Centric Hub Newsletter

Centric Hub A Customer Centricity Limited Publication© 2013

WELCOME to the Centric Hub! The year 2012 was a very productive year with lots of new experiences. Of note, was the birth of Centric Hub, an endeavor we are particularly proud of. We wouldn’t be as proud of it if it weren't for your acceptance and feed back. We are thankful for your support and hope that we continue on this journey together. We promise to continue to provide a newsletter rich with relevant information that can help you and your organisation.

Here's to a very productive New Year.

Let’s go 2013!

For Laughs!

Vol. 1 Issue 5

Communicate, Communicate and Communicate!

Good marke*ng skills will help you make the first sale but Customer Service skills will keep your customers coming back.

Communica*on is the key to providing good Customer Service.

Most people think of communica*on as the ability to speak clearly and to be understood. However, other elements of communica*on, including the ability to listen and the ability to empathize, are equally if not more important in Customer Service. Good communicators listen first before speaking.

Listening Listening is more than hearing what someone has to say.

It involves a keen awareness of nonverbal and verbal communica*on. Good listening takes prac*ce and involves a number of techniques. Give your full aEen*on to the customer. Stop what you are doing and look the person in the eyes as they are speaking. Help by asking the customer ques*ons. At *mes, we all have difficulty expressing ourselves. Asking ques*ons helps the speaker iden*fy ways to clarify what he is saying.

Support the customer.

Responding In responding to the customer, a good technique to ensure that you understand correctly is paraphrasing.

Paraphrasing involves simply responding by repea*ng what the speaker said in your own words.

Choosing the Right Words When speaking with customers, always avoid words that are emo*onally charged. For example, instead of referring to someone as "anal reten*ve," you could refer to them as "detail oriented." Use "I" statements instead of "you" statements. OOen, a statement beginning with "you" can make the receiver defensive.

Empathy Empathy is a learned response. It is different than sympathy, as you are actually placing yourself in the other person's situa*on versus feeling sorry for them.

Responding to customer complaints with empathy requires thought and prac*ce. Try to imagine yourself in the speaker's posi*on.

Want An Efficient Organisation?

Team Build Your Way To It!

One of the projects we rounded up the year with was The atmosphere was relaxed and filled with the MTN Team Build Session. It was an exciting an easy camaraderie that made it possible and experiential one filled with lots of activities

for everyone to truly let their hair down while

aimed at promoting team work in the group . at the same time bonding and having a

Prior to the event, a lot of thought went into the proper exercise in team building. planning of the team build session and different games were selected based on the need to draw the team Personally, I think that’s the best type of learning, done in a tranquil environment closer together. were its impossible to feel guarded because

The team build session was an outdoor event with lots everyone is truly having so much fun. Of of track and field games and different other sorts of course I had a bit of fun myself, from the to the games aimed at building and promo*ng teamwork. planning where I was given the opportunity to try my hands at different new things Before the team build session proper, the MTN par*cipants were given personality tests which had execution where I helped coordinate things been specifically produced for them to help have an and assist the team I had been assigned to. idea of the different individuals. The purpose of this

was to make sure that when we broke them up into The other thing more gratifying than seeing smaller teams for the team build session, we would a plan fall into place and everything working the CCC have a diverse mix of people in each team and they well is getting positive feedback from client commending our effort.

The could work on their strengths to build a stronger team. team worked well together to pull of

The venue was technically reconstructed into a proper something that seemed really overwhelming games field with the help of professional sports men on paper and I have to say I’m truly blessed is an and the games stands that needed specific guidance to find myself in the midst of such dedicated people.

Every new assignment like the man –o-­‐war were overseen by professionals who would make sure the par*cipants were doing the opportunity for everyone to learn and grow.

-­‐ Onyinye Eronini right thing without any risks to themselves. Despite this we had our health specialists on hand to check out any one who felt the least bit uncomfortable.

For Laughs!

The day started with a brief talk from our CEO Uloma, who explained to everyone what they could expect from the day in her usual fun and engaging manner, this set the tone for the day. The MTN HOD addressed his people aOer which, the fun really began! There was the ge[ng to know each other stage and then the par*cipants were very crea*ve and worked together as a team to come up with names for their teams.

Everyone was given a chance to par*cipate in all the games and by the end of the day, people were exhausted but sa*sfied.

It was a truly wonderful and fun experience, it was great to see everyone come together, cheering for their team members and suppor*ng them.

Photo Gallery

Diamond Bank Inductees MTN Team Build Session

At the F ATE Fo un

dation s

ession

MTN Team Build Session

Diamond Bank Inductees

MTN Team Build Session Diamond Bank Inductees

Diamond Bank Inductees

MTN Team Build Session

“No Fall My Hand O!” As I prepared to go for the concluding part of the induc*on training that day, I began to rehearse my closing speech. Thinking of the really young audience and the usually expected impact that my trainings have on them, I paused.

I thought about the par*cipants' objec*ves from the training, We build the expecta*ons of the par*cipants at the beginning of every training, especially the Customer Service trainings. We tell them to open up their minds and accept a paradigm shiO that will become hopefully, "A las*ng a[tude change". I oOen stress the fact that the service training is a life-­‐enhancer and that it provides nuggets that help one through life, beyond the workplace! Then I thought about my client's (company) objec*ves. One of the really commiEed customer-­‐focused companies I know, my client is truly desirous of a service culture in their bank. Over 20 years ago, they developed a Vision statement that stressed customer-­‐orientedness and experien*al service delivery as their vision, mo*va*on and culture. In bringing us in as a partner, their expecta*on was that through our training interven*ons, both the knowledge and spirit of Customer Service will be communicated and imparted.

Then I thought about our own company objec*ves. Yes, we want to meet the financial and strategic objec*ves that have been set for the organisa*on. Yes, we would like to impart knowledge and a[tude change. We definitely would like to help our client achieve the boEom line targets by ensuring that a culture of service is entrenched in the bank which would ul*mately lead to loyalty. The perfect place. However, we also had marke*ng communica*ons objec*ves. Unlike most businesses, our success lies in our actual ability to achieve that elusive aspect of life called "change". What we teach must be no*ced in order to be regarded as a success.

Now, our consistent content development thrust has been in that area exactly. Adding our marke*ng know-­‐how to the training and post-­‐training processes to ensure true embedment of the concepts and actual display of the learning. Several clients have chosen our style over others because of this edge. By bringing all our Drama school training to the class, we ensure assimila*on.

All concepts are made to come alive in class and actually lived. Going away packs include *tbits and personal management ideas that turn the par*cipants into a self-­‐ policing force while at work.

Have we been successful at it? Oh very much so! Evidence is that a major part of our business development has been through referrals. Some clients have asked, "I love the culture of service here, who does your Customer Service training?" To which our alumni respond, "Customer Centricity Limited". It has worked for years and has only improved over *me! Then I knew what my last line would be. "Good luck as you go into your new world and careers, but... a No fall my hand o!"

Ulom

A Publica9on of Customer Centricity Limited Contact Address: 15 Biaduo Road, Off Keffi Street, South-­‐ West, Ikoyi, Lagos. Nigeria Email: www.customercentricityltd.com Telephone: +234 0 7065559525