View this online Hey Reader, There are two ways to use training videos. One is the Popcorn Method. Employees sit down, press play on the video, and watch the entire thing like they're watching the latest Hollywood blockbuster. You might as well get a bag of popcorn and cozy up on the couch if you're going to do this. Unfortunately, this approach is boring. Training videos aren't meant to be entertaining. The second way to use training videos is the YouTube method. You find a short video that...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
View this online Hey Reader, Customer service managers write a lot of procedures. The challenge is getting employees to follow them. Employees forget. They get confused. Sometimes, they just don't wanna. This creates consequences. Customer experience becomes inconsistent. Service quality erodes. The manager has to spend extra time fixing problems. There is a simple solution. Here's a step-by-step process for writing customer service procedures your employees will love. (And actually follow.)...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
View this online Hey Reader, How do you measure customer service training? I'm not a big fan of post-training surveys. And, if you're familiar with the Kirkpatrick framework, you might be surprised to learn that I don't often use it. There's a much simpler way to measure customer service training. That's what I'm going to share in this week's tip. Here are three steps to measuring customer service training. Step 1: Identify Expectations Start by meeting with the person who asked for the...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
View this online Hey Reader, "How can I tell if employees are fully trained?" A customer service trainer recently asked me this question. She was preparing for a workshop and wanted some advice. It was an important question. We went through her training plan. She had solid content and some good exercises planed. There was also one thing missing: verification. Part of a trainer's job is to verify that each participant has been trained. This week's tip walks you through doing that. Start with...
2 months ago • 2 min read
View this online Hey Reader, You trained your employees. Now, how do you get that training to stick? To understand the science behind retention, let's go back to high school. You likely had a book or physical education locker with a combination back then. How quickly could you open your locker back then? Seconds, maybe? Today, most people can't remember their old combination. What changed? Three factors explain why you could open your locker so quickly back then buy likely can't today. These...
2 months ago • 2 min read
View this online Hey Reader, I love In-N-Out Burger for its remarkable consistency. The service is the same every time I go. There's a warm and friendly greeting. The cashier takes my order and confirms it. They conclude the transaction by handing me my receipt, telling me my guest number, and thanking me. It always happens. Each step has a purpose. The greeting establishes rapport and makes me feel welcome. Carefully walking through my order ensures they get it just right. The conclusion...
3 months ago • 1 min read
View this online Hey Reader, Do you have remote employees? My experience with virtual training started in the late 1990s, and I ran my first full-time virtual training program in 2002. I've learned a lot of lessons the hard way so I can share them with you. In this week's tip, I'm going to share three principles that will make remote training easier and more effective. Principle 1: Objectives first Every training program should have clear, measurable learning objectives. Remote training gets...
3 months ago • 2 min read
View this online Hey Reader, Customer service is full of judgement calls. What does it mean to be friendly? How do you know someone is a good listener? Was that employee being helpful? Judgements are hard to train. What exactly would you tell someone to do if you wanted to show them how to be friendly when serving customers? The secret is observable behaviors. What is an observable behavior? An observable behavior is something you can actually see. For example, what would an employee actually...
3 months ago • 1 min read
View this online Hey Reader, A training log is a must for multi-day training programs. You might have a learning management system (LMS). Those systems typically track whether someone completed a course or passed a quiz. A training log captures more granular information during training. It can help you: Track learner progress during a course Quickly identify learners who are struggling Document any issues Hand-off a class to a substitute trainer In this week's tip, I'll show you how to create...
3 months ago • 1 min read
View this online Hey Reader, There's never enough time for customer service training. You've already got your hands full between daily operations and putting out fires. Any training you do is focused on technical topics. Policies, procedures, products, etc. The stuff you have to do. There is good news: you don't need to create more time. Forget disruptive half-day workshops. Ditch plans for an all-staff customer service retreat. (Which, be honest, wasn't ever going to happen.) I want to show...
4 months ago • 2 min read