Customer Service Training

Customer Service Training

by Kimberly Delvin
Released August 2015
Publisher(s): Association for Talent Development
ISBN: 9781607284352

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Book description


Effective customer service training covers more than niceties.

Organizational profitability is threatened when staff are unable to manage customer needs. Yet it takes more than soft skills training to turn these situations around. A great customer service training covers essential behaviors, service strategies, and service systems that together ensure an exceptional customer experience.
Training authority Kimberly Devlin presents two-day, one-day, and half-day workshops that support trainees in any industry and environment, not just the call center. Each workshop introduces techniques for managing challenging customers and situations and also offers opportunities to apply new skills to service interactions.

Free tools and customization options
The free, ready-to-use workshop materials (PDF) that accompany this book include downloadable presentation materials, agendas, handouts, assessments, and tools. All workshop program materials, including MS Office PowerPoint presentations and MS Word handouts, may be customized for an additional licensing fee.

About the series
The ATD Workshop Series is written for trainers by trainers, because no one knows workshops as well as the practitioners who have done it all. Each publication weaves in today's technology and accessibility considerations and provides a wealth of new content that can be used to create a training experience like no other. The series also includes Communication Skills Training, Leadership Training, Coaching Training, and New Supervisor Training.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Contents
  5. FOREWORD
  6. PREFACE
  7. INTRODUCTION: HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
    1. Why Is Developing Customer Service Skills Important?
    2. Which Program Is Best?
      1. Half-Day Workshop: Service Behaviors That Matter
      2. One-Day Workshop: From the Customer’s Perspective
      3. Two-Day Workshop: A Total Approach to Service
    3. How Much Time Will Preparation Take?
    4. What Do I Need to Know About Training?
    5. What Are the Important Features of the Book?
    6. How Are the Agendas Laid Out?
    7. How Do I Use This Book?
    8. Key Points
    9. What to Do Next
    10. Additional Resources
  8. SECTION I: THE WORKSHOPS
    1. 1 HALF-DAY CUSTOMER SERVICE WORKSHOP: SERVICE BEHAVIORS THAT MATTER
      1. Half-Day Workshop Objectives: Service Behaviors That Matter
      2. Half-Day Workshop Overview
      3. A Word About Presentation Slides and Handouts
      4. Half-Day Workshop Agenda
      5. What to Do Next
    2. 2 ONE-DAY CUSTOMER SERVICE WORKSHOP: FROM THE CUSTOMER’S PERSPECTIVE
      1. One-Day Workshop Objectives: From the Customer’s Perspective
      2. One-Day Workshop Overview
      3. A Word About Presentation Slides and Handouts
      4. One-Day Workshop Agenda
      5. What to Do Next
    3. 3 TWO-DAY CUSTOMER SERVICE WORKSHOP: A TOTAL APPROACH TO SERVICE
      1. Two-Day Workshop Objectives: A Total Approach to Service
      2. Two-Day Workshop Overview
        1. Overview of Day One
        2. Overview of Day Two
      3. A Word About Presentation Slides and Handouts
      4. Two-Day Workshop Agenda: Day One
      5. What to Do Between Workshop Days
      6. Two-Day Workshop Agenda: Day Two
      7. What to Do Next
    4. 4 CUSTOMIZING THE CUSTOMER SERVICE WORKSHOPS
      1. Customizing the Content and Activities
        1. Step One: Get Real
        2. Step Two: Be Relevant
        3. Step Three: Integrate the Organization’s Service Standards
      2. Customizing the Workshop Format
        1. One-Hour, Themed Sessions
        2. Two-Hour Themed Sessions
      3. Customizing the Workshop Delivery with Technology
      4. The Bare Minimum
      5. What to Do Next
  9. SECTION II: ESSENTIALS OF EFFECTIVE CUSTOMER SERVICE TRAINING
    1. 5 IDENTIFYING NEEDS FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE TRAINING
      1. Why Needs Analysis?
        1. Strategic Needs Analysis
        2. Structured Interviews
        3. Focus Groups
        4. Surveys
      2. Individual Learning Needs Analysis
      3. The Bare Minimum
      4. Key Points
      5. What to Do Next
      6. Additional Resources
    2. 6 UNDERSTANDING THE FOUNDATIONS OF TRAINING DESIGN
      1. Basic Adult Learning Theory
      2. More Theoretical Ideas Important to Learning
        1. Multiple Intelligences
        2. Whole Brain Learning
      3. Theory into Practice
        1. Establishing a Framework
        2. Identifying Behaviors
        3. Practicing
        4. Providing Feedback
        5. Making It Relevant
      4. The Bare Minimum
      5. Key Points
      6. What to Do Next
      7. Additional Resources
    3. 7 LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY TO MAXIMIZE AND SUPPORT DESIGN AND DELIVERY
      1. Why Consider Learning Technologies?
      2. Opportunities to Use Learning Technologies
        1. When Designing Training
        2. Before Training
        3. During Training
        4. After Training
        5. While Building a Practitioner Community
      3. The Bare Minimum
      4. Key Points
      5. What to Do Next
      6. Additional Resources
    4. 8 DELIVERING YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE WORKSHOP: BE A GREAT FACILITATOR
      1. The Learning Environment
      2. Program Preparation Checklist
      3. Participant Materials
        1. Handouts
        2. Presentation Slides
        3. Workbooks and Journals
        4. Videos
        5. Toys, Noisemakers, and Other Props
      4. Facilitator Equipment and Materials
      5. A Strong Start: Introductions, Icebreakers, and Openers
      6. Feedback
        1. Role Plays
        2. Participant Presentations
        3. Ball Toss
        4. Journaling
      7. Responding to Questions
      8. Training Room and Participant Management
      9. A Word About Dealing With Difficult Participants
      10. An Unforgettable End
      11. The Bare Minimum
      12. Key Points
      13. What to Do Next
      14. Additional Resources
    5. 9 EVALUATING WORKSHOP RESULTS
      1. Levels of Measurement
        1. Level 1: Measuring Participant Reactions
        2. Level 2: Measuring the Extent to Which Participants Have Learned
        3. Level 3: Measuring the Results of Training Back on the Job
        4. Level 4: Measuring the Organizational Impact of Training
        5. Return on Investment
      2. Reporting Results
      3. The Bare Minimum
      4. Key Points
      5. What to Do Next
      6. Additional Resources
  10. SECTION III: POST-WORKSHOP LEARNING
    1. 10 THE FOLLOW-UP COACH
      1. Create a Communication Plan
      2. Involve Managers in the Transfer of Learning
        1. Before the Workshop
        2. After the Workshop
      3. Connect Service Standards to Organizational Metrics
      4. Focus on Personal Action Planning
      5. Continue to Offer Learning Opportunities
      6. Create an Open and Encouraging Environment for Quality Customer Service
      7. Key Points
      8. What to Do Next
      9. Additional References
  11. SECTION IV: WORKSHOP SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS AND ONLINE SUPPORT
    1. 11 LEARNING ACTIVITIES
      1. Learning Activities Included in Customer Service Training
        1. Half-Day Workshop: Service Behaviors That Matter
        2. One-Day Workshop: From the Customer’s Perspective
        3. Two-Day Workshop: A Total Approach to Service
    2. 12 ASSESSMENTS
      1. Assessments Included in Customer Service Training
    3. 13 HANDOUTS
      1. Handouts Included in Customer Service Training
        1. Half-Day Workshop: Service Behaviors That Matter
        2. One-Day Workshop: From the Customer’s Perspective
        3. Two-Day Workshop: A Total Approach to Service
    4. 14 ONLINE TOOLS AND DOWNLOADS
      1. Access to Free Supporting Materials
      2. Customizable Materials
      3. Working With the Files
        1. PDF Documents
        2. PowerPoint Slides
  12. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  13. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  14. ABOUT ATD
  15. Back Cover

Product information

  • Title: Customer Service Training
  • Author(s): Kimberly Delvin
  • Release date: August 2015
  • Publisher(s): Association for Talent Development
  • ISBN: 9781607284352