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Training Tips To Enjoy Success

The basic principle of training is to provide employees with the information necessary to effectively conduct business with customers. All businesses, large and small, must have standards put in place regarding customer service practices and procedures. Effective training ensures that employees know what these standards are and how they are expected to implement them.

 The fact is that many people currently working as Customer Service Representatives have received very little or, in the worst cases, no training at all! Many companies fail to recognize the need for creating a knowledgeable and professional customer service TEAM. This can often result in disaster!
 

Below, you will find a list of TRAINING TIPS that we consider to be the most basic...and the most important: 

• Customer Service is ALWAYS the top priority. This should be the first and foremost rule given during effective customer service training. Phrases like, "The customer is always right," or "We move our tail for you!" don't always convey the same meaning. People working in customer service need to be made aware of the fact that they exist for the customer and the customer alone. This may seem obvious to most of us, but it is surprising how often this simple concept is overlooked during training.
   
• Set HIGH standards for your customer service professionals. We asked a customer service representative for a large company what he does all day. He replied, "I serve at the counter." If this employee had been trained effectively, he would have answered, "I help my customers." Setting high standards doesn't mean expecting more than can possibly be achieved. It means expecting more than a passive interest in making the customer happy. It means having pride in the profession and achieving satisfaction for a job well done. 
   
• Make certain your customer service staff has the necessary resources to do their jobs effectively. Recently, I called a mail order catalog to inquire about a new promotion featured in their catalog. The customer service representative who answered the phone hadn't even seen the new catalog yet. We were put on hold until she was able to speak to her supervisor about it. This is far from being the ideal situation. From the customer's viewpoint, it makes a company look unprofessional. From the customer service representative's viewpoint, it is frustrating and possibly demotivating. In order for the job to be done effectively and professionally, the information about the new promotion should have been distributed several days in advance of the catalog mailing. This is only one example of many problems that can impede customer service.

Of course, there is a lot more to training an excellent customer service staff than the three points listed above. Training practices and procedures must be tailored to meet the needs and unique aspects of any business.

© P England

"Paul England is a qualified marketing advisor who runs a consultancy practise from his home at Orewa Beach. He specialises in business growth and  market planning, advertising that brings results, and successful internet strategies. Paul has a strong background in advertising, sales, marketing, and e-commerce and co-owns a successful export business. He has had articles published in the NZ Herald and has been a Business in the Community Mentor."

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