Four Cs - Customer Service Training by Telephone Doctor



Essential Elements of

Internal Customer Service

Leader's Guide

[pic]

Improving the way your organization communicates with customers.

30 Hollenberg Court • St. Louis, MO 63044

PHONE 314.291.1012 • 800-882-9911 •

FAX 314.291.3710

Contents

The Goal of the Course/Objectives ……… 3

Training Outline: Essential Elements of Internal Customer Service 4-5

Before You Begin: Tips for Trainers 6-8

Key Point #1: Know the Mission of Your Organization and Your Role 9-10

Key Point #2: Internal Customer Service is Everyone’s Responsibility 11

Key Point #3: Respect Employee Differences 12-13

Key Point #4: Recognize the Personal Space of Others 14-15

Key Point #5: Work to Resolve Conflicts 16-17

Key Point #6: Show Appreciation 18-19

Role Play Instructions 20

Before They Go 21

PowerPoint® Presentations 22-24

Instructor’s Notes 25-27

Leader’s Guide edited by Helen Stokes, Telephone Doctor, Inc.

About Telephone Doctor® Customer Service Training...

Telephone Doctor is a St. Louis based customer service training company, which offers products and techniques designed to improve the service skills of customer contact employees. Nancy Friedman, our founder and president, presents this video program. Through videos, CD-ROMS, web-based courses, books, audio programs and instructor-led workshops, Telephone Doctor has helped tens of thousands of organizations increase revenue, improve customer satisfaction ratings, and reduce employee turnover. For additional information, please visit .

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The Goal of the Course: Essential Elements of Internal Customer Service

A constant message in modern business today is good … excellent … superior treatment for customers. It is widely accepted that this is imperative for repeat business and continued growth no matter what business you pursue. Sadly, the customer most often neglected is the one in the next desk, next office or on another floor, your co-workers, your internal customers. The goal of this course is to identify your customers and what you can do to create an environment of excellent internal customer service.

Objectives:

Participants who successfully complete this course will have met these objectives by demonstrating through written, verbal and/or role-playing exercises the ability to:

♦ define the difference between an “internal” and “external” customer

♦ list the six elements of excellent internal customer service

♦ be able to explain how internal customer service affects external customer service

♦ gain knowledge and insight into the behaviors required to demonstrate excellent “internal customer service”

♦ apply the principles and/or behaviors exemplified by each point to individual positions within your organization

The long-term value of this program creates a need to utilize the content in a variety of different uses. The following outline is based on a more traditional approach of showing the video in its entirety then participating in discussions. Additional uses include:

♦ One key point at a time during a staff meeting

♦ Use a single segment as a buy-in activity

♦ Individual key points can be used to add another dimension to other training programs

For your convenience, a breakdown of the timing of each segment will be provided at the conclusion of the outline.

Training Outline: Essential Elements of Internal Customer Service

I. Introduction to the Topic (see “The Goal Of The Course”) (3 min)

A. State the goal of the course in your opening comments

B. Include class objectives

II. Getting Acquainted (see “Tips For Trainers”) (15 min)

A. Introduction of trainer

B. Use an ice breaker activity or buy-in activity

C. Administer: Before-and-After Skills Inventory

III. View Video: Essential Elements of Internal Customer Service (18 min)

IV. Application of Key Points

A. Key Point #1: Know the Mission of Your Organization and Your Role (7 – 10 min)

♦ Ask discussion questions provided in Leader’s Guide

♦ Participants complete accompanying Participant Workbook pages

♦ Optional: Use corresponding skill practice activity

B. Key Point #2: Internal Customer Service is Everyone’s Responsibility (7 – 10 min)

♦ Ask discussion questions provided in Leader’s Guide

♦ Participants complete accompanying Participant Workbook pages

♦ Optional: Use corresponding skill practice activity

C. Key Point #3: Respect Employee Differences (7 - 10 min)

♦ Ask discussion questions provided in Leader’s Guide

♦ Participants complete accompanying Participant Workbook pages

D. Key Point #4: Recognize the Personal Space of Others (7 – 10 min)

♦ Ask discussion questions provided in Leader’s Guide

♦ Participants complete accompanying Participant Workbook pages

E. Key Point #5: Work to Resolve Conflicts (7 - 10 min)

♦ Ask discussion questions provided in Leader’s Guide

♦ Participants complete accompanying Participant Workbook pages

♦ Optional: Use corresponding skill practice activity

F. Key Points #6: Show Appreciation (7 - 10 min)

♦ Ask discussion questions provided in Leader’s Guide

♦ Participants complete accompanying Participant Workbook pages

♦ Optional: Use corresponding skill practice activity

V. Wrap Up (see “Before They Go”) (10 min)

A. Select method of review

B. Use a commitment activity

C. Ask participants to complete evaluation

D. Hand out Desktop Reminder Cards

NOTE: The total length of this class is approximately: (105 min)

For each skill practice included in the session, increase the total length of the class by approximately 10 minutes.

The time breakdown* of each segment is as follows:

Introduction :31 - 2:32

Mission and Role 2:33 - 4:45

Everyone’s Responsibility 4:46 - 7:06

Everyone’s Differences 7:07 - 9:54

Personal Space 9:55 - 12:15

Resolve Conflicts 12:16 - 15:13

Show Appreciation 15:14 - 16:48

Review 16:49 - 17:57

*Individual VCRs time count may vary.

Before You Begin: Tips for Trainers

In order for participants to receive the maximum benefits from this course, here are some tips for success:

Assemble Learning Resources

■ Locate the video or DVD: Essential Elements of Internal Customer Service.

■ Using Essential Elements of Internal Customer Service Participant Workbooks will greatly enhance the training.

■ Desktop Reminder Cards for each participant will encourage behavior modification.

■ You’ll need:

A TV and VCR or DVD Player

A flip chart or white board and markers, or chalkboard and chalk

An overhead projector and a screen (both optional). Overhead transparency copy is provided.

Create a Comfortable Physical Learning Environment

■ Choose a comfortable, well-lit room with good TV sight lines and no distractions.

■ Arrange straight tables in a u-shaped set-up or use round tables. Either way, it is important that each participant be able to make eye contact with other participants.

■ Use name tents or name tags for class participants.

■ Encourage note taking by using designated pages in the Participant Workbook or supply pencil and paper.

■ Schedule breaks every 1½ to 2 hours.

Create a Comfortable Psychological Learning Environment

■ Introduce yourself. Give the participants a brief sketch of your background, your experience and how you relate to the training subject. The more comfortable the participants are with you, the more effective you will be in facilitating their learning.

■ Allow the participants to get comfortable with each other. Use self-introductions or icebreaking exercises to get the group relaxed.

1. The participants can use your introduction as a model, which will help them overcome any natural reluctance to talk about themselves.

2. Divide the class into groups of two. Give each pair of participants about ten minutes to interview each other. Each one in turn introduces his or her partner to the group. This will speed the process of getting the participants to function as a group.

3. Multiple sources for icebreaker exercises exist. Visit your favorite bookstore or local library.

Before You Begin: Tips For Trainers (cont.)

■ Acquaint the participants with “housekeeping” items. Advise the participants regarding the important features of the training environment (e.g., location of restrooms and lounge facilities, breaks, etc.).

■ Establish clear goals. The specific learning objectives for this class are included in the Leader’s Guide. Keep in mind that the clearer the participants’ understanding of their objectives, the more likely it is that they will achieve those objectives.

Involve The Participants

■ The corresponding Participant Workbook provides a Before-and-After Skill Inventory. The Before-and-After Skill Inventory has a dual purpose. It can be used as a pre-test/post-test exercise or as a buy-in activity. Using this inventory sets the stage for immediate involvement.

■ Choose the segments of the media that best meets your needs. Decide the viewing method that works best (start/stop, all inclusive, minus the review segment, etc.).

■ When using Telephone Doctor® Participant Workbooks, there are a variety of ways to complete the questions.

1. Divide participants into two groups, assign each group a page and have the group prepare to discuss one or two questions from each page.

2. Prior to class, instructor selects most pertinent questions to be completed during class.

3. Assign homework to participants to complete remaining questions.

■ Verify participant understanding by asking questions. Make them do most of the work. Resist the urge to take over. Facilitate, but don’t dominate. Ask questions, coax answers, and encourage give and take.

■ Encourage involvement of the participants, by beginning questions with phrases such as:

“What did you think about that?”

“Tell me what you just saw.”

“That was interesting, what was your take on it?”

“What were your initial impressions?”

“How did that scene make you feel?”

Before You Begin: Tips For Trainers (cont.)

■ Reduce participant’s apprehension by positively reinforcing their comments with statements such as:

“That’s interesting; tell me more about what you mean.”

“I hadn’t considered that angle yet.”

“Okay, thanks for sharing that with us.”

“That’ll be one of the things we need to consider.”

“I really like your insight.”

“That’s sure a unique perspective. Who else has some ideas?”

■ Reward participants for their enthusiastic participation. Prizes are always coveted and Telephone Doctor has many fun promotional items available for purchase.

Key Point #1: Know the Mission of Your Organization and Your Role

Be aware of the big picture and know how your specific role is helping your organization achieve its mission.

1. In the first segment, a man was asked to describe his job.

A. How were the two scenarios the same?

♦ Both men were dressed in uniform.

♦ Both men performed the same task.

♦ Both men appeared to be in the same environment.

B. How were they different?

♦ First man was slumped over, no expression, was curt with response, said he was sweeping the floor.

♦ Second man stood straight, had expression in his voice, with enthusiasm and pride, said “I’m helping put a man on the moon.”

♦ One had a positive attitude, one had a negative attitude.

2. Nancy asked the question, “Did you ever stop to think about why your employer pays you?” Why does ___________________ pay you?

Facilitator Note: Instruct participants to fill in the blank with the name of your organization.

♦ Process participant comments

3. Why is it important for us to be customers to each other?

♦ It’s difficult to project an image of a positive environment.

♦ Increase productivity.

♦ Increase creativity.

♦ Fosters a positive environment in which employees feel safe.

♦ It’s hard to give great service to external customers when there’s conflict, unhappiness and lack of respect within any organization.

4. Why is it important to keep in mind how your department contributes to the entire organization?

♦ It’s easy to forget the big picture (the mission) in any organization.

♦ We need to remember we’re all part of the whole company’s effort.

Option A:

Skill Practice: Know the mission of your organization and your role.

Facilitator Note: In preparing for the program, it will be helpful for you to analyze the mission of your organization before conducting the session. What this means is to break down the mission by defining its basic reason for existing. For example, Telephone Doctor® Customer Service Training sells training products. Our mission is to improve communication.

♦ Divide participants into small groups (4 - 6 in each).

♦ Instruct participants to define the mission of your organization (allow 3 – 4 minutes).

♦ Once the groups have completed defining the mission, instruct groups to define each participant’s individual role in accomplishing that mission (allow 3 - 4 minutes).

♦ Instruct groups to appoint a spokesperson for each group.

♦ Process each group’s comments.

♦ Ask questions, as needed, to guide the group to an agreement as to the mission of the company.

Option B:

Let’s String Along

Objective: To demonstrate how you directly service your organization’s customers…or service someone who does.

Procedure: Start by stressing that in order to fulfill your role in helping your organization achieve its mission, we are all dependent on others. To illustrate this point, ask participants to look around the room and think about who they are dependent on in the group.

Hand a ball of string to one person. Instruct that person to “hold the end of the string, throw the ball to a coworker they depend on to fulfill their job.” Also ask them to state the nature of that dependency.

Continue the process as time permits. If the entire group is “tied” together, restate and re-stress the initial point.

TELEPHONE DOCTOR® PRESCRIPTION

1. The whole reason you and your department co-workers are part of your team is because you contribute to the organization’s basic purpose for existing.

2. Either you directly service your organization’s customers … or you service someone who does.

3. It’s easy to forget the big picture. We need to keep in mind how our department contributes to the entire organization.

Key Point #2: Internal Service is Everyone’s Responsibility

Remember; avoid double standards when it comes to delivering great internal customer service.

1. How was the double standard portrayed?

♦ The vice president was praising Judy for good external customer service then he ignored the two staff people who said hello to him in the hallway.

2. How does this send a double standard message to the staff?

♦ It implies that staff isn’t as important as people outside the organization.

♦ It sends a message that it’s acceptable behavior to pick and choose who we feel is important or who is not.

3. Why is it important for great service outside of the organization to begin within the organization?

♦ It’s all about how you treat people.

♦ The best service to customers is the foundation for any organization’s success.

♦ Every team member needs to be dedicated to making great internal service as high a priority as great external service.

Skill Practice: What can you do to prevent double standards in your organization?

Facilitator Note: This skill practice is designed to draw attention to what we control, ourselves. Be aware and alert to attempts by the participants to convert this key point into a possible bashing session.

♦ Instruct participants to list actions they can take to help eliminate double standards in your organization.

♦ Participant workbooks provide space for this skill practice.

TELEPHONE DOCTOR® PRESCRIPTION

1. In order for great service to be projected outside the walls of your organization, it must start from within the organization.

2. Every team member needs to be dedicated to making great internal service as high a priority as great external service.

3. Don’t create a double standard by prioritizing external service while falling short on delivering internal service.

4. Remember, offering a consistently high level of internal service is everyone’s responsibility.

Key Point #3: Respect Employee Differences

Be tolerant of all the differences that make up your diverse workplace.

1. What is Joe’s first reaction to hearing Wayne’s message on his voice mail?

♦ He expressed his displeasure with Wayne’s request for help.

♦ He mocks his speech pattern to Cynthia.

♦ Made derogatory comments about Wayne to Cynthia.

2. What is Joe missing about his role in the organization?

♦ His job is to support all departments, especially individuals who deliver service on behalf of the company.

♦ If people like Wayne don’t need Joe, then the company doesn’t need Joe.

3. What should be Joe’s focus?

♦ Focus on the need of the customer, the issue at hand.

♦ Every person deserves to be treated with respect.

♦ It’s his responsibility to achieve the service mentality by adapting to the difference of the customer.

4. What insights did Cynthia give Joe about Wayne?

♦ Wayne has a doctorate in biochemistry. He chooses to not use the title of “Dr.” because he prefers to be low key.

♦ The company’s future is dependent on the research Wayne performs.

♦ Wayne has played a key role in the previous success of the organization.

♦ Wayne’s research has a profound affect on humanity.

5. What makes up a diverse work place?

Process participant comments emphasing:

♦ Differences in appearances, languages, beliefs, actions.

♦ All the above encompasses gender, race, religion, sexual orientation and the work style of your co-workers.

6. How does tolerance differ from understanding?

♦ By agreeing to respect the differences, you demonstrate tolerance.

♦ Just because someone acts differently than you, is no excuse to practice poor internal customer service.

Skill Practice: Respect Employee Differences

Facilitator Note: Use the space provided to create an organization specific skill practice.

TELEPHONE DOCTOR® PRESCRIPTION

1. Many internal service challenges are the result of basic differences in people.

2. The range and variety makes your organization a stronger and more interesting place to work.

3. Acknowledge that we work in a diverse world and there are many differences in how people look, talk, think and act.

4. Focus on the issue at hand.

5. Just because someone acts differently is no excuse to practice poor internal service.

Key Point #4: Recognize the Personal Space of Others

Be sensitive to the fact that other people are working nearby and practice the “Golden Rule” in all your office interactions.

1. How do the components of a clock relate to today’s modern office?

♦ All parts (departments, co-workers) need to operate smoothly.

♦ All parts (departments, co-workers) need to be integrated with all the other parts in order for the organization to run smoothly.

♦ If we don’t respect a co-worker’s personal space, it may hurt the effectiveness of our dealings with our customers.

2. At one time, there was a popular video game known as “Space Invaders.” How were Cynthia and Joe “personal space invaders” to Karen?

♦ They were speaking loudly over her work area while she was trying to talk to a customer.

♦ They were oblivious to Karen’s need to hear her customer in order to provide good service.

♦ They forgot the telephone is an amplifier; the customer could hear the background noise.

3. How does Karen control the situation in the second scene?

♦ Uses body language and facial expressions to convey her messages.

♦ Sends the message without inconveniencing the customer on the telephone.

4. How do Joe and Cynthia react?

♦ They immediately stopped their conversation.

♦ Quietly offered an apology.

♦ Returned to their individual work areas.

5. In the video example, it was clear Joe and Cynthia did not intentionally invade Karen’s personal space. Based on your experiences, discuss intentional vs. unintentional space invasion.

♦ Process participant comments.

6. What are some other examples of “personal space invasion” in your organization? Sample responses to the survey conducted by Telephone Doctor are:

♦ Use of cell phones in the office.

♦ Borrowing supplies without asking.

♦ Too much perfume or aftershave.

♦ Loud speakerphones.

♦ Barging into someone’s office.

♦ Chewing food or gum loudly.

♦ Humming or singing in the next cubicle.

♦ Inappropriate language for an office environment.

♦ Body noises.

♦ Eating food with strong odors in the work area.

Skill Practice: Recognize the Personal Space of Others

Facilitator Note: Use the space provided to create an organization specific skill practice.

TELEPHONE DOCTOR® PRESCRIPTION:

1. A lack of respect for a co-worker’s personal space may hurt effectiveness when dealing with our customers.

2. Don’t be a “personal space invader.”

3. Many times the offense is unintentional.

4. Use common sense. When we work in close proximity with others, we need to be especially sensitive to recognizing the personal space of others.

Key Point #5: Work to Resolve Conflicts

Use the 3-step BIF approach for smoothing out rough spots in your relations with others.

1. Why was Cynthia upset with Joe?

♦ He was playing his radio too loudly for an office environment.

2. How did Joe react to Cynthia?

♦ Turned the music up.

♦ Responded defensively.

♦ Negative body language.

3. Using the process called the BIF approach will help resolve internal issues and possibly prevent the need for management involvement. What is the BIF approach?

♦ Behavior: Describe the behavior. Use specific facts or an objective description.

Example: "Excuse me, Joe, the radio playing in your cubicle so loudly is a distraction.”

♦ Impact: Tell the effects the behavior is having on you. How is it impacting your job or your performance?

Example: “It makes it hard for me to hear and concentrate. I needed to ask my customer to repeat herself several times.”

♦ Feelings: Tell how the behavior and impact cause you to feel.

Example: “It’s embarrassing for me to need to ask her over and over again what she said.”

Now stop and let the other person absorb what you’ve said. Often the other person will apologize

or offer a solution during the silent period.

4. How was Cynthia’s tone of voice important to the success of the BIF approach?

♦ Her calm delivery sets the tone of the conversation.

♦ If she was angry or attacking in her manner, it’s likely the other party would mirror that and respond in kind.

5. Will the BIF approach work every time?

♦ It won’t work every time, but it will often reduce the need to involve a manager.

♦ Even if it doesn’t work, you’ll know you handled the situation professionally.

Skill Practice: 3 Step BIF Approach

♦ Encourage participants to develop a strategy using the BIF approach to resolve a conflict they may be currently involved in with a co-worker.

♦ Using the space provided in the participant workbook, script what they plan to say to the co-worker to resolve the conflict without involving a manager.

TELEPHONE DOCTOR® PRESCRIPTION:

1. Internal experiences can impact how well your organization operates.

2. Use the BIF approach to maintain positive workplace atmospheres and improve work relationships without involving a manager.

4. Use a calm delivery to avoid escalating the situation.

5. Be aware that the BIF approach may not work in every case. Using the BIF approach will help you know you handled the situation professionally.

Key Point #6: Show Appreciation

When someone does something good that affects you, let him/her know, again using the 3-step BIF approach.

1. In your opinion, why was Judy disappointed at Don’s response to her questions about the budget report?

♦ Judy wanted to know the extra time she spent on the report was appreciated.

♦ It made Judy feel the extra effort, the time she spent completing the project was not valued.

♦ It also leads to frustration. The lack of acknowledgement demonstrated a lack of appreciation.

♦ Judy likely felt angry. Don benefited from the completed project. The recognition of the benefit was not passed onto to Judy, who did the work.

2. How did Judy react to Don’s request to another report?

♦ She appeared disappointed and frustrated about being asked to take on the project.

♦ This created a reluctance and lack of enthusiasm about taking on another project.

3. When one of your co-workers does a good job, why does it deserve to be recognized?

♦ Process participant comments.

♦ Ask questions to emphasis how each participant benefits from work completed by others.

4. How can you use the BIF approach in this situation?

♦ Behavior: Describe the behavior. Use specific facts or an objective description.

Example: “Judy, I appreciate the way you organized the budget information.”

♦ Impact: Tell the effects the behavior is having on you. How is it impacting your job or performance.

Example: “It helped me to get an early start to review all the budget requests.”

♦ Feelings: Tell how the behavior and impact cause you to feel.

Example: “It feels good to work with someone who has your skills”.

5. What long term affects will you see from using the BIF approach to praise a co-worker?

♦ Offering praise, when it’s truly warranted, goes a long way towards fostering a positive work environment.

♦ A positive work environment is conducive to great internal service.

♦ Great internal service helps lead to great external service.

Skill Practice: Show Appreciation

Facilitator Note: The completion of this skill practice becomes the combination of the skill practice and commitment exercise rolled up into one.

♦ Encourage participants to reflect back over recent events when someone helped them in a way that made their job easier or helped them complete a project on time.

♦ Using the space provided in the participant workbook, script a message to the co-worker to show appreciation.

♦ Distribute “thank you” cards, including envelopes, to each participant.

♦ Instruct participants to transfer what was scripted to the card.

♦ Then address the envelope to the co-worker. Insert the card into the envelope.

♦ Collect the completed “thank you” notes and drop into company mail.

TELEPHONE DOCTOR® PRESCRIPTION:

1. When one of your co-workers does a good job that helps you, it deserves to be recognized.

2. Too many people are quick to complain and slow to praise.

3. Use the BIF approach to acknowledge and show appreciation for a job well done.

4. Offering praise, when it’s truly warranted, goes a long way towards fostering a positive work environment that’s conducive to great internal customer service.

5. Great internal service helps lead to great external service.

Role Play Instructions

Facilitator Note: A role-play is simply a bit of make-believe that teaches us a lot about the real world. In each role-play, two participants will pretend they’re working in a business setting. One participant will play the customer; the other participant will play the employee. The employee’s task will be to practice the skills presented in this course. Here’s how to make the role-plays pay off for the entire class: The role-play instructions below are provided when creating organization specific role-plays.

1. Create organization specific role-plays for the key points you wish to reinforce. Our suggestion is to create highly detailed instructional profiles for each role-play created.

Hint: The leader’s guides for The Service Mentality and How to Deal with the Foreign Accent 2.0 will serve as helpful guides.

2. For each scenario, solicit two participants to volunteer, one to play the employee, the other to play the customer. The remaining participants will be the observers.

3. Provide each participant with the detailed instructions specific to the role they will play in the scene. Both will have the opportunity to refer to the profiles during the role-play.

4. Advise the employee that he/she can use the Essential Elements of Internal Customer Service Desktop Reminder Card as a reference.

5. Have the customer and the employee play out the scenario. As they “act out” their part, have both assume positions relevant to the role they are playing.

6. After the role-play, have the customer and the other participants (observers) critique the part of the employee in the role-play. Make sure they address and discuss these questions.

a) Did the employee apply the skills discussed in the training?

b) What specific words or actions were used to make the employee effective?

c) What feelings did you experience as you watched the scene unfold?

d) How would you have felt if you were the customer? Same/different?

7. After the group assessment of the role-play, you ask the class:

a) What specifically did the employee do well in the role-play?

b) What could the employee have done to be even more effective?

c) Which of the correct techniques are most likely to be useful as you handle your job?

Alternative Approach to the Role Plays:

Divide the class into triads and assign the role of customer, employee and observer. (If there are participants remaining, have them join another group as a second observer). Assign a different scenario to each group. Or assign the same scenario to all the groups, and rotate the role for each scenario so that everyone in the triad gets to be the customer, the employee and observer. This approach allows more people to participate in the role-plays in a less intimidating environment.

Before They Go

In order to reinforce the skills and techniques that have been addressed, choose one or more of these reinforcement options.

Choose Methods of Review

■ Additional discussion questions may be provided in this Leader’s Guide for your use.

■ The corresponding Participant Workbook provides a 10-point quiz directly related to skills shown in the video.

■ Power Point slides or overhead transparencies are a useful way to reinforce the key points made during the course. Notice the key points are identical to the Telephone Doctor® Prescriptions located throughout the Leader’s Guides and Participant Workbooks. More great news, by purchasing the video, Essential Elements of Internal Customer Service, Telephone Doctor grants permission to recreate the Power Point Presentation/Overhead Transparency pages in a Power Point presentation or copy the pages to create overhead transparencies.

■ If you are using the Before-and-After Skills Inventory to evaluate training effectiveness, instruct participants to re-take the inventory and compute scores to evaluate improvement. Congratulate participants on their improvement.

Your Finale

■ Change is more likely to occur if participants commit to implementing skills and techniques discussed during this course. Various resources are available illustrating commitment exercises. We have included a Call to Action commitment exercise in the corresponding Participant Workbooks.

■ In order to evaluate training success and identify areas to improve, provide participants with the opportunity to make comments using evaluations. This is a prime opportunity to identify future training needs.

■ Hand out Telephone Doctor® Desktop Reminder Cards. They provide participants with a quick reference of important key points discussed in the course. This enables participants to have an ongoing reminder of skills needed for improvement.

Key Points: Essential Elements of Internal Customer Service

1. Know the Mission of Your Organization and Your Role.

♦ The whole reason you and your department co-workers are part of your team is because you contribute to the organization’s basic purpose for existing.

♦ Either you directly service your organization’s customers … or you service someone who does.

♦ It’s easy to forget the big picture. We need to keep in mind how our department contributes to the entire organization.

2. Internal Service is Everyone’s Responsibility.

♦ In order for great service to be projected outside the walls of your organization, it must start from within.

♦ Every team member needs to be dedicated to making great internal service as high a priority as great external service.

♦ Don’t create a double standard by prioritizing external service while falling short on delivering internal service.

♦ Remember, offering a consistently high level of internal service is everyone’s responsibility.

Note: Enjoy viewing the companion PowerPoint® presentation slides that accompanied your training program.

3. Respect Employee Differences

♦ Many internal service challenges are the result of basic differences in people.

♦ The range and variety makes your organization a stronger and more interesting place to work.

♦ Acknowledge that we work in a diverse world and there are many differences in how people look, talk, think and act.

♦ Focus on the issue at hand.

♦ Just because someone acts differently is no excuse to practice poor internal service.

4. Recognize the Personal Space of Others

♦ A lack of respect for a co-worker’s personal space may hurt effectiveness when dealing with our customers.

♦ Don’t be a “personal space invader.”

♦ Many times the offense is unintentional.

♦ Use common sense. When we work in close proximity with others, we need to be especially sensitive to recognizing the personal space of others.

Note: Enjoy viewing the companion PowerPoint® presentation slides that accompanied your training program.

5. Work to Resolve Conflicts

♦ Internal experiences can impact how well your organization operates.

♦ Use the BIF approach to maintain positive workplace atmospheres and improve work relationships without involving a manager.

♦ Use a calm delivery to avoid escalating the situation.

♦ Be aware that the BIF approach may not work in every case. Using the BIF approach will help you know you handled the situation professionally.

6. Show Appreciation

♦ When one of your co-workers does a good job that helps you, it deserves to be recognized.

♦ Too many people are quick to complain and slow to praise.

♦ Use the BIF approach to acknowledge and show appreciation for a job well done.

♦ Offering praise, when it’s truly warranted, goes a long way towards fostering a positive work environment that’s conducive to great internal customer service. Great internal service helps lead to great external service.

Note: Enjoy viewing the companion PowerPoint® presentation slides that accompanied your training program.

Instructor’s Notes:

Instructor’s Notes:

Instructor’s Notes:

Instructor’s Notes:

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