It's Christmas Time Again!

Hello Everyone,


Another big year is coming to an end and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you all so very much for your great support of the Customer Care Program and for taking the time and initiative to want to improve how we treat our Customers.

2011 saw the introduction of a number of new initiatives through the Customer Care Program.  The launch of our new Customer Care Program website, a new and improved promotional package for members, a new jazzed up logo for your organisation to be identified by customers looking for a wonderful experience, the first of two mystery shopping campaigns with results reported back to each endorsed business and the second to come early in 2012.


Behind the scenes, a Strategic Direction Working Party has been working very hard on mapping a plan for the future of the program. A draft framework has been formed and your input will be appreciated early in the new year when you will be invited to participate in focus groups.  The Taskforce members feel that this planning, along with the recent work done by an Assessment and Criteria Working Party will add further credibility and considerable value to both the Customer Care Program and your business.  In addition to all of this, we've had further discussions with Dr Ian Brooks and hope to offer members even more benefits in the future.  Stay tuned!


I wish you and your families a safe and happy Christmas and look forward to an exciting and positive new year.  Below are a few updates on what's been happening with the Customer Care Program from my desk.

Merry Christmas Everyone and take care.

New Stickers coming soon to all Customer Care Endorsed Members
I now have newly printed Customer Care logo stickers for your use. Two types of stickers are available, one being designed to stick on the "outside of a window" or on a wall, door or vehicle, and the other designed to stick on the "inside of a window" showing outwards.  The latter of the two will arrive early in the new year and I will then distribute to all financial members.  When you receive your new logo stickers, would you please remove and dispose of the "old" Customer Care logo stickers and replace with the new.  Anyone requiring a larger sticker (approx A4 in size), please contact me as I will have a limited number of these.

Journey of Flavour Annual Car Trail & Markets
We continue with efforts to promote local business.  Last year the Journey of Flavour Car Trail was very successful in stimulating visits to a diverse range of food and beverage businesses - some of whom participants did not know even existed.  So rally your friends, family or work colleagues and join us for the Journey of Flavour Car Trail and Markets being held on Sunday, 26 February 2012.  A hard working team of Janette Hyde, Kate Wood-Foye, Christie-Lee Jackson, Allan Smith and Wendy Beverley will ensure the event's success.  Mark this date in your diaries so you don't miss out on all the fun.  It's sure to be bigger and better than last year.  Pre-register during February to save on entry fees.  Keep your eyes on the website for further details coming soon!
Journey of Flavour Annual Car Trail & Markets




Check out the top 14 Performers in the recent Mystery Shopping Campaign!
The December issue of Focus Magazine showcased the first four of our 14 Top Performers highlighted through the results of the Mystery Shopping Campaign.  If you missed it, click on the link below.
Top Performers!


Don't forget to keep any eye out over the the festive season for the January issue of Focus as it will showcase 4 more stand out Customer Care businesses.


I have a Customer Care pull up banner here at Council for any financial member who would like to display it in their place of business for a period of time over the Chrissy break.  Contact me on 6581 8036 if you're interested.


Kind Regards.


Rachel Ross
Customer Care Coordinator

HOW MANY OF YOUR CUSTOMERS ARE "BELIEVERS"

 Last week I had the opportunity to attend a workshop and a seminar facilitated by Dr Ian Brooks.  I took the liberty of taking some notes to share with those of you who were unable to attend.

Growing your business in tough times can be difficult but it's not necessarily the tough economy that's to blame, but in fact, "tough customers".

Here's a few fast fact results from research:

- customers expect more and more from you every year.

- most customers have no loyalty to any particular business.

- A customer who encounters a "bad" experience will tell 13 people (on average)

- A customer who encounters a "good" experience will tell 9 others.

- Customer rage is on the increase - a bad experience will make them see red and just want to "get back at the business" - more than 1/2 of these customers are rating their rage in the top 1/2 of the scale.

What can we do about this?

Having a "Customer Service Strategy" is the key!  Map out your customer touch points, implement customer strategies, monitor them, review them and improve them.  Focus on the things you CAN control like "how well you look after your customers".  This way, you make sure that any business being done in a "tough economy" is being done by YOU.  All you need to do is "Stand out from the competition" - do it better than your competitors and your customers will choose you.

If there was a drought, you wouldn't waste water.  Customers are in drought!  Maximise the business you can do with that customer.  Capitalise on opportunity.  People who get it ... understand ti and put it into practise are making money!  Take the time and trouble!  If you give to your customers they will give back to you.

It's about the customer ALWAYS! Spend extra money, break a rule or break a policy – "we’ll do it" attitude.

Have a look at your policies.  Are they customer friendly?  If not ... why not?

Consider returns policies that do not require receipts.  Honour an expired gift card.  These changes may have a cost associated in the short term but are guaranteed to make you money in the long term.

Make your point of difference a Customer Advantage. 

Regardless of the industry in which your business operates, we are ALL IN THE "CUSTOMER" BUSINESS.
(Lets test this)

• The only way you can succeed is to attract, make money from and retain customers?  YES!
• What % of your profit comes from your customer? ALL OF IT!
• What % of your total revenue comes from your customers? ALL OF IT!
• Who pays your wages? THE CUSTOMER!
• Who do you work for? THE CUSTOMER!
• Who’s the boss? THE CUSTOMER!

HOW MANY PEOPLE GET THAT? 

Look at it like this!

• Here come my profits.
• That person pays my wages.
• Not about the sale, the product the service … it’s about the customer. 

Your job is to create such a great shopping experience this Christmas that the customers are coming back to purchase for valentine’s day. Plan ahead. 

We all need to become CUSTOMER DRIVEN!

Think carefully about this one ...

• Make your customer successful!
• Customer Service will not get you where you want to go. Service is what you do for your customer.
•  What matters is what your customer needs you to do for them and what they expect you to do, what they want you to do.  (I’ll dream up fantastic things that I think you’ll love but you’ll hate it). 
• Give me what I want …. Not what you think I want. 

Think about satisfying our customers.

Satisfied customers are not loyal. 86% of customers who defect were satisfied with the business at the time of defecting.

Satisfy = getting what’s expected.

Think about “making our customers successful!”. When businesses see how important customers are, that’s when they see success.

• Ask people what they’re trying to achieve. This takes you out of the category of being an order taker.
• Make suggestions for purchases - engage in conversation. Find out what they really want.
• Listen to the voice of your customer. Customers will tell you everything you need to know.
• A complaint is an opportunity to rescue a customer and turn them around.
• A Complaint register is where you start.
• A list of FAQ and answers on your website can help to improve your business.
• What are your customers telling you that you are not hearing, not analysing so therefore not acting on?
• Surveys – this is where you ask your customers to tell you what you want to know. Hmmmmm???  Why not set up systems for your customers to tell you WHAT they want to tell you WHEN they want to tell you. 

Compliment, complaint, suggestion or question! 

Record it all!

Look at the feedback.

• Become "Customer Driven" – walk in your customer’s shoes. Discipline ourselves to think about what it’s like for the customer. If I was the customer what would I like? 

You don’t want customers …. You want believers!

A customer is someone who makes a decision with their head … "yeah … they were great, I just thought I'd give someone else a try". These people are not loyal.

The believer thinks with their heart!!!!!!  They have an Emotional attachment and will actually feel guilty shopping elsewhere.

3 ways to grow your business are:

(1) get more customers

(2) grow and retain customers (Loyal Customers)

(3) Do as much business with believers as you possibly can. They won’t leave you.

The Key to turning customers into believers. 

Focus on the customer experience.

1. We need to know what kind of experience the customer wants when we do business.

2. Where does the experience come from? Every time we touch with a customer. These are our "touch points". Map it out. At what point should you do what (on the map) to give the customer the experience THEY WANT?

3.  How do you treat your customers? Do they feel like guests in your business? Do you treat them differently to the way you would if they visited you at home?

4.  Each of us should treat our customers as if our future depends on it …. BECAUSE IT DOES!!!!!! Attitude is everything!

BUSINESS IS TOUGH ... BUT IT AIN'T COMPLICATED!

If you would like to participate in the same workshop with Dr Ian Brooks as I have experience last week,  email me at rachel.ross@pmhc.nsw.gov.au and I'll make the arrangements.  It's really worth it!  Dr Brooks will teach you and your staff how to "Manage the Customer Experience", "turn your customers into believers" and "make more profit".

Let me know what you think about this.  I'm interested in your feedback.

Kind Regards.

Rachel Ross

The new face of Customer Care

THE NEW CUSTOMER CARE PROGRAM LOGO.
In keeping our promise to you, below is the new Customer Care logo designed for your use in promoting your organisation as the place to shop for great customer service.  The re-branding process will take place over the coming months as we replace the old with the new signifying your continuing commitment to your customers.  The new sticker has been designed to compliment the shape of the Journey of Flavour endorsed member stickers for those of you who are endorsed members of both Programs.


New stickers will be printed and distributed to all financial members.

PROMOTION
If you were away on holidays or your Focus Magazine got caught in the big storms at the beginning of the month, you may have missed our first double page spread for the Customer Care Program.  Click on the link below to open the pdf.
Focus Magazine November 2011


Apologies to Andrew Carle, Owner of Ezy Video Service for an error in the website address in the Focus promo.  Click on the link below to view the correct website.
http://www.lifetimeofmemoriesondvd.com.au/


MYSTERY SHOPPING CAMPAIGN
A large percentage of endorsed businesses have now been mystery shopped with only a small amount left to be done.  I have received some great feedback from many of you who have found the reporting process to be most useful in identifying your strengths and weaknesses in customer service.


Once the first round of mystery shopping is completed I will let you know who our "Top Performers" are and those businesses will be promoted as such.  If your business is not named in this first round as a "Top Performer", don't despair, you may be identified in the next round.


Some of the feedback we've received from those of you who have been mystery shopped to date include:

"Many thanks for this mystery shop. What a great addition to the Customer Care armory.

Doing great things with the program".

Steve Rose - Animal Doctors

"Thanks for this extremely useful feedback"

Janet Cohen - 

Sea Acres Rainforest Centre

"Thanks for instigating business improvements like this for our Hastings area.  Many thanks.

Barbara & Laurie Smith - BALA Vending

It's always great to receive your feedback, positive or not, as it helps us to measure how well we're meeting your expectations.  Keep it coming in please.

MEMBERSHIP INVOICES

By now you would have all received your invoices for the first pro-rata year of membership of the enhanced Program.  Thank you to those of you who have paid these to date.

IMPORTANT:  If you paid your membership fees via direct deposit in the last few days of October and did not enter the invoice number in the description, would you please contact me on 6581 8036 as we  don't know who to receipt the payment to.

Please always use the invoice number in the "description" when paying by direct deposit.

Kind Regards and I'll be in touch again very soon. 

Rachel Ross

CUSTOMER CARE PROGRAM COORDINATOR

AND THE WINNER IS .........

Digital Signs & Printing!  Congratulations to Guy Satterthwaite and his team on winning a complimentary two minute promo video on your business to be filmed on location promoting your products and services.  The video can be uploaded to the Digital Signs & Printing website. (Value of prize is $500).  CONGRATULATIONS!

I would like to thank all of the businesses who have returned their expression of interest forms for the 2011/12 Customer Care Program membership and look forward to your involvement in the new bigger and better value membership.

Upon my return from leave in 2 weeks time I'll be sending the final contact details of members to the external mystery shopping company and the ball will be rolling.

Wendy Beverley will be checking my emails during my absence so if you thought you'd "missed the boat" with your EOI, be quick and Wendy will process it for you.

Thank you all for your patience during this set up stage and I will be in touch with you upon my return.

Should you have any queries, please feel free to contact Trevor Sargeant on 6581 8660.

Kind Regards.

Rachel Ross
Customer Care Coordinator

Win a two minute promo video on your business!

Good Afternoon Everyone,

Thank you to all the businesses who have responded to my call for expressions of interest in the 2011/12 financial year Customer Care Program membership.  I’m extremely pleased in that we have captured a multitude of very elite businesses in the local area.

I have though, had a number of requests to again extend the time allowed for returning the EOIs due to people either being on holidays or just plain flat chat and not had time to sit down and consider the benefits.  I don’t want anyone to miss out on the opportunity to participate and would love to have as many businesses on board as possible so that we can promote this group intensively.

Here’s what I propose to do:

All of the businesses who have already returned their EOI to me PLUS the next 50 businesses who do, (I’ll number them as I receive them), will go into a lucky dip to win a “Two minute promotional video” on your business (Valued at $500).  I will announce the winner next Thursday, 1^st September.  It will then be time to move forward, distribute invoices and get on with delivering the promised benefits!

So waste no time, we’re really excited about the the quality of promotion that your membership will enable us to provide.  Some really great benefits on top of the mystery shopping campaign make it well worth your while. 

For those of you who have not already done so, I invite you to read the attached letter welcoming you to express your interest in continuing as an accredited member of the Customer Care Program for the 2011/12 financial year at a cost of $100 including GST.

Please return your completed expression of interest form by:

Wednesday, 31^st August 2011.

2011 Customer Care Service Excellence Awards - It's a Wrap!

Hi Everyone,

Thank you for your patience whilst I worked out how to get the piccs onto the new website.  Wow! There's so many of them.  I hope you enjoy them.

The feedback I've received tells me that those who attended felt the night ran smoothly and everyone enjoyed themselves, some more so than others! Ha!  Good for you.

I think that the general feel and vibe of the evening was a great buzz!  The excitement and suspense of waiting to find out WHO the winner of each of the 9 categories was and then the Holiday Coast Credit Union perpetual trophy and the special Journey of Flavour and Customer Care outstanding recognition awards.  Yes, a bit of suspense created by our MC (a good thing) had us all on the edge of our seats and then ..... Woohoo! ... the winner was announced.  Lots of fun!

I can't express enough just how proud and happy the businesses who were named "finalists" are worthy of feeling.  The judging process and criteria is the most strict and intense that I've seen for Customer Service Awards.  We, the Customer Care Task force, have set these benchmarks deliberately at the high standard in which they are specifically so that people will VALUE being a part of the process and know that they really have done well as Customer Care Champions.

I've inserted into this newsletter a copy of the "Embargoed Media Release" which was emailed to local media after the awards ceremony began last Friday night and which was embargoed until midnight.

I've also inserted a link to the photos taken on the evening by Hydro Photographics.  You can purchase these photos by logging onto their website at http://www.hydrophotographics.com.au/.

On that note, I'll leave you all to have a read, browse through the piccs and enjoy!

Thank you all so much for your support in what was a wonderful night of celebrations and fun.

Take care, I'm off on hols (as of COB Friday) until Thurs 21st July so I'll catch up with you all when I return.

Oh yes, we're having an "InSync" event in October and then a Chrissy get together in late November.  I'll get back to you all when I have details.

Kind Regards

Rachel Ross
CUSTOMER CARE COORDINATOR
(Keep reading on below) :)

winners announced

customer care service excellence awards

EMBARGOED  12:00am Saturday 2 July 2011

Nine Hastings businesses are among those who ‘do it best’ after being recognised for their commitment to good service at the 2011 Customer Care Service Excellence Awards on Friday night.

Businesses endorsed by Port Macquarie-Hastings Council's nationally recognised Customer Care program were showcased before an audience of more than 200 on Friday night at a gala awards ceremony at Panthers.

In its fifth year, the Awards showcase the best of the best in local business and reward exceptional customer service. Awards were presented in 9 categories, and the winners were:

• General Retail – Broadway Shoes
• Food and Beverage Retailing – Modishe Espresso
• Food and Beverage (Non Store) Retailing/Wholesaling – Port’s Mister Whippy
• Health and Personal Services – Emergency ID Australia
• Professional Services -  Financial – Holiday Coast Credit Union
• Professional Services – Non Financial – East Port Veterinary Hospital
• Trade Services and Suppliers – Hot Graphics
• Tourism (Accommodation) – Mercure Centro Hotel
• Tourism (Attraction/Entertainment) – Port Macquarie Panthers

In praising the 370 businesses who are now accredited in the Customer Care program, Port Macquarie-Hastings Council Administrator Neil Porter said customer service excellence is imperative if a business expects to shine and to stand out from the rest in today’s competitive marketplace.

“Evidence of the program’s success has already been recognised nationally. By recommending and supporting participating businesses we can all further boost the program,” Mr Porter said.

An exciting addition to the 2011 Awards is the introduction of the Inaugural Customer Care Service Excellence Awards "Hall of Fame".

Accredited business who have participated in and been named a category winner three or more times since the inception of the Awards were honoured. They were:

• Angela Lockwood, Sunrise Health Consultancy,
• COMPASS financial management,
• Rydges Port Macquarie,
• Holiday Coast Credit Union and
• Port Macquarie Panthers.

Rob Hamilton was awarded the Holiday Coast Credit Union Excellence in Service to the Business Community Perpetual Award.

Awards for outstanding commitment to the Journey of Flavour and Customer Care programs were awarded to Jon Pitkin, Jons Family Jewellers; Louise Beaumont, Focus Magazine; Kerrie McMahon from World Par-Tea and Kathy Balodis from The Corner Restaurant.

The Customer Care Program was established in 2006 by Council and the Customer Care Task force, with the aim of helping local business and industry achieve 'best practice' methods for customer service.

The program offers three distinct benefits to participants:

-          it develops staff skills and job satisfaction

-          it helps attract and sustain a business’s customer base which boosts the bottom line and,

-          it helps ensure that an impressive level of service is consistently offered to both local residents and tourists when they patronise a Customer Care outlet.

The program is driven by industry through the Chambers of Commerce, the Tourism Association, Hastings Business Women's Network, HBEC and the NSW Business Chamber.

To view photos taken by Hydro Photographics, click here

Also a big thank you to:

GILLESPIE MEDIA - PLATINUM SPONSOR FOR THE 5TH YEAR RUNNING!

Tom & Nigel, Ash & Beau from In-Phase Productions who have done all the sound & lighting tonight.  Another example of a Customer Care business that goes the extra mile for the benefit of the Program.

Linda Robb and Lisa Fraser, Panthers function & event coordinators, who have both been extremely easy to deal with and pleasure for Rachel to work with.

Jim Caine from Port Macquarie trophies for supplying the trophies & engraving them.

Olive Communications & Digital Signs & Printing for the lettering on the "Hall of Fame" honour board.

Janette & Allan Hyde for their support on so many things including the unveiling of the Hall of Fame Honour board.

Our Acting GM, Jeffrey Sharp and Administrator  Neil Porter for and their support & contribution to presentations on the night and for their support throughout the whole of the Program.

And to Leslie and Don Williams for their interest and support in attending.

Our Category sponsors:

• Verde Bamboo (Emilee Acheson)
• Hot Graphics (Kylie Morris)
• Graham’s Mechanical Repairs (Garry Graham)
• The Observatory (Chris Denny)
• Port Macquarie Panthers (Russell Cooper)
• Emergency ID Australia (Nicole Graham)
• Cullens Carpet One & Blinds. (Michael Page)
• Moisture Cure (Bob Knuckey)
• Tile Rescue (Kylee Blot)

And to the sponsor of the “Outstanding contribution to the Customer Care Program” award - HCCU.

Port Macquarie Panthers for sponsoring the venue and to Cassegrain Wines for their support of the event.

Thank you to the Task force & Working Party

And last but not least, a really big and sincere thank you to our Master of Ceremonies, Dr Wayne Graham & his lovely wife and assistant on stage Mrs Emmy Graham.

Rachel.

Have you purchased your Tickets? RSVPs due TODAY!

Good Afternoon Everyone,

If you haven't already purchased your tickets to the 5th Customer Care Service Excellence Awards, then NOW is the time to do it!

The taskforce and working party have volunteered many hours of their time to complete what has been an extremely difficult judging process. Nonetheless, finalist and winners have all be decided on and will be announced and celebrated on the night of the awards being Friday, 1st July 2011.

Don't miss out on what is shaping up to be a wonderful night full of opportunity for your business to shine and to support your fellow Customer Care accredited members.

Tickets are available from all Council offices and Panthers front reception.

Gillespie Media have been hard at work filming all of our wonderful nominees in preparation for the evening. 

The Hall of Fame inductees will be revealed and a number of other special little suprises are planned.

Thank you to those businesses who have responded to my call for raffle prize donations.  I do still need some more though.

If you are in a position to offer anything, please let me know ASAP.  I will need a copy of your logo so I can promote your business on the evening of the awards as a supporter.

Don't hold back!   Get your tickets today!

Invitation

Our Category Sponsors

HAVE A WONDERFUL LONG WEEKEND!

Rachel Ross
CUSTOMER CARE PROGRAM COORDINATOR

The 5th Customer Care Service Excellence Awards - Friday, 1st July 2011

Good Morning Everyone,

Well ... the judging has now been completed and finalists and winners chosen!  Oh what a night Friday the 1st of July will be!

Please click on the following links to view your invitation to the 5th Customer Care Service Excellence Awards and a copy of the seating plan for the Panthers auditorium. Tickets are now available for sale at all three Council Offices (PMQ, Wauchope & Laurieton) as well as from Port Macquarie Panthers front desk.

The unveiling of the "Hall of Fame" honour board will take place at the awards for the first time. Inductees will be announced on the evening. Who will they be???

So start planning who you'd like to invite and get your table and tickets organised early. Only 7 weeks to go!

Everyone is welcome!

CCSEAs Invitation (click here)

Seating Plan (click here)

Kind Regards.



Rachel Ross
Customer Care Program Coordinator

THE JUDGING HAS BEGUN ...!

,

Good Afternoon Accredited Customer Care Members

Well, a fantastic effort has been made by all the accredited Customer Care businesses who have entered into this year's Customer Care Service Excellence Awards.  Nominations closed on Friday, 25th March and the standard of nominations has yet again excelled.





THE JUDGING HAS BEGUN!If your business has been nominated for the Customer Care Service Excellence Awards this year, you will be mystery shopped and judged sometime over the coming weeks. Stringent marking criteria is being adhered to by the judging committee making the competition even tougher.


As we had anticipated, the number of entries in the Professional Services category were exceptional, so we now have two Professional Services categories being:


Professional Services - Financial; and
Professional Services - Non Financial

Click on this link to see all 9 categories and their sponsors.

Also presented at the Awards Ceremony is the following:

"Excellence in Service to the Business Community Perpetual Award"

Kindly sponsored by the Holiday Coast Credit Union
(This award recognises the exemplary service of an individual to the business community. The recipient will have made, over the last year, a remarkable contribution to business in Port Macquarie-Hastings. This person will been driven by an overwhelming desire to see this local are continue to develop and to maximise its business potential).

What's new this year?

Inaugural "Hall of Fame" induction ceremony.

An exciting addition to the 2011 awards brings the introduction of the Inaugural Customer Care Service Excellence Awards "Hall of Fame". Accredited business who have participated in and been named the winner of a their relevant category 3 or more times since the inception of the CCSEA's, will be publically applauded and inducted into the Hall of Fame! These businesses will be promoted as "the best of the best" in Customer Care. Who will they be?

Come along to the Customer Care Service Excellence Awards on Friday, 1st July 2011 to find out. Everyone is welcome.

2011 CUSTOMER CARE AWARDS - CATEGORY SPONSORS

Hello Everyone,

As promised earlier today, we have added a "Download Entry Form" button to the Customer Care Awards page on the website. For those of you who would prefer to continue to submit your nominations in the traditional way, by post or email, you now can.

The option is there for you to submit on-line, BUT, please remember that you must prepare your answers prior to going on-line as there is no provision to save a "partly completed" nomination. You will loose your content if you try to. You could prepare your answers in a word document and then cut and paste into the on-line form and this will be safe.

Click here to proceed to both options for submitting your nomination.

As per my email to you all earlier today, I'm very excited to have been inundated with offers from accredited businesses wanting to sponsor categories for the 2011 Awards.

As I have received far more offers than there are categories, I have taken the offers on a "first in, first served" bases as this is the only fair way I can think of doing this.

I have attached a pdf of the successful offers and will invoice those businesses in the near future once the over-all number of categories has been confirmed.

Category Sponsors

I'd like to thank everyone once again for your great support and enthusiasm. 

Kind Regards.

Rachel Ross
Customer Care Program Coordinator

Good Afternoon Everyone,

Thank you to all those who attended the 2nd InSync Networking Function for Customer Care & Journey of Flavour last night. The event was hosted by Modishe at Wauchope. I'd like to thank Bev Watson, Culinare @ Modishe for the wonderful array of food she prepared for all, Kate Thompson, Modishe Espresso and Rex & Carolyn Fowler for their efforts in accommodating everyone on the evening.

Local Bago wine was enjoyed whilst watching a short but fun bit of entertaining magic c/- Troppo Bob!

Thanks to Louise & Jay from Focus Magazine for once again providing the lucky door prize of 1 full page Focus profile on your business. Keep a watch out for this in the May issue of Focus when the new owners of Telegraph Retreat, Roger & Melanie Marshall, take advantage of this opportunity valued at $1,424.50. Congratulations guys!

Thank you also to Bob Knuckey & Christine Lowder of Moisture Cure and again to Bev Watson, Culinare @ Modishe for standing up and giving us all an insight into their hopes, dreams, plans, hurdles, challenges, secrets and successes of customer care.

At these networking evenings if we gain just one thing from the interaction of other members then it has proved beneficial.

For those of you who were in attendance last night, I promised to send a link of the "bloopers reel" from the 2010 Customer Care Service Excellence Awards as we had a bit of a technical (internet) problem with getting it work properly last night.

Here it is.
BLOOPERS REEL!

Stay tuned! I'll be in touch again very soon.

There's so much coming up!

Kind Regards.

Rachel Ross
Customer Care Program Coordinator

IT'S TIME! YOUR CHANCE TO SHINE!

Hello Customer Care Accredited Members,

Nominations for the 5th Customer Care Service Excellence Awards are now officially open!

Don't delay in starting your submission as entries close on 25th March 2011 (just a little more than 6 weeks away).

These awards are assessed in terms of how well the submission addresses the criteria.  This is not a popularity contest but rather an evaluation of the way in which the business and its staff meet service excellence standards and the road to continuous improvement.

Customer testimonials are encouraged as a means of supporting the claims made in the submission.

Click "Annual Service Excellence Awards" to learn about the process.

Before you begin your submission, have a read of some helpful tips and hints on how to make your submission stand out from the rest.

Anyone needing guidance with your submission, please feel free to contact me either by email or call me on 6581 8036.

Feedback, increasing numbers of nominations and attendance levels strongly suggest that the Customer Care Service Excellence Awards is becoming an extremely highly regarded event for this area.

Be sure to keep Friday, 1st July 2011 free to attend the awards evening and showcase how your business excels in Customer Care.

This year is our 5 year milestone so the Awards will be even bigger and better.

Click on the link to view photos of previous awards evenings, winners & finalists.

Although online submissions are our preferred method of receipt, hard copy/posted submissions are also welcome.  Everyone is invited to enter.

I look forward to receiving your submission.


RACHEL ROSS
Customer Care Program Coordinator

Welcome to the exciting new Customer Care Program Newsletter - Look What's Coming Up!

Hello Customer Care Program Members!

Well, it's finally here. As one of the many benefits to be received by accredited businesses during 2011, I'm very happy to announce the launch of the new, improved, interactive, user friendly website.

I invite you all to have a play, click on all the pages and let me know what you think.

Remember that the new Value Added Training schedule is now out and registrations are being taken for February & March courses.

The first course is scheduled for the 15th of February

Choose from the following:

Managing Customer Service;

Sales Fundamentals;

Customer Care Fundamentals; and

Dealing with Customer Complaints

Course outlines also available.

2011 Customer Care Service Excellence Awards

Nominations open Friday 4th February!

Entrants need to be aware that there is no provision to save a draft half way through their awards submission and return to it at a later stage. Entrants will need to enter all information in one sitting once prepared.

Keep caring for your customers!

Kind Regards.

Rachel.

_____________________________________________

RACHEL ROSS

Customer Care Program Coordinator

E: Rachel.Ross@pmhc.nsw.gov.au

Ph: 6581 8036         

Economic Development - Port Macquarie-Hastings Council             

www.pmhc.nsw.gov.au/customercare

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT "SERVICE To The MAX"