What is the role of employee training in creating a customer service culture?

Without proper employee onboarding & training- we are setting our teams to fail. In the B2B SaaS world, we deal with products that can span to multiple modules. We expect our teams to sell, implement, support, solution, and lead success using the same product for the customers. Hence, without the right training initially and ongoing knowledge sharing on new features or changes - the team is flying blind. It is absolutely critical as a leader to create the right processes and technologies to ensure ongoing enablement.

Awesome subject!! The world has recently experienced bad customer service on so many levels due to the pandemic. Now that we are back to normal for the most part, customers are more critical about receiving a high level of customer satisfaction. Your field team is on the front line dealing directly with your customers. Customer Satisfaction starts and could end with your salespeople. If the benefit’s of customer satisfaction are not understood, and even more importantly not trained with role play scenarios, you will run the risk of customers not getting treated correctly. Unfortunately this subject is not on the radar as much as it should be yet. I recommend it QUICKLY BECOME a priority before your competitors beat you to the punch!

The culture of an organization as a whole is built upon the values of the leadership in that organization. That means the impact of onboarding and training is a key opportunity to set that standards and expectations. However, that the real impact to customer service is the value placed on it by the executive leadership team and their ability to show the importance of those values from the top down. If those leaders value Customer Service, then it should be easy to see on a daily basis. While training is important for implicating the culture, there must be explicit examples at the leadership levels. Without those people putting it into action, the results will be synthetic and have less impact.

Ultimately, the singular point of contact between your business and your customer is the employee. Their training in customer handling skills and product knowledge are critical to a positive interaction. Without both sides of that coin the interaction is doomed to be at best neutral and most likely negative.

Onboarding and employee training are critical tools for setting expectations around Customer service and also showing what good looks like relative to this topic. It's important for the L&D team to build content which compares different service responses and also gives employees an opportunity to role play and practice providing great Customer service. But a Customer service culture is far more extensive than what can be built into employee training and/or onboarding. A Customer service culture needs to be built from the top down with the Executive and leadership teams exuding a service mindset and practice. And Customer service needs to be linked to Incentive plans and performance reviews as well as KPIs and metrics.

To assess the gaps you can start by creating a canvas with the brand idetity and brand promise and compare that tho the service that you (your team) actually delivers. Off course, feedback, surveys and contact reasons are important but customer service is about delivering the brand promise. Do you want to be efficient, to the point, formal, walk the extra mile? You need to know that before you can train your staff!

Introducing peer-to-peer feedback loops within your organization can offer a fresh perspective on training needs. Employees who directly interact with customers often possess valuable insights into what customers desire and where improvements are needed.

Data is your friend! Consistent feedback analysis both from your team as well as your customer is critical in ensuring your are operating in lockstep with their needs & expectations. Digging into the data & continuously working towards building/implementing better training programs & tools will serve your team, your customer, and your business and help you achieve greater success.

We had a high influx of tickets and our time to resolution was way high than the goal we had in mind. We started Auditing tickets regularly that crossed a certain number of back and forth. The insights we got from the audit was eye-opening. It also provided us with feedback on where the team was lagging. We then spent time and resources to train our team on those areas and voila, our Time to resolution dropped drastically.

Assessing training needs involves several steps. First, identify the skills and knowledge gaps within your team through surveys, feedback, and performance evaluations. Next, consider organizational goals and industry trends to determine which areas require development. Prioritize training topics based on urgency and impact on business objectives. Consult with team members and managers to gather insights and perspectives on training requirements. Finally, create a comprehensive training plan that addresses identified needs, aligns with strategic goals, and incorporates diverse learning methods for optimal engagement and effectiveness.

To ensure training is effective and sustainable, it must be consistent, engaging, and well-rounded. -Regular knowledge-sharing sessions (discussing case studies, technical features, strengths of the competition). -Bring in external mentors, experts, or trainers to provide fresh insights and skills development. -consider attending industry events, meeting clients, hosting webinars, and product blogs. -A training management system that records training sessions and continuously assesses the knowledge level of your team. -A book club or skill club, where members from various teams can connect and share their knowledge. -product certifications serve as powerful motivators and encourage healthy competition - Dedicated training fund

Designing an impactful training program goes beyond creating a mere show. To ensure its effectiveness, focus on a few key elements. First, clearly define the objectives and desired outcomes of the training. Understand what skills or knowledge participants should gain and how it aligns with their roles or organizational goals. Next, tailor the content to be relevant, practical, and engaging.

Designing effective training programs involves aligning them with your customer service vision, values, and standards. To cater to different learning styles, use diverse formats like real-life scenarios, case studies, role plays, simulations, and games. Set clear, measurable learning outcomes and provide feedback for self-assessment. Regularly update content to reflect evolving customer needs and trends.

Be willing to outsource training programs. If your company revolves around sales then be willing to hire an outside person or company that has had success in trainings. The employees will value the information during these training programs because its someone with a proven track record and its pivoting to something new to try.

Updating training underlines employees’ role in brand and reputation. Aligning with service vision is key, but real-time case studies show the dynamic impact on brand. Highlight adaptability in the face of evolving needs. Updates aren’t just about staying current but actively safeguarding the company’s image. Interactive sessions on recent studies foster improvement culture. Each action directly shapes brand perception. Integrating changes into training empowers employees to maintain brand excellence amid market dynamics.

Employee training is crucial for nurturing a customer service culture. It goes beyond policies, focusing on essential soft skills. Here's a streamlined approach: 1. Identify vital soft skills for customer service, like active listening and handling difficult conversations. 2. Use diverse formats to cater to different learning styles. 3. Enhance engagement with real-life scenarios and role plays. 4. Involve employees through role plays and simulations for skill practice. 5. Implement ongoing coaching, including call recording feedback. This approach empowers employees to excel in soft skills, fostering a customer-centric culture.

One way of effectively training employees on customer service is to incorporate the training into a team building event by structuring fun activities around key training activities. The concepts are easier to grasp in a more practical way and the relaxed atmosphere gives more chance for interaction

In the journey of training, it's not just about information, but transformation. Modern education should be an on-demand experience, offering bite-sized insights that lead to profound shifts. Embrace platforms that are intuitive, melding simplicity with depth. Offer flexible sessions, but also a reservoir of knowledge for those hungry for self-paced awakening. Collaborate with trainers who don’t just instruct, but inspire. Make resources not just accessible, but transformative. And in this collective voyage of learning, celebrate those moments and behaviors that resonate with the higher ideals of your service culture.

By asking your more experienced team members to deliver training, coaching and mentor to newer team members can be a great way to share knowledge and experience. This not only up-skills the less experienced team members but provides a great development opportunity for those who deliver the training.

Effective delivery of training programs is pivotal. It ensures accessibility, consistency, and engagement. Scheduling convenience, qualified trainers, and ample resources are key. Fostering a positive learning environment that encourages participation and collaboration is essential. Recognizing and rewarding desired behaviors is a powerful motivator for employees, aligning them with the customer service culture.

Kirkpatrick has an incredible model for evaluating training programs. Any training on "soft skills" has the distinct challenge of measurement. Level 3, behavior change, is the most ideal way to evaluate these. By letting people learn a skill and then go apply it in their real world, we are ensuring learning transfer and behavior change.

Implement post-training follow-ups and mentorship programs to evaluate the lasting impact of training on employees. Encourage regular check-ins with trained staff to gauge how they are applying what they've learned in their day-to-day roles.

Evaluating through pre- and post-training assessments, surveys, and models like NPS and CSAT offers insights into training effectiveness. Identifying strengths and weaknesses facilitates necessary program adjustments. Tracking improvement areas ensures a culture geared toward better service and customer retention. This ongoing assessment loop solidifies training enhancements, ultimately elevating the company’s service culture.

Manage mid-to-upper management with confidential periodic performance reviews. Provides the ability for continuous improvement.

Depending on the audience receiving training, whether internal employees, or clients, I have found the most valuable feedback to be be open ended survey questions. As the trainer, it is important to understand what components of the training were most/least impactful and why. Without specifics from the audience, it is difficult to refine the program.

Every training I always tell the team: If you are "forced" to give an answer to a customer that you would not want to give to your mother dan don't! Find a better solution or check with your manager. Improvements start there where the actual conversations take place and not on a spreadsheet.

Reinforce in your meetings the positive impact the employees who are successful (with the training) with the entire team. Play the recordings if you need to. Don't shame those who aren't getting it yet...teach them.

Something to consider: trainings should not be boring, or seem as just a mundane task to sit through. Trainings should be engaging and fit the needs of the trainees while being informative. Stay away from: Information download sessions. Throughout many years of training, it is the one thing that takes away from outcomes--as a trainer be prepared to help facilitate conversations and allow your audience to learn through the materials, avoid just throwing it at them Final thought: Have fun with it as a trainer! Your energy and demeanor will absolutely rub off on your trainees.

I believe the training phase of any employee is a critical phase of onboarding him As in this training phase itself he gets aware of companies core values, unlearn and learn things which he need to poses before doing his best Hence companies need to invest and focus a lot in training department

In crafting or evaluating training programs, fostering a continuous learning culture is crucial. It involves adapting to dynamic customer needs by incorporating ongoing updates and real-time case studies, ensuring relevance. Moreover, training should instill a sense of ownership in employees regarding brand impact. Evaluation should go beyond data collection, delving into soft skills, behavioral changes, and how the training translates into real-world interactions, fortifying the overall effectiveness and success of the program.