Customer Etiquette

Customer Etiquette

ByJason McMahonEDI Specialist

Homestead FabricsHerkimer, New York

Customer Etiquette:Document Flow

Weekly (7 day) Average:–Purchase Orders: 3,064–ASNs: 1,767–Invoices: 6,533–Miscellaneous: 150Total: 11,514For 15 Customers

Customer Etiquette:Document Flow

753 Routing Requested (Send) - Shipping754 Routing Assignments (Receive) - Shipping810 Invoice (Send) - SAP812 Debit / Credit Memo (Receive) - Excel816 Organizational Relationships (Receive) - SAP820 Check Register (Receive) - Excel824 Text Message (Receive) - Text830 Planning Schedule with Release Capability (Receive) - SAP850 Purchase Order (Receive & Send) - SAP852 Product Activity Data (Receive) - Excel855 Purchase Order Acknowledgment (Send) - Shipping856 Ship Notice/Manifest (Receive & Send) - SAP860 Purchase Order Change Request (Receive) - SAP864 Text Message (Receive) - Text869 Order Status Inquiry (Receive) - SAP870 Order Status Report (Send) - SAP997 Functional Acknowledgment (Receive & Send) – Gentran

Customer Etiquette:Misconceptions

They are not customers who use EDI.– They are EDI customers.– If EDI comes up in the conversation

I must speak with them.– If EDI appears on a sheet of paper I

must read it.– If they are new customers, their EDI

requirements must be setup first.

Customer Etiquette:Misconceptions

Thus I am GOD when it comes to EDI.– I am expected to perform Miracles.– No is not an option.– Yesterday is too late. – I am the first line of defense.

It is ALWAYS my fault until proven otherwise.

Customer Etiquette:Office Response

Ignorance is bliss. – Fix it, or make it go away!– Don’t bother me with details.– Only tell me what I have to do!

Never try to explain yourself.Never bring it up in casual conversation.

Customer Etiquette:The Presentation’s Focus

Before Making ContactUpon Making ContactFollow-up

Customer Etiquette:Before Making Contact

Identify the issues.Collect supporting evidence.Get relevant feedback from coworkers.

Customer Etiquette:Before Making Contact

Identify the issues.– Be very clear in your own mind

what is involved.– Focus on one issue at a time.

List issues in order of priority.Exhaust each issue before going on to the next.

– Confirm everything - Never ASSUME.

Customer Etiquette:Before Making Contact

Collect supporting evidence.– Old E-mails – Original EDI Transmitted Documents

Have ISA/GS information.Have FA information.

– Customer Manuals– Customer Web Sites

Customer Etiquette:Before Making Contact

Get relevant feedback from coworkers.– Corporate Office – Sales / Buying Office– Customer Service– Accounting– Shipping– Production– Research & Development

Customer Etiquette:Before Making Contact

Anger Management– I bring me to the Customer.– I have feelings as well as

information.– I get upset over problems.– I am not supposed to let my feelings

get in the way in my dealings with customers.

Customer Etiquette:Before Making Contact

Cool OffGet it out of my system.Go do something else.Use not take my lunch hour.Think lemonade when served lemons.

Customer Etiquette:Before Making Contact

Example of Managing Anger:

Helen was in an office down the hall from me working in customer service.When things went wrong Helen would pick up the phone, scream at the person she was talking to, and hang up.Then she would compose herself, pick up the phone, dial the number, and with the biggest smile she could muster, she would begin talking.I never wanted to be around Helen when she was upset, but I applauded her ability to manager her anger.

Customer Etiquette:Before Making Contact

Phone Call or e-mailReserve phone calls for dialogue purposes:– Clear up misunderstandings– Share ideas– Clarify concerns and concepts– Give and receive immediate

feedback

Customer Etiquette:Before Making Contact

E-mailReserve e-mail for documentation purposes:– Provides detailed information.– Confirms and documents previous

discussions.– Allows customers time to respond.– Provides a forum for multiple responses.– Gives you a source for future reference.

Customer Etiquette:Upon Making Contact

Using the PhoneGet over the menus (800-555-1212 [2,1,4])The person greeting you has NO idea why you are calling.He/She is not a part of the problem.They are there to help.Ask for assistance, don’t demand it!

Customer Etiquette:Upon Making Contact

Using the PhoneSmile!Talk with customer service not to them.Be brief and to the point!Get them on your side.Stress solution not confrontation.Leave feelings OUT of the discussion.– Feelings come through your voice

regardless.

Customer Etiquette:Upon Making Contact

Using the PhoneTake notesRecord the person’s name, phone number and specialty.Thank them for their assistance.

Customer Etiquette:Upon Making Contact

Using E-mailInclude only those who are involved.– If replying delete everyone who’s not involved.

Read over your message for clarity, punctuation, spelling and flow of thought.– Ask coworkers to review it if you are not sure.– For example: i will ask jcp to push. i dont know what can be

done knowing it is the end of the day and the note indicated we would have orders in mail box tomorrow or wednesday. i will send note to lead inventory control specialist as they are at a quarterly recap meeting. gary

– How many mistakes do you see?

Customer Etiquette:Upon Making Contact

Using E-mailLeave feelings OUT of the text.– Feelings come through regardless.

Reduce the content of chain e-mails to that which you are responding to.Put the name of the customer in the Subject Line.

Customer Etiquette:Upon Making Contact

Using E-mailAdd any new e-mail addresses to your address book.– Also note their phone

number and specialty.

Save the e-mail in a relevant folder for future reference.Backup (Archive) your e-mail file.

Customer Etiquette:Follow-up

Allow 24 hour response to e-mail.Resend it if there is no response.– Call if necessary to

see if they got it.

Note in calendar any future response that is needed.

Customer Etiquette:Follow-up

Keep a file of your contacts.I use a 5 x 8 ½ card for each customer.Record the menu choices with the phone number.

Customer Etiquette:Follow-up

Follow and document the advise you were given.E-mail and meet with those departments that are affected.Develop strategies that either correct the problem or point in a new direction.File away all relevant paperwork for future reference.Make a copy of all contracts submitted to the customer.

Customer Etiquette:Summary

I am GOD when it comes to EDI.Use not take my lunch hour.Clarify and document all issues.Customer Service is there to help.Take notes.Follow and document the advise you were given.Spread your findings to all relevant departments.

Customer Etiquette:

Thank you for attending.

I hope you found this presentation helpful!