Succeeding at Customer Service -- Basics of Customer Service -- What's in It for Me? -- Different Kinds of Customers -- First Things First-Dispelling an Important Customer Service Myth -- Understanding What Customers Want -- Customer Service Tools and Techniques -- Above and Beyond the Call of Duty -- Acknowledge Customer's Needs -- Acknowledging Without Encouraging -- Active Listening -- Admitting Mistakes -- Allowing Venting -- Apologize -- Appropriate Nonverbals -- Appropriate Smiles -- Arranging Follow-Up -- Assurances of Effort -- Assurances of Results -- Audience Removal -- Bonus Buyoff -- Broken Record -- Closing Interactions Positively -- Common Courtesy -- Completing Follow-Up -- Contact Security/Authorities/Management -- Disengaging -- Distraction -- Empathy Statements -- Expediting -- Expert Recommendations -- Explain Reasoning or Actions -- Face-Saving Out -- Finding Agreement Points -- Finishing Off/Following Up -- Isolate/Detach Customer -- Leveling -- Managing Height Differentials/Nonverbals -- Managing Interpersonal Distance -- Not Taking the Bait -- Offering Choices/Empowering -- Plain Language -- Preemptive Strike -- Privacy and Confidentiality -- Probing Questions -- Pros and Cons -- Providing Alternatives -- Providing a Customer Takeaway -- Providing Explanations -- Questioning Instead of Stating -- Referral to Supervisor -- Referral to Third Party -- Refocus -- Setting Limits -- Some People Think That (Neutral Mode) -- Stop Sign-Nonverbal -- Suggest an Alternative to Waiting -- Summarize the Conversation -- Telephone Silence -- Thank-Yous -- Timeout -- Use Customer's Name -- Use of Timing with Angry Customers -- Verbal Softeners -- Voice Tone-Emphatic -- When Question -- You're Right! -- Dealing with Specific Customer Situations -- When You Are Late or Know You Will Be Late -- When a Customer Is in a Hurry -- When a Customer Jumps Ahead in a Line of Waiting Customers -- When a Customer Asks to Be Served Ahead of Other Waiting Customers -- When a Customer Interrupts a Discussion Between the Employee and Another Customer -- When a Customer Has a Negative Attitude About Your Company Due to Past Experiences -- When You Need to Explain a Company Policy or Procedure -- When a Customer Might Be Mistrustful -- When the Customer Has Been Through Voicemail Hell -- When a Customer Is Experiencing a Language Barrier -- When the Customer Has Been "Buck-Passed" -- When a Customer Needs to Follow a Sequence of Actions -- When the Customer Insults Your Competence -- When a Customer Won't Stop Talking on the Phone -- When the Customer Swears or Yells in Person #1 -- When the Customer Swears or Yells in Person #2 -- When a Customer Won't Stop Talking and Is Getting Abusive on the Phone #1 -- When a Customer Won't Stop Talking and Is Getting Abusive on the Phone #2 -- When a Customer Has Been Waiting in a Line -- When You Don't Have the Answer -- When Nobody Handy Has the Answer -- When You Need to Place a Caller on Hold -- When You Need to Route a Customer Phone Call -- When You Lack the Authority to ... -- When a Customer Threatens to Go over Your Head -- When a Customer Demands to Speak with Your Supervisor -- When a Customer Demands to Speak with Your Supervisor, Who Isn't Available -- When a Customer Threatens to Complain to the Press -- When a Customer Demands to Speak to the "Person in Charge" -- When a Customer Makes an Embarrassing Mistake -- When a Customer Withholds Information Due to Privacy Concerns -- When a Customer Threatens Bodily Harm or Property Damage -- When a Customer Is Confused About What He or She Wants or Needs -- When a Customer Makes a Racist Remark -- When a Customer Makes a Sexist Remark -- When a Customer Refuses to Leave -- When a Customer Accuses You of Racism -- When a Customer Plays One Employee off Another ("So-and-So Said") -- When a Customer Might Be Stealing -- When a Customer Is Playing to an Audience of Other Customers -- When a Customer Exhibits Passive-Aggressive Behavior -- When a Customer Uses Nonverbal Attempts to Intimidate -- When a Customer Makes Persistent and Frequent Phone Calls -- When Someone Else Is Not Responding (No Callback) -- When You Need to Clarify Commitments -- When a Customer Wants Information You Are Not Allowed to Give -- When a Customer Makes a Suggestion to Improve Service -- When You Can't Find a Customer's Reservation/Appointment -- When Your Are Following Up on a Customer Complaint -- Properly Identifying the Internal Customer -- When an Internal Customer Isn't Following Procedures to Request Service -- When the Customer Wants Something That Won't Fill His Need -- When You Want Feedback from the Customer -- When a Customer Complains About Red Tape and Paperwork -- When You Need to Respond to a Customer Complaint Made in Writing -- When a Reservation/Appointment Is Lost and You Cannot Meet the Commitment -- When Customers Are Waiting in a Waiting Room -- When a Customer Complains About a Known Problem -- When a Customer Asks Inappropriate Questions -- When a Customer Tries an Unacceptable Merchandise Return.

Customer service. It's the single most important key to success in today's nighly competitive workplace. That's why you need to connect to your customers, as well as deliver the goods. Effective communication will not only ensure customer satisfaction-it will keep them coming back for more. Perfect Phrases for Customer Service provides perfect solutions for everyday business situations-and includes simple, effective techniques that can help you meet even the most demanding customer needs. It's a complete service-training program in one handy guide, featuring: Hundreds of ready-to-use scripts and phrases for more successful service, Verbal tools and techniques to deal with customer complaints, Common business scenarios and bottom-line solutions, Secrets of self-control: learning what not to say or do.

Filled with specific defusing tactics and key behavioral insights, this user-friendly handbook can show you how to reduce stress, find the right words to say, and handle hostile customers with ease and confidence. It's the perfect way to build long-term relationships-and achieve long-lasting results-in every business situation.