Customer Service Course Modules

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 25 minutes to complete (but can be shortened if necessary). In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 50 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to think about how and what they communicate to customers, using a slightly unusual perspective.
• To encourage participants to think about the language they use when communicating with customers.
• To show that all communication tells the customer something about the organisation, and that sometimes that’s not the intended message.
• To demonstrate how brand is affected by every piece of communication leaving the organisation.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of almost any size (working in small teams of ideally fewer than 6 people).

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• A set of ‘Sign of the Times’ cards with enough for at least two cards for each team. (If you’re working with a very large group you may need more than one set.)You might like to add your own signs to the exercise, perhaps including some from the organisation itself.
• Plenty of sheets of flipchart paper.
• Coloured marker pens.
• Blu-tak.

Notes:
This is a powerful exercise that really gets participants to think about the way organisations communicate. It is a useful addition to any customer service training but it is of particular use with groups that are responsible for brand and the way the organisation portrays itself to the outside world. This could be managers within the marketing department, branch managers, recruitment managers etc.

It is suitable for all types of organisation, including public and charitable bodies.

Please Note:
The Sign of the Times Cards are a particularly large file (10mb) and may take a few minutes to download.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

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 between 8 and 24 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• Teams will need to use a phone to communicate with you during this exercise.
• Break out space for each team to prepare their questions without being overheard.
• 4 plain envelopes to place the team briefs into.
• A copy of the Trainer Record Sheet for you.

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

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 30 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 55 minutes to complete 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 is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• Post its, pens and flip chart paper.
• The Activity Link and your PIN.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

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 similarities and things that unite a group of people.

Group Size:
This module can be used with large groups. Ideally, you'll have enough participants to create at least 3 groups of 6 or more.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels. This activity is designed for very large groups and is particularly well suited to conferences that bring people from different parts of the business together.

You'll Need:
• Nothing other than plenty of space. Ideally, you’ll have enough space to mark out boxes for each group of people to stand in (you’ll need plenty of string to prepare these beforehand) as well as a clear space at the front of the room where participants can congregate.

Time:
This exercise will take about 15 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 30 minutes to complete 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 is suitable for use with groups of almost any size.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• A blindfold for each participant.

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:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
The exercises in this module will take about 30 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 60 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To define and briefly explore the concept of Customer Relationship Management.
• To consider the types of data that helps organisations manage their customer relationships and where this can be found.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

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

Notes:
This is the first of a series of four modules that look at Customer Relationship Management (CRM) as a topic in its own right. In this first module, we look at what is meant by CRM and why it is important. The exercise looks at information required in order to start planning a customer relationship strategy.

Time:
This exercise will take about 20 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 60 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To analyse a personal experience as a customer and identify the events which created a lasting impression.
• To consider what influences customers’ service expectations and why expectations differ.
• To discuss the impact of different expectations and experiences on Customer Relationship Management.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants. It is not recommended for larger groups.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

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

Notes:
This is the second in a series of four modules that looks at CRM as a topic in its own right.

Further modules on this subject include CRM 1 - Introducing CRM, CRM 3 - Using Data and the practical exercise based CRM 4 - A Plan for Dune Races.

Time:
This exercise will take about 30 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 60 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To consider the importance of IT in a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) strategy.
• To introduce participants to predictive analytics and data mining.
• To consider how data can be used within the participants' organisation.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

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

Notes:
This is the third in a series of four modules that look at CRM as a topic in its own right.

Further modules on this subject include CRM 1 - Introducing CRM, CRM 2 - Customer Perspective and the practical exercise based CRM 4 - A Plan for Dune Races.

This module looks at the use of data as part of a customer relationship strategy. Such use must take account of the implications of the Data Protection Act and privacy laws. The following is a link to the Information Commissioner’s Office website, which is a great source of information about privacy and data protection legislation: www.ico.gov.uk/.

Overseas customers – the Data Protection Action is UK legislation that governs the way customer data is collected and stored – you may have similar legislation to consider.

Time:
The exercises in this module will take about 45 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 75 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To identify approaches and ideas that could be used in a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) strategy.
• To develop a strategy based on the information provided about Dune Races.
• To share ideas and thoughts about what makes an effective CRM strategy.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• A small prize for the winning team would be a nice touch.

Notes:
This is the fourth in a series of four modules that look at Customer Relationship Management (CRM) as a topic in its own right.

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 15 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 40 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To identify difficult customer behaviours and develop effective ways of managing them.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff up to supervisor level.

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

Time:
The exercises in this module will take about 20 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 60 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To describe the benefits of dealing with complaints in a timely and effective manner.
• To consider some complaint scenarios and how these could be handled effectively.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff up to supervisor level.

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

Time:
The exercises in this module will take about 50 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 75 minutes to complete 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 is suitable for use with groups of up to 15 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• The Activity Links and your PIN.
• A mobile device for each team (laptop/tablet/mobile phone) that can receive emails and play sound.
• Breakout space for each team to listen to the story in the Activity Link without being overheard.

Notes:
Most of us have stopped in hotels. This simple, yet powerful, exercise uses those experiences to demonstrate how little things count when delivering excellent customer service.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
The exercises in this module can be completed in about 80 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 100 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To develop an understanding of the importance of awareness of others, the second strand of emotional intelligence.
• To allow participants to practice empathy as a skill.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to about 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

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

Notes:
This module forms Part 2 of a two-part introduction to emotional intelligence. This part examines interpersonal intelligence – being able to distinguish other people’s emotions, moods and temperaments.

Part 1 looks at intra-personal intelligence - self-awareness and the ability to notice and regulate or manage our own emotional state or mood.

This module can also be used alone, for example as part of a customer service skills course, to explore the importance and value of empathy as a skill.

Before using this module it is important to have an understanding of emotional intelligence and the effects of discussing it with a group of participants. You will find Mike Bagshaw’s Article in Trainer’s Library useful for this.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 20 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 30 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To encourage participants to consider their attitude.
• To encourage discussion around optimistic versus pessimistic outlooks.
• To recognise the impact that attitude has on performance.
• To enable participants to identify personal traits that might be holding them back.
• To encourage leaders to consider how they might deal with negative attitudes in their team.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

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

Notes:
This module provides an excellent opportunity, when working with a wide range of participants, to consider how attitude can impact on performance. Topics where the inclusion of a module looking at optimism/pessimism might be beneficial include:
• Managing change.
• Problem solving and decision making.
• Customer service.
• Selling skills.
• Leading a team.
• Strategic leadership.
• Communication skills.
• Planning and scheduling.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

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 25 participants.

Useful For:
Anyone.

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

Notes:
Before running this activity, review the scenarios in Handout 2 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.

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 20 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 50 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To demonstrate the importance of exploring customers' needs through questioning, listening and checking understanding.

Group Size:
For this exercise you will need groups of 4 or 6. Where necessary make up the numbers by participating yourself. Where you have more than 6 participants, run the exercise concurrently in more than one place.

Useful For:
Staff up to team leader.

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

Notes:
This exercise can form a useful part of any training for those new to a sales role. It encourages participants to focus on the needs of the customer, rather than their own sales patter.

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 25 participants.

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

You'll Need:
• Flipchart and pens.

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

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
The exercises in this module will take about 30 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 50 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To provide a basic understanding of continuous improvement as a process and management tool.
• To place continuous improvement in context through a participatory exercise.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• Old newspapers and sticky tape - see notes.

Notes:
You will need a large pile of old newspapers and some reels of sticky tape for this exercise.

You will also need to have made one "standard design" camel from folding or scrunching newspaper and using sticky tape.

This camel should have discernible legs, a head and a hump; but does not have to be a work of art! The participants need to be able to roughly copy it (note - the exercise is about improving upon the original). Finally you need to make a baton from newspaper, which will be used to bat the camel along in the camel races.

You will also require space to set up a track - this can usually be achieved by safely moving tables and chairs to the sides of the room.

You may wish to have a supply of small prizes available for the camel race winners.

Time:
This game can be played in about 30 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion and evaluation, we recommend allowing 60 minutes.

Aims:
• To examine common problems/conundrums associated with call centres and telesales and discuss ways of overcoming these.
• To highlight and share best practices and tips for making calls successful.

Skills and Behaviours Tested:
Telesales and telephone skills, customer service, communication skills, effective questioning, building rapport, creative thinking and problem solving.

Group Size:
In this exercise participants can play individually, although we recommend they play in pairs/small teams.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

You'll Need:
• A counter for every team.
• Dice.
• A 'Pitfalls and Trampolines' game board and a set of Pitfalls cards and Trampoline cards for each game in play.

Notes:
Pitfalls and Trampolines is a fun board game. It can be used at any point within a training event, but is perhaps most useful as a tool for reviewing key learning points and for sharing knowledge and ideas.

Some of the cards may not be applicable to your participants so, before starting the exercise, review all of the Pitfalls and Trampoline cards and remove any that aren't relevant.

Endorsed by The National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers, NASBTT.

Time:
This game can be played in about 30 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion and evaluation, we recommend allowing 60 minutes.

Aims:
• To encourage discussion about customer service.
• To identify common pitfalls to avoid in relation to customer service.
• To highlight and share best practices for satisfying and delighting customers.

Skills and Behaviours Tested:
Customer care, communication skills, teamwork and collaboration, creative thinking and problem solving.

Group Size:
In this exercise participants can play individually, although we recommend they play in pairs/small teams.

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

You'll Need:
• A counter for every team.
• Dice.
• A 'Pitfalls and Trampolines' game board and a set of Pitfall cards and Trampoline cards for each game in play.

Notes:
Pitfalls and Trampolines is a fun board game. It can be used at any point within a training event, but is perhaps most useful as a tool for reviewing key learning points and for sharing knowledge and ideas.

Some of the cards may not be applicable to your participants so, before starting the exercise, review all of the Pitfalls and Trampolines cards and remove any that aren’t relevant.

Endorsed by The National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers, NASBTT.

Time:
The exercises in this module will take about 30 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 60 minutes to complete this module.

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

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff up to supervisor level.

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:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 20 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 40 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To identify the benefits and dangers of internal customer care programmes.
• To reach agreement on how to define internal customer care as a desirable goal.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

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

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 30 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 60 minutes to complete 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 is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

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

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

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 55 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 75 minutes to complete 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 is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

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

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 10 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 40 minutes for this module.

Aims:
• To demonstrate how our own beliefs, values and past experiences affect how we perceive people and situations.
• To raise awareness of how often unconscious bias impacts upon our perceptions of others.
• To understand the impact of unconscious bias on our interactions with others and the decisions we take.

Group Size:
This module can be used with groups of almost any size.

Useful For:
Staff at all levels.

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

Notes:
If using this exercise with very large groups, place participants into pairs.

Unconscious bias can apply to a range of topics and can be included in training on Recruitment, Equal Opportunities, Customer Service and Performance Management, etc.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
This exercise will take about 80 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 180 minutes to complete this module.

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 is suitable for use with groups of up to 15 participants.

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

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

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.

You can reduce the amount of time needed for this module by approximately 30 minutes by not requesting a formal presentation and simply asking each team instead to talk through its proposed actions.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
The exercises in this module will take about 20 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 40 minutes to complete this module.

Aims:
• To identify the characteristics of excellent customer care by identifying what poor, mediocre and excellent customer care consists of.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Staff up to supervisor level.

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

Time:
The exercise in this module can be completed in about 60 minutes (including the time required to view the training film). In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 115 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 about 15 participants, as long as suitable facilities are available to give everyone a clear view of the training video.

Useful For:
Anyone in a customer facing role.

You'll Need:
• A computer with internet connection and a means of connecting to a screen.

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.

If your level of membership doesn’t include the option to stream this video, you can purchase a a DVD from Trainers' Library.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
The exercises in this module will take about 60 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 105 minutes to complete 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 is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For:
Supervisors and above.

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

Notes:
This module is particularly valuable because it 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.

Remote/Virtual Delivery:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

Time:
The exercise in this module will take about 30 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 60 minutes to complete 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 customers.
• To recognise how one badly constructed letter can lose a customer.

Group Size:
This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

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:
There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.