How to Train Customer Service Reps

A customer-service training program is essential for business.

Customer service is one element of a company that should be developed and followed, and it starts with training new employees for the role of customer-service representatives. First, determine what excellent customer service is for your company. Once you determine the elements that are important for your company, you can turn them into steps for your customer-service training program. A customer-service training is not one size fits all. A training must be company specific and detailed oriented, but these suggestions for what to include in your training program may be helpful.

Things You'll Need

• Company policies
• Technical information
• Communication skills
• Customer-service scenarios
• Product knowledge
• Stress tips
• Training resources

Instructions

How to Develop a Training for Customer-Service Representatives.

1. 

   Training manuals are essential to your training program.

   Develop a training manual before you start an official training of customer services representatives. Your training manual will provide trainees with a resource that will include company policies, job descriptions and product knowledge. Other items that should be included in the training manual will be a list of frequently asked questions and detailed instructions about products and updates.

2. 

   Company policy guidelines provide a solid reference.

   Inform all new employees thoroughly on the policies and procedures of the company. Policies and procedures should include information pertaining to the human resources department, such as medical insurance and payroll. Training should include how to address any confidential matters that might affect employee and cultural diversity training.

3. 

   Technical training could be difficult depending on the end user.

   Include office technology when training customer-service representatives. Customer-service representatives need to learn specific computer programs to retrieve important data, use time clocks, maintain inventory devices, etc. This aspect should be hands-on training and not a verbal description.

4. 

   The method for handling customers will vary depending how the representative delivers service.

   Emphasize that communication is the core of all customer service. Customer-service representatives communicate with customers, suppliers and colleagues on a daily basis. This is a crucial aspect of the training. For instance, the trainees should be taught to empathize with the customer, to listen well and not to interrupt. Trainees should also be taught that customers respond in a positive manner when the customer-service representative tells them what they "can" do and not what they "cannot" do. Trainees should be taught to keep the situation from escalating into a volatile shouting match and to retain a professional, calm tone.

5. 

   The role play scenarios should include the effective way to answer a call.

   Play roles. Role play is a critical component of a customer-service training program. First, evaluate what kind of role play would be beneficial for your trainees. Customer-service role playing will give trainees the opportunity to learn and make mistakes and evaluate where and how to improve. Unlike real-world scenarios, role-playing has no consequences. In role play, every role is a learning moment. Create a role play that challenges the trainee and covers a range of customer requests. For example, one scenario could be a customer angry about a wrong order.

6. 

   Make note of any special manufacturing process the customer might find interesting.

   Develop strong product knowledge for customer-service representatives in the training program. For example, customer-service representatives should understand how their company’s product compares to similar products on the market. Customer-service representatives need to understand how products work and how to determine which product would fit the needs of a customer.

7. 

   Taking calls for eight hours a day can be stressful. It is imperative the customer-service representatives learn how to handle stress.

   Include stress management methods and tips in the customer-service training. Customer service is a stressful occupation and representatives should learn how to handle stress in the workplace. One method, for example, is to periodically take a break. Sometimes five minutes away from the immediate situation makes a huge difference.

8. 

   Refresher courses should be done once a year.

   Provide customer service training in the classroom, with books, guides and DVDs, and with on-the-job training. For newly hired customer-service representatives, classroom training can be beneficial. The company should also maintain a customer service resource kit that can be accessed by all employees at any time.

Tips & Warnings

• End conversations with customers with “thank you,” and ask if anything else can be done for them.

• Advise trainees not to lie to the customer if they do not know the answer or solution. Advise trainees to tell the customer they know where to find the solution.Customers could be irate but will appreciate honesty.

References

• A touch of Business
• U.S. Dept of Labor Statistics

Resources

• Business Training Works