AICC Members Have Better Customer Service Skills

AICC, The Independent Packaging Association, welcomed 16 customer service professionals to Itasca, IL, October 23-24, for the new Customer Service Skills Seminar taught by Suzy Cummins, Trainer, Next Gear Consulting.

Attendees worked with Cummins to acquire organizational tips, ideas and actions, learn to multi-task, and understand internal team dynamics. Additionally, the Seminar helped attendees find a network that understands they have common issues that can be solved in many different ways.

The two-day seminar began with taking a look at metrics and goals and learning how to align the efforts of the customer service team with the goals of the company. Organizational tips, followed shortly thereafter, where Cummins explained 5S for the office, which are sort, set in order, shine, standardize, and sustain. As on the plant floor, adopting the 5S principles in the office increases efficiency.

Cummins informed attendees that according to FAST magazine the average manager is interrupted about seven times an hour, and that it takes 25 minutes to refocus after that interruption, before helping attendees uncover tips for managing interruptions.

Internal team dynamics was the next topic. Attendees discussed their best and most challenging internal customer relationships and then learned six steps to improve internal customer service, which and an assignment to pick one department when the attendees returned to their home plants to test the first step, an internal audit.

The second day began with communication skills, and a focus on empathetic or active listening. This critical skill is the first step to handling customer complaints, which was the next topic of discussion. Cummins used the acronym LAST to help attendees remember the steps to manage customer complaints: Listen, Acknowledge, Solve, and Thank.

The final section helped attendees review the steps to delivering bad news, the do’s and don’ts of the conversation, and review language that will help in different situations.

More information about upcoming seminars can be found at www.AICCbox.org/calendar. Questions about seminars, webinars, and the value a well-trained workforce brings to a company can be directed to Taryn Pyle, Director of Education & Leadership Development, tpyle@aiccbox.org, or Chelsea May, Education and Training Manager, cmay@aiccbox.org or 703.836.2422.