Module 1 — Understanding the Customer

As a result of this training module, participants will be better able to:

1. Identify customers and what they value.
2. Describe the most difficult customer ever encountered and provide a theory as to why the customer behaved as s/he did.
3. Explain why the customer is the job, rather than an interruption of it.
4. Describe the four basic customer needs, knowing that customers ask for what they want, but what they need is a whole lot more.
5. Identify the five personal skills that influence other people's behavior positively.

Module 2 — Listening & Problem-Solving Skills

As a result of this training module, participants will be better able to:

1. Demonstrate successful attending skills for listening, including:

Ø       Present to the moment

Ø       Authentic interest

Ø       Patience

Ø       Commitment to work

2. Self-identify tendencies that block attending, namely:

Ø       Ruling out the speaker

Ø       Reaching a premature conclusion

Ø       Reading into expectations

Ø       Reading out threats

Ø       Rehearsing a response

Ø       Reacting to trigger words

3. Identify one’s own behavior style and the styles of the customers.

Ø       Understand behavioral tendencies

Ø       Apply behavior knowledge to communicate more effectively with customer styles

Ø       Type ourselves and others

Ø       Describe four basic customer- working styles and how to get in step with these styles

Ø       Apply knowledge to Customer Relations and Team Building

Ø       Understand why a strategy that works on one person may be disastrous with another

2. Differentiate between open and closed questions and use them appropriately to serve customers better.
3. Explain and demonstrate how asking the right questions can help identify the three different kinds of customer-based opportunities

Ø       True service Opportunities

Ø       Persuasion Opportunities

Ø       Critical Opportunities

4. Identify and demonstrate the steps in solving a problem for a customer, including the questioning technique and the bridging technique.
5. Discover why complaining customers are one of their most valuable resources, and how to reward them

Module 3 — Communication and Telephone Skills

As a result of this training module, participants will be better able to:

1.       Use inflection, pacing, mirroring and volume to achieve a great telephone voice.

2. Demonstrate proper telephone practices for how to answer the phone and for putting callers on hold.
3. Use behavioral flexibility in communicating successfully with people who have different working styles.

Module 4 — Handling Tense, Stressful and Multi-Tasking Situations

As a result of this training module, participants will be better able to:

1.       View Customer Service is an Attitude not a Department

Ø       Attitude is a Choice that is controllable

Ø       ATTITUDE - a formula for Success

2.       Explain the concept of Stress Management

3. Practice application of Stress Management to common situations that they experience.
4. Describe and demonstrate the best approach for handling disgruntled, unhappy, or irate customers.
5. Utilize optioning skills- a very effective, but often underused, technique
6. Let customers vent their feelings without taking personal offense.
7. Avoid negative filters about the customer, which ignite additional tension.
8. Reach mutual agreement on the solution with the customer so they under-promise and over-deliver.

Module 5 — Internal Service:  The overarching framework for External Service

As a result of this training module, participants will be better able to:

1.       Identify Internal Customers

2.       Describe how unresolved issues between colleagues can have a negative impact on customer loyalty

3.       Identify unresolved job-related issues that call for productive dialogue with colleagues

4.       Identify and remove barriers to addressing issues with their co-workers

5.       Prepare for a discussion with a co-worker to resolve an issue that has a negative impact on customers

6.       Set the tone for productive dialogue with the colleague involved

7.       Facilitate discussion with the co-worker involved

8.       Develop a shared plan to resolve the issue

9.      Plan the application of a process for resolving issues that negatively impact their customers

Module 6 — Understanding the Financial Impact of Service

As a result of this training module, participants will be better able to:

1. Formulate retention strategies to drive repeat business
2. Leverage current customers for new business acquisition
3. Set qualitative goals to help reach their maximum potential.