Sparrow Training

An effective customer relationship management (CRM) strategy can deliver outstanding improvements in profitability, revenue growth and business sustainability. The CRM Pocketbook explains what CRM is and why ever more organisations are embracing it. It looks at the subject from a strategic level and from a practical viewpoint, with advice on how to plan and implement a CRM programme. The contribution to be made by each of the departments within an organisation is also covered, with particular emphasis on marketing and IT services. Authors Alexander and Turner jointly developed and now deliver the popular CRM for Marketers course at the UK's Institute of Direct Marketing. Author: Charles Turner, David Alexander. Pages: 128.

A major update of The Customer Service Pocketbook has taken place, involving extensive re-writing and the inclusion of new graphics throughout, resulting in publication of this, the 2nd edition. A key title in the Pocketbook Series, the book is for everyone who contributes, directly or indirectly, to giving the customer good service. It covers why good service matters, the differences between good and bad service, performance standards, turning complaints into opportunities, listening to customers, assertiveness and good service, effective customer communications and internal customers. Throughout the book there are exercises, quizzes and checklists, and at the end there is a personal action planning section and an opportunity to further test your knowledge. There are also useful notes for managers and supervisors, as well as for trainers who can readily adapt the contents of the Pocketbook to provide a one-day trainer-led workshop. A suggested timetable for such a workshop is provided, together with notes on how to run it.

The Handling Complaints Pocketbook looks at why and how people complain, and the key types of complaint: aggressive, passive, constructive and professional. The author explains that all businesses should welcome complaints because they provide direct feedback and an immediate opportunity to improve the service to customers. The next sections cover a strategy for handling complaints, and the use of transactional analysis in understanding complaint behaviour. The final section looks at ways to turn complaints into compliments and create loyal customers. From the author of The Problem Behaviour Pocketbook.

For leaders of customer service teams, The Managing Customer Service Pocketbook draws on some startling statistics to highlight the benefit of building customer loyalty. For example, one study shows that a mere 5% increase in customer loyalty can boost profitability by up to 85%. Earning loyalty is about delighting the customer by delivering outstanding service. And, as the book’s author Andy Cross explains, the bedrock of service excellence is the ‘service brand’.
The book uses a 5-stage model to describe how to create and nurture such a service brand through the recruitment, training, leadership and motivation of a customer service team that works diligently and passionately for the highest possible standards of service. Stage one is to establish the vision or the brand values by properly understanding what it is that the customer wants above all else. This is what drives the team. Then you have to align these values with those of the team itself. This is achieved through careful recruitment, training and inspirational people management.
Further stages in the process of managing the service brand cover: coaching the team to deliver consistently brilliant service; what to do when things go wrong (top tips!); and how to create an environment in which team members have the freedom to improve.
We believe you’ll be ‘highly satisfied’ with this book and, if statistics are to be believed, ‘six times more likely to order again’!