Customer Service – Individual Modules
(Each session is 4 hours)


When you think of your customer service team, there are things that they are doing well and there are areas that need improvement.

The first step of our process is for you and/or your organization to decide what you would like your people to be doing that they are not and then selecting the relevant 4 hour modules from the list below. Once you have identified the areas necessary for improvement we will work with you to create the most appropriate program.


Customer Service 1
• The benefits of great service – For you and the customer!
• Who are your customers?
• Understanding and clarifying your customer’s needs
• Meeting your customer’s needs
• The importance of initiative and being pro-active
• Projecting the appropriate image to your customers
• Developing trust and rapport
• Building confidence and integrity
• The importance of follow-up


Customer Service 2
• Delivering professional customer service
• Giving individualised service
• Enhancing your service style – lifting the bar!
• Appropriate problem management
• Focusing on the need rather than the problem
• Identifying other opportunities
• Developing and maintaining a positive attitude
• Business Acumen
• Awareness of the bigger picture
• The role we play
• Cause & Effect
• Customer service in a changing environment


Customer Communication Skills
• What is effective communication?
• The key elements of effective communication
• Active listening
• Using appropriate language
• Giving clear information and explanations
• Overcoming the barriers to communication
• Physical barriers
• Psychological barriers
• Semantic barriers
• Communication via email – when to use and how
• Understanding and interpreting body language


 Telephone Techniques
• Telephone communication skills
• Managing inbound and outbound calls
• Opening the call
• Your speaking voice – the importance of confidence: Using the right words, tone, - intonation and speed
• Managing the body of the call
• Closing the call
• Controlling the call
• Guidelines for screening calls
• Putting the caller on hold
• Transferring a call
• Taking messages
• Call time management


Customer Psychology
• Treating customers as individuals – Who are you dealing with?
• Reading your customer’s expectations
• Adjusting your style to become more effective
• Appropriate assertiveness
• Dealing with misinterpretation
• Coping with over-sensitivity
• Using behaviours to build rapport
• Behavioural changes under stress
• Adapting your communication to become more ‘customer friendly’


Serving Internal and External Customers
• Identifying internal vs. external customer needs
• How do your internal customers evaluate service?
• Guidelines for providing exceptional internal customer service
• Increasing communication between different roles and departments
• Educating your internal customers – clarifying their expectations
• Meeting deadlines and keeping internal customers informed
• Creating a positive environment
• Taking a team approach


Dealing With Difficult Customers and Situations
• What is a difficult customer and why?
• Identifying customer problems
• Never tell customers your problems
• Turning complaints into opportunities
• Dealing with a anger and emotion
• Identify and how to deal with abusive customers and other challenges
• The importance of politeness
• Managing stress and pressure – Emotion vs. Logic
• Conflict Resolution – Getting to a ‘win-win’
• Real life scenarios


Adding Value To The Customer
• Taking responsibility – owning your customers and sales
• Building integrity in our actions – keeping your customers up to date
• Identifying opportunities for adding value in the eyes of the customer
• How to make recommendations without appearing ‘pushy’
• Keeping the customer happy
• Ensuring customer continuity
• Identifying common goals
• Developing customer loyalty
• How to keep the customer coming back for more!


Overcoming Barriers To Service
• Identifying challenges of our unique environment
• Recognising sources of stress and conflict
• Defining specific problems / issues to solve
• Analysing potential causes
• Generating and selecting the best solutions
• Implementing the solution – who is responsible?
• Evaluating the successful impact on customers
• Increasing motivation and empowerment among the customer service team