"With bad customer service costing businesses in excess of $80 billion per year in the United states and over $300 billion worldwide, there is no doubt that businesses need to take their customer service practices more seriously," says Erandi Palihakkara in her blog, The Real Cost of Bad Customer Service.

So how do you, as a business leader, demonstrate your commitment to excellence and service? And how do you motivate your employees to show their commitment?

On June 23, in our upcoming training, Studer Community Institute will offer proven methods to ensure that systems exist that allow a high degree of customer service to be provided, and tactics to ensure good practices improve responsiveness, personalize the customer experience and resolve issues to retain customers.

Join Donna Kirby, Pensacola Blue Wahoos Vice President of Operational Development and customer service expert, and learn:

Customer service begins at the hiring process

• Identifying the right staff to build a culture of customer service
• Understanding the importance of, and value in, peer interviews
• Recognizing High/Middle/Low performers and how to manage each type

Listening to your customers and the value of feedback

• The Net Promoter Score
• Using key words at key times; knowing what to say can make or break you
• How to diffuse an angry customer
• Using surveys to build brand and product loyalty

Missing the mark – what now?

• Apologies & Expectations
• Mining for Info; Tell us what right looks like
• Proper service recovery