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Slide Automotive Towing
Best Practices
Module Five Use the Forward and Back arrows
to navigate through the slides Slide has finished loading when you see this icon: stop Slide Good service means giving customer satisfaction. The difference between good service and bad service usually lies in the attitude of the operator. stop Module Five: Service Calls Customer Service Slide The customer is relying on you to help them during a time of need and your employer is relying on you to represent his/her company. stop Module Five: Service Calls Customer Service Accepting this responsibility is part of doing the job of a towing and recovery operator. Slide You are representing more than just your company: you also play a role in how the public views you, your colleagues, and your industry. stop Module Five: Service Calls Customer Service You are front and centre, and often will be the first and probably the only person the customer will deal with at your company. Slide If the customer perceives you as unprofessional, your entire business will be discredited. stop Module Five: Service Calls Customer Service First impressions matter, so make your first impression count! They may even tell others about their bad experience which can work to discredit the whole industry. Slide Often one of the most difficult challenges an operator will face is dealing with people. stop Module Five: Service Calls Customer Service Everyone is different and every situation is different, but one thing is certain – you need to be able to effectively manage customer expectations. Your success in dealing with people will depend on your ability to understand their needs and to help find a solution to their problem. Slide To help you better understand your customer, you need to be able to empathize with their concerns. stop Module Five: Service Calls Customer Service Put yourself in their shoes and try to see the problem through their eyes. Why did they call you? What do they want from you? Why are they angry? Ask yourself – if you were in their shoes, what would you expect? Slide You can help build rapport with the customer by first listening to their concerns. stop Module Five: Service Calls Customer Service It is important to pay attention, not only to what the customer says, but how they are saying it. Body gestures provide cues to how the customer feels about what they are telling you. If the customer is upset or excited, do not respond in kind. If the customer is upset or excited, do not respond in kind. Your calmness will communicate itself to the customer and he/she will probably respect you more for maintaining your professionalism. Slide When customers get upset it is because their life has been disrupted in some way. stop Module Five: Service Calls Handling Upset Customers They have been shaken up from an accident or caused to be late to an important meeting. Other times they may be upset with you if they perceive you to have mishandled their car. Slide When a person has a problem they feel that they have lost control. stop Module Five: Service Calls Handling Upset Customers They must now rely on you to help them with their problem so they can regain control. Likely, they may want to try and take their frustration out on you. If you’re not careful, this may cause you stress and possibly, for you to lose your cool. Slide The first step is for you to disarm the angry customer, or potentially angry customer, by identifying the problem. stop Module Five: Service Calls Handling Upset Customers Listen to the customer and listen to their problem. Allow the customer to vent their feelings. Don’t become defensive and don’t interrupt. Slide Allow the customer to vent their feelings. Don’t become defensive and don’t interrupt. stop Module Five: Service Calls Handling Upset Customers This doesn’t necessarily mean that you are agreeing to any of their demands, only that you understand why they feel the way they do. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you are agreeing to any of their demands, only that you understand why they feel the way they do. Slide You should explain the situation and/or your actions to the customer in a calm manner without unnecessarily wasting time. stop Module Five: Service Calls Handling Upset Customers Hopefully by now you have reduced tensions and solved the problem. However, some customers will never be happy and blame you for their problem. Slide If you have done your due diligence and maintained your professionalism then you can hold your head high as there is nothing in the situation you need to get upset, stressed, or angered about. stop Module Five: Service Calls Handling Upset Customers Slide 1. Arriving at the Scene: stop Module Five: Service Calls The 5 Steps to Managing the Situation Establish a good first impression. Begin by greeting the customer in a warm, friendly manner. Your uniform should be clean and presentable and you should always smile and make eye contact when greeting the customer. You must convey a feeling of caring and reassurance for the customer and show that you are there to help. Slide 2. Safety First: stop Module Five: Service Calls The 5 Steps to Managing the Situation Always consider your own safety as well as the customer’s. Conduct a scene assessment and mitigate your hazards. If necessary, guide the customer and vehicle to a safe location and be mindful of their presence. Slide 3. Establish Your Credibility: stop Module Five: Service Calls The 5 Steps to Managing the Situation Establish credibility by assuming control of the situation. Be confident in your work and your abilities, even when faced with challenging situations. You can help the customer feel in control by explaining things to the customer and informing them about the progress of your work. If you can’t solve the problem then and there, offer alternatives. It is important that you take the time to listen to the customer’s concerns. Get the necessary information by listening and asking questions. Clarify, summarize, and then verify with the customer. Make sure you have all the necessary information before you begin your work. Slide 4. Plan the Work and Work Your Plan: stop Module Five: Service Calls The 5 Steps to Managing the Situation Don’t attempt any operation unless you are certain that it can be done safely. Make sure you have conducted a proper scene assessment and mitigated any hazards. Take time to check your work. If you are unable to solve the problem, explain things clearly to the customer and provide alternatives for them. This can prevent misunderstandings and shows that you care. Slide 5. Closing: stop Module Five: Service Calls The 5 Steps to Managing the Situation Complete the call in the same friendly manner as you began. Make sure that you have provided what the customer has asked for and that they are satisfied with the results. Make sure you review your work with the customer before taking payment. Customers are usually willing to pay for good service. You need to present charges in a manner that makes it easy for them to understand. Slide Your work as a towing and recovery operator will bring you into contact with emergency personnel such as police, fire, and ambulance. stop Module Five: Service Calls Working With Emergency Personnel Often these calls involve motor vehicle accidents or some other type of emergency activity. Follow all emergency protocols as established by the ARA Safe Work Practices Guidelines and your company policy. Slide Your main responsibility will be to follow instructions and wait for authorization for you to commence work. stop Module Five: Service Calls Working With Emergency Personnel You will deal with emergency personnel in much the same professional manner as you would any other customer. Remember, you are the expert and emergency personnel are relying on you to get the job done. Slide Sound on, press Play stop Module Five: Service Calls Service Calls Slide Interviewing the customer is typically the best place to begin. stop Module Five: Service Calls Diagnosing a Problem The customer may not know what the problem is, but his/her observations can give you clues as to what has gone wrong or where to start troubleshooting. Slide The standard procedure for troubleshooting: stop Module Five: Service Calls Diagnosing a Problem 2. Probable cause: A dead battery. 1. Begin by observing. For example, you try to start the car but only hear a clicking sound. 3. Observation: you turn on the headlights and there is full power, yes, or no. Slide Beginning with the general problem and moving through the likely causes will help you to deduce the probable cause and fix the problem or recommend a solution. stop Module Five: Service Calls Diagnosing a Problem Slide Jump-Start (Non-Hybrid Vehicles): stop Module Five: Service Calls Diagnosing a Problem Batteries contain acid which cause skin irritations or burns. Sparks may also cause explosions and fires. You should never smoke around batteries. Before you attempt to jump-start a vehicle, ensure that the customer is safely out of the way and that you are wearing proper protective equipment (eg. gloves and safety eyewear). Slide Jump-Start (Non-Hybrid Vehicles): stop Module Five: Service Calls Diagnosing a Problem If you do get splash in your eye, flush with warm water immediately. Your truck should be equipped with a first aid kit. Slide Jump-Start (Non-Hybrid Vehicles): stop Module Five: Service Calls Diagnosing a Problem Before jump-starting, unplug all accessories inside the vehicle, as well as turn off lights, stereo, and heater controls. 1. Connect the positive (Red) cable to the disabled vehicle. 2. Connect the positive cable to the truck or plug-in connection to the front bumper. (The plug on the front bumper also connects the negative (Black) cable on a tow truck.) 3. Plug the final negative cable, if possible, to a clean unpainted bolt on the frame. This avoids sparks directly around the discharged battery. * If the vehicle does not start, it may be necessary to attach the negative cable to the battery. Slide Booster Packs: stop Module Five: Service Calls Diagnosing a Problem 1. Connect the positive (Red) cable to the disabled vehicle. 2. Connect the negative cable to a clean bolt on the frame. Slide The booster packs have peak amperage of 1,700 CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) this works well on deeply discharged batteries. stop Module Five: Service Calls Diagnosing a Problem Booster Packs: Some vehicles such as Bentleys use a male-to-male connecter through the cigarette lighter. Other vehicles like Porsches use boosting points inside the vehicle by the driver’s side fuse panel. If you are unfamiliar with a jump-starting procedure, please see the owner’s manual. Slide stop Module Five: Service Calls Tire Change: Before you begin to change a tire you should always ensure that the customer is safely out of the way and the vehicle is in a safe position. Always wear gloves when removing/changing a tire. Slide stop Module Five: Service Calls Tire Change: 1. Place the vehicle in the PARK position if it has an automatic transmission or in REVERSE if it is a manual transmission. 2. Park the vehicle on a hard, level surface. If you can't, the surface should be as level as possible. 3. Apply the parking brake and remove the key from the ignition. 4. Place a wheel chock diagonally opposite the wheel to be changed. If you are changing the Left Front tire you should chock the Right Rear tire. Placing wheel chocks at both wheels would be an added safety step. 5. Now place the jack in position as per vehicle instructions. This is usually under the body just forward of the rear wheels and rearward of the front wheels. 6. If your vehicle has separate wheel covers, use the pry bar to remove them. Place the pry bar under the edge of the wheel cover and gently pry it up. Do this at several points around the wheel cover to loosen it and then completely remove the cover. ...Continued, next slide Slide stop Module Five: Service Calls Tire Change: 7. If you have a wheel lock key, fit it to the wheel lock and place the lug wrench on it. Turn it in a counter clockwise direction until the wheel lock cracks loose. 8. Place the wheel lock in a safe place where it won't roll away and crack the other lug nuts loose. At this point you just want to crack them loose, not remove them. 9. Slowly and steadily raise the vehicle until the tire is just off the ground. Using the lug wrench remove all the lug nuts and place them aside. 10. Place the replacement wheel onto the wheel studs and start the lug nuts by hand as far as you can. Wiggling the wheel will help in doing this. 11. With the wheel on and secured, lower the vehicle until the wheel touches the ground. Use the lug wrench to tighten the lug nuts. There is a certain sequence you must follow. If you have four lug nuts, the sequence is tightening the first nut, then the opposite nut, etc. 12. As soon as possible, go to a tire store or repair shop and have the lug nuts properly torqued. Slide stop Module Five: Service Calls Keys Locked in the Car: Refer to company policies & training or CAA guidelines. Slide stop Module Five: Service Calls Ran Out of Gas: Arriving at the scene, safe work practices apply. The fuel tank may be located on either side of the vehicle so you will likely not have a choice as to which side you will be working on You will need to decide if additional traffic management is necessary. Most vehicles these days will be fuel injected; older vehicles may have a carburetor and may need to be primed by pumping the foot pedal. Always check the fuel gauge and ensure there are no other malfunctions before putting fuel in the tank. Propane delivery is prohibited. Slide Automotive Towing
Best Practices
Module Five THANK YOU. THIS CONCLUDES MODULE FIVE. EXIT
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