Making a Good First Impression!
Creating Moments of Truth Everyday!
Developed and Presented by:
Jan Dwyer, MBA, CSP
Boundless Results
When you leave here today,
you will be able to:
•Create a positive and lasting first
impression
•Identify negative attitudes and behaviors
•Discover practical ways you can project
a positive image
•See how you can enhance your
agency’s image and credibility
Introductions
 Think if a time when were you a customer
and a first impression impacted your
service experience. What was the result?
 Why are good first impressions so
important in serving customers?
 What is your particular challenge in making
and maintaining a positive first
impression?
The Importance of Positive First Impressions
It takes 30 to 60 seconds for
someone to make an immediate
judgment about you
In fact, people form up to 11 different
opinions about you in those first 30
seconds. The great majority of those
opinions are formed with the first 7
seconds
Challenges to
Customer Service
1. Different Perceptions
2. Different Expectations
3. Not dealing with the “human” side of
the interaction
4. Not attentively listening
5. Not using “Supportive” Language
6. Not adapting your Style to the Style of
others
Perception
“Virtually every problem in human
relations stems from a difference in
perception.”
– Robert L. Katz
Perception
Our perceptions represent how we interpret or view
what goes on around us.
It is mostly a learned process through personal
experiences and what is told to us by others. It is a
filtering system
Since we all have different backgrounds and past
experiences, our individual perceptions differ.
What do People want from their jobs?
From Supervisors
1. High wages
2. Job security
What do People want from their jobs?
From Employees
1. Full appreciation of work done
2. Feeling of being in on things
Perception
FOULED UP FILES ARE THE
RESULT OF FOOLISH NEGLECT
AND FINISHED FILES ARE THE
RESULT OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY
COMBINED WITH THE
EXPERIENCE OF MANY YEARS
Count the F’s in the sentence
Expectations are Perceptual!




Expectations exist in the mind of the customer
They are sometimes accurate and rational;
sometimes not!
They reflect an overall reaction to the whole buying
experience
The way customers evaluate their customer
experience is how their expectations were met or
exceeded!
50 Powerful Ideas You can Use to Keep Your Customers, by Paul R.
Timm, Ph.D.
Exceeding Expectations Breeds Loyalty
 Satisfied customers are those whose
basic needs are met- they are NEUTRAL
(Indifferent zone)
 To motivate customers to return,
something more than adequate
service must be experienced.
 Exceeding expectations leads to
motivated, loyal customers
50 Powerful Ideas You can Use to Keep Your Customers, by
Paul R. Timm, Ph.D.
Ways to Exceed Expectations in Service Interactions




Provide extra value (Value brings reassurance and
comfort)
Give better information (Explain things clearly)
Provide “add-on’s” (Small, tangible ways you can
give away to customers)
Improve timing and follow-up (Immediate followthrough impresses customers)
50 Powerful Ideas You can Use to Keep Your Customers, by Paul
R. Timm, Ph.D.
Ways to Exceed Expectations in Service Interactions

Make the last part of the transaction positive and motivating
(Behaviorists say the end part of the transaction is what
customers will remember)

Reassure the customer’s decision to partner with you
(Contact your customers after the sale to help with ‘buyer
remorse’)

50 Powerful Ideas You can Use to Keep Your Customers, by Paul R. Timm, Ph.D.
Ways to Exceed Expectations in Service Interactions


Make service speed and customer convenience a
priority (People value anything that saves them time
and effort.)
 Have sufficient staff available
 Offer to handle the transactions efficiently
 Offer to handle additional details
 Make your website or phone handling efficient
50 Powerful Ideas You can Use to Keep Your Customers, by Paul R. Timm, Ph.D.
Why is the Human Element so Important?
 Most customers will remember how they
feel long after the interaction
 You are putting deposits in their account
 Most advanced service strategies focus
on the “human” element
Relationships in your own team
When something happens 




We don’t know the full picture
We don’t know the intent of the other person
Most likely there was joint contribution
We need to approach the other person with a
“learning” mind frame
We may not have realistic expectations
(Adapted from Difficult Conversations, Douglas Stone)
Task
Task and “Human”
Needs
A
given
Human
What can separate
your agency from
other agencies?
Attentive Listening
Exercise:
•Divide in groups of three
•One person share a story; the other
person practices attentive listening.
Third person observes
•Listener to relay the story back to the
speaker. Third person to provide
feedback
•Switch roles
Using Supportive Language
Use partnership Language
Focus on what can be done
Treat people as equals
Focus on the behavior
Use “I” messages
Take responsibility and ownership
Successful People
 Understand themselves and how their behavior
affects others
 Understand their reactions to other people
 Know how to maximize on what they do well
 Have a positive attitude about themselves
which causes others to have confidence in them
 Know how to adapt their behavior to meet the
needs of other people and particular situations
Behavioral Styles
D
I
S
C
DOMINANCE
INFLUENCE
STEADINESS
CONSCIENTIOUSNESS
Loves
challenges
Persuades
others
Achieves
stability
Quality Focus
Fear: Loss of
Control
Fear: Social
rejection
Fear: Change
Fear: Criticism of work
Limitations:
Lack of
concern for
others
Limitations:
Disorganization
Limitations:
Overly willing
to give
Limitations:
Perfectioninstic
Culture of Service
• Be clear on the vision of
service
• Inspire learning at every level
• Align your systems to support
this vision
Standards of Service
• How long it takes for a customer to be
greeted?
• How long it takes for the phone to be
picked up?
• How long it takes for an email request
to be answered?
• How long it takes for a customer to be
served?
Service Feedback
• Are you hearing from your customers?
• Do you make it easy for customers to
provide feedback?
• How do you handle negative feedback?
• What do you do with the data?
How do you communicate back to the
customers that change has happened?
Service Evaluation
• How are you being evaluated on your
service?
• How often are you being evaluated on
your service?
• What are you taking into consideration in
your evaluation system? (Comments from
internal customers? Comments from your
boss? Comments from external
customers?)
Service Recognition
• How are people being recognized for
outstanding service?
• What processes can you put in place so
recognition can be given by everyone?
• How does your team or agency recognize
champion service providers?
• What is the criteria for outstanding
service?
Final Exam
 What are 5 things you can do to create a positive first
impression with a customer?
 What is 1 way you can exceed your customer’s
expectations?
 Expectations are “perceptual.” Share what this means as
it relates to customer service.
 What is the difference between defensive and supportive
language?
 What are some ways you can create a culture of service
in your team?
 What is a moment of truth in service?
 Finish this sentence - It is virtually impossible to have
personal power if you have a ____________ ________.
Final Exam
 We need to connect with the customer in two levels _________ and __________.
 There were 6 challenges that prevents us from giving
good service. Identify 3 of them.
 Our ___________represent how we interpret or view
what goes on around us.
 Identify the four communication styles.
 Joint contribution – what does it mean?
 What is an internal customer?
 What is one thing you will work on in your service?
All the best to you as you “turn on de-light” in
service!