of sadness previously enjoyed Grandiosity
Behavioral Symptoms
Avoiding tasks and previously welcomed Lateness and Absenteeism at work important commitments Compulsive behavior (e.g. being shopaholic) Working too hard and too long
Ms. Ventura also facilitated a workshop which aims to gauge the participants’ knowledge and perception about stress. The results of the workshop are as follows:
Ms. Ventura mentioned that “Customer service is 80% attitude and 20% technique.” She also discussed the behavior change model which involves 4 parts: awareness, integration, understanding and experimentation. Another
A Physical and Mental Symptoms of Stress • Stress in the body: heaviness in the chest, palpitations, allergies, and gives way to smoking and drinking • Stress in the mind: anxious, bothered, irritated
B.E.S.T. B - begin the customer interaction E – establish the customer’s agenda S – satisfy the customer’s needs T – thank the customer
which includes strategy, structure, processes, system and people. At the center of the star, is leadership.
The three styles of communication were also shared, namely, aggressive, submissive and assertive. Of the three, assertive is the best. A
customer service as “the sum total of what an organization does to meet customer expectations and to produce customer satisfaction.”
B People who are Least Stressed • Less stressed people are the ones who are happy, considerate, and understanding C Whether people today suffer from more stress than in previous generations? • “Life is more stressful now because the cost
of living is higher,” • “With age, may realization that may choice ka, na pwede mong iwasan yung stress.” D. Measures for Stress Prevention/Reduction • Go to the mall • Meditating • Pray and run to the Lord • Write down your concerns to divert your attention • “Ibuhos sa trabaho” • Go to the spa or parlor • Travel abroad • Exercise • Play sports • Watch television, and • Take stress tabs • Eating • Stop doing things • Watching movies • Prioritizing/time management • “ sa bahay. Pag nasa bahay, wag dalhin ang problema sa trabaho.” • you don’t know what will be required of you.” “laughter is the best medicine.” She also enumerated the following ways to reduce stress: • know your stressors • maintain balance – do not overly focus on one thing • practice time management • plan and organize • know how to deal with change • practice positive thinking • focus on factors we can control • do physical exercise Ms. Ventura ended her discussion by saying, “You’re all too blessed to be stressed.”
UP Units a b c
UP Institute for Small-Scale Industries (UP ISSI)
d e f g h i
UP General Hospital (UPGH)
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UP Los Baños UP Manila
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customers. Dealing with Different Types of Customers: • Agree in fact • Agree in principle • Agree with customer’s right to have the opinions and feelings expressed An example of some tips she shared in dealing with angry customers: • Avoid blaming others • Avoid sarcasm • Avoid debating the facts Ms. Bagaman also mentioned other types of customers such as the following: the unhappy
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customer, the argumentative customer, the non-talker, the habitual complainer, the rude customer, the demanding customer, the indecisive customer and the senior citizens. Handling Calls: • Flipping the coin (think of the other side, the customer’s point of view) • A good impression • Interaction and Transaction (do it right the Customers: • Knowledge
• Voice tone • Word choice and Articulation -avoid “red words” such as CAN’T, DON’T, WON’T -“yellow words” such as HAVE TO, NEED TO, etc have to be used with caution -“green words” such as CAN, WILL and DO are recommended The Soft “NO” Process Level 1: think of what you can do Level 2: use isn’t, haven’t, aren’t -for example, “Although it isn’t possible, we can (give
alternative)…” Level 3: Wish (that you can give the request to the customer) Level 4: use CAN’T already Ms. Bagaman ended her session by sharing the 1. Greeting 2. Active Listening 3. 4. Taking the Lead 5. Closing
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Excellence in Service through Effective Communication Dr. Belen Calingacion Professor, Dept of Speech Communication and Theater Arts, UP Diliman
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r. Calingacion shared that communication skills ranked as the top qualities employers want from their employees. Further, the Harvard Business Review rated “the ability to communicate” the most important factor in making an executive “promotable,” more important than ambition, education and capacity for hard work. On her discussion of “How Read and Respond using Body Language and Nonverbal Signals”, Dr. Calingacion pointed out that our entire body is a whole communication system. As such, our facial expression, gestures, appearance, eye gaze, body language, posture, etc. may be interpreted in various ways by others.
• • • • • • •
position Personality Competition for attention Differences in perception Lack of competence in the language Poor hearing Attitude Tendency to judge too quickly
Calingacion shared the following tips: • Identify your own style and the style of the person with whom you are communicating • your strengths and weaknesses • Identify communication problems • Improve rapport through mirroring by trying to communicating with • Share expectations • • Scout for small gains, and • Recognize communication styles
Dr. Calingacion pointed out some tips in nonverbal communication: • Pay attention • Look for incongruent behavior • Concentrate on your voice when speaking • Use good eye contact • Ask questions about non-verbal signals • Use signals to make comm more effective and meaningful • Look at signals as a group • Consider context • Be aware that signals can be misread, and • Practice. Practice. Practice.
Lack of knowledge Lack of interest Current emotional condition Distractions Bias – they serve you better when you use your
Have a pen and paper ready, Be aware of the tone of his/her voice, Smile, and Remain positive
• • • • •
Believe Listen Apologize Satisfy Thank
Dr. Calingacion also suggested that in telephone conversation, one must stay positive and pleasant. The table below shows a contrast of what to say and what not to say. Dr. Maragtas S.V. Amante also suggested that the participants translate these into Filipino. What Not to Say I don’t know. No. You’re right, this is bad. Calm down.
• • • •
Dr. Calingacion started by noting that success for any organization depends on its service to its customers. Further, “service to customers is based not just on systems, processes and procedures but also on personal effort and creativity.”
There are external and internal barriers to effective communication: • • • • •
• • • •
• Answer within three (3) rings or less, • Speak clearly and directly into the mouthpiece, • Minimize background noise,
What to Say
What I can do is… I understand your I’m sorry.
Aalamin ko po… Gagawin ko po ang lahat ng aking makakaya…
Pasensya na po.
: Keep cool but don’t be cold, Communicate more effectively, Be a listener, practice control, and Develop assertiveness
bear in mind the following: • Apologize, • Sympathize, • Accept responsibility, and • Prepare to take action The session ended by Dr. WWWzWW noting that “improving communication with your customers means building your relationship with them.” And more importantly, “the key to effective communication is awareness of yourself, but more important, of the people with whom you are communicating.”
Dr. Maragtas S.V. Amante The seminar concluded with an acclamation from the UP vice-president for administrative affairs Dr. Maragtas S.V. Amante: “Magalang, mahusay, may malasakit tayong lahat [We are all courteous, excellent and concerned!” He also urged the participants to pursue excellent public service by working closely together as excellent UP employees.
Summary of the Group Work 1. 2. 3. 4.
Who are your customers? What are the needs of the customers? How do you deal with your customers? How do you measure your services to your customers? 5. What prevents you from providing good customer service?
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Suppliers/Distributors
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Other government organizations
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Government/Private institutions
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-inquiries/follow-ups -international linkages -medical attention
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-information/knowledge/inquiries
Community
Students
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Visitors/guests (local/foreign)
Faculty
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Companies
Parents
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Other schools/universities/colleges
-assistance
Individuals walk-in clients Guests- from outside, dignitaries, visitors Suppliers/contractors
-payments/funds release/compensation/ vouchers
Donors
-data/info and statistics
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employees
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GP
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Foreign students
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Private sector: courier, licensees, patients
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Stakeholders
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Sponsors
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Alumni
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-appointment papers
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1. Who are your customers? -
-scholastic and document records/
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2. What are the needs of your customers?
-understanding/empathy -services/expertise/consulting services
-training -loans -counselling -better facilities for researchers, faculty, -technology licensing -IP assessment/valuation
-supplies -
appeals and requests (payment, re-admission,
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-
Scholarship applications
one at a time according to: a) urgency, b) priority, and c) their needs
• Patient satisfaction Survey
With courtesy – be polite, cheerful, prompt and punctual
• Student improves with more knowledge and skills
Answer the queries properly with complete information
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• Customer Concern Survey
• • • Positive word of mouth
Facilities
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•
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• Good appreciation of service
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Information assistance
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Fair tax
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Information recognition Provide listing of alumni (chapters, alumni in government, etc.)
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• Service patronage
Alumni forms
Greet the customers with a smile
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Financial assistance
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Scholarship
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Access to information
Provide them with information that they need
5. What is preventing you from providing good customer service? -limited time/time constraints -governed by existing policies -accessibility of authorities -limited resources (example, equipment and vehicle) and facilities; budget constraints -bureaucracy
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-individual attitude
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-punctuality issues
4. How do you measure your services to your customers?
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3. How do you deal with your customers?
-customer satisfaction -given accurate information
attention
-positive feedback/no complaints
-attend to needs- provide answer to queries politely and courteously
-appreciative clients (acknowledges what you did for them)
-communicate well/concisely/courteously
-promises to transact business again
-facilitate – endorse to proper authority
-on time/delivery time
-provide information/informative
-turnaround time (processing within 24 hours)
-deal with a smile -polite
-suggestion box (positive and negative comments)
-sympathetic/with empathy
-document tracking system
-patient
-orientation + other activities evaluation survey
-absenteeism -capability/mismatch of skills/lack of knowledge -unnecessary/redundant paper requirements -seniority mentality -permanent head or director - Prioritization of requirements assigned (e.g. Service)
-educate and inform -utilize technology (mobile, email, Facebook, etc)
-easy follow-up
- Arrogance
-volume of work done
-friendly/approachable
- No culture of excellence
- Work accomplishments customer feedback
-professional
•
- Survey
-straightforward
• Personal problem
- Follow-up
-accommodating
•
- Scheduling
• Obsolete facilities
-With proper attitude in addressing their needs -by providing their request as soon as possible
Takeaways
• It is important to pursue academic excellence and operational excellence in order to achieve UP’s vision of becoming a great university. – UP President Alfredo E. Pascual • Magalang, mahusay, may malasakit tayong lahat! We should pursue excellent public service by working closely together as excellent UP employees. – Dr. Maragtas S.V. Amante, UP Vice President for Administrative Affairs • Excellence is a habit. Improvement can be done by focusing on what to do and what not to do, by creating an environment in which everybody’s ideas are heard and respected, and by igniting passion to lead us to our goals. – Dir. Nestor O. Rañeses, Assistant Vice President for Administrative Affairs and Director of UP ISSI • Because there are different perceptions, there is no single way to deal with customers. As such, it is important to increase the level of satisfaction and understanding how one can effectively handle different types of customer interactions. – Ms. Teresa Bagaman, Strategy Partner/Executive, Globe Telecommunications • Customer service is the sum total of what an organization does to meet customer expectations and to produce customer satisfaction. Further, customer service is 80% attitude and 20% technique. – Ms. Chit Ventura, Consultant, Investors in People
• -when patient improves/gets well • The success for any organization depends on its service to its customers. Service to customers is based not just on systems, processes and procedures but also on personal effort and creativity. – Dr. Belen Calingacion, Professor, Department of Speech Communication and Theater Arts, UP Diliman
• Identify pool of experts as resource persons for future Customer Service Excellence Trainings, • Create a Customer Satisfaction Survey for all UP • Award Gawad Chancellor or Gawad Pangulo for UP Kawani providing excellent customer service, and • Conduct a Kapihan/Dialogue/Conversation with the UP President as a venue for UP employees/staff to voice their concerns and issues
• Service excellence is not only measured by the service you provide but by the relation you develop with your customer • In every customer we attend to, our best effort should be done to deliver customer satisfaction/ experience • Be friendly to your customers and always be happy • Good communication must start from top management – they should be examples of good communication with integrity • Always give importance to every customers. Entertain, treat and help the customers professionally, respectfully and promptly Action Points
UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES Institute for Small-Scale Industries
• Make the training available to all UP employees, not just the frontline employees, • Replicate the Customer Service Excellence Training to all UP units,
E. Virata Hall, E. Jacinto Street, UP Campus, Diliman, Quezon City Pioneering. Innovating. Entrepreneuring.
Copyright 2013 UP ISSI. All rights reserved. More of these and other stories are found in our website: entrepreneurship.org.ph
ISSUE NO. 25
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