From FAQs to SOPs to one-pagers, just-in-time information tools are among the best supports you can offer front-line service personnel. If your organization already has developed them, your job is simple: Ensure they’re
up-to-date and that your team uses them consistently.
If there are gaps, your job is to engage your team in creating their own. In either case, revising, creating, and using these tools is an essential part of your intervention.
Realistically, you and your team will probably spend several months developing the materials in this stage.
Even with the help of peer leaders, there’s no shortcut to creating excellent information tools. The payoff, however, is worth the time. You end up with knowledgeable, confident front-liners who know where to go for the information they need—just-in-time.
Training Options
You have several options for developing these tools:
• Present the tools in a series of 30-minute modules.
Describe one tool in each, offer examples, discuss a step-by-step development process, and assign intensive “homework.”
• Offer a series of 60- to 90-minute workshops during which your team engages in lots of hands-on work.
• Combine topics into several half-day programs.
Whatever approach you take, count on holding short follow-up sessions to address revisions, questions, and training on specific tools.
Preparation
Before your first session, review the just-in-time information tools we discussed in Chapter 5:
1. Answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs)
2. One-page customer handouts
3. Basic service and product facts
4. Written standard operating procedures (SOPs)
5. “Go-to” people list
6. Complaint process guidelines and forms
Also, review any preexisting materials in your company that are pertinent to your team. Organize them by category and prepare a packet with tab dividers that you can add to your team’s customer service binder. As
tools are revised or created, insert them behind the appropriate tab.
For materials too lengthy for a binder, devise another strategy to ensure that front-liners have easy access to what they need when they need it. For example, create a “road map” describing where and how to find specific
information—in a database, file cabinet, catalogue, or one-pager near the cash register. Of course, if you are using computer technology, “binders and tabs” become common files accessible to everyone.
Remember, “just-in-time” means precisely that: quick, easy access to information as needed. Merely having information is insufficient; people need to know how to access it immediately and use it consistently.
If you decide to use our recommended handouts, be sure that you prepare them for distribution or add them to your workbook. If computers are available, deliver the handouts electronically.
Program Outline
After a kick-off session on your company’s current information tools, you may want to create standard operating procedures for addressing and tracking customer complaints.
Next, focus on a “go-to” list and FAQs. Finally, prioritize the remaining tools. Throughout this chapter, we offer suggestions for developing each, but the order is up to you.
Below is an outline of suggested topics presented in a workshop format. Our time frame for each workshop —60 to 90 minutes—can be adapted to your needs and priorities. Plan time between sessions for shorter meetings (20 to 30 minutes) to check on assignments, make revisions, and ensure your people know how, when, and where to use the specific tools.
— PROGRAM OUTLINE —
Workshop A: Kick-Off Session 60–90 min.
A1. Introduce the program 5–8 min.
A2. Evaluate the company’s current information tools 45–70 min.
A3. Assign homework and schedule follow-up session(s) 10–12 min.
Workshop B: Create an SOP for Problem Solving 60–90 min.
B1. Review the six keys to successful problem-solving 10–15 min.
B2. Create the SOP 45–70 min.
B3. Wrap up the workshop 5 min.
Workshop C: Create an SOP for Tracking Customer Complaints 60–90 min.
C1. Review previous workshop and present introduction 10–15 min.
C2. Create a complaint tracker and an action plan 45–70 min.
C3. Wrap up the workshop 5 min.
Workshop D: Create a “Go-To” List 60–90 min.
D1. Review tools 20–30 min.
D2. Introduce “go-to” list of key people 35–50 min.
D3. Wrap up the workshop 5–10 min.
Workshop E: Create FAQs 60–90 min.
E1. Introduce the process 5–10 min.
E2. Facilitate answering FAQs 45–70 min.
E3. Wrap up the workshop 10 min.
Workshop F: Create One-Page Information Sheets 60–90 min.
F1. Introduce the process 5–10 min.
F2. Facilitate creating one-page information sheets 45–70 min.
F3. Wrap up the workshop 10 min.
Workshop G: Create SOPs for All Positions 60–90 min.
G1. Introduce the process 5–10 min.
G2. Facilitate the SOP process 45–70 min.
G3. Wrap up the workshop 10 min.
The following leader’s guide covers each workshop and includes notes and suggested scripting. To make the guide easier to use, handouts are grouped at the guide’s conclusion. There are five handouts in all:
• Analyzing Our Current Information Tools
• Most Frequent Customer Issues
• Complaint Tracker
• Answering Customer FAQs
• One-Page Information Sheet
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