CREATING AN EXCEPTIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE

1. CREATING AN EXCEPTIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership

2. Susan Sarfati, CAE President & CEO, The Center for Association Leadership and Executive Vice President, ASAE ssarfati@asaecenter.org www.asaecenter.org 5th World Chambers CongressIstanbul, TurkeyJuly 6, 2007 ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership

3. Who we are … The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) & The Center for Association Leadership ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership

4. An individual membership organization of more than 22,000 association executives and industry partners representing nearly 11,000 organizations in 50 countries The American Society of Association Executives ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership

5. The premier provider of learning, knowledge, and future-oriented research for the association profession. The Center for Association Leadership ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership

6. What separates the merely good association from the truly great? ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership

7. Commitment to Purpose 1. A Customer Service Culture 2. Alignment of Products and Services With Mission Commitment to Analysis and Feedback Commitment to Action Remarkable 3. Data-Driven Strategies 4. Dialogue and Engagement 5. CEO as a Broker of Ideas 6. Organizational Adaptability 7. Alliance Building ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership

8. Commitment to Purpose • Mission subdivided into needs • Products, services, activities developed to address those needs • Driven by mission not money • “We’re here to serve you” • Individual encounters with members • Organizational structure and process • An association of members, for members, by members 1. A Customer Service Culture 2. Alignment of Products and Services With Mission ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership

9. Commitment to Analysis and Feedback • Capacity and culture to gather, share, analyze information • Data, Data, Data 3. Data-Driven Strategies 4. Dialogue and Engagement 5. CEO as a Broker of Ideas • Continuous conversation on direction and priorities • Staff and Volunteers • Facilitates visionary thinking throughout the organization • “The Great Go-Between” ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership

10. Commitment to Action • Secure and confident enough to seek partners and projects that complement their mission and purpose • Partnering for the right purpose • Learn from and respond to change • Know what not to change • The will to act 6. Organizational Adaptability 7. Alliance Building ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership

11. Importance of and ways to develop a customer service culture, the way a brand exceeds customer needs… • Define your Customers • “We’re here to serve you” • Individual encounters with members – creating the experience • Surprise and delight factor ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership

12. Organizational structure and processes – built around exceeding members’ expectations • An association of members, for members, by members • Employee empowerment and creating ambassadors ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership

13. Don’t be threatened by people smarter than you Examples of Outstanding Companies • Compromise anything but your core values • Seek to renew yourself even when you are hitting home runs • Everything matters ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership

14. Nothing is too much trouble for customers Splendid structure Continues to grow, adapt, reassess and reinvent itself. ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership

15. Define what extraordinary really means. Ask if you’re not sure Allow your people to be extraordinary Share information Share the commitment Don’t expect magic overnight Expect snafus and react accordingly ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership

16. Six touch points that membership-based organizations use to communicate with members: Email Voice mail Snail Mail (post) Exceptional Communication • Phone • Fax • Face-to face • Who is using new technologies to communicate with members and customers? ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership

17. Different Cultures – different needs Generational Needs Understand Cultural and Generational Needs ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership

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19. Marketing & Branding Human Relations Skills – Hiring and training Technology to collect and use data Strategic Partnering and Alliances Organizational Competencies for Great Customer Service ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership

20. Evaluations (events, products, services) Satisfaction Surveys Loyalty to Organization – would members recommend you to their colleagues? Membership Growth & Retention Do something with data collected Establish Specific Outcomes and Metrics REMEMBER! The Board of Directors does not have all the answers! ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership

21. Active listening Going the extra mile Empathy Simplicity Rapid Response Getting to “yes” Rank and Measure Products (amazon.com) Customer Service Tactics to Exceed Expectations Remember! Don’t survey your members too much! ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership

22. 3 steps you will take immediately upon returning to your office: 1)____________________________ 2)____________________________ 3)____________________________ ACTION ITEMS ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership

23. Please make plans to join us for the 2007Annual Meeting & Exposition August 11-14, 2007 Chicago, Illinois, USA THANK YOU! ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership

24. Annual Meeting & Exposition, Aug. 11-14, 2007 McCormick Convention Center, Chicago, IL Great Ideas Conference, Dec. 7-9, 2007 Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club, Orlando, FL Association Technology Conference, Jan. 31-Feb. 1, 2008 Washington DC Convention Center, Washington DC International Study Mission to India, Feb. 23-Mar 4, 2008 10-Day trip to Mumbai, Delhi ASAE & The Center Major Programs ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership

25. International Conference, March 6-7, 2008 Marriott Learning Complex, Ronald Reagan Bldg. & ITC, Washington, DC Springtime™, April 3, 2008, Washington DC Convention Center Future Leaders Conference, June 5-8, 2008, Charlotte, NC Annual Meeting & Exposition, August 16-19, 2008, San Diego, CA ASAE & The Center Major Programs (continued) ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership

26. 08/27/07 – 10/07/07 Membership Boot Camp 09/10/07 – 10/21/07 Basic Marketing Essentials for the Association Professional 11/05/07 – 12/16/07 Principles of Financial Management 01/14/08 – 02/24/08 Principles of Association Management 01/21/08 – 03/02/08 CEO Dialogue:  Leading Associations in the 21st Century 02/04/08 – 03/16/08 Principles of Component Relations 03/10/08 – 04/27/08 Professional Development Management Series 03/24/08 – 05/11/08 Membership Boot Camp 04/07/08 – 05/18/08 Basic Marketing Essentials for the Association Professional 05/05/08 – 06/15/08 Principles of Financial Management 05/19/08 – 06/29/08 Principles of Association Management 06/16/08 – 07/27/08 CEO Dialogue:  Leading Associations in the 21st Century 06/23/08 – 08/03/08 Principles of Component Relations 07/14/08 – 08/24/08 Professional Development Management Series ASAE & The Center Online Courses ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership

27. THANK YOU! ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership