Sample extract from our Flight Attendant course.

How do you monitor customer satisfaction?

Greeting Customers When you deal with customers you need to have the right attitude:

• Positive in outlook

• Neat and well-groomed

• Welcoming

• Proud of your job

• Ready to take initiative

• Sincere

This especially includes the greeting of a customer, as first impressions are lasting. The first impression that our customer receives is lasting therefore, it is standard practice to, greet the customer by using a range of communication skills that show your interest and your ability to provide the service. Your workplace challenge is to provide service of a consistently high quality in as short of time as possible.

In doing this, it is important to use the following communication skills appropriately.

• Greet the customer and show empathy

• Listen to the customer

• Use appropriate body language

• Consult with the customer Body language

A great deal of your attitude can be expressed by your body language. This includes the way you stand, for instance with your legs firmly on the ground. You could directly face someone or be half turned away, showing whether you want to be direct with them or not. How you hold your arms can show your attitude, for instance crossed arms indicate you’re holding yourself away from the other person. How much you lean towards or away from a person indicates whether you want them to feel you are involved with what they are saying.

A lot of time can be spent on planning services and setting up systems to ensure the quality of the product or services. This can be undermined by staff in their direct contact with the customer, both face-to-face and on the telephone. The customer’s first-hand experience will influence their reactions to your service and products.

You also need to have the right knowledge, keeping up-to-date with:

• Available services

• Policies on refunds, payments, breakages etc.

• Changes in prices, invoicing systems etc.

• Changes in procedures

Effective telephone techniques

Because you can’t always see the customer you need to take extra steps on the telephone to make sure of keeping good relations with them. Have the materials you need ready

• You may need to have existing paperwork ready if you are discussing delivery of goods such as baggage.

• Make sure you’ve got a note pad for messages. Get your voice ‘in gear’

• Sit up properly. It really helps your tone of voice. Don’t chew gum or eat food as you talk Smile

• Customers can hear the smile in your voice. Identify yourself

• Let the customer know who you are and who you work for. Use your company’s standard procedure. Make your approach appropriate to each customer

• Keep the individual approach even if giving general information

• Adapt the standard material when answering questions.

Initiating the call

• Make sure the person has time to talk before you go on

• Set up a time to call back if necessary.  

One of the most annoying aspects of telephone inquiry from the point of view of the customer is being put on hold, or being transferred to someone who can’t really help you. If you must put a customer on hold:

• Give the customer a choice of being put on hold or having the call returned

• Explain why you need to put the customer on hold

• Check back periodically, to make sure customers still wish to wait

• Thank the customer for waiting.

If you must transfer a call:

• Check that the person about to receive the call is the right one to handle the problem, inquiry, etc.

• Tell customers who they’ll be talking to, the department, and so on. If possible, outline to the person receiving the call a brief description of the reason for the call. Taking messages When taking messages make sure you take down these details:

• Name - the full name of the person calling

• Company

• Telephone number

• Time

• Date

• Message

• Your name, so everyone knows who took the message

You should also repeat the message back to the customer to make sure it is accurate. Once you have taken the message don’t forget to pass it on!

If you would like to preview this flight attendant course in more detail or find out how it can help you secure travel jobs, click on DEMO above or call our team on 1300 611 404. You may also be interested in these similar travel courses - click here.