How to Talk to Customers

Product Description

Filled with case studies and anecdotes, How to Talk to Customers demystifies the most critical aspect of customer service: conversations employees have every day with customers. In this must-have resource, Diane Berenbaum and Tom Larkin outline a proven system based on their MAGIC customer service training program. MAGIC, which stands for Make A Great Impression on the Customer, can help anyone become the type of communicator that makes their customers feel special.

For more on this book, visit www.howtotalktocustomers.com
Product Details

* Amazon Sales Rank: #325834 in Books
* Published on: 2007-03-30
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Hardcover
* 224 pages

Editorial Reviews

Review
“How to Talk to Customers presents a system for interacting with customers based on empathy, dignity, and doing the right thing. Use these ideas to turn your customers into raving fans.”--Ken Blanchard, coauthor of The One Minute Manager® and Customer Mania

“Warning: This book will radically change corporate cultures and provide businesses with a competitive advantage in customer service. MAGIC smashes superficial, ineffective approaches to solve complex customer service issues through a simple and fun approach. This framework can resolve even the thorniest predicament.--Barry L. Ogle, vice president, Leadership Enrichment Institute, Wyndham Vacation Ownership

“You have to take care of your co-workers and customers. This book takes common sense approaches and guides you on how to build successful business relationships.”--Paul Orfalea, Kinko’s founder and coauthor of Copy This!

“How to Talk to Customers illustrates the keys to making MAGIC every day with every contact. If service is a differentiator for your organization, this book should be on everyone’s desk, from the day they start!”--William M. Lyons, president and CEO, American Century Companies, Inc.

“The book that leaders at all levels have been waiting for. It provides a clear and practical tool for assessing customer interaction skills and will help any organization wow their customers with extraordinary service.”--Asheesh Advani, CEO, CircleLending

"Talking to customers seems so easy; however, to make a great impression on them, you need the MAGIC System."--Norma Diaz, CEO, Community Health Group

“Whether you are moving up the ladder or already running your organization, the advice in this book is truly MAGIC and will help you leave a lasting legacy with everyone you meet. Be remembered for the right reasons and make a positive impact with every encounter starting now; it will change your life!”--Paige Arnof-Fenn, founder and CEO, Mavens & Moguls

“I hope you believe in MAGIC, because this system can really help you build the generous, intimate, personal relationships with customers that will power the growth of your business!”--Keith Ferrazzi, author, Never Eat Alone and CEO of professional development and consulting firm Ferrazzi Greenlight

“If you deal with people, this book is a must-have! The relationships with your 'customers' (clients, co-workers, family and friends) will flourish as you put MAGIC to work.”--Jason Checketts, manager of learning and development, Wells Fargo

“There's no greater way to help your team build a culture of customer service than by using the MAGIC system. You'll see results immediately...and those results will truly amaze you (and your customers!).”--Brian Cole Miller, author, Quick Team-building Activities for Busy Managers

“MAGIC is one of those simple-but-far-from-easy ideas that can revolutionize a company because it transforms how people think and act. At FreshDirect, we believe in MAGIC and strive to practice it daily.”--Dean Furbush, CEO, FreshDirect

“Any call center senior executive, manager, supervisor - or anyone who talks to your customers - should read this book then commit to applying its simple principles. Tom and Diane bring to light the fact that all consumers are seeking a unique experience from companies today, and this is it.”--C. Paul Turner, managing director, Training and Performance Improvement, Citifinancial Mortgage, Inc. and Citicorp Trust Bank, fsb

“Any organization interested in creating passionate and loyal customers should read this book. The MAGIC system shows you how to impress even the most discerning customers.”--Rudy Escalante, CEO, ICSA Software North America, Inc.

“I Love How to Talk to Customers! I want this to be required reading for our employees going forward.”--Monica Kelly, quality analyst, account services, Colonial Supplemental Insurance

“One of the most useful manuals for companies and individuals who are serious about exceeding customers' expectations. Follow the 5 MAGIC

Steps, understand why words are perceived as tragic and how they can

become MAGIC, and MAGIC will become part of your company -- and personal culture.”--Jansje Stramwasser, Sr. Training Manager, Convergys Employee Care

“The journey required to develop a long-term relationship begins with that first, critical face-to-face conversation. Berenbaum and Larkin have created a masterful roadmap for how to build immediate rapport and lay the foundations for enduring trust.”--Andrew Sobel, author, Clients for Life and Making Rain

“What distinguishes you from your competition is often the customer's perception of his or her service experience. Read this book to discover practical ideas that you can use to delight your customer, every time.” --Deb Ketcham, Manager of Process Improvement, ACCO Brands Corporation

“Trust-based supplier/customer relationships are the wave of the business future. How to Talk to Customers is the handbook of how to create and navigate those critical relationships.”--Charles H. Green, founder and president, Trusted Advisor Associates

From the Inside Flap
"Every once in a while, we as consumers have a truly wonderful experience as a customer of a company. These interactions leave us feeling so positive about our purchase, our relationships with the company, and ourselves that we say, 'The experience was magic!'" —from the Introduction

Filled with case studies and anecdotes, How to Talk to Customers demystifies the most critical aspect of customer service: conversations employees have every day with customers. In this must-have resource, Diane Berenbaum and Tom Larkin outline a proven system based on their MAGIC customer service training program. MAGIC, which stands for Make A Great Impression on the Customer, can help anyone become the type of communicator that makes their customers feel special.

More than a simple set of skills that can be learned and practiced, MAGIC begins with a mind-set that reflects implicit respect for everyone and a commitment to demonstrate that respect. The book is filled with humorous and touching MAGIC (and Tragic) Moments that are real-life illustrations from customers, colleagues, and friends.

Using the detailed "33 Points of MAGIC," the authors show how any customer dialogue can be evaluated, measured, and improved. The book also contains a wealth of relationship-building ideas and dozens of tips, checklists, and exercises that will help you apply the principles to your own daily interactions.

How to Talk to Customers is a practical guide to customer contact for any business that wants to serve its customers at world-class levels day in and day out. And it will help any individual who wants to strengthen personal and professional relationships.

From the Back Cover
Praise for How to Talk to Customers

"How to Talk to Customers presents a system for interacting with customers based on empathy, dignity, and doing the right thing. Use these ideas to turn your customers into raving fans."--Ken Blanchard, coauthor of The One Minute Manager® and Customer Mania

"Warning: This book will radically change corporate cultures and provide businesses with a competitive advantage in customer service. MAGIC smashes superficial, ineffective approaches to solve complex customer service issues through a simple and fun approach. This framework can resolve even the thorniest predicament."--Barry L. Ogle, vice president, Leadership Enrichment Institute, Wyndham Vacation Ownership

"You have to take care of your co-workers and customers. This book takes commonsense approaches and guides you on how to build successful business relationships."--Paul Orfalea, Kinko's founder and coauthor of Copy This!

"How to Talk to Customers illustrates the keys to making MAGIC every day with every contact. If service is a differentiator for your organization, this book should be on everyone's desk, from the day they start!"--William M. Lyons, president and CEO, American Century Companies, Inc.

"The book that leaders at all levels have been waiting for. It provides a clear and practical tool for assessing customer interaction skills and will help any organization wow their customers with extraordinary service."--Asheesh Advani, CEO, CircleLending

"Talking to customers seems so easy; however, to make a great impression on them, you need the MAGIC System."--Norma Diaz, CEO, Community Health Group

"Whether you are moving up the ladder or already running your organization, the advice in this book is truly MAGIC and will help you leave a lasting legacy with everyone you meet. Be remembered for the right reasons and make a positive impact with every encounter starting now; it will change your life!"--Paige Arnof-Fenn, founder and CEO, Mavens & Moguls
Customer Reviews

A good alternative to the even better training!5
I'm familiar with the customer skills training program that this book is based on (MAGIC). Extraordinary! I've seen unbelieveable results when people apply the principles taught here in real life customer situations.

But if you dont have access to their MAGIC training, this book is a good back-up plan. All the info they hit in the training is here--you just have to be more self-motivated to study it and apply it without the benefit of any coaching or feedback. Nevertheless, the book is laid out in an easy to read. The topics flow naturally one into the next. You can imagine a customer interaction playing out as you make your way through the chapters. The book is chock full of examples as well as charts, graphs and checklists that make the points effectively.

One caution: dont expect to read this through some evening and then start applying it. I recommend you approach it more like a workboook...read a bit, put it down, try what you just learned (see the results!) and then pick it back up again.

Interestingly enough, I also use these principles when I'M the customer and others around me are amazed at the much-better-than-expected results i get when i complain or make requests! Thanks!

Great book for training customer service staff4
We've used this book to train our staff in how to be better customer service representatives on the phone. The book is more applicable to phone conversations, but works for in-person situations as well. Has given my staff good methods for dealing with really irate customers, long talkers, and in creating good report with customers.

Only negative is that the book is a bit cheesy, especially in the beginning. You have to read through the first 5 or 6 chapters before you start getting to things that you can readily apply in daily situations.

A practical method on a topic that is more important than most people realize5
The notion that we only get once chance to make a first impression is true. But it is also true that you make an impression with every customer interaction. This very practical book teaches you how to think through every kind of customer interaction and how to make it a positive experience for the customer. The authors make the word MAGIC into an acronym. Well, two