Hi Folks,
Up until recently I was the Customer Service Director for a well known UK Telco. If anyone has worked in customer service in any Telco they'll tell you it's a tough assignment. Anyway I've struck out on my own as an independent consultant now and look forward to sharing my hints and tips with everyone in the future.

Steve

It's an honor to be independent with an open mind in helping in development. Your hints and tips are highly welcomed especially to people like me who are still young and new in the proffession. I work as an Ass pr in an insurance firm.

amyleepe

Hi Steve!

I am a service research specialist from Moscow, Russia. I am looking for a good education I can get in Europe. The subjects are service marketing, service research, customer satisfacion studies etc. I am going through all the universities and business schools' programms now, I have got a headacke, but found none. So would you have any suggestions where I could get this kind of education? I mean special cources since I already have an MA in sociology and have no time to stugy full time. Thank you!

Olessya

Worked a long time ago in Customer Service for Bell Telephone in SE Pennsylvania....it was rough but taught me well for the future....I have been in Customer Service now for almost 40 years and am getting ready to retire...but I love it! Best job in the world.....

Good luck out there on your own!

Pati, did you see a discussion on the What is Customer Service board? The discussion there really brought out a lot of comments from me. You've been working with people for so long, I wonder if you had any thoughts about Change. And I think you can say you are no stranger to Change even now, when you will want to move into retirement mode. Do you have any personal updates to share, by the way, on some ideas/plans you were considering for yourself? (If not, then discard the question.)

I'm going to ask you another question, in case you didn't like the last two (then I'm going to drop the bat, ha ha). If you have been reading enough of me, do you have any feedback (from your instincts) on where you see me headed in my path? What kind of role do you see me in? I think I am approaching a "next stage" for me, but I don't necessarily know what it's got to be. I figure that someone like you, who have watched people at work through many years, might have some ideas about that, even though you can only see me through writing. You did peg me for a woman early on (which I am not), but I'm not letting that dissuade me from any inkling that you might be able to read me and offer advice by remote :) :) :)

olessya, I am responding a bit late, but I remember seeing this comment of yours on one or two boards. I didn't know how to answer it at the time.

Why do you need to get into another educational program? Do you need to relocate, are you lacking any educational background in order to present yourself to a company?

Ayaree- how do I get to the WHat is Customer Service Board? I will look at that and then maybe will be able to answer your question.

You seem very knowledgeable but would like to understand where you are now in your career and where you want to go...

I, have, indeed seen many people thoughout the years move on to new and very different roles as our company likes the managers to move to all departments in the company before a major promotion...

Let me know. And I do know you are not a woman :) (not that it would matter in my answer...)

Pati, I'm glad you found this message from me. I thought you might have a more detailed reading on where you think I am headed, based on your experience over the years. I guess you don't have one yet, but that might change. I don't expect you to have a crystal ball though, I was just looking for some speculation from someone who has seen a lot of coworkers and a lot of managers--and a lot of people who don't know everything.

Hi Steve,
I am currently employed in an outsourced contact centre based in South Africa that services an extremely large Telco client base within the UK and as you have masterfully mentioned, 'It's a tough assignment.'
My issues with customer services are very often divided into two crutial streams, Quality and Performance. Many fellow agents feel compelled to deliver a standard of service that resolves the customers query on the first call. However due to incumbent key performance factors placed on us as a business, many of my colleagues feel that certain performance based factors are hampering their true ability to make the customer their first priority. Dont get me wrong, I'm not complaining or anything of the sort. I firmly belive in a rigid performance scale but perhaps you can share a few tips on how to efficiently deal with some irate customers and perhaps also share some of your own experiences with us.
To everybody doing it for the customer satisfaction.