Introduction
Our daily interactions with Customer Service Representatives (CSR’s) influence our lives. CSR’s are essential to each business. It’s crucial to ensure that CSR’s personnel possess exceptional dispositions required to uphold the caring attitude. Furthermore, such dispositions enable effective decision making. Indeed, CSR’s should show attentiveness and concern while assisting clients (Lawson, 2002). Most importantly, CSR’s personnel must assure their clients that they possess the competence and responsibility required to resolve customers’ predicaments. Indicatively, CSR’s personnel require appropriate training to gain the skills required for active customer care services provision. This paper discusses a training program together with activities designed to deliver relevant skills to the CSR’s personnel.
A training program for CSR’s personnel is an ongoing process conducted yearly. The training is applicable in a two-day workshop. It has four learning goals that focus on communication, public relations, personal and interpersonal skills. These training areas are crucial for effective helping tasks (Lawson, 2002). Notably, the training program should highlight these goals. It should include simulating scenarios that CSR personnel encounter in their everyday lives through role-plays. The program targets twenty of CSR’s personnel. They are targeted because training a few people increases the effectiveness of the initiative. Furthermore, the financial allocation made by the firm for this project can support the training of twenty customer care personnel.
The seminar is aimed at re-emphasizing the duties of the CSR team and the value placed on them. Indicatively, their conduct and performance give an impression on the culture of the firm (Blanchard &Thacker, 2010). Therefore, the firm places a high value on the growth and individual development of the team. Trainees have the opportunity to interact with experts during the seminar. Evidently, trainees will easily comprehend the dynamism of customer service. A summary of the workshop instructional strategy is provided in table 1. The strategy encompasses different aspects of the seminar, including training content, objectives, learning goals, and learning points. Furthermore, the strategy presents applicable training methods, instructional media, and desirable workshop room set up (Blanchard &Thacker, 2010).
Training Methods
Evidently, the training methods used in the workshop aims at achieving the learning goals. The interactive discussion used in module 1 promotes critical thinking about customer service provision. Interactive conversations also create a comfortable atmosphere among participants. Lecture method, appropriate video footage, and role play are applicable in module one and two. Lecture methods will be used to introduce the modules. Appropriate video recordings are also shown to invoke participants’ thoughts about the training themes.
Space will be created in the room to enable the participants to perform their role plays. The role will focus on the worst-case and best-case scenarios between CSR’s and clients. The participants will also discuss the learning points during breakaway rooms and later present their deliberations (Gitman & McDaniel, 2009). CSR’s experts will interact with the participants and provide them with insights about the dynamism of customer service. They will also suggest appropriate adaptation tactics.
Role-Play Scenarios
The training uses handouts designed to highlight different role-play scenarios. The handouts are presented in Tables 2 and 3. The trainees will model and perform role plays in groups to depict their daily work experiences. Notably, trainees will perform diverse roles, including CSR’s team and clients (Knapp, 2011). The modeled role plays are intended to reflect issues presented under the modules. Trainers will facilitate role-plays in order to note important points for discussions. They will debrief the trainees about issues and concepts emerging from the role plays. Indicatively, trainers will enable participants to comprehend links between emerging issues and customer care experiences.
The scenario represented in table 2 below shall be introduced when handling module 3 (Blanchard &Thacker, 2010). It is intended to enable trainees to note the most appropriate and applicable communication skills in client and CSR’s working relationship.
The table (3) below shows a second scenario, which is intended to provide trainees with an opportunity to present a role play about personal and interpersonal skills.
The issues and concepts covered in the workshop provides CSR’s team with appropriate and applicable skills required to deliver quality customer care services.
Conclusion
Provision of appropriate client care services is crucial in organizations. Evidently, firms require customer service representatives (CSR’s) who possess relevant skills, experience, and knowledge. Training CSR’s workforces is very crucial for a firm intending to provide quality helping services to their clients. Training CSR’s personnel is a continuing process normally taking two days yearly. The training aims to achieve four learning goals including communication, public relations, personal, and interpersonal skills. The learning goals are delivered through training modules. The training program also includes instructional strategies such as lecture methods, discussions, video footage, group work, and role plays among others.
References
Blanchard, P. N., &Thacker, J. W. (2010). Effective training: Systems, strategies, and Practice. Boston, MA: Pearson Learning Solutions.
Gitman, L. J., & McDaniel, C. D. (2009). The future of business: The essentials. Mason, OH: South-Western Cenage Learning.
Knapp, D. (2011). A guide to customer service skills for the help desk professional. Boston, MA: Course Technology Cengage Learning.
Lawson, K. (2002). New employee orientation training. Alexandria, Virg: ASTD Press.