This book was born out of the training classes I've presented for I.T. professionals. I was approached by a state agency to develop customer service training for their help desk staff. They were interested in customer service training presented from the perspective of a technologist, rather than a mainstream customer service trainer. I contacted my friend Paul Senness to help write the training workshop, because of his extensive experience in business training in general and specifically in customer service training. As often happens, what began as a simple project soon took on a life of its own. I listed the workshop on my website and have since presented it for organizations as diverse as Facebook, the Discover Card, SUNY Cobleskill, LogMeIn, and various government agencies. We've included input from students, plus research we've done in the area of customer service. We intentionally kept the book short, realizing that I.T. people are among the most overworked and under-appreciated of any group. We can't help on the overworked aspect of the job, but this book can help you become more appreciated!
Finally, a customer service book written especially for today's overworked I.T. staff! Filled with practical tips, best practices, and real-world techniques, The Compassionate Geek is a quick read with equally fast results. Learn how to speak to the different generations at work, how to use emotional intelligence to manage your own emotions and influence the emotions of others, how to say "no" without alienating the end-user, what to do when the customer (user) is wrong, how to cope with the stress of the job, and more! Here's what you'll find:
- The four intrinsic qualities of great service providers
- Two practical ways to keep your emotions in check
- A flow chart for handling user calls
- What to do when the user is wrong
All of the information is presented in a straightforward style that you can understand and use right away. There's nothing "foo-foo", just down-to-earth tips and best practices learned from years of working with I.T. pros and end-users.