Telephone account management

This programme provides a highly pragmatic approach to building partnerships with telephonic accounts in a consultative and customer focused manner.

Level

Programme is appropriate for learners at entry, intermediate and advanced levels.

Objectives

To appreciate the customer’s expectations and priorities
To clarify the account manager’s role
To develop a consultative approach to account management
To build capability in solution selling techniques
To identify different customer types and how to build rapport with each
To build confidence through demonstrations and practical application

Process

Customer Expectations – Research on what customers want, their priorities, why customers switch. Two dimensions of service delivery – what / output and how / experience. Best / worst experiences.

Account Management – Definition of an account manager. Implications of telephonic account management. Role as expert (tell) vs. facilitator (ask). Exercise to identify personal preference. Implications and development.

Consultative Approach – Identify 4 styles of service delivery – acceptant, catalytic, challenging, directive – implications and use of these 4 styles.

Customer Engagement – 4Es engagement process – entry, exploration, execution, exit. Priorities at each stage (customer / account manager).

Building Relationships – Relationships as partnerships. Mean by a partnership. Customer perception ladder. Johari Window – trusted partner. Trust and credibility. Transactional Analysis.

Solution Selling – Key steps in solutions selling process. Use of questions to stimulate dialogue and elicit information. Developing a case for change. Proposition – features & benefits, areas of interest, questions, statements, likely concerns, proof to demonstrate value, etc.

Power Questions – Importance of questions – getting customers to stop & think. Types – open, probing, closed. Questioning funnel. Questions to avoid – leading, double, etc. How to formulate questions. Develop examples of powerful questions.

Making an Impact – Communication 3Vs – verbal, vocal, visual. Advocacy vs. enquiry. Skills – listening, questioning, rapport, summarising, silence, empathy decision-making, and feedback. Influencing strategies. Attitude – positive / can-do / solutions vs. negative / can’t-do / problems.

Telephonic Communication – Making a positive impact. 3Vs – verbal, vocal, visual. Telephone techniques.
Customer Types – Different customer types – doer, actor, friend, thinking. Self-assess own style. Influencing different types Mirroring and matching.

Practice – Demonstrations to model behaviours / techniques – practice learning through telephonic simulations based on a variety of practical scenarios.

Options

Programme can be adapted as a 1 or 2 day workshop for approx. 8 to 10 learners, with 1 or 2 facilitators, with the possibility of using professional role players.

For more information about our training services please call us on 0800 072 9844 or email us.