Extraordinary Customer
Service
“Transforming Conflict
into Cooperation”
“When you truly serve
people, instead of merely
doing a job, you connect
with them.
“Service is not only an
offering of time, but also
the personal, emotional
effort to do what is
necessary for the
complete healing of the
patient.”
Program Principles
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You can only extend
extraordinary service to the
degree that you are being
extraordinary in life.
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Your true Self wants to connect
and contribute - your ego wants
to separate and ‘play small’
Program Principles
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Our Ego’s love to dominate,
avoid domination & be RIGHT.
Transcending this limitation will
transform your life, the quality of
your communications and your
capacity to be of service.
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Living a life of extraordinary
service requires ongoing
practice & support.
“While we have been
miraculously connecting
electronically over the
past 15 years, we have
also quietly and
unintentionally been
disconnecting
interpersonally.”
Personal disconnection
Our ‘Ordinary’ Listening
& Listening Habits
The habit of interpreting
The Habit of Aggression
The habit of
listening to others like
‘noise’
What is the noise Wally’s
referring to?
Ordinary Listening
How do we ordinarily listen?
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opinions, like, don’t like, judge,
evaluate, good, bad,
complaint, argue,
defend, justify
skeptical, cynical,
negative, positive
it won't last, too good
blame, victim
personal agenda-what I want
feelings
Ordinary Listening
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opinions, like, don’t like, judge, evaluate, good, bad,
victim
complain, argue,
defend, justify
skeptical, cynical,
negative, positive
it won't last, too good
Blame, victim
Personal agenda-I
Feelings, I want what I want
Personal agenda
feelings/wants
Truth/believe/pretend/avoid
Tips/answers/hurry up & get to it
Gender/culture/family
More Ordinary Listening
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opinions, like, don’t like, judge, evaluate, complain, argue, good, bad, victim
Defend, skeptical, cynical, negative,
it won't last, blame, victim
pinions, like, don’t like, judge, evaluate, good, bad, victim
complain, argue,
defend, justify
skeptical, cynical,
negative, positive
it won't last, too good
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Blame, victim
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Personal agenda
Feelings, wants, expectations
Truth, believe, pretend, avoid
Tips, answers, hurry up & get to it
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Gender, culture, family, political
Meaning, understand, explain
Convince, persuade, sell
How life should be
What I already know
Being Right; ‘don’t you know
who I think I am?!’
‘No, I really am listening;
I’m really am open’
Opinions/like/don’t like/judge/
evaluate/complaints/argue/defend
/
skeptical/cynical/negative/it
Opinions/like/don’t like/judge/
won’t last
Opinions/like/don’t
like/judge/
evaluate/complaints/argue/defend/
Truth/believe
evaluate/complaints/argue/defe
it/convince/ persuade
skeptical/cynical/negative/it
won’t
skeptical/cynical/negative/it
wo
last/blame/victim/personal
Everything
has meaning/it’s
last/blame/victim/personal
agenda/Good/bad/feelings/wants
personal
agenda/Good/bad/feelings/wa
Truth/believe/pretend/
Tips/answers/hurry up & get to it
Truth/believe/pretend/
Tips/answers/hurry
up
&
get
to
it
Gender/culture/family
Tips/answers/hurry up & get to it
Gender/culture/family/meaning
Good/bad
Gender/culture/family/meaning
Understand/explain/convince/
Understand/explain
Understand/explain/convince/
persuade/sell
How
persuade/sell
life should
be not be
How life
should
be/should
should
be/should not be
welife
already
know
WhatWhat
weHow
already
know/past
What we already know/past
What ‘flavor’ are you?
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I’m a ‘should’
I’m a ‘know it all’
I’m a ‘hurry up & get to it’
I’m a ‘what’s wrong with them’
I’m a ‘It’s not me, it’s them;
victim
I’m a nice person (but if
thoughts could kill there would
be dead people around you!)
Being aware of our
‘ordinary listening’ is a
necessary step to
bringing forth
extraordinary
communication
& service
Practices
Take what you get & transform it.
Listen like a ‘peacock’.
When people complain (including
you) listen for the
commitments behind the
complaints. Work on
addressing the concerns in the
background.
Bring Compassion: Listen as if
what they are saying is either
something you have said, could
say, or imagine yourself saying.
Practices
1.
4. Be willing to give up being
right (for being extraordinaryeven when you know you are
right!)
2.
5. Practice being generous with
your listening, work on
expanding your capacity to be
present
3.
6. Be a role model for your
children, spouse, and the
people you care about mostpractice everywhere!
Speech Habits
The way we speak has an impact
on our performance and the
quality of our relationships.
The way we speak can enhance or
diminish our performance and
our experience at work and in
life!
Speech Habits
What are some of your
speech habits?
How do your speech habits
impact others?
What is the impact on you?
The First Word, The Search for the
Origins of Language
Christine Kenneally
“Because language does not
mimic the world you can do
things with it that are
impossible under the laws of
physics. You can create.
Destroy. Rearrange. Shove
words around however you
like. You can make up
stories about things that
never happened to people
who never existed.”
The First Word, The Search for the
Origins of Language
Christine Kenneally
“The creation of the net was an
awesome leap in technological
evolution. Yet for all it offers, it
is the merest shadow of
something much larger and
much older.
Language is the real information
highway, the first virtual world.
Language is the worldwide
web, and everyone is logged
on.”
‘Your ‘declaration’
of service’
Create a statement
(accountability) that
expresses your
commitment to service.
See if you get your SELF
expressed in the
statement.
When you do it will ‘light’
you up!
“I see each and every customer as
an extension of myself…I promise
to be extraordinary because I said
so!”
“I give up now and forever the
right to complain about work. I
choose my job completely!”
“My life is fully reflected in
everything I do. You can count on
me to be work on being self aware,
and wow my customers with
extraordinary service!”
Applying the principles
& tools
Practice by being aware of
your ordinary listening;
listen for cooperation,
connection and
fulfillment.
Practice speaking from
your newly created
declaration to
extraordinary service
Role Play #1
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Get a partner
Pick an “A” and a “B”
Role Play & Practice 1
A’s – you are the impatient patient
B’s – you are the staff member.
Your job is to resist and say
everything and anything that
comes to mind. DON’T Hold
back!
Now Switch Roles
Role Play & Practice 2
Role Play #2
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Get a partner
Pick an “A” and a “B”
Role Play & Practice 1
A’s – you are the impatient patient
B’s – you are the staff member.
Your job is to listen from
extraordinary service & respond
from the declaration you’ve
created for your self
Now Switch Roles
Role Play & Practice 2
Defining Service Expectations
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Acknowledge
patients
immediately with
eye contact & a
smile
Let patients know
of expected
delays, keep them
informed of status
Use patients last
name until you
feel it is
appropriate to use
first
Use laypersons
language
whenever possible
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Be an active listener
(listen for their
concerns)
Help patients find
their way around the
facility
Give clear directions
and answer all
questions with
patience and
professional concern
Reassure anxious
patients; ask what
you can do to make
things easier
Say thank you
Techniques
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Ease of making appointments
call your office anonymously at
different times & on different days
How many buttons need to be
pushed before getting a live
person?
What questions does the scheduler
ask before making the
appointment?
Check-in
Use technology to improve the
process with “Self registration
Kiosks”
For Patients who balk at having to
give their information say: “You’re
still at…? You’re still with xyz
insurance?”
Post a sign: “We ask because we
care!”
Identify new patients so that every
member of the staff can welcome
the new patient
Paperclip attached to
each new patient chart
I’m a new patient at
I’mSouth
a newTexas
patient at
Sagauro
Physicians
Regional
Medical
Waiting Time
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Check scheduling: new patients &
complete physicals are ‘steered’
toward afternoon
More time allowed for elderly
patients
Provide cookbooks & 3x5 cards
with your logo
Provide coupons for snacks nearby
Provide pagers to caregivers who
are waiting for patients undergoing
minor procedures; cataracts,
colonoscopies
Waiting Time
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Have a table with a jigsaw puzzle
Provide stationary for patients to
write letters; offer to stamp & mail
Post this sign:
“Thank you for your patience.
Dr. ____ will soon be providing
you the same level of personal
and professional care he is
presently providing to another
patient.”
Exam Room
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Provide up to date magazines.
Hang a bulletin board with pictures
& thanks you letters
Provide shawls in exam rooms for
OB/GYN patients
Provide status report every 5-7
minutes
Nurses & receptionists need to
work as a team; patient should have
the option to reschedule if
necessary
Courtesy & Friendliness
tips
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Place a mirror where you can see
yourself when you’re on the
phone; smile!
Ask physicians to enter through the
front at least twice a week
Hold a hallway huddle with nurses
& medical assistants: “room
patients with care, say good bye
when patients leave
Explanation of
Procedures
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Speak to be understood. Offer to
provide videos and/or audio media
that explains patients condition(s)
Refer to web for more information
Treat the patient as a partner in the
decision making process. Use 3
dimensional models to explain the
diagnosis when appropriate.
Tool
Extraordinary Communication Worksheet
Who or what
happened
Emotional
response
What you said
and/or what
they said
What I was
being right
about and
making them
wrong for
What I
really
would like
to have
happened
is…What I
will create
next time
is…
My client told
me that I
could have
been more
professional
with my
paperwork
My feelings
were hurt, I
got angry &
defensive
Me: ‘Well maybe
we shouldn’t
work together
Jeff: well, I just
think it could
have been more
professional
The way I
work is fine.
He didn’t
appreciate the
work I put
into the
program. He’s
new, he’s
pushy, he’s
wrong!
In the
future I
will be
more
open to
correction
Called my
girlfriend, she
didn’t listen as
I expected she
would
Anger,
frustration,
withdrawal,
felt a little
hopeless
Me: ‘You’re not
listening to me!
’Her: call me
when you calm
down!’
She should
I’m sorry,
have listened
I really
to me, she
need you
didn’t respond to listen. I
like I expected
will be
more
responsible
for my
anger
Thank you for everything
you do…