253 Section 11.2 E-tail Customer Service Product Knowledge Product knowledge is critical for customer service employees who do not have face-to-face contact with customers. Employees working in a store receive informal training from their peers, as well as customers. Being in the store allows them to touch and see the product. E-tail customer service employees may not be able to experience the product fi rst hand. Product training must be thorough for these employees. E-tail customer service representatives may depend heavily on reference materials, such as product manuals and customer service fl owcharts, to respond to questions. Communication Skills Customer service representatives who talk to customers on the phone must understand how to convey interest and concern. Not everyone has a natural telephone voice, so some employees may need special training. Positive employee actions result in customer satisfaction. An example of a positive action is listening. Active listening is fully participating in and processing what the customer is saying. Since the customer’s face cannot be seen over the phone, it is important to focus on what is being said. Full attention must be given to the purpose of the call. Above all, telephone representatives must learn to be calm regardless of how frustrated the customer may get. Providing information in a way the customer can understand is an action that results in customer satisfaction. On each call, the customer service representative should pace the amount of information that is conveyed. It is important to listen to the customer and react accordingly. The pace must be slow enough for the customer to understand the information, yet fast enough to keep the call moving. E-tail customer service representatives must use appropriate grammar and vocabulary when communicating with customers. When answering e-mail, the message should be proper and professional. Most e-mail questions have a prepared response that can be copied and pasted into an e-mail message. However, if the response must be drafted for an individual, professionalism is critical. Workplace Ergonomics Ergonomics is the science concerned with designing and arranging things people use so they can interact effi ciently and safely. For employees in a call center, ergonomics can include designing workstations to fi t the unique needs of the worker and the equipment used. Call center employees spend long periods of time working on computers. They may be at risk for eyestrain, back discomfort, and NRF Tip NRF’s Facebook page includes helpful pointers for retailers establishing their social media identity. Using this information and viewing social media pages of similar businesses, retailers can gain knowledge and inspiration.