Chapter 17 Flashcards
The citizen seeks some specific things when interacting with a service provider. The average citizen expects: Reliability, responsiveness and ____pg307
Reassurance
Empathy and results
Basic “tricks of the trade” to apply to leave a citizen-customer with positive feelings about his or her encounter with law enforcement? (Customer satisfaction) pg 310
1,Treat people as individuals and use their name.
2. Be a very good listener.
4.Allow him or her to save face, if possible.
5. Build trust.
Not unlike the off-duty police person, the citizen seeks some specific things when interacting with a service provider. Whether he is dealing with the counter guy at the fast food establishment or a civil servant who happens to be wearing a police uniform, the average citzen expects several things from that exchange: pg 308
Reliability: “You can count on me.”
Responsiveness:
“I’m familiar with that kind of situation and we’ll handle it.”
Reassurance: “The worst is over. It’s going to be alright.”
Empathy: “I think I know how you’re feeling.”
Results: “Here’s what we’re going to do.”
Too many citizens view law enforcement people as just another species of ____ whose goal seem to be making life as difficult for everyone else as possible pg 306
Bureaucrat
___ and ____ clearly must be components of the police employees customer service tool bag pg 307
Patience and tact
Huge, private sector corporations as well as tiny, mom and pop operations enjoying a deserved reputation for great customer service require that their employees buy into several key guidelines for handing customers _____ pg 307
- Customers are individuals with names and feelings.
- Customers are very important to us.
- Customers are the reason we have a job.
4 Customers are not interruptions to our work; they ARE our work. - The most vital thing we do is take care of our customers
Sometimes all a citizen-customer is looking for is a patient, empathetic ear and _____ That attitude, clearly transmitted by a police employee who means it, can make a world of difference in the Impression made on that individual by the employee and his or her agency. It will be an impression carried long past the actual interaction between service seeker and service provider.
Willingness from someone to at least try to help
What are frequently heard customer complaints include pg 309
Slow (or no) service.
Rudeness; discourtesy.
«Can’t do” attitude shown by the employee.
“Nobody listened to me.”
Attitude of indifference.
JUST INFO TO KNOW
Reality dictates, of course, that not everyone will be happy no matter how much customer service he receives. Even so, there are a number of common sense steps that any law enforcement practitioner can take to increase the number of customers who leave with a favorable impression of the agency in spite of the fact that they did not get exactly what they wanted. All of these steps require an honest expression of concern and a sincere willingness to help on the part of the employee involved. This approach is sometimes referred to as the Golden Rule of Customer Service. It amounts to little more than the way in which the service provider would want to be treated if the tables were turned. It is absolutely applicable to the daily challenges faced by the law enforcement officer or civilian police employee.
Any veteran peace officer will attest , perhaps the most difficult customer to address is the ____ individual pg 312
Angry
Each is nevertheless worth trying in an honest effort to improve communication and get to the central issue of solving the problem at hand. These “chill-out” tactics include: pg 312
- Try not to take the verbal barrage personally
- Be a good listener
- Try to demonstrate empathy with their situation, insofar as is reasonable under the circumstances
- Obviously, any law enforcement officer must defend himself if attacked. Absent from physical assault, however, meeting verbal aggression with more aggression will not accomplish anything
- To the extent possible, ignore insulting comments and exaggerated statements
6 it is acceptable to confront inaccurate statements made by complaint - In defusing an unhappy customer it is often helpful to try and reach agreement on something , even if it is no more than concurring they it’s a beautiful day
What are the telephone tricks of the trade for police employees __ pg 314
—It may be difficult, but when you are on the telephone try really hard to sound pleasant and upbeat.
-Include your name in your telephone greeting.
—-Be articulate and try not to talk too fast, even though you ARE very busy.
—Minimize interruptions to the extent possible.
——Avoid abandoning a caller on “eternal hold.”
—Consider asking the caller in a courteous manner if he understands what he has been told.
In the final analysis , good customer service amounts to little more than a version of the golden rule ___ pg 315
Treat others as you would like to be treated yourself
______ is obviously an easier task to accomplish with some individuals than it is with others. In good customer service, it is at least worth the effort. Pg 311
Build trust
Personalizing service to an individual with a face and a name can sometimes make that individual easier to handle. Even a criminal has a name. Difficult people who are called by name sometimes become more reasonable. However, some older citizens regard today’s instant familiarity as rude. The wise service provider will get that individual’s permission before calling him or her by a first name. Pg 310
Treat people as individuals and use their names
