Backwoods is a company that specializes in outdoor supplies and apparel, and conducts its business through telephonic and mail order means. Backwoods employs forty people in the customer orders division who are primarily responsible for taking customer orders, answering questions and complaints, processing returns, and the like. The operating manager of Backwoods' customer service department is Gerald
Banks. Banks is interested in conducting a training program for his department in an effort to improve service. He would like to see an increase in overall effectiveness of order-filling. Likewise, Banks wants representatives to become more helpful in answering questions and complaints, as well as to be more polite and professional
While this technique would not be beneficial for enhancing interpersonal skills, it certainly would be useful for teaching the "nuts and bolts" of the customer service position. The most basic information would be easily conveyed this way, such as sizing information, product features, and the like. Training via this method could be carried out using CD-ROMS, videotapes, or slides. This would be very helpful as a foundation for the other types of training. Using the above training techniques, I believe training for this position should take place over the course of several weeks. Some sections of training would obviously be shorter in duration than others, such as the lectures and audio-visual training, because these provide the most basic information. However, the areas of greatest difficulty, such as data entry, or communication and interpersonal skills, would necessarily require lengthier training. Likewise, training such as role-playing may require a longer duration, because it is meant to address all types of real-life situations.
I believe the best course of action would be to first provide basic information, such as product features and sizes, through lectures and audio-visuals. Afterwards, data entry training should be addressed, and finally, interpersonal and communication skills. This order seems most logical for program success.
As with any training program, Backwoods would need to evaluate