Customer Service Training Modules

The following are example modules for Achieving Excellence in Customer Service training for front-line workers and first-line supervisors.

Module 1 – Compassion for the Customer

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

1. Identify customers and what they value.
2. Identify and distinguish Moments of Truth, Moments of Misery, and Moments of Magic for the customers.
3. Describe the most difficult customer ever encountered and provide a theory as to why the customer behaved as s/he did.
4. Explain why the customer is the job, rather than an interruption of it.
5. Describe the 6 basic customer needs, knowing that customers ask for what they want, but what they need is a whole lot more.
6. Explain ways in which co-workers are internal customers and why they should be treated with the same respect as external customers.
7. Describe 4 basic customer working styles and how to get in step with these working styles.
8. Identify 10 personal skills that influence other people’s behavior positively.

Module 2 – Listening and Problem-Solving Skills

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

1. Demonstrate successful attending skills for listening, namely:
   • Presence
   • Attention
   • Authentic Interest
   • Suspension of Judgment
   • Patience
   • Commitment to Work
2. Self-identify tendencies that block attending, namely:
   • Ruling out the speaker
   • Reaching a premature conclusion
   • Reading in expectations
   • Reading out threats
   • Rehearsing a response
   • Reacting to trigger words
   • Responding with evaluation
3. Differentiate between open and closed questions and use them appropriately to serve your customers better.
4. Explain and demonstrate how asking the right questions can help identify the three different kinds of customer-based opportunities
   • Service Opportunities
   • Persuasion Opportunities
   • Tension Opportunities
5. Identify and demonstrate the steps in solving a problem for a customer, including the questioning technique and the bridging technique.

Module 3 – Communication and Telephone Skills

1. As a result of this training module, participants will be better able to:
2. Use inflection, pacing, and volume to achieve a great telephone voice.
3. Demonstrate proper telephone etiquette for how to answer the phone and for putting callers on hold.
4. Use behavioral flexibility in communicating successfully with people who have different working styles.
5. Check the bonds of trust and communications accuracy regularly in a two-way conversation.

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

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

1. Explain the concept of Tension Management
2. Practice application of Tension Management to common situations that you experience.
3. Describe and demonstrate the best approach for handling disgruntled, unhappy, or irate customers.
4. Let customers vent their feelings without taking personal offense.
5. Avoid negative filters about the customer which ignite additional tension.
6. Reach mutual agreement on the solution with the customer so that you under-promise and over-deliver.