How To - Make a difference - (MAD).

Introduction and background:

The programme is based on a number of key stages: the development of clear criteria for the evaluation of success, a period of training input and reflection, the development and review of customer service action plans and the continuing evaluation of the quality of customer service being offered by the Company. The overall direction of the programme can be tailored to the specific needs of organisations to take on "their" customer issues and give solutions through work-based scenarios.

Programme methodology

As stated in the introduction, this programme is not based solely on a series of training inputs. It aims to use the core modules as the catalyst for identifying clear actions to improve the level of customer service skills within the Company and hence the level of service offered to customers. As an integral part of each module, the participants will be encouraged to identify an action plan for themselves and as a team, for the Company. In this way the learning is transferred to the workplace. Between each module, it is proposed that a short review session be held to discuss progress before the next module begins.

Each module will use the participants' experience and knowledge to explore the skills required of people to deliver customer service excellence. The training will be highly participative with exercises and discussion taking place in small groups in a safe, supportive and non-threatening environment. Participants will be allowed to express their own concerns and "negative" feelings and then be encouraged to identify positive actions both for themselves and the Company.

The programme can either be run over five half days or three full days.

The MAD programme:

There will be 5 training modules at the core of the programme.

The 5 modules are detailed below:
  • Maintaining Customer Service Excellence
  • Effective Customer Communications
  • Developing and Managing Customer Relationships
  • Providing Solutions for Customers
  • How Good Are We? – Evaluation

Brief details of the proposed content of each module and the aims and objectives are given below:

Module 1 - Maintaining Customer Service Excellence

Module Content

  • Introduction to the programme
  • Team working
  • Maintaining a customer database
  • Removing blockages to customer service excellence
  • Positive relationships
  • Action planning

Aims and Objectives
By the end of this module, participants will be able to:

  • Identify and use appropriate methods for maintaining accurate customer information
  • Re-organise their own working environment and systems to focus on customer needs
  • Develop relationships with colleagues which make full use of the pool of expertise available to the customer
  • Identify clear actions to be taken to improve the quality of information maintained on customers.

Module 2 - Effective Customer Communications

Module Content

  • The internal and external customer
  • Communication skills
  • Non-verbal communication
  • Working with difficult customers
  • Action planning

Aims and Objectives
By the end of this module, participants will be able to:

  • Identify and develop strategies for communicating with internal and external customers
  • Understand the basic principles of communication
  • Apply these skills in appropriate ways with different customers
  • Convert difficult customers into delighted customers
  • Identify clear actions to be taken to improve the quality of communications with customers.

Module 3 - Developing and Managing Customer Relationships

Module Content

  • Identifying what the customer needs
  • Techniques for building and maintaining the relationship
  • Effective personal behaviours
  • Balancing the needs of the customer and the organisation
  • Action planning

Aims and Objectives
By the end of this module, participants will be able to:

  • Use appropriate strategies to identify customer requirements
  • Display effective personal behaviours to improve relationships
  • "Juggle" the demands of the customer and the practical constraints of the organisation
  • Identify clear actions to be taken to improve the quality of customer relationships.

Module 4 - Providing Solutions for Customers

Module Content

  • The "top three" problems and how to eliminate them
  • Who cares wins
  • SPECIAL treatment for your customers
  • Solutions not problems
  • Removing blockages to customer service excellence
  • Action planning

Aims and Objectives
By the end this module, participants will be able to:

  • Employ appropriate techniques to provide solutions to customers
  • Identify and eliminate the key issues which make it difficult to provide customer service excellence
  • Identify clear actions to be taken to improve the quality of customer service.

MODULE 5 - How Good Are We? - Evaluation

Module Content

  • How to measure how good we are
  • Using feedback positively to improve customer service
  • Changing systems and processes in reaction to feedback
  • Communicating the results of evaluation
  • Action planning

Aims and Objectives
By the end of this module, participants will be able to:

  • Identify and apply appropriate methods for generating customer feedback
  • React flexibly in response to feedback and change operational systems accordingly
  • Communicate customer feedback openly
  • Identify clear actions to be taken to begin the measurement and evaluation of customer feedback based on agreed success criteria.
For Further Information

For details of dates when this course will be running, or to arrange a similar in-house programme, click here.