Online Customer Service Training - An Affordable Solution

Online customer service training is an affordable approach for companies to develop employee customer service skills. But how does a company without an existing program get started?

Let me give you the training solution first -- then explain how to get there. The most affordable and effective way for any company -- including those with an existing customer service training program -- is to use online customer service training as the basic building block for a continuing education program. Having all your employees enrolled in self-paced customer service skills development sessions facilitates periodic supervisor skill level reviews. Such sessions also be used to share company customer service "stories" and the lessons that can be learned from them.* 

Now how do you get there? 

Step One

Very first on the list of things to do is to create an awareness that customer service training can improve the bottom line. Let me tell you a story to illustrate this point.

Several years ago when I was conducting management training for local companies I signed up a the leading Ford dealership in my area. The General Manager was fully convinced that management skills training would help the company. He wrote me a check and I scheduled four slots for his managers at my next training session. No one showed up for the session, or the next or the next. Months later I called him up and offered to give an in-house Customer Service session for all his managers. He agreed.

I did my set up and when the managers (including the owner) came in and sat down the chairs started sliding as far back to the rear of the room as possible. I thought to myself - these folks really do not want to be here. However, I knew that would change because the session I was about to give was extremely powerful. 

And indeed it was. Very soon the chairs started inching forward. At the end of the session nearly everyone in the room was energized, and eager to get started.

The result: that Ford agency became the first Blue Oval certified dealership in the region -- meaning that  the dealership had met Ford Motor Company's (then newly developed) stringent standards for Customer Service! Notes: (1) certification meant that the dealership could "buy" its cars from Ford $200 less than non-certified dealerships, and (2) the owner asked me to facilitate the kick off session of the company's to-be-successful certification effort.

Step Two

You must instill in your company a customer service environment. If you are a very small company, then do it as Ford did, make it plainly aware to everyone that customer service counts. If you are a bit -- or considerably -- larger, then you must first transfer your understanding into your management team. The best management training programs include sessions on how to motivate employees to support company goals. 

If your current management training program does not have a scheduled customer service session -- then ask for one to be included -- or contract out for such a session.

Step Three

Enroll your employees in a customer skills continuing education program. Your employees cannot provide "exceptional" customer service unless they know what they must do. So, you want the best way to do this. I'm going to tell you how you do this for the least investment with a best result. And, if you follow my recommendation I will give your a cash bonus -- plus help you get the results I know you can achieve.

My Recommendation to You

Sales Training International offers a highly acclaimed online customer service training program for employees. There are two free assessments that each training candidate should take:

• Customer Service Diagnostic which gives individuals feedback on their customer service skill areas of strength and weakness, and
• An assessment of how you deal with other people - a Personality Styles Inventory

The modules parallel the needed customer service skills included in the Community Development program described at the "Customer Service" tab. You can review the modules here; sample one of the sessions on Active Listening here; and, have your candidates take FREE self-assessments here.

You also get a supervisor's hand book on how to get the most from these sessions by conducting group sessions to reinforce the skills learned and apply them to real life customer service situations in your company. Each enrollee is given a check list reminder card for each of the skills covered. Employees can refer to these to solve real-time customer service needs.

Best of success, 

We are a business consulting, training and development company dedicated to helping good managers and their companies prosper by reaching for the top.  

PS: I've provided below additional information about these online customer service training sessions.

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1.      Essential customer-care skill sets designed for both telephone and face-to-face interactions:

2.      Observable skills that provide measurable outcomes:

·         Diagnostic questions can show areas where improvement is needed

·         Tests at the end of each module demonstrate knowledge gained

·         Test results are e-mailed to up to three people the student designates

·         Observation checklist to demonstrate transfer of knowledge and skill back on the job

  3.      Optional facilitator's coaching guide available for download online:

·         Practice the skill sets course by course in sequence and collectively

·         Use observation checklists to identify areas needing improvement

·         Use online coaching guide to help students achieve unprecedented results 

  4.      Highly interactive and engaging course designs. Learning activities include:

  5.      Low-bandwidth (and equipment requirements):

·         Pentium 133 with 33 K modem is all that is needed to enjoy learning these courses

·         Prefer audio card with speakers or headset, but if not available, non-audio dependent alternative learning activities are provided

·         Macromedia "Flash" player (comes standard with later versions of most browsers)  

  6.      Short complete courses:

·         30 minute target completion time per course means courses will be finished.

·         Complete map for each module so you can stop midcourse and reenter at the next lesson  

  7.      Membership access assures 24/7/365 "just in time" learning.

·         Full access to all courses as they become available

·        Repeat access - come back as many times as you would like during the term of your membership 

  8.      Very low cost: (select "Join" button on left side navigation).

·         Volume based pricing available

·         Workstation based licenses also available

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