Why Generic Customer Service Training Doesn’t Work
Different Roles Need Different Customer Service Training
If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the last thirty years, it’s that generic customer service training doesn’t work. I’ve seen hundreds of generic programs – live, virtual and self-directed – that our clients have tried, with no evidence of changes in the workplace.
Why not? To begin with, every industry is different. Even within the same industry each organization is different – with unique cultures, goals and needs. There is no way generic training can effectively address these.
For customer service training to be meaningful, memorable and actionable, it has to use real examples, address current, relatable, customer interactions. It has to resonate with employees.
Two Common Denominators
There are, of course, some foundational elements that have to be present in customer service training. Most importantly are the two common denominators of Trust, and the Six Pillars of service behaviour.
TRUST
For a customer service program to be meaningful, it has to be founded Caring, Competency and Integrity – the three components that make up Trust. These are the things that research show create a direct, causal link to customer loyalty and satisfaction.
SIX PILLARS OF CUSTOMER SERVICE
The skill-sets and mindsets that training should address fall within the categories of: Attitude, Interest, Action, Verbal Language, Body Language and Tone of Voice.
While trust remains a constant, the behaviours that should be addressed in a customer service training program can vary greatly depending on the company. This is where generic training falls down.
Customer Service Training Strategies in Seven Different Industries
Here is an example of how strategies change based on industry. It should be noted that even this is somewhat generic, as there are unique aspects within every company that needs to be considered in an effective program. For your training to truly create change, you need to dig deeper.
1. Customer Service Training for Retail, Food and Hospitality
CORE PILLARS INVOLVED:
Attitude, Interest, Action, Verbal Language, Body Language, Tone of Voice
TRAINING FOCUS
Traditional, in-person occupations, such as retail, food services and hospitality, require the broadest spectrum of customer service skills. First impressions are crucial in these situational, visceral environments, which places body language as a priority for customer service training (smiling, eye contact, etc.) Interest and Verbal Language are close seconds, as they enable effective personalization of interactions.
2. Customer Service Training For Services (In-Person)
CORE PILLARS INVOLVED:
Attitude, Interest, Action, Verbal Language
TRAINING FOCUS
For individuals providing services in-person, such as automotive, IT support, health care, printing, repair etc., the trust components of Competency and Integrity are paramount. Customer service training is an important addition to knowledge-based training, with a focus on clear communication, setting/meeting expectations and following-up.
Customers are typically engaging individuals in these service fields to fix or heal things. Showing that you care, through attitude and interest play a significant role in customer satisfaction.
3. Customer Service Training For Services (Telephone/Remote)
CORE PILLARS INVOLVED:
Attitude, Action, Verbal Language, Tone-of-Voice
TRAINING FOCUS
Providing services by telephone differ from in-person in the absence of visuals and in the perception of time. Customers will perceive a wait time of two minutes as ten, and twenty seconds of silence as disinterest. Tone-of-Voice and the use of productive language are critical skills for success.
4. Customer Service Training for Business-to-Business (Telephone/Remote)
CORE PILLARS INVOLVED:
Interest, Action, Verbal Language, Tone-of-Voice
TRAINING FOCUS
Customer service in B2B environments is unique in a number of ways, including:
- The products/services customers are using are typically a higher value.
- Customers are either highly knowledgeable or, conversely, not the end-users and decision-makers.
- Relationships are often long-term with many moving parts.
In the B2B world, customer service skills and training are as important with administrative employees (e.g.: Accounts Receivable or Logistics) as they are with front-facing employees in sales and technical support.
The importance of Trust is magnified in B2B environments as the loss of trust can result in significant revenue losses. Employees need the skill to acknowledge the importance of each customer and their knowledge of each customer’s business. Customers need to know that decisive action is being taken, as their business depends on it. Because interactions are most often telephone or digital, service language skills and tone-of-voice skills are absolutely critical.
5. Internal Customer Service Training for Manufacturing, Utilities
CORE PILLARS INVOLVED:
Attitude, Interest, Action, Verbal Language
TRAINING FOCUS
Manufacturing and Utilities are highly process-driven structures, with siloed roles and job functions that rely heavily on the responsiveness and effectiveness of coworkers. Internal customer service is the key. Positive, productive attitudes are essential, as negative conversations can quickly affect the work culture. There is a need for accurate and timely communication, and a willingness to be responsive to changing needs and parameters.
6. External and Internal Customer Service for Universities and Colleges
CORE PILLARS INVOLVED:
Attitude, Action, Verbal Language
TRAINING FOCUS
Educational institutions have a widely diverse employee population, divided by highly-siloed departments. Success within each silo is dependent on collaboration and interactivity. Employees are often unaware, and not interested in, their interdependence with other departments. A faculty member and a facilities engineer, for example, typically interact only when an issue arises. What they have in common is that they largely don’t think in terms of internal customer service they provide to each other, or the external customer service they provide to students, parents, etc.
This limits the school’s ability to create a cohesive culture, and nurture a unified sense of purpose and pride. Training needs to focus on creating a broader awareness of the impact one’s role has on people outside of their silo, and provide skills and motivation to contribute to the organization’s culture.
A simple example, using the faculty member and facilities employee (above), would be a faculty member taking the time to pick up litter in a classroom before leaving for the day; or a facilities employee leaving a note to a professor to advise of a potential disruption that might impact them.
7. External and Internal Customer Service for Health Care
CORE PILLARS INVOLVED:
Attitude, Interest, Action, Verbal Language, Body Language, Tone of Voice
TRAINING FOCUS
Like education institutions, health care operations often have a broad spectrum of departments and job functions. Health care is, by definition, an in-person, tactile environment in which all six pillars of customer service are relevant. Trust is essential both internally and externally to create outstanding patient and coworker outcomes.
A number of studies have pointed to the impact body language, verbal language and tone-of-voice have on patient satisfaction and the reduction of potential litigation. Having these skills is essential for mitigating the high levels of stress inherent in these occupations. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of these skills, as emotional exhaustion became pervasive among health-care professionals. It impacted the ability to empathize, maintain positive demeanours and outlooks.
