New Employee Customer Service Training
Those new employees who are recruited to work with customers can experience significant difficulties in interactions, and these processes can influence not only performance but also the level of the company’s competitiveness within the industry.
The customer service is based on satisfying customers’ needs and demands, and to provide the high quality service, employees should receive the necessary training (Mathies & Burford, 2011). To contribute to the increase of the employees’ effectiveness as professionals, customer service training class and program should be developed because these methods can stimulate employees’ motivation and further performance.
The process of developing the new employee customer service training program includes a needs assessment, plan and schedule of the training activities based on the specific method of training, the period of implementation and realization of training, the evaluation of results and performance appraisal conducted to assess the employees’ success according to the training program’s goals.
The Necessity of a Needs Assessment
Before starting the development of a customer service training program, it is necessary to examine the employees’ possibilities and company’s needs with the help of a specific needs assessment which can be discussed as effective to determine the problematic and important factors in the work of the company and potential of the new employees in order to choose and develop the most effective variant of the customer service training program.
It is possible to determine five influential spheres and aspects according to which a needs assessment can contribute to increasing the employees’ performance and avoiding possible performance deficiencies.
These key aspects are associated with the necessity to evaluate the current situation in the company in relation to its goals and the new employees’ potential that is why managers are often oriented to assessing the personal qualities and skills of employees and to focusing on the company’s goals and tasks in order to promote to the corporate progress (Stewart & Brown, 2012).
The five factors which are traditionally discussed as influential for the development of a needs assessment are
- the necessity to select the most appropriate training program for the new employees;
- the necessity to contribute to the employees’ further performance within the concrete company with references to the organization’s requirements;
- the necessity to develop such a training program according to the needs assessment results which really can change the situation and improve the employees’ performance;
- the necessity to correlate the future employees’ performance and the stated company’s aims for the development;
- the necessity to motivate employees effectively according to their expectations and the company’s needs (Liu, 2011, p. 117-119).
From this perspective, a needs assessment is necessary to develop the effective customer training program in relation to the employees’ abilities, potentials, and interests. This training program is significant to develop and improve the definite employees’ skills because the key orientation is the company’s progress and associated concrete goals.
The Customer Service Training Implementation Plan
The results of the needs assessments provide managers with the information on the urgent issues and on the skills and abilities which should be trained during the training activities in order to respond to the company’s goals.
Thus, the second stage is the development of training goals according to the needs assessment’s outcomes in order to work out the activities which are useful to train definite required skills and abilities (Liu, 2011). In this case, the fact that the customer service employees are trained during the program should be taken into consideration because the specifics of occupation influence the choice of the effective activities.
The next stage is the selection of the method of training which can be appropriate to develop the employees’ skills and abilities in relation to the organization’s needs.
The on-the-job training model can be successfully used to work with the new employees during the set period of time and according to the discussed schedule (Zolingen et al., 2000). The trainer or instructor to work with the new employees is chosen with references to the company’s goals, training method, and expectations from the programs.
The main goal of the customer service training program is to teach new employees how to work with the customers effectively, while contributing to gaining more profits and increasing the company’s status. The use of the on-the-job training model means that the usage of all the company’s possibilities and resources is expected.
The effective trainer for the realization of the customer service training program is a skillful manager who has the experience in conducting the similar programs and in working within the sphere of customer service.
The final stages are the actual implementation of the training program which is followed with the necessary evaluations and surveys and performance appraisals to conclude about the program’s effectiveness (Liu, 2011).
The Effectiveness of On-the-Job Training Model for the Sphere of Customer Service
On-the-job training programs provide employees with the opportunities to receive the training which is linked to the practical activities and to the real-life experience of interacting with customers because the specifics of the work depend on the real communication with customers.
In this case, on-the-job training is focused on forming the effective working behavior and on developing the concrete skills necessary to work in the sphere of customer service (Zolingen et al., 2000).
This method of training can also be discussed as advantageous for employers because the training is realized with the help of the company’s resources without attracting the outside expensive resources and inviting the outside professionals.
On-the-job training is the effective method because the concentration of the training activities is on receiving the definite working experience and developing the professional competence in this or that field. This type of training increases the chances that new employees will acquire the necessary working skills quicker in comparison with relying on the other methods of training.
The trainer is responsible for teaching new employees and regulating their activities in relation to the real interaction with customers in order to improve the employees’ skills and respond to the customers’ needs (“Improving customer service”, 2009).
Two Ways to Motivate Employees to Attend a Training Class
The problem is in the fact that some new employees can avoid attending the training class because of the lack of awareness in relation to the training’s importance and because of the lack of motivation.
The first technique to motivate new employees to participate in the training program is the accentuation of the training program as the necessary condition to start working at the customer service department because of the position’s specifics and necessities to contact customers effectively and according to the company’s requirements and standards.
In this case, the refusal to participate in the training activities can demonstrate the absence of the employee’s interest in a position (Liu, 2011). This technique enables all the new employees to join the training class.
The next approach to motivate new employees to participate in the training program is the focus on rewarding. The use of on-the-job training means that all the employees have to participate in the training activities, and the question is in their motivation regarding the learning successes and the further performance.
Definite bonuses should be determined to reward the successful employees after completing the training program and while demonstrating the perfect practical skills.
As a result, the development of the effective training program is closely connected with working out the appropriate performance appraisal form in order to assess the new employees’ results and compare them with the company’s goals and the training program’s objectives (Liu, 2011).
The survey is also a relevant method to receive the feedback on the aspect of the employees’ reflection in relation to the aspects of the customer service work and their self-evaluation.
The Survey to Collect the Employees’ Feedback
The performance appraisal forms are effective only when they are used along with the surveys to collect and examine the information about the employees’ attitude to the effects and results of the customer service training program (Liu, 2011). Furthermore, such surveys are necessary to provide employees with the opportunity to reflect on the abilities and performance successes.
The survey developed to receive the employees’ feedback on the effectiveness and results of the customer service training program should include such questions for the employees’ written interview as:
- How can you assess the relevance of the received knowledge in relation to the training goals fixed before starting the program?
- What are your results regarding the completion of the training program’s goals?
- Can you observe positive changes in the development of your skills and abilities in relation to the position’s requirements?
- Can you describe yourself as being ready to start working with customers effectively and according to the company’s standards and requirements?
- What is the most important experience received during the participation in the customer service training program?
- Can you discuss the on-the-job training as the effective method to develop and improve the necessary professional skills associated with the customer service work?
- What your strengths and weaknesses were determined during the training program in order to work with them in the future?
- Can you evaluate the used training program as appropriate for providing the necessary knowledge on the aspects of the customer service work in relation to your own experience which follow the period training?
- What qualities, attributes, and skills can be developed and improved additionally, during the process of the work at the customer service department?
The effective employees’ performance can be reasonably expected by the employer if the necessary training program for new employees is proposed and implemented within the company. The on-the-job training method can be discussed as appropriate to help new employees start working at the customer service department because of the role of experience and practice in the process of learning.
Different training programs provide employees with the vision of the company’s goals and orientation to improving the certain skills which are necessary to be developed in relation to the specifics of the work.
References
Improving customer service: How employees and innovation hold the key. (2009). Strategic Direction, 25(1), 5-9.
Liu, W. (2011). Strategic training program to resolve customer service problems. The Business Review, 18(1), 117-123.
Mathies, C., & Burford, M. (2011). Customer service understanding: gender differences of frontline employees. Managing Service Quality, 21(6), 636-648.
Stewart, G. L., & Brown, K. G. (2012). Human resource management. Danvers, MA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Zolingen, S., Streumer, J., Jong, R., & Klink, M. (2000). Implementing on-the-job training: critical success factors, International Journal of Training and Development, 4(3), 208-216.