We all know that when workplaces create a culture of learning and development, they will see happier and more engaged teams with significantly higher levels of motivation and resilience to overcome any challenges that come their way. We are also aware that many team members are feeling highly-stretched and find it challenging to allocate time out of their busy schedules to commit to training and personal development. With unhelpful thoughts impeding their progress towards much more engaged, efficient and productive ways of working, it’s vital that leaders make a clear and compelling case for taking time out to learn valuable skills and strategies that will ultimately both improve performance and make jobs more rewarding.

One of the keys to successful, customer service training programmes that really stick and make a difference is the ability to truly engage each participant so that they are willing and ready to dive into the learning experience and embrace the opportunities it offers to make their lives easier and more fulfilling. There are two important questions to ask before undertaking any customer training programme: on completion of the training, can the participants use their new skills directly and immediately in their daily tasks? Is the learning journey practical and stimulating with immersive core content that’s relatable to everyday scenarios?

Making any customer service training relevant to people so that they can instantly adopt it into their everyday lives is vital to achieving their commitment to the training, where it can be successfully put to work and show immediate benefit. Feeling in control and knowing that we have the tools and understanding to step up with confidence and meet the challenges of each new day is incredibly empowering and refreshing.

So, how do we ensure our people are gaining maximum, direct benefit from their training and are able to practise the skills they have gained straightaway – saving them precious time and energy? Here are some key points to consider:

Make it compelling

The case to engage with the training must be meaningful and really resonate with the learner, having clear significance, purpose and value, and therefore ultimately a worthwhile activity they are happy to invest time and effort in. When we look into organisations with a strong mandate to improve service, we start by investigating what would motivate people to engage with any training programme. Recently, it has become clear that first and foremost equipping time-poor team members to be more able to cope with the current demands on them with increased efficiency is the priority.

Positive goals and outcomes

Clear, upfront communication of the positive goals and outcomes that will result from engaging with the training is key. It will ensure every learner approaches their training with motivation and commitment so that their newfound skills can become a way of life for them, and fully embedded in the culture of the organisation.

Bring the learning to life

Creating a meaningful rationale for the training and clearly linking it back to everyday scenarios and outcomes specific to the organisation and each employee provides powerful, personal benefits that everyone can relate to. Demonstrating clearly how the new skills can be applied in these everyday scenarios brings the learning to life. Encouraging discussion around the use of the tools to address everyday challenges that people face at work and in their personal lives is a powerful way to get immediate engagement and demonstrate value.

A clear focus on positive solutions

When people are presented with clear, positive opportunities to participate in engaging, fun and accessible customer service training that they can clearly see really works to make their lives easier, they are far more likely to embrace it and adopt the new techniques as quickly as they can. Equipping people with positive communication tools that focus on solutions and options starting with what is possible rather than what is not, will demonstrate a more optimal mindset to those around you. When everyone starts to communicate in this way, a positive momentum for change begins to galvanise people’s efforts, solving problems and creating a more productive, less stressful environment.

Having the right mindset

At the heart of MGI’s engaging Customer Service Excellence Toolkit is what we refer to as the Optimal Mindset. People who are trained to have this strong, healthy mindset will express it through everything they think, feel, say and do. When we can ensure that our people are supported so that the first thing they ask is “OK, so what can I do… what is the best way forward?” and reflect that right from the start in their language and actions to their customers and colleagues, they will be empowered to give a professional response every time.

Having an Optimal Mindset also means that they will be adept at managing their time more efficiently and therefore more able to cope with whatever comes their way with confidence and enthusiasm.

How can we help?

Find out how MGI’s Customer Service Excellence Toolkit can equip your teams with time-saving tools and strategies to enable them to deliver outstanding service, productivity and outcomes, whatever comes their way.

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