als association customer service - walk to defeat als

Delivering Great Customer Service

Goal

• The goals of this session are to:

– Understand customer service;

– Know why it’s importance for nonprofit organizations;

– Evaluate our current customer service; and,

– Set new standards for the ALS Association.

Agenda

• We will accomplish this by asking:

– Why is customer service important?

– Who is our customer and what do they think about our customer service?

– What is customer service?

– How do we improve?

– What are our customer service standards?

– How will we know we have been successful?

Why is Customer Service Important?

Why is Customer Service Important?

BECAUSE…

• On average 30 % of our participants are returning…AND…

• Return walkers raise 2-3 times more than first year walkers!

Why is Customer Service Important?

• For example, in WTD, returning participants raise an average of $ 295 vs. new participants at $105.

• If we just maintained our current number of registered participants 117,600 and increased our retention rate by 5 % it would equal

$1.1 million

Who is Our Customer and What are They Saying?

• Walkers and Team Captains

• Donors

• Sponsors

• Volunteers

• Media Partners

• Co-workers…especially accounting

• EVERYONE!

Quick Tip

• Start asking for immediate feedback! At the end of a call, ask

– “Did I answer all of your questions and did we accomplish everything you needed today?”

– “Has this conversation given you more confidence in reaching your goals?”

– “If you have any suggestions on how I can better serve you in the future please let me know.”

What is Customer Service?

• Recall the best customer service you have ever received.

• Recall the worst customer service you have ever received.

• What companies can you think of that make customer service a priority?

What is Customer Service?“Quality in a service or product is not what you

put into it. It is what the client or customer gets out of it.”

Peter Drucker

“Do what you do so well that they willwant to see it again and bring their

friends.”Walt Disney

“Well done is better than well said.”Benjamin Franklin

“In business you get what you want by giving other people what they want.”

Alice MacDougall

Who is Our Customer and What are They Saying What Do They Want?

• Walkers and Team Captains

• Donors

• Sponsors

• Volunteers

• Media Partners

• Staff, Board, others…

How Do We Improve?Hire and train talented people

Clearly define guidelines > Focus on what you can do for the customer instead of what you cannot

Do what you say you are going to do!

Correct mistakes immediately

Follow up with customers

Seek feedback EXERCISE: Brainstorm challenge and solution.

Define Your Standards!

• What is the turn around time on phone calls?

• How often do you have contact with team captains?

• How are you showing appreciation to sponsors?

EXERCISE: First draft of our customer service standards.

Define Success

• Retention rates?

• Increase in positive feedback?

• Positive reviews?

Summary1. Customer service is important!2. Know what all of your customers need/want from you.3. “Customer service is a series of activities designed to

enhance the level of customer satisfaction – that is, the feeling that a product or service has met the customer expectation.“

4. Everyone has room for improvement > Good to GREAT!5. Implement customer service standards.6. Ask for feedback – live, in writing, and ONLINE7. Remember practice makes perfect!

Contact Information

Rachel Armbruster

512.944.3417

rachel@rachelarmbruster.com

www.armbrusterconsulting.com

www.bandingtogetherforacause.com

@rarmbruster

www.linkedin.com/in/rachelkarmbruster

THANK YOU!

Please let me know how I did and if I met your

expectations by writing a review on LinkedIn or at

www.bandingtogetherforacause.com and by filling out

your evaluation form