The process to learn customer service or sales skills is
similar to learning martial arts. Martial Arts encompass many styles. You
identify a style that fits with your lifestyle. You meet your Sensi (teacher)
in the Martial Arts Dojo (training hall) along with several others who are
also interested in learning.
Your Sensi talks about the philosophy and practices of
martial arts. He discusses various martial arts moves such as punches and
kicks. He shows some diagrams and engages the new “students” in discussion.
He even has a PowerPoint slide presentation.
The hour passes, his talk ends, and everyone goes home.
Several days later everyone returns. Your Sensi gives another similar talk.
This routine goes on for several weeks. He gives you homework and urges you
to practice what you are learning in the privacy of your home.
Are you learning martial arts this way?
Probably not! You may be picking up on some of the
concepts, but what's obviously missing is practice - getting on the mat and
actually doing the various martial arts moves over and over until you have
mastered them. This is just common sense, isn't it?
Unfortunately, most skill development programs follow a
similar pattern: talks, discussion, PowerPoint slides and some homework, but
no actual practice of the newly taught skills. Training is about asking
people to change a behavior, and most of us resist change because we don’t
like being uncomfortable. Doesn’t it make sense then to practice new skills
so that the feeling of uneasiness and discomfort is eliminated?
If you have established service standards and have
identified the skills that will achieve those standards, practice is
imperative!
Practice comes in several different forms. This includes
things like exercises, interaction, writing, feedback and most importantly,
role-playing!
- Here are some suggestions on ways to practice newly trained skills.
Encourage teamwork by making these group activities.
- Have your staff write down the benefits of each product and service you
offer. Summarize their ideas so they can be displayed on one sheet of
paper, easy to read and refer to when in conversation with customers.
- Write down the most commonly asked questions by customers. Write down
various responses and approaches to these questions. Identify solutions to
challenges.
- Identify most common types of interactions and situations with
customers. Write down different ways everyone approaches these situations.
Discuss what gets the best results as well as what does not.
- Make a list of open-ended questions to ask your customers so that you
can clearly identify their needs. Make a list for each product/service.
Open-ended questions engage customers in conversation. They do not have a
yes/no answer.
- Form teams to practice skills to use during the common customer
interactions. Have one team be the customer and the other team is the
company. Each team should brainstorm first on the questions they want to
ask of the other team. One person from each team should actually role-play
the situation. Teammates can at any time help out with suggestions,
questions or comments that would help their team to be most effective.
- And when it’s all done, reverse roles!
- Make a list of situations that your products and services can help your
customers. For instance, teenagers in the household – call waiting,
family-plan wireless packages, Internet security systems, and DTV parental
controls. Incorporate these comments and suggestions into role-plays.
- Develop written quizzes to confirm product knowledge. Lack of product
knowledge impedes everyone’s ability to provide stellar customer service,
educate your customer and increase your profitability.
While role-playing is scary for most . . . it really is
one of the most effective ways to increase your staff’s comfort level with new
skills. So whether you’re looking to learn one of the martial arts, play the
piano, or improve your customer service or sales skills, the fast track to
success is through practice.
And then more practice, and then more practice, and then
more practice, and then more practice, and then more practice, and then more
practice, and then more practice, and then more practice, and then more
practice, and then more practice! Skill development is a process, not an
event.
