Customer Service Remote Delivery - Course Modules

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 30 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 75 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to consider the difference between good and bad customer service.
• To encourage participants to consider the behaviours that those who deliver good customer service demonstrate.
• To consider strategies for avoiding or managing customer conflict.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 12 participants. It’s not suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
Anyone in a customer facing role.

You'll Need:
• A Trainers’ Library membership that includes the option to stream this video or you can purchase a DVD from Trainers' Library.

Notes:
This module is designed to accompany the Glasstap film, ‘Why Do I Always Get Them?’

This exercise involves a look at customer service, particularly in relation to face-to-face contact, managing difficult situations and conflict.

The second exercise can be run as a post-training activity to be completed individually, if you need to reduce the time required for this module.

If your level of membership doesn’t include the option to stream this video, you can purchase a digital copy.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Breakout Rooms (required).

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 35 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 45 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To demonstrate the importance of asking a mix of open and closed questions to gain a clear and accurate understanding of a situation.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 12 participants. It’s not suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• All three of the Activity Links in Trainers’ Library and your Activity Link PIN from the My Account section of the member homepage.
• To decide how participants will send their questions to you. (Normally this will be by email or text.)

Notes:
This can be a very useful exercise for salespeople, or anyone who needs to select and ask great questions in order to effectively gather information.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Breakout Rooms (required).

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 45 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 60 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To identify what gets in the way of internal customer service.
• To consider ways to reduce or eliminate the barriers to internal customer care.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 12 participants. It’s not suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• The Activity Link and your PIN.
• To have created a blank JamBoard (though you can use a Whiteboard if you prefer).

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Polls/Quizzes (not required).
• Breakout Rooms (required).

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 45 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 60 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To reflect on how a team or organisation is viewed by its employees and customers.
• To consider a team or organisation’s strengths and weaknesses.
• To generate discussion about how to develop strengths and overcome weaknesses.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 12 participants. It’s not suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
Managers at all levels and/or their teams.

You'll Need:
• The Activity Link provided and your unique PIN.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Polls/Quizzes (not required).
• Breakout Rooms (required).

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 30 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 40 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To highlight the absurdity of categorising people by one shared characteristic.
• To illustrate how putting people in boxes highlights differences.
• To highlight the similarities between people that unite us.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of between 7 and 12 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels

You'll Need:
• To prepare a JamBoard before the session, following the guidance provided.

Notes:
Recommended for groups of 7 or more, though you might be able to use it with slightly smaller teams initially separated into two distinct groups.

If you can, find out enough from your participants before they attend to be able to put them into three or four groups of about equal size. We suggest grouping your participants by any of these:
• Gender.
• Where they were born (For example, North or South, City, Town or Rural).
• Level of education.
• Age.

Do not group participants by ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation etc.

This exercise shamelessly borrows from and is inspired by this brilliant film, directed by Asger Leth.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 20 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 35 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To demonstrate the significance of body language in communication.
• To encourage participants to think about the difficulties the lack of body language creates when communicating by telephone.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 12 participants. It’s not suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• Nothing other than the materials provided.

Notes:
The subjects used in the exercise are deliberately controversial so it is advisable that you do not pair people together who you believe may struggle to get along together.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Polls/Quizzes (not required).
• Breakout Rooms (not required).

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 40 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 60 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To illustrate the importance of customer service.
• To demonstrate how little changes can have a big impact to customers’ perception of the service they receive.
• To illustrate the importance of people to customer service.
• To identify improvements that can be made to customer service within the participants’ teams/organisation.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 12 participants. It’s not suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• The Activity Links and your PIN.

Notes:
Demonstrates how little changes can make a big difference when it comes to customer service.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Polls/Quizzes (not required).
• Breakout Rooms (required).

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 25 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 50 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To explore the difference between Assertive Behaviour and more Passive or Aggressive approaches.
• To understand how to deal assertively with customers.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 12 participants. It’s not suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
Anyone.

You'll Need:
• To create a poll before the training session as per the Trainer’s Handout.

Notes:
Before running this activity, review the scenarios in Handout 1 and decide what you think is the appropriate action for your participants to take.

There are two versions of this module – this one for external customers and another where the examples are focused on internal customers.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Polls/Quizzes (required).
• Breakout Rooms (required).

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 40 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 60 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To give participants the opportunity to map a real internal service chain and identify critical internal relationships.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 12 participants. It’s not suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• Nothing other than the materials provided.

Notes:
This follow on to Internal Service Chain – The Garden Studio, is designed for use where participants work for the same organisation and provides a practical application of the learning from that module.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Polls/Quizzes (not required).
• Breakout Rooms (required - unless working with a group of 6 or fewer).

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 30 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 60 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To explore the concept of an internal service chain.
• To give participants the opportunity to map an internal service chain and identify critical internal relationships.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of between 8 to 12 participants. It’s not suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels, including managers and senior managers.

You'll Need:
• Nothing other than the materials provided.

Notes:
This activity uses functionality available in Zoom, which may not be available in other solutions – specifically the ability to move participants from one breakout room to another.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Polls/Quizzes (not required).
• Breakout Rooms (required).

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 10 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 45 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To introduce participants to a simple 4-step process to follow when dealing with an unhappy customer.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 12 participants. It’s not suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels, especially those in a customer-facing role.

You'll Need:
• Prepared flipcharts with simple 'cartoon' faces drawn on them - one face for each participant.
• Post-it notes.

Notes:
This exercise works very well as a follow up to The Shoe Shop – A Customer Service Dilemma.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Polls/Quizzes (not required).
• Breakout Rooms (required).

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 35 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 60 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To generate a list of open questions that can be used during participants’ sales calls/meetings.
• To group these according to where they would most naturally be used in the sales process.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 12 participants. It’s not suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• Nothing other than the materials provided.

Notes:
This is a practical activity that will help participants identify a useful suite of questions they can use in their sales calls.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Breakout Rooms (required for groups of 5 or more).

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 30 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 60 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to think about the importance of written complaints.
• To provide a simple model for drafting an appropriate written response to a complaint.
• To provide an opportunity for participants to practise writing responses to customer complaints.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 12 participants. It’s also suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels and in particular, supervisors, team leaders or those responding to customer complaints.

You'll Need:
• Nothing other than the materials provided.

Notes:
We have provided 4 fictional written complaints, which can be used if real examples can't be made available, (together with a suggested response for each) but the exercise will probably be of more benefit if participants can draft responses to complaints that are relevant to their team/department/organisation.

We recommend therefore that for the practical element of this module, you gather some examples of written complaints received by your organisation (try to have a mix of letters, emails or social media postings). You should pre-prepare these by removing any information that identifies the customer and/or a particular member of staff.

Before running this module, please familiarise yourself with the handout and make sure you understand the structure used. The suggested responses to our fictional written complaints will help in your preparation.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Polls/Quizzes.
• Breakout Rooms.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 30 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 60 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To show the importance of empathy when dealing with angry customers.
• To demonstrate that it is not just the solution, but the way the solution is delivered that affects the customer's view of the service they received.
• To provide participants with an opportunity to consider a real customer experience and to identify areas for improvement in the way it was handled.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 12 participants. It’s also suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• Nothing other than the materials provided.

Notes:
We would like to thank Jo Downes for her help in writing this module.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Breakout Rooms.

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 60 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 90-120 minutes for this module (see notes).

Aims:
• To encourage participants to consider different approaches to improving poor performance, and the relative merits of those different approaches.
• To encourage participants to think about appropriate timescales over which they might expect to improve performance and standards.
• To consider the implications of not taking action to improve poor performance.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 12 participants. It’s also suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
Managers, or those who soon will be.

You'll Need:
To decide how to run this module. You can:
• Set the assignment as a pre-training task to be completed by each team or individual. (We’ve provided suggested wording to use in an email to brief team members/individuals on their task.)
• Run the whole session in real time with a break between the activity and debrief.

Notes:
There are two different versions of the team brief for this exercise.

For junior managers we recommend using version 1, which contains a list of actions that the managers could consider when dealing with the issues of poor performance.

For more experienced managers, we recommend using version 2, which does not provide any clues about the type of action they could take and encourages them to come up with their own solutions.

This module is ideally suited for inclusion in training around managing change.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Breakout Rooms (required).

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 20 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 40 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To enable participants to recognise the different types of questions used in communication.
• To help participants understand when to use different types for maximum effect.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 12 participants. It’s also suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
Most likely to be suitable for junior staff up to supervisor level.

You'll Need:
• The Activity Link in Trainers’ Library.
• Your Activity Link PIN from the My Account section of the member homepage.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Breakout Rooms (required).

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 45 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 105 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To help participants identify what is wrong with a real example of a ‘customer service’ email.
• To encourage participants to think about the key messages the company intended to deliver to its customers.
• To recognise the impact that poor grammar and punctuation has on a writer’s credibility.
• To rewrite the email, delivering the key messages in an appropriate, effective manner.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 12 participants. It’s also suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
Supervisors and above.

You'll Need:
• Nothing other than the materials provided.

Notes:
This is a long module for remote delivery, so we strongly recommend running it as two one-hour sessions with a break between, as described in the notes. This means running it either side of a decent (minimum 20 minute) break or over two days.

This module is based upon a genuine email, which was distributed to an internet hosting company’s customers. It contains important lessons about culture, customer service, and writing skills. It can also be used to prompt discussion about the damaging effects of poor communication.

For the purposes of this exercise we’ve shortened the original email by removing a few of the more technical paragraphs.

If using this module to train an individual, run the first exercise as a 1:1 discussion, but leave them to attempt the second activity alone, either in the session or as a work-based activity between coaching sessions.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Breakout Rooms (required).

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 30 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 60 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To help participants identify what is wrong with a (real example) of a ‘customer service’ letter.
• To encourage participants to think about the key messages the company intended to deliver to its customer.
• To recognise how one badly constructed letter can lose a customer.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of up to 12 participants. It’s not suitable for 1-1 training.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels, and especially people working in finance and/or customer services.

You'll Need:
• Nothing other than the materials provided.

Notes:
This module is suitable for staff at all levels; especially those involved in financial and/or customer services. The example shows a letter that is confusing and pretentious, both in its layout and in its content. The writer of this letter should be aiming to regain – even increase – business from this customer. In the letter's current format, it is highly unlikely that this will be achieved.

This exercise would also be useful to develop a conversation in an organisation about its standard letters, which are often carelessly written and should be regularly examined and revised.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
Remote Delivery requires a system that as an absolute minimum provides the following functionality:
• Face-to-face discussion.
• Share screen.
• Chat.
• Share files.

In addition, we strongly recommend using a system that provides for:
• Breakout Rooms (required).