Tip of the Week: How to Multi-Select from the Automation Drop-Down Filters

This week's tip is a simple one, but can save time and frustration if you are unsure how to do this. Often, when creating an automation, there is a need to include more than one company, priority, status, or queue in the filters. There are a couple of ways to do this, depending on what type of computer you are on. No matter what type of computer you are using, if you want to select several files grouped together, click the first item you want included, and then hold down the shift key and click the the last item in the group. This will select all items in between.

If, however, you want to select random items in a list that are not grouped together and you are using a Windows machine, you will need to select the first item, hold down the ctrl key. While holding down the control key, select the other items you wish to include. On an Apple computer, you will need to hold down the command key while selecting non-consecutive items in the list.

It is also possible to use both of the techniques to select grouped and non-grouped items in the same list, which can make creating automations much easier.

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Top 10 Go To Words for Customer Service

As previously discussed, striking the right tone during customer service correspondence is a crucial component of ensuring a positive customer experience. Customer service professionals learn certain words over time that, when used regularly, create the right tone to present the company in the best light.

When speaking with a customer, language should always be chosen carefully with an aim to convey positivity, empathy, concern and an eagerness to solve the issue at hand to make the customer feel satisfied and keep them happy. We’ve identified the top 10 words and phrases a customer service representative should use often in communication with customers.

Yes - This is the most important word on the list, as customer affirmation is a regular must in customer service. Alternative options include: "absolutely", "definitely", "certainly" and "of course."  As much as possible, try to say these as though they’re followed by an exclamation point. Be careful, though, not to make false promises.

Thank You - Customers are the heartbeat of the company, and ultimately provide the company the ability to maintain a workforce.. Express gratitude to them for choosing the company, providing feedback, showing patience when they experience an issue and at any other opportunity that presents itself.

Sorry - Honest humility is almost always appreciated when genuinely expressed. Don’t be afraid to acknowledge and offer regret when a problem occurs, but be sure to follow every apology with an explanation of what will be done to correct the issue.

Pleasure - Part of the job as a customer service representative is regularly expressing positivity. Be quick to let customers know that helping them is a pleasure.

Please - One of the first words parents teach their children to keep communication polite, “please” should be employed regularly with customers to set tone properly for all requests you may have for the customers. (i.e. "please follow these instructions," "please contact," "please explain in detail," etc.)

Solution - Regularly talking about a problem’s solution deflects attention from the problem itself and focuses instead on the successful resolution you’re working towards.

Happy - Along the lines of #4, expressing positivity goes a long way towards setting a pleasant tone with customers. (i.e. "I'm happy to help.")

Right Now - As in, “I’ll get to that right now.” Showing urgency in reaching a resolution assures customers that they are a priority.

Appreciate - Find a way to express customer appreciation in every interaction. When they place an order, you appreciate their business. When they complain, you appreciate their feedback. Etc.

May I - Asking permission is a subtle way to let the customer know that he or she is in charge and confirms that all actions to be performed are being executed for the customer's benefit.

Setting the right tone is beneficial in most aspects of life, but in customer service it’s a daily necessity. When working with a customer expressing negativity, the ability to employ just the right words to steer the conversation in a positive direction plays a huge role in making sure the customer service interaction is resolved in a way that leaves everyone happy.

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Tip of the Week - Creating SLAs to Track Customer Satisfaction

Service Level Agreements help organizations measure response time and customer satisfaction. Defining SLA targets is a simple feature to set up in Mojo Helpdesk and can help you set goals and track your support team’s success.

To set up SLA’s in Mojo Helpdesk click the SLA link from the Manage drop down menu. Click the new button and then fill out the information for your SLA target. Each SLA can measure either response time or customer satisfaction. Determine the goal for your SLA and the compliance conditions for the SLA. The goal will be the percentage of tickets that meet the Compliance Conditions you determine.

You can then filter the tickets by type, specific companies, selected technicians and queues, before saving the SLA target. This can be useful if a company requires you to reach a certain SLA level when providing support and you want to create an SLA specifically for them.

Now that you’ve created your SLA, you’ll want to run periodic reports to track your team. Click the run reports button on the SLA targets page, select the time period and type of report to run and Mojo Helpdesk will generate a chart along with the current stats for your SLA. These are great for setting up incentives for your support team to increase their stats.

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5 Key Lessons for Customer Service Training

Once a company finds the perfect fit to join the customer service team, the first few days and weeks on the job are a crucial period for equipping the new hire with the knowledge needed to be an exceptional customer service representative. The best method for customer service training is to let trainees spend their first couple of days watching an experienced member of the team. Through shadowing an expert, the new hire will learn the systems, policies, how to utilize essential tools like the helpdesk that are in regular use, and be able to ask questions.

During the initial training period, there are a five key lessons that should be covered before your new hire begins to work directly with your customers:

1. How to Handle an Angry Customer
It’s inevitable that a customer service representative will encounter angry customers in the course of performing the job. Keep these suggestions in mind and consider doing some role-playing to give the new hire a chance to practice giving measured, calm responses on the fly.

2. Avoid Saying “I don’t know”
While no one expects a customer service representative to know everything, there are better ways to express uncertainty than “I don’t know.” Teach the trainee some alternate phrases to use, such as:

• “Let me look into that for you.”
• “I’m not entirely certain, I’ll find out more and get back to you.”
• “I’d like to do some research to give you the most informative response.”

This way, one avoids providing inaccurate information, while also showing a willingness to give the best response possible.

3. The Importance of Listening
To help solve a problem, it’s necessary to first understand it. Errors are likely if this important first step is skipped. Emphasize how crucial it is to avoid making assumptions about a customer’s issue before hearing the full explanation. If there is not a clear picture, be sure your employee knows how to ask the right questions to get all information needed to properly move forward.

4. How to Apologize
Everyone makes mistakes and it stands to reason that there will be times when the company or a representative will be at fault. If there’s already a company strategy in place for responding to mistakes, every customer service representative should be made aware of it during training. If there’s no specific company-wide plan, touch upon best methods for issuing an apology to a customer with sincerity and a clear explanation of all actions being taken to correct the problem.

5. When to Refer an Issue to a Manager
An ambitious, eager-to-please new hire might be at risk of trying to take on too much without asking for help. Make sure to cover all department policies related to what actions need to be approved by a manager before implementation and which cases should be handed over to a superior entirely for best results.

Starting a new job is simultaneously exciting and overwhelming. Encourage new customer service representatives to ask many questions, and be patient with them if some information needs to be reviewed more than once. Offering a bonus to expert employees who help with training/shadowing can provide an incentive to stay positive and encouraging to the new hire. Be encouraging throughout the process to help ease the stress of training. The first few weeks of a job will set the tone of the relationship a new representative will have with the company moving forward, strive to make it a positive one.

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How to Take Control of a Customer Service Call

Every so often, the role of a customer service representative can veer uncomfortably towards that of a therapist. For some people, when upset, the knowledge of someone on the other end of a phone line that’s willing to listen is enough to provoke a prolonged lament about general problems. When a representative finds him or herself on the receiving end of such a call, finding a tactful way to resolve the situation and move on to other responsibilities can be a challenge. While it’s important to be sensitive to the needs of the customer, it’s equally important not to allow one customer to monopolize your time at the expense of other customers and general productivity.

Taking control of a customer service call while remaining polite is one of the trickier skills a good customer service representative should have in his or her arsenal. It requires finding the right balance between honoring time management concerns and making sure an upset, overly talkative customer feels taken care of. Keep these few tips in mind to help navigate difficult situations.

Start the Call Right

Make sure the customer’s problem and desired solution are stated as early in the call as possible. If a customer has a hard time explaining the problem or desired solution in specific terms, ask pointed questions to help clarify.

Take Every Opportunity to Keep the Conversation Focused on Finding and Implementing a Solution

Certain personality types just have a hard time staying on topic. When a customer continually shifts a phone conversation to topics unrelated to reaching the desired solution, treat every response as an opportunity to nudge the conversation back in the right direction. Consider lines like: ““I’m sorry to hear that. So, in order to fix this what we need to do today is…” as a lead in to suggesting a specific action item.

Make Sure To Keep Your End of the Conversation Brief and On Point

Set an example. Don’t let yourself get off topic or you’re setting a tone for the conversation that implies it doesn’t need to be all business. It’s the job of the customer service representative to help the customer solve a specific problem related to the product or service, not to become his or her close confidante.

Once the Problem, Solution, and Needed Actions are Determined, Wrap it Up

Use language that lets the customer know it’s time for the call to come to an end.
Some suggested lines to consider:

• “Sounds like we’ve covered everything…”
• “I’ll get started on this right away…”
• "I don't want to take up anymore of your time, so..."
• "I have everything I need on my end..."

With Overly Persistent Customers, Put Them On Hold to Work Out Strategy

If all the other tips have been unsuccessful, as a last resort, put the caller on hold. This provides a few moments to organize thoughts and figure out the best way to approach wrapping up the call effectively. It also provides a second opportunity to re-establish the tone of the call and assert greater control over the situation.

Time is valuable. As a customer service representative, it’s useful to approach most situations with an accommodating demeanor, but it’s just as important to have the capability to shift into a more take control attitude from time to time, steer the conversation in the right direction, and take control of the conversation to resolve issues efficiently.

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Mojo Helpdesk Features Update - 03/05/2012

This past Saturday we rolled out a couple of new features to improve the Mojo Helpdesk experience for both users and customers.

New Features:
1. Attachments are now allowed on tickets created by unregistered users.

Previously when tickets were submitted by unregistered users, any attachments were removed from the ticket. While this was in place as a security measure to protect helpdesks from storing very large or potentially dangerous files, we changed this so all account owners or admins have the option to decide whether or not they want to allow the helpdesk to store files from unregistered users.

The default setting is to not allow files from unregistered users. To change this, select All Settings from the manage menu, click the Configure Mojo Helpdesk link from the Owners/Admins column, and then click the change button. Find the Unregistered users section and check the box for yes next to to the question that asks if you want unregistered users "To attach files?". Check and make sure both fields for "Web initiated guests requests confirmation required?" and "Email initiated guests requests confirmation required?" are set to no. Click save to finalize your changes.

By configuring the settings for unregistered users, you are opting to allow tickets and attachments directly into the helpdesk without requiring any confirmation or verification of the user. This is helpful for help desks that tend to have submissions from users/customers they do not know and need attachments to aid in resolving issues. For example, if an organization has a "contact us" form on their website. The submission of this form creates a ticket in their Mojo Helpdesk and the form's details come through as an attachment. In this case the ticket is created by the person who fills out the form, but the details are attached to the ticket. Previously, this would not have been possible with Mojo.

2. Business Plan account holders will now have two new system fields that can be enabled on the ticket form: Scheduled Date and Due Date.

These fields can be made visible to helpdesk staff only or the end-users as well. The schedule date field is for a start date of the work or project, the due date is the final date for the project or work to be completed. Helpdesk agents will be able to set these dates and pull ticket lists based on them using the 'advanced search' filters. For example, using the advanced search filters, you can choose to see all tickets that are due between March 1, 2012 and April 31, 2012. The search will find all tickets due within those parameters. You can also search for tickets due last week that are still open by using the status "open" and selecting last weeks dates. It is also possible to perform a search with no set due date.

You will be able to sort ticket lists by these new fields. For example, in the "All Open Tickets" list, you can use the sorting option drop-down at the bottom of the list to arrange the tickets in order of scheduled on or due on dates.

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Tip of the Week - Limit Ticket Submitters' Queue Access Rights

Did you know that you can control what queues ticket submitters can view? This can be very important when providing service internally as not all departments should have access to other departments' ticket queues. It can also be used to set up internal queues that need to remain invisible to individual customers and other companies.

To set this up, you'll need to first create companies for each department/company you service and edit users so they are associated with the company. Most companies will already have set this up when configuring their helpdesk space. In addition, Mojo Helpdesk comes with a company already created called Individuals that any individual ticket submitters are filtered into automatically.

Once you have your companies set up, go to the all settings link and select Queue Access Rights from the Managers column. You'll see a list of the companies you have set up with the queues they have access to. To set the queues available to each company, click the change link and check the boxes next to the queues you want them to be able to view. Click save and you are done.

Now users will only be able to submit tickets to the queues they have access to.

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