LEADER’S NOTE: Open the floor to discussion. Be sure to cover the reasons for such documentation:
1. Written documentation protects front-liners as well as the organization if a customer says no action was taken.
2. It helps managers understand problems and complaints more clearly.
3. It identifies recurring “fires” that need immediate attention.
4. It becomes a training tool for how to handle similar situations in the future.
C2. Create a Complaint Tracker and an Action Plan 45–70 min.
LEADER’S NOTE: Customize the Complaint Tracker handout to fit your situation, distribute your version to the team, and discuss how to use it. Entertain suggestions for revisions and then develop a step by- step action plan to implement it. The tracker and action plan become your next SOP.
Open the floor to discussion on when the complaint tracker should be used. For example:
• When a problem or complaint repeatedly occurs (this is a “fire” that managers need to know about so they can address it once and for all)
• When a service person doesn’t have the expertise or authority to handle a customer problem
• When the issue can’t be resolved immediately and requires further investigation
Generate a list of everyday situations that would require a tracker.
Continue discussion by clarifying your “back-up strategy” for when a problem is beyond your front-liners’ expertise but can be immediately addressed by someone else. What words should they say? For example:
• “That’s a great question. Let me find someone who can give you a great answer.”
• “I’m not 100 percent certain how to deal with this.
Let me [find/contact] someone who can give you help immediately.” Also discuss guidelines for submitting the form:
• How soon after the event must it be completed?
• To whom should it be sent?
• How soon afterward should front-liners follow up with the recipient as well as with the customer?
Reinforce the principle “It’s my problem until it’s solved.” Conclude discussion by covering any other guidelines or parameters required by your situation.
C3. Wrap up the Workshop 5 min.
LEADER’S NOTE: Inform your team that you will distribute the revised tracker and action plan by whatever deadline you’ve chosen. Once they receive this material, it becomes another standard operating procedure
for which they are accountable. You want them to test it out and be ready to report back on its “pros” and “cons” at the next team meeting or workshop.
Workshop D.
Create a “Go-To” List 60–90 min.
LEADER’S NOTE: Since your people need to know who has the information, experience, or expertise to handle particular products, services, or customer issues, the “go-to” list may be the next most practical
tool to address.
D1. Review Tools 20–30 min.
LEADER’S NOTE: You and/or your peer leaders will do the initial homework for this workshop, so this session may be shorter than the others. If so, use the extra time to review and reinforce the work that
the team accomplished during the last session. For example, check on how well the complaint tracker is working by asking the following questions:
• Are there any glitches that need revision?
• Are there any new issues that need to be addressed?
• What challenges and triumphs have team members had in using it?
Open the floor to “stories” of their experiences.
D2. Introduce “Go-To” List of
Key People 35–50 min.
LEADER’S NOTE: Prepare a list of products, services, and problem areas and a corresponding list of key people your front-liners can contact for information or support. Include other employees, managers, product/
service suppliers, consultants, and service providers, and give their contact information. Ideally, you want a minimum of two resource people for each area.
Discuss this list with team members and get their input on other areas where they may need help. Add those to the list with corresponding contacts.
Point out that the “go-to” list is another tool that will be amended as new issues arise and people change positions, gain expertise, or come into or leave the organization. Therefore, you want them to look for
additions/corrections and submit those to you or a designated peer leader.
Finally, decide how to make this initial list easily accessible to everyone. Possibilities include putting it in a computer database, in their customer service binder, and on a sheet near phones or cash registers.
D3. Wrap Up the Workshop 5–10 min.
LEADER’S NOTE: Summarize what you accomplished in this workshop; then give your team a preview of the next workshop. Let them know they will develop answers to customers’ frequently asked questions, and
assign them to pay close attention over the coming week(s) to the questions that customers consistently ask. They should record the questions and submit them to you, preferably electronically, by the deadline
you specify.
Optional: Make this assignment a contest, and offer prizes for the quantity as well as quality of the FAQs.
Workshop E.
Create FAQs 60–90 min.
E1. Introduce the Process 5–10 min.
LEADER’S NOTE: Prepare a handout of the most common and pertinent customer questions your team submitted. By all means, add your own. Keep in mind that soon you’ll have the team create one-page information
sheets; therefore, put aside any questions that would be better addressed in that format, namely, those that require extensive details, specs, and specialized language.
Optional: Award prizes to those who contributed the most questions and the best questions.
SCRIPT: In our discussion of communication skills on [date], we learned that saying as little as possible is one of the keys to successful communication. However, that doesn’t mean saying nothing. It means we
listen carefully to what customers say, and choose the right words to respond appropriately.
What are the “right words”? That’s the focus of today’s workshop. First, we’ll create rough drafts of the best answers to the questions you submitted; then we’ll practice and refine them before we roll them out to
our customers. It’s one thing to have answers written down on paper; it’s another to be able to deliver them clearly and confidently.
E2. Facilitate Answering FAQs 45–70 min.
LEADER’S NOTE: Break the team into groups of three to six members, with a facilitator, a timekeeper, and a note-taker. Ask note-takers to submit final drafts to you after the program.
Facilitate the following five-step process:
1. Distribute a different set of five or six FAQs to each group. The FAQs should vary in complexity, with each printed on a large index card or a copy of the Answering Customer FAQs worksheet.
Ask groups to brainstorm the answers, and instruct note-takers to write final versions on the cards or sheets. Explain that the answers should be short and sweet. Offer examples from your own experience to serve as models. Print the examples on a handout, slide, transparency, or flip chart, so groups can see them throughout their discussion.
Considering the number and complexity of the questions, set a time frame (e.g., 20 to 25 minutes) for writing first drafts.
2. When time is up, ask group members to divide into pairs or triads, “fire” questions at one another, and take turns responding with the “scripted” answers.
You want them to hear their written words spoken aloud. Ask them to evaluate each response: How well does the response flow? Does it say what we really want it to say? Does it use the best words?
Does it convey accurate information? Can we say it with fewer but more powerful words?
3. Have members return to their small groups. Instruct note-takers to make revisions based on this exercise and to record them under “Revision” on their cards or worksheets.
4. Explain that each group should now link up with another to trade questions and revisions. Challenge the partnered groups to improve each other’s answers.
Since they worked on different questions, they’ll bring another perspective to the answers.
Ask note-takers to add the critiques to their cards or worksheets.
5. Open the floor to a sampling of questions and answers and discuss which are the most effective.
At this point, the quality of the examples is more important than the quantity. Since creating answers to FAQs is an ongoing project, you want to ensure that members can distinguish between excellent
and mediocre responses.
Also, while it’s your responsibility to review and finalize all answers, you want to teach your front-liners how to write the best rough drafts possible.
E3. Wrap Up the Workshop 10 min.
LEADER’S NOTE: Collect the note-takers’ work or ask them to send it to you electronically. Ask for volunteers to continue to work on this project, and divide the remaining questions among them. Set a deadline for submitting answers (preferably in an electronic format) to you or peer leaders.
Optional: Offer prizes for the quantity and quality of the answers.
Inform the team that you will review and edit their answers for distribution at the next team meeting (or next appropriate time). Let them know where the final FAQs will be stored (for instance, in the team’s customer service binder or easily accessible database) and that additions will be made as the need arises.
Finally, create a process for practicing the finalized answers after the workshop. Here are some possibilities:
• Set up role-plays at the next team meeting.
• Have the team create an FAQ game with prizes. For example, print questions on business-card-sized stock and have members pull a card and answer the question. The person who answers the most questions
accurately within a certain time frame wins.
• Ask peer leaders to quiz front-liners throughout the week, posing a question and asking for answers on the spot. Leaders keep a scorecard, and the person who has the most accurate answers receives a
prize. Of course, ensure that all front-liners are given equal opportunity to participate.
Workshop F.
Create One-Page Information Sheets 60–90 min.
LEADER’S NOTE: This workshop is an adjunct to the previous one. At this point in Stage 3, you may want to vary your approach by asking for volunteers to work on this tool or by inviting only members who
have a talent for writing or graphic design to participate.
You also may want to use a trained peer leader to lead the discussion and collate materials for your final approval. If none of these tips work for you, proceed with the entire team as usual.
F1. Introduce the Process 5–10 min.
SCRIPT: Now that we’re really rolling with our FAQs, there is a complementary tool I’d like us to discuss: the one-page information sheet. What I’m thinking about is a graphically appealing, thoroughly accurate and detailed document about the services, products, processes, and issues that prompt lots of customer questions. In that way, when a customer asks a very detailed question that requires an even more detailed answer, we don’t have to rely on our memories—we can hand over a great-looking one-pager with all the information the customer could possibly want.
What do you think that would feel like? You could give them a first-rate answer without uttering one word. Now that’s powerful!
LEADER’S NOTE: If your business already has samples of one-page information tools, by all means, distribute models and discuss elements applicable to your team.
F2. Facilitate Creating One-Page
Information Sheets 45–70 min.
LEADER’S NOTE: Involve participants in brainstorming a list of products, services, procedures, and issues that require a one-pager. Record the list on a flip chart and prioritize the items for development. Then divide
the team into groups of two to three members and assign one priority to each group.
Offer a worksheet for creating a rough draft (see our handout One-Page Information Sheet), and set accountabilities for each document. Note that the groups will be responsible for creating content as
well as graphics and layout.
Ask groups to discuss the information needed for their one-pager and the resources available to obtain it—people, catalogues, computer files, and so on. You want to teach them an effective process so they can
continue to create these documents after the workshop.
Debrief all participants to ensure everyone is on the right track and understands the results you want.
F3. Wrap Up the Workshop 10 min.
LEADER’S NOTE: Divide the other priorities among groups, and ask them to commit to a series of deadlines to deliver completed one-pagers to you or a peer leader. For example, they might commit to completing
one or two per week during the next month. You might ask your peer leader to collect them and to add his or her own suggestions before passing them on
to you electronically. As with every information tool, you have the final say.
Schedule time to address these tools during subsequent team meetings.
Finally, offer special recognition/rewards for people who work on this project.
Workshop G.
Create SOPs for All Positions 60–90 min.
LEADER’S NOTE: This workshop requires everyone’s participation because SOPs should be prepared for every front-line task and responsibility.
G1. Introduce the Process 5–10 min.
SCRIPT: Today we will begin creating a series of standard operating procedures for our everyday tasks and accountabilities. We’ve already created two very important ones on handling customer problems and
tracking complaints. Does anyone remember what we did to develop them? [Open the floor to discussion, and lead members toward next point.]
SOPs are the most effective steps people can take to get results. In essence, each explains, “In this situation, to get this result, we do step one, step two, and so forth.” In this way, when someone new joins the
team, we can hand the new member our SOPs and get him or her up to speed much more quickly than ever before. So, the challenge is to make the SOPs easy to read and understand.
G2. Facilitate the SOP Process 45–70 min.
LEADER’S NOTE: Tell the team to form small groups of three to four members based on the similarity of their jobs (individuals with the most similar jobs thus form a group). Give them time to do this; then ask them to
select a facilitator, a timekeeper, and a note-taker.
When ready, facilitate the five-step process below.
Allow 20 to 25 minutes for the first three steps.
1. Ask groups to brainstorm a list of all the tasks and responsibilities with which they are charged and have direct experience. Record the list on a flip chart. Keep groups on this step until the list is comprehensive.
2. Groups should now prioritize the tasks. Be sure to define your criteria (e.g., importance, frequency) before launching work on this step.
3. Instruct groups to draft a bullet-point SOP for their top priority on the flip chart. Stress that you are looking for clear, concise, step-by-step explanations for what they do and how they do it in order to achieve the best results.
4. Return to the room at large to debrief. Ask groups to take turns presenting their SOPs, and invite other members to make suggestions for improvement.
At this point, you want to create models the entire team can use for ongoing development.
5. If your time frame allows, engage groups in working on their next priority. Debrief again and check for understanding. Gain commitment from groups that they will work on SOPs during the following
weeks or months. Set deadlines and ask notetakers to electronically submit SOPs to you or a peer leader as they are completed.
G3.Wrap Up the Workshop 10 min.
LEADER’S NOTE: Again your job is to review the SOPs and finalize them. Let your team know that you will distribute each as it is completed and expect the team to implement it. In short, from that point on, you will
consider it indeed a standard operating procedure.
Creating Processes for Ongoing Development
Creating and updating just-in-time information tools is an ongoing process. For help, engage peer leaders in overseeing the next phases of this project. Specifically, ask each to head up the development of one or two categories. For example, one leader may be in charge of FAQs and one-pagers, while another may focus on SOPs for handling problems and complaints.
Once you have assigned accountabilities, be sure to do the following:
• Help peer leaders create procedures for how they will gather, share, revise and publish materials.
• Let front-liners know who’s accountable for what information tool, and encourage them to funnel their ideas, issues, questions, and suggestions to the appropriate person.
• As part of the ongoing learning process that will be defined in Stage 4, have your peer leaders lead 15-minute updates and training on new tools as they are developed.
• Create a recognition and reward system for peer leaders and front-liners who consistently contribute to this customer service initiative.
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