View this online Hey Reader, Virtual training gets a bad rap. People think it's boring because it usually is. It doesn't have to be. You can deliver virtual training that's fun and impactful. The kind of sessions where participants say, "Wow, that went so fast!" I've delivered virtual training sessions for more than 20 years. Over that time, I've done a lot of experiments to figure out how to keep audiences engaged. The biggest lesson I learned is you need more interaction in virtual sessions...
4 days ago • 2 min read
View this online Hey Reader, My client wanted to revise new hire training for its customer service team. The team would soon double in size. The old program took too long and employees struggled to serve customers even after completing the training. The new program was a huge success. It cut training time by 50 percent. Despite getting half the training, new hires excelled in their jobs. What was the secret? The biggest change was helping my client create ABCD learning objectives. The...
11 days ago • 3 min read
View this online New Workshop I've just opened registration for a live Customer Service Train-the-Trainer workshop. This 90-minute, virtual workshop will help you become a better trainer. It's highly interactive and practical. Date: Tuesday, September 23 Time: 10am-11:30am Pacific (1-2:30 Eastern) I'm announcing it here first and giving Service Training Tips subscribers an exclusive $20 discount. Use code "servicetrainer" when you register. Hey Reader, The checklist is the fastest way I know...
18 days ago • 2 min read
View this online New annual billing option: Some subscribers have asked for annual billing to make it easier to expense this newsletter. (One expense per year instead of 12.) I've just created that option and added a 10 percent discount. You can switch to annual billing by updating your preferences. Hey Reader, I once facilitated over 100 customer service workshops per year. All this training gave me a lot of data on what worked and what didn't. Over time, I saw that the most successful teams...
25 days ago • 3 min read
View this online Hey Reader, There's one question you should always ask yourself before training: ⚠️ Can training fix this? One client wanted to improve their team's phone skills. Digging deeper, the problem wasn't a lack of skills. The phone system didn't work! Customers would try to call and couldn't get through. Calls got dropped. Transfers got routed to nowhere. The phone system was irritating customers, not employees. No amount of training could fix that. This week's tip explores what...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
View this online Hi Reader, "Let's do a quick safety inspection." The bike shop associate put the new bike on a repair stand and gave it a once-over. He explained he wanted to make sure it was safe for a test ride. The front brakes were rubbing a bit. He made a small adjustment and the bike was ready to go. Oooh wow, it was fun! This was the third bike shop I had visited. This bike rode much better than the others I had tried. I was sold. Can you imagine if the sales associate had skipped the...
3 months ago • 1 min read
View this online Hi Reader, I dreaded making the call. A customer's order was delayed and stuck in pending status because I had neglected to hit "confirm." I paid a mint to upgrade to express shipping, but it was still going to be late. The customer was sure to be furious at my mistake. It was tempting to point fingers. Maybe do nothing and hope my customer wouldn't notice. No. I gathered my courage and called. I apologized. Took responsibility. Let them know I upgraded the shipping and would...
3 months ago • 1 min read
View this online Hi Reader, "No free samples!" The handwritten sign in the self-serve yogurt shop blared at customers. Samples were for paying customers only. Apparently, a few ruffians had availed themselves of tiny sample cups of free fro-yo before scampering out of the store without spending a penny. The response was this sign. It missed the bigger picture. Most people went into the store to buy frozen yogurt. The sign discouraged from trying out new flavors. Focus on Lifetime Value Chris...
4 months ago • 1 min read
View this online Hi Reader, "What kind of idiot doesn't know how to use a music box?" A team member was venting. He had just served a difficult customer who was confused about how to use the wind-up music box she had ordered.Our music boxes didn't come with instructions because, well, it seemed obvious.Something struck me about the rep's frustration. It caused him to deride his customer's confusion. Even worse, it soured his attitude for the next customer he served.The music box incident led...
4 months ago • 1 min read