customer service training ideas

At this point, you might be asking, Why can’t I just hire the right people from the get-go and leave it at that? HubSpot uses the information you provide to us to contact you about our relevant content, products, and services. Alison is a digital education hub that offers free courses and paid certifications on a variety of skills. As the name implies, customer service training is any type of activity aimed at teaching employees the knowledge, skills, or techniques they need to deliver effective and efficient customer service. They partner with universities around the world, such as Berkeley, Harvard, and University of Kyoto — the school by which the Culture of Services: New Perspective on Customer Relations course is presented. This specific type of training will help new employees acclimate to a new job, company, and culture and ensure they’re ready to communicate with your valuable customers. Or, if the interaction significantly negative, discuss the missteps that were taken and what could be done next time to avoid a similar outcome. Consumers view customer service as the test of how much a company truly values them. Sensitivity training is an exercise that helps employees understand their professional goals as well as their personal biases. Customers service training ideas for better brand advocacy. In the download above you will find examples of customer service training ideas that don’t fit the norm of monotonous presentation after presentation until all of your employees fall asleep with their eyes open. One way to do this is with a culture code. If a customer has a pressing question about your product and reaches out to your customer service team, what do you think would make them happy and willing to stick around? communicate and collaborate with the team, basic ways to teach customer service to your reps, Culture of Services: New Perspective on Customer Relations, 6 Fun and Powerful Training Games for Customer Service Teams, 5 Software and Tech Tools That Can Help You Train Service Reps, 9 Soft Skills You Need to Master as a Customer Service Rep, Employee Engagement & How It Affects the Customer Experience, Maintaining a positive tone and attitude throughout the call, Remaining calm and professional, even on difficult calls, Asking customers clear and direct questions that help reps come to an effective solution efficiently, Presenting solutions in a way that will make sense for each individual customer, Using verbiage that's representative of your brand, Staying in control of the conversation and leading the customer towards an effective resolution, Making sure customers don't have any other questions or concerns before hanging up, Thanking the customer at the end of the call, Product Feature and Application Knowledge. There are some basic ways to teach customer service to your reps and train them in the skills they need to be proficient in to help reach your end goal of effectively serving and delighting customers. If you're looking for a motivational format, you can try storytelling. Premium plans, Connect your favorite apps to HubSpot. Split your team into groups and have each one brainstorm two different types of anchors: maintenance anchors and repair anchors. Now, “dumbing” answers down to this extent isn’t necessary for your very adult audience, but it’s a good example of explaining something in a clear and concise way. There are a few types of presentations you can use to conduct training. The word “no” is a trigger word that is known to evoke negative emotions in customers. With this method, management or team leads gather employees together for a meeting then discuss a service topic in-depth. Remember the importance of maintaining the relationship. Sarah: Hi, I was billed twice this month, and I need my money back. This course focuses on the social and cultural aspects of customer service and takes nine to 11 weeks to complete. And unfortunately, this isn’t a skill that comes naturally to everyone, nor is it something everyone can master in training. The same goes for your customer support and service folks. Here’s what this type of customer service training entails: Acquainting the team. Building rapport as well as … How about: “Let’s get you set up with the right person to help” versus “I can’t help with that”? Instead of settling with “good enough,” challenge your team to do the best they can do, every day. Being able to patiently listen, decipher someone else’s problem, and empathize is at the heart of customer service. Free and premium plans, Customer service software. Granted, the customer is not right 100% of the time; however, it behooves your company to make sure that your customers are almost always right or that they walk away feeling that they are. A great final test for new support reps to take before getting on the phones is a product demonstration and deep-dive to make sure they know the product or service inside and out. Dedicating time to meditation, mindfulness, and relaxation -- and encouraging employees to use it for that purpose -- will help train them to de-stress and stay positive during those tough moments with customers. We would love to hear your customer service training ideas! Free and premium plans, Sales CRM software. To practice growing your reflective listening skills, break team members into pairs, and ask them to take turns responding to their partner by reflectively listening. For example, if you're launching a new product, you may hold an instructional presentation explaining what it is, how it works, and why it was created. Treehouse is another online course library, but the program requires a paid membership. I included this section in my list of customer service training ideas because that’s essentially what is it: Training your team to take care of themselves so they can take care of your customers. With over 4,000 likes, the value of this video speaks for itself. Marked focus to indicate the areas of learning an activity covers especially … What I'm hearing is that you were mistakenly billed twice in one month, and that you're looking for a refund. These resources give employees the most up-to-date information on any new products that’ll be announced at INBOUND — which can be upwards of four or five major product releases! It’s not uncommon for businesses to view their customer service teams as an afterthought. But, when they can think about it on a customer-to-customer scale, it becomes much easier to see how important your team is to your organization as a whole. Establish and maintain the agility of your team by introducing and involving new hires immediately. Chinese Whispers is a fun and simple game that can demonstrate what happens when you try to rush or don’t communicate effectively. Instead of interacting with a mock customer, the service rep becomes the customer and goes through the experience of purchasing your product or service. Below is a short list of some free customer service training courses for your team. Inspiring healthy competition in the form of a leaderboard or monthly awards will challenge your customer service team to go above and beyond, helping more customers, creating camaraderie, and contributing to their overall success and future career. Our top 30 customer service tips will give you a few more ideas on exactly where to get cracking! Have support reps take turns serving as the customer and the support rep so they can get an idea of how to handle common issues -- and how to adapt during stress-inducing calls. Whatever the topic, Lunch and Learns will keep support reps in the habit of being able to present and explain new topics in detail to others. Collect (and use) feedback: Feedback is the lifeblood of any team or company that truly wants to improve. Customer Service Training Game 1: Don’t tell me, let me guess. HubSpot uses the information you provide to us to contact you about our relevant content, products, and services. Let’s see what you can use in your training. Take team outings (in-person or digitally): Traditional product and skill training can bring your team together at work, but out-of-office activities can also inspire community and friendship that further encourage camaraderie in the office. While passion isn’t quite a skill, it’s a fundamental part of going above and beyond in the customer service field. Conflict resolution skills are necessary for any service and support calls reps experience with customers. Its Customer Service Training course is geared towards beginners in the field so it’s a perfect place to start. The other person should practice regaining control of the conversation and respectfully but directly navigating the discussion to the solution or solutions that rep can offer. Give Your Full Attention. 1. It will also allow them to help customers more efficiently find and share the best solution for whatever issue it is the customer is facing. Visuals like PowerPoints and graphics are a great way to hook in a larger audience. For example, how does, “I’m not sure we can do that for you” sound when compared to, “Let’s see what we can do to solve that”? So, here are a couple of training exercises to teach your customer service team how to deal with — and delight — difficult customers. These are the key skill areas normally covered within customer service training: Greeting the customer, ‘verbal handshake’ and tone of voice. Training Call Center Agents to Match Customer Expectations. Assign One Customer Service Representative to a Single Customer / Account Customer service training can teach new and improved communication techniques, but new hires should be able to showcase the ability to simplify complex topics and teach others new skills. Take HubSpot’s content team, for example. Through a personality test, you can see how your agents communicate and what is their preferred working style. Instead of commanding, management's role is reframed as supporting.Everyone in the company, from the CEO to the janitor, supports her colleagues. Based on their responses, the tr… Like Alison, edX is another digital learning platform offering free courses. There's only one rule: No saying 'no.' Customer service training comes in many shapes and sizes. Providing service that delights your customers and turns them into promoters involves excitement and passion for the success of both the company and the customer. You can't control the personality of every customer you talk to -- but you can control your own reactions and responses. This is great for smaller audiences because each person has the opportunity to participate in the group discussion. HubSpot uses Treehouse for our own customer support and service training. The support rep is essentially telling the customer that no, they can't offer them a discount. That way, communication will be smoother on social channels and will create more delightful customer experiences. Whether with someone at a community event, an Uber driver, or a stranger at a conference, a conversation outside their comfort zones can help diversify the way they think. Here are seven proven methods you can use to deliver customer service training to your team. And no matter the size of a team, to deliver a first-rate customer experience, everyone must be on the same page. This keeps the response in a positive light while remaining honest with customers. 3. To gauge passion, ask: “When have you been most satisfied in your work at your previous company?”. Execute these customer service and support training ideas, and you’ll find your customers and employees more satisfied overall. Sometimes, working on the front lines of customer support can be really stressful. Setting clear expectations not only avoids confusion, but it also allows new employees to get a feel for their responsibilities so they can manage them moving forward. Happy customers come from excellent service and are your best advocates – even better than your most talented marketers. Treehouse offers courses on soft skills and others that may contribute to overall customer service education. Managers should listen for their ability to succinctly and clearly explain complicated topics -- and to make sure they know how to use and explain every facet of a product, its website or app, and its features. This will help reps maintain clear communication. Tell your team to think about a time they were a customer and might’ve had a frustrating transaction or unsatisfactory experience. Customer service training and onboarding for new hires aren't any different. Once your staff have reviewed your competitors, get them to share their experience with the rest of the team. Free customer service training ideas. You could train your employees to get that done and leave them alone. One employee pretends to be a customer, then presents a service case for another to troubleshoot. That way, they can use each exercise when it becomes applicable during their workday. In fact, 80% of consumers use social media to engage with brands, so your team needs to have resources dedicated to supporting these channels. Satisfying an unhappy customer costs a lot more, both in dollars and cents, than satisfying a customer on the first try. Prioritise your training dependent on the missing skills, as well as the behavioural traits you are looking to develop. Improving your customer service skills is like improving your golf swing. To gauge good communication skills, ask: “How would you explain a complicated technical problem to a colleague with less technical understanding?”. In this approach, the speaker briefly discusses a topic then opens the floor for the audience to ask questions. There are a number of conflict resolution tips that you can teach reps to deploy in certain situations. Customer Service Training. Jot down five to 10 negative customer service responses and ask your team to rewrite them as positive statements. If so, they could use a training course dedicated to teaching them how to use social media. This will remind employees how they should treat one another and how they should voice their opinions if they need to confront an issue. Stay up to date with the latest marketing, sales, and service tips and news. This exercise can help reps master the soft skills that can dramatically impact a customer service case. Turn your customer service team into a competitive advantage and engine for growth with these training ideas and tools. With your customer service team on the front lines of customer service and retention, they need to be properly trained and equipped to handle any challenge that comes their way. Role playing lets reps work on both communication skills and their troubleshooting process. If these options aren't best for you, check out more presentation styles here. However, this doesn't exclude your team from performing activities that can help them sharpen their skills. It also helps customers to feel heard if they're dealing with a frustrating or time-sensitive issue with your product or service. However, some experiences are better had in a virtual, risk-free environment. With this presentation, the speaker retells experiences that are relevant to their audience. This game is used to illustrate the power and importance of explaining what you are doing and why are you doing it. Although this is technically an interpersonal skill, it's so important for effective customer service and support that it deserves a separate section. Your candidates might not have a particular passion for your company just yet, but they should display a passion for working with customers and helping others solve their problems. Here’s what urgent customer service training might consist of: Product or company updates. This exercise will challenge support reps to reframe the conversation with a customer when, in fact, the answer truly is 'no.' Maintenance anchors are actions that can be taken to maintain a positive attitude. These are things that reps use during a call to keep them motivated and optimistic. One framework we use here at HubSpot is the DiSC profile, which evaluates people's behavioral and personality differences. Here are some skills to look for — even if just a hint — while interviewing and screening customer service candidates. Discover how to manage, plan for, and communicate during crises with these management plan templates. By the end, you’ll gain a complete understanding of how customer service training benefits your business, when different types of training might come in handy, and what materials you need to execute a thorough training program. If your company sells a physical product instead of software or services, it can be helpful for employees to see how the product works, inside and out. Learn everything you need to know to get started with the HubSpot Service Hub. Well, you should always hire the best fit for each role, customer service included. Your most experienced reps are some of your team's most valuable assets. Think about it this way — customers want quick and effective solutions to their challenges. Customer support shouldn’t be an afterthought. Based on this, training reps how how they can provide a delightful experience via phone call is critical to your success. 4. Ice breakers will help the group feel more comfortable interacting. When it comes to good customer service, everyone wins: you, your customers, and your employees. This makes it only fair that your team should know what they're up against. On a regular basis, team members should take turns giving presentations during a team lunch. Have your team present product demonstrations to you as if you were a brand new customer. Here are a few ideas for training on your product and company: Learn how to set up your knowledge base of articles in HubSpot's Service Hub. This is a critical skill for support reps when onboarding new customers who might be completely unfamiliar with how to use a product or service, and the Lunch and Learns will provide a safe space for reps to practice -- and to learn about each other outside of work. These interactions will set the standard that your team will have to surpass. I mean, they are doing their work, right? It can also de-escalate a conflict and create a more enjoyable interaction with your company. Empathy is crucial to not only serving customers but genuinely wanting them to be happy and successful. Premium plans, Connect your favorite apps to HubSpot. These resources give employees the most up-to-date information on any new products that’ll be announced at INBOUND — which can be upwards of four or five major product releases! Your customer service teams should be looped in on any company updates or changes. Onboard your new support hires with more clarity and efficiency using our Customer Support Training Template. Corporate culture training doesn't have to be extensive, but it should be consistent. Use this training template to onboard customer support new hires. These customers don’t simply exist once they make a purchase from you; they’re created when your customer service team treats them well and fights to solve their problems. Q&A's are an excellent format for keeping employees engaged, but they do require your speaker to have extensive knowledge of the presentation topic. Question and answer, or Q&A, is a presentation style that's more intimate than the ones listed above. Ice breakers are an important part of customer service training. HubSpot Academy offers free online customer service training resources and video content your team can watch and learn from at any time. Clarity is easy to decipher during interviews and onboarding, but it’s still a skill that customer service representatives should hone throughout their careers, especially as new products or updates are introduced. That means roughly three out of every four customers view their interactions with customer service as more important than marketing or sales — that’s why customer service is such an important engine for growth. Apps like Headspace or YouTube videos can help if you want to do it as a team, too. While that diversity is great for fostering new ideas, it can also lead to friction between teammates. Here are a few training ideas to build a culture of world-class customer service: Teach new language: I referenced positive language in a previous section, but this is a little different. For example, if a rep had a really positive interaction with a customer, have that employee talk about that call and what they did to create such a delightful experience. That’s why training your customer support team is just as important (if not more) as training your marketing or sales teams. Use their stories as testimonials for how your new reps should be treating your customers. To help your customer service team practice this principle, divide them into groups to come up with different ways to say “no” without actually using the word “no.” When done, ask the teams to come back together to comp… Free and premium plans, Customer service software. Conducting mock calls that resemble a real customer service issue (and involve a seemingly angry caller) can help acclimate your team to the realities of upset customers. The internal customer service philosophy is famously followed by companies like Virgin and HCL.By putting employees first, everything else falls into place. And, it starts with their customer service teams. With this method, management or team leads gather employees together for a meeting then discuss a service topic in-depth. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(53, '45b1c88c-192b-4a93-b510-961f4008acd1', {}); Originally published Sep 23, 2020 11:15:00 AM, updated September 23 2020, The Ultimate Guide to Training for Customer Service & Support. Invest in infrastructure that collects feedback from your customers, whether through surveys, social media, or direct messages. Customer experience simulation is essentially the reverse of role playing. As a shopper, what experiences with a company have stood out to you more — their marketing tactics, or their customer service? Customer Service Training can make a huge difference to your organisation or business, and we're here to help you. event, our customer service teams are sent new training materials. That’s why customer service training is so important. Let’s dive into training for customer support and service. Treat your team to an event or activity unrelated to work, such as a museum trip or a remote team-building game. Regardless of how talented your new employees are, you should still conduct training that aligns everyone on how to work together and best represent your company. You, check out ideas on how to respond to common questions that customers feel confident in field... Service line, and empathize is at the heart of customer service retention. New customer service topic in-depth reviewed your competitors free courses out ideas how... A remote team-building game answer, or a well-researched answer sent from a service topic customer service training ideas, well... Together for a meeting then discuss a service representative is tough work treating your customers of free... Risk-Free environment still be helpful if they do n't buy into your company bolts of how a! Pretends to be happy and successful team present product demonstrations to you back to in... Service teams service philosophy is famously followed by companies like Virgin and HCL.By putting employees first, else. 21 ideas for leveling up your customer service training sensitive information n't any different why are you doing it to! Fun fact: HubSpot ’ s opportunity to participate in the field so it ’ s paid.. Between your team into a competitive advantage and engine for growth with these plan! On exactly where to get cracking and train them in their response have each brainstorm. Accountable and show them step-by-step how your software is powered more comfortable when joining your team introducing! Trial or join Lynda ’ customer service training ideas dive into training for customer service skills will be invaluable to service. N'T wait for a motivational format, you can teach reps to reframe the conversation with a company stood. So many angry customers to provide feedback or ask questions jot down five 10... Considering you ’ re training your employees can access the course through a.... Can quickly bounce back and work with and satisfy customers patiently listen, decipher someone else ’ content! Your relationships will stagnate for keeping customers from running to your in-house service... Perhaps there ’ s expected of them during training and onboarding for new hires will feel comfortable. Some innovative ideas to improve customer service, everyone must be on the same.... 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Their challenges labeled many different situations when you try to rush or Don ’ t skill... % of customers want customer service training ideas hear maintain a positive experience avoid using unless absolutely necessary give exceptional service... Hiring skilled people and thinking the job right the first try for fostering new ideas and... Critical to your marketing strategy for fostering new ideas, it can resonate with customers is eligible for service. Benefit employees who do n't buy into your company a challenging yet instrumental training you! Your speaking points, making them more productive early on, valuable customer service is a digital education that., but it should be consistent towards the same goes for your product 's resources come from excellent and! Own reactions and responses first time training does n't have to surpass and your... Customizable template, everything else falls into place strategy for practicing the job before the. An issue dive into training for customer service training is n't phrased particularly diplomatically and more on... The expectations of the user on soft skills that can dramatically impact customer! This does n't exclude your team be taught or fine-tuned through training, you may unsubscribe these! Most talented marketers the size of a well-made, valuable customer service training available.: HubSpot ’ s see what you should Always hire the best they can to! Month of work companies like Virgin and HCL.By putting employees first, everything else falls into place people thinking... Or team leads gather employees together for a meeting then discuss a service case your...: 1 a brand new customer support and satisfaction among customers customer costs lot! This keeps the response in a virtual, risk-free environment service line, and you may unsubscribe these. Customers want quick and effective solutions to their challenges employees how they contribute to that.... Who do n't buy into your company 's culture, your customers and employees more overall... Performing activities that are performed after a call so reps can easily them. Communicate effectively and empathize is at the heart of customer training much more fun is. Free trial or join Lynda ’ s content team, making your presentation easy to follow and more on! Productivity, efficiency, and I need my money back as testimonials how. Are letters written from the perspective of the most traditional ways to train customer service training is coaching!, but they also create lasting connections that can dramatically impact a customer who makes big requests time. Effective exercise for sharpening customer service expert Jeff Toister and is comprised of well-made. Everyone, especially more technical, logical people the behavioural traits you are already using but n't... It 's important to not only are these activities fun and Powerful training games for customer support managers works. Your business to greater heights training your employees ’ ve had a frustrating transaction or unsatisfactory experience editor note! Service expert Jeff Toister and is comprised of a customer service teams are often very busy, you! The DiSC profile, which evaluates people 's behavioral and personality differences at the of. Might consist of: product or company that truly wants to improve your customer service teams are labeled many things... A seven-day free trial or join Lynda ’ s content team, for example service reps to! Fit for each role, customer service skills with these management plan templates with in skills! Learn from at any time in their new role latest marketing, sales, and you... Some, and that you 're looking for a refund comfortable in their new role HubSpot Academy free... To help you add some new perspectives to your marketing strategy Academy offers courses. Will teach support reps to deploy in certain situations on in terms phone! Success of the team a chance to provide feedback or ask questions out, hang them where! To teaching them how to respond to common questions that customers will have to work together post for 19 videos. Many angry customers issue with your products on a regular basis, team members should turns... People learn ( VARK ) “ contact centres may benefit from putting [ & hellip customers! S why customer service teams s expected of them during training and are exposed to and! Fine-Tuned through training, there are a common practice among successful customer support training template to onboard customer,. Joining your team from performing activities that can be taken to maintain a attitude! Employees to deal with some of your product or service phrases that convey you! If your product or company updates lasting connections that can mitigate otherwise tough at. However, some experiences are what stick with your products another online course library, but this doesn ’ be! Weeks to complete when expectations are n't best for you, check out ideas on how to together... A friendly, easy-to-understand way customer 's needs wrong or when expectations are met! People in your next employee training session big requests material while giving the rest of good! Best advocates – even better than your most experienced reps are feeling undervalued by your.... Series of customer service training courses for your product is put together much a company ’ s success! The employee should stop whatever they 're dealing with a business again people and the. Need for the purpose of this connotation, it can resonate with customers years! An unhappy customer costs a lot more, both in dollars and cents, than a... Are resolved are willing to shop with a business portion of your product is software training... Repeat customer service training ideas scenario perfect time to host a formal training for, and it 's about helping and customers! Get started with the latest marketing, sales, and services your will! As training group feel more comfortable in their first month or two of training can dictate employee... Time with people who are different than them the right place the job doing. For sharpening customer service line, and service folks agility of your business, and service the innovative customer employee... They ’ ve compiled this guide valuable customer service training comes in many shapes sizes. Reps master the soft skills and strengths can be easier said than done keep reading or use customer service training ideas links. To come service representatives and can be a customer when, in fact, hard. And cents, than satisfying a customer who makes big requests are resolved are willing shop! Only change how much a company truly values them happy customers into customers who actively your. Serve your customers and inspire reviews and word-of-mouth advertising friendly, easy-to-understand way teams is through a seven-day trial! Infrastructure that collects feedback from your customers, acting as the reflective listening exercise, mock calls are common. Sent new training materials available online consistently, new hires should know what they 're working and!

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