Customer Service

Training
for
PJ Enterprises

 2016 East West Consultants. All Rights Reserved.

Table of Contents
Contents
Table of Contents.........................................................................................................................................................1
Instructor Information..................................................................................................................................................2
Content Introduction............................................................................................................................................2
Audience Information..........................................................................................................................................2
Prerequisites.........................................................................................................................................................2
Content Details.....................................................................................................................................................2
Time-line..............................................................................................................................................................3
Preparation Checklist...........................................................................................................................................3
Unit 1: Class Overview...............................................................................................................................................5
Lesson 1: Searching with the Product Category Index...............................................................................................9
Introduction..........................................................................................................................................................9
Introduction to Practice Exercise.......................................................................................................................13
Lesson 2: Inquiring into Customer Needs Using Positive Language.......................................................................15
Introduction........................................................................................................................................................15
Topic 1: Positive Language................................................................................................................................16
Topic 2: Inquiring into Customer Needs............................................................................................................17
Topic 3: Answering Customer Questions...........................................................................................................17
Topic 4: Practice Using Positive Language.......................................................................................................17
Appendix A: Sample Practical Exercise for Product Category Search Index............................................................19
Appendix B: Sample Practical Exercise for Product Category Search Index Answer Key.......................................20

Instructor Information
Content Introduction
The Customer Service Training is intended to increase the quality of customer service by the Telephone
Operators and Supervisors at PJ Enterprises.

Audience Information
The Audience for this program will be Telephone Operators and Customer Service Supervisors in the
Call Center. Telephone Operators interact with customers and need better customer service and technical
skills in order to have effective interactions. All Call Center staff need the core competencies active
listening, persuasive selling and using positive language (including telephone etiquette) will come into
play.
The Telephone Operators mainly fall into two age groups: 18 - 35 or over 55 years old. All of them are
women. While none of them have a college degree, most have either a high school degree or GED. For
many of them, this is their first job. The Customer Service Supervisors are Telephone Operators who
have been promoted to this position.

Prerequisites
The main prerequisite for this training is to be a current Telephone Operator or Customer Service
Supervisor in the Call Center. Also required are a working knowledge of the company calling and
ordering systems and basic computer skills such how to log on, use a mouse, keyboard skills and the
ability to input customer requests into the computer.

Content Details
The course outline was carefully designed for Telephone Operators and Supervisors. Detailed system
procedures are provided for each of the tasks covered in the lesson. As the classes are small, it is advised
that you encourage trainees to work along with you as you demonstrate the procedures and apply the
practice exercises and assessments where noted.
*PLEASE NOTE: The lessons below are excerpts and should not be taught sequentially as a full course.
For example, Lesson 2: Inquiring into Customer Needs Using Positive Language below is part of a
larger course on Customer Service which includes other important skills not addressed in the sample
lesson.

Lessons
Course Introduction
Lesson 1: Searching with Product Category Index*
Lesson 2: Inquiring into Customer Needs Using Positive Language*

Time-line
The sample lessons included here will take a total of 55 minutes of seat time to complete. The complete
course is 3.5 hours. The samples provided here are not sequential, but have been selected to highlight
elements of the PJ Enterprises training course.

Course Overview
15 min
Lesson 1
25 min
Lesson 2
15 min
Total Training Time in sample
55 min

9:00 to 9:15
9:15 to 9:40
9:40 to 9:55
9:00 to 9:55

Preparation Checklist
Use the list below to help you prepare for your training session.

Several Days Before Class

Review this guide including the PowerPoint slides that will be used with the training. Be familiar with
all the material. Make sure that the audio file plays sufficiently (check volume) so the students can hear
well. The file models appropriate customer service etiquette.
Review the Appendix for additional material you need to know.
Gather any supplies needed for the day; flipchart or board and markers
Make sure the Training Database is up to date.
Make sure computers and phones are set up and working.
Have a LCD Projector ready to go.
Copy Student Guides for each employee.
Remind the IT Support person on location of the date and time of training and request he/she be on call
in case any problems arise.
Order coffee, juice, and water.

The Day of Class

Visit and prepare your Training Site and ensure that all equipment is set up.
Make sure computers and phones are working.
Make sure tables are set up.
Set up refreshments.
Go through the PowerPoint slides to make sure they are working.
Open the PowerPoint to the first slide before participants arrive.
Turn on computers and projectors and test them.
Test that audio file plays with sufficient volume.
Gather and prepare necessary materials
Contact number of IT Support person who is on location.
Attendance List
Name tags with markers
Facilitator and Student Guides
Job Aides or other props or examples

 Place a Student Guide at each seat with name tag on top.

Facilitator Tips
Knowing your audience will help ensure a successful training experience for both you and your
students. Successful delivery will depend on knowing what your students already know about the
content of the material being delivered.
Presenting to groups can be exciting and challenging to experienced trainers and novices. Here are some
tips to help facilitate successful implementation.

Strategies for Dealing with Difficult or Inappropriate Questions:

Communicate clear expectations.

Provide agenda and goals at the beginning of the presentation.
Provided a guideline of when and how questions will be addressed.
Acknowledge all questions and restate so that everyone has heard.
Feel comfortable saying, I dont know, but I will try and find out.

Off Topic Questions:

Try to make the answer broad enough that it benefits everyone and pertains to the material.
If the question relates to another topic to be covered later, give a brief explanation and then let them
know it will be covered in more detail later. Use the Parking Lot technique: this technique involves
writing down all questions from participants on a flipchart and following up either at the end of the
session.
If the question is not related to the material being presented, remind students of the focus of the training
and guide them to a relevant resource.

Confrontational Questions:
Students who have been unsuccessful in the past will come having some level of skepticism or
frustration.
It is important to separate the attitude and the tone of the question from the content of the question as the
student is clearly frustrated and struggling.
Try to restate the question without a confrontational tone and answer the question as honestly as
possibly.
Respond to the question asked and not the tone of the individual asking it.
If the question cannot be answered or resolved, meet with the student during a break or after class.

Comments Instead of Questions:

When a comment has been given instead of the question, thank the speaker for making their point,
rephrase the material and move onto the next question.

Unit 1: Class Overview

Time: 15 min.

Welcome: participants to the

Customer Service Training for PJ
Enterprises

Welcome to Customer Service Training for PJ

Enterprises.

Explain: to them a very high

overview of what will be taking
place today.

In this training, you will be enhancing your customer

service skills.

Tell: participants where the

bathrooms are and to silence their
phones while in training.

Tell: the purpose of the training is

increase the satisfaction of
customer service calls. 41% of
customer service calls were
completed with a customer order
by Telephone Operators, but met

Before We Begin
Your instructor will go over administrative details such
as restrooms and cell phones.

Purpose of Training
The purpose of this training is to increase customer
service response by completing customer orders by
Telephone Operators and Supervisors while increasing
customer satisfaction.

with minimal customer

satisfaction.
Explain: the Prerequisites of
Training as indicated on the slide.

Prerequisites
There are some important prerequisites you will need to
have before we begin to have the most success in this
training.

Point Out: that they will be

interacting with each other and
participate in hands-on activities
with these objectives.
Read: the objectives from the slide

Course Objectives
In these lessons, you will:

Tell: them the course will be

divided up into three lessons.
These lessons are not to be the
cumulative training of PJ

Access the Product Reference Guide

Access the Product Category Index to find product
information
Find and report product information requested with no
errors
Inquire into customer needs
Use positive language

Organization of Training and Agenda

This is not the culmination of the training provided by
PJ Enterprises, but an introduction into three lessons:

Enterprises, but an introduction

into the Product Reference Guide,
doing Practical Exercises and
Inquiring into Customer Needs
While Using Positive Language.

Course Overview
Lesson 1: Searching with Product Category Index
Lesson 2: Inquiring into Customer Needs While Using
Positive Language

Read: from the PowerPoint slide

Read: from the slide

Duration of Training
The overall training will take 55 minutes.

Course introduction: 15 minutes

Lesson 1: 25 minutes
Lesson 2: 15 minutes

Explain to them how to do the

introductions:

Introductions

Have them choose a partner to talk

to. This should be the person in
the room that they know least well.
In a three minute conversation they
should know:
Name
Position and how long they have
worked for PJ Enterprises
Something interesting about them.
Introduce their partner to the group
Ask: what questions they have so
far

Questions

Lesson 1: Searching with the Product Category Index

Time: 25 min.

Introduction
Tell: them that the new digital
Product Reference Guide will
enable faster searching for product
information. Additionally, it
provides four methods for
searching, based on how
customers ask questions.

Introduction
The new digital Product Reference Guide makes it
easier for you to find product information to answer
customer questions.

Explain: that this change was

made to make it easier to give
customers the answers they need
in less time.

Importance
This will enable you to find product information with
ease in the new digital Product Reference Guide so that
you may feel confident and informed in your position.

Tell: them that searching for

products is a step-by-step process

Overview
Searching for products is a step-by-step process. As you
develop your skills with this process, you will be better
prepared for customer questions.

Tell: them that when this class

ends, they will be able to search
the guide using the Product
Category Index.

Objectives
In this lesson, youll:

Access the Product Reference Guide

Access the Product Category Index to find product
information

Topics
This lesson includes the following topics:
Topic
1

Accessing the Product Reference Guide

Searching for products with the Product

Category Search Index

Tell: them that they will be using

the Product Category Index to
search for a product.
Show: the PowerPoint slide that
depicts the job aid.
Give: them the Job Aid hand out.
Go Over: The Job Aid, saying that
each search is a step-by-step
process, and today we will be
focusing on the last row, searching
with the Product Category Index.
Hand Out: Job Aid to Participants

Practice Exercise

This Job Aid will help you remember the steps for
searching in the Product Reference Guide.

Tell: them that this will

immediately open the Index Search
Page.
Show: the PowerPoint slide
displayed in the right column.
Go Over: the four indices on this
page.
Give: the instruction to click on the
Product Category Index.

You will see 4 choices of methods to use to search for a

product. You can search by:

Brand Name

Keyword

Page Number

Product Category

Tell: them that this will

immediately open the Product
Category Index.

Clicking on the Product Category Index link opens the

list of all the categories of products on sale now at PJ
Enterprises.

Show: the PowerPoint slide

displayed in the right column.
Go Over: the list of categories on
this page, briefly.
Give: the instruction to click on the
Featured Items category.

Tell: them that this will

immediately open all the featured
items in this seasons catalog.
Show: the PowerPoint slide
displayed in the right column.
Go Over: the list of items on this
page.
Give: the instruction to click on
Jim Shores All for Easter item.

The Product Listings Page opens with all the products

available in that category.

Tell: them that this will

immediately open the Product
Information Page for Jim Shores
All for Easter.

The Product Information Page gives you all the details

for the product. Please explore this page and its links to
find all the information provided.

Show: the PowerPoint slide

displayed in the right column.
Go Over: the list of features found
on this page.
Give: them time to read through
the page and click the links.
Ask: What can you find on the
Product Information Page? Where
is the product name and number?
Where can you see how many are
available?
(This will serve as an informal
assessment.)
Review: the steps in searching with
the Product Category Index
Ask: if there are any questions

Questions

Introduction to Practice Exercise

Tell: them to complete a practical
exercise in order to wrap up this
part of the lesson.

Tell: them the importance of

completing this exercise.

Introduction
Practice Exercise:
Reporting product information with the Product
Category Index

Importance
In order to demonstrate their competency on searching
for products using the Product Category Index, trainees
need complete this practical exercise.

Go over: the overview of the

exercise

Overview
In this exercise trainees will be given a number of
customer requests regarding certain products. The
trainees will use the Product Category Index method to
search for product information requested using the
digitized Product Reference Guide.

Tell: them the objective of this

exercise.

Objectives
In this exercise, youll:
be able to find and report product information requested
with no errors

Tell: them that they need to

methodically use the step-by-step
process to find and report the
product information requested.
Hand-out: product information
requests form, answer form, pen or
pencil and job aid

Exercise
You are provided with the digitized Product Reference
Guide and the job aid.
1. You are given a number of products to be searched with
specific details requested.

Tell: them that they can use the job

aid to answer the requests.
2. Use the Product Reference Guide in your computer to
find the product information requested.

Tell: them the exercise score is

either pass or fail. To pass they
must answer all customer requests
correctly. They can re-do the
exercise until they are successful.

3. Record the product information found.

Below is a sample exercise sheet:

Tell: them to exchange exercise

sheets and cross-mark each others
work.
Go Over: the answers, allowing
the trainees to correct and learn
from their mistakes. Allow the
trainees that failed to redo the
exercise without errors.
Ask: if they have any questions or
concerns about the exercise.

Debrief
You will be asked to exchange and mark each others
answers. You need to answer all customer requests
correctly to pass.
The trainer will review the exercise with you and help
you to correct and review the steps required to search
for the products and the information requested.
If you fail, you can redo the exercise until you are
successful. There will be time at the end of the day for
this. .

Lesson 2: Inquiring into Customer Needs Using

Positive Language
Time: 15 min.

Introduction
Tell: using positive language will
make their jobs easier, help them
understand their customers needs
and increase customer satisfaction.
Keeping customers satisfied and
meeting customer needs is what
drives the entire business.

Introduction
Inquiring into customer needs and meeting those needs
are the main jobs of the Telephone Operators and
Customer Service Supervisors. Meeting customer
needs results in orders and satisfied customers.

Explain: it is essential that Call

Center Staff are able to understand
what customers want and get the
information needed for orders,
answer customer questions, and
satisfy customers.

Importance
Customer satisfaction is essential. It is important that
customers get answers to their questions, are able to
complete their orders in a timely way and feel happy
with the service they receive. Satisfied customers will
recommend the companys services and return again
and both are important to the health of the business.

Go over: the objectives for

telephone operators and customer
service supervisors

Objectives

In this lesson, youll:

inquire into customer needs
use positive language

Introduce: the topics of the

lesson.

Topics
This lesson includes the following topics:
Topic
1

The qualities of positive language

Inquiring into customer needs

Answering customer questions

Practice using positive language

Topic 1: Positive Language

Play: Audio recording of customer
call select from sample calls
provided in facilitator materials
Ask: What did you notice about the
way the telephone operator spoke
to the customer? Did the TO seem
friendly, smart and helpful?
Ask: What information did the
telephone operator need from the
customer? What kind of questions
did the customer ask? How did the
TO answer the customers
questions?
Tell: trainees that they are now
going to review the qualities of
positive language
Tell: trainees that using positive
language increases customer
satisfaction.
Tell: trainees the qualities of
positive language.
Explain: the overall purpose of
using positive language is to meet
customer needs (e.g. take an order,
provide information, or solve a
problem) without wasting any of
the customers time. Positive
language also improves the
customers experience and
satisfaction with the service they
receive.

Listen carefully to the audio recording.

Share

What did you notice about the way the telephone

operator spoke to the customer?
Share
What information did the telephone operator need from
the customer?
What questions did the telephone operator use to
inquire about the customers needs?
What kind of questions did the customer ask?
How did the telephone operator answer the customers
questions?

Positive language has the following qualities:

tells the customer what can be done

suggests alternatives and choices available to the
customer
is helpful and encouraging rather than bureaucratic
stresses positive actions and positive results.
Source: http://work911.com/articles/poslan.htm
Positive language help you connect with people.

Positive language makes you seem:

friendly,
smart and
helpful.

It is also important to speak:

clearly
directly
loudly enough to be heard, but not so loud that you
seem arrogant.
Source:http://oureverydaylife.com/positive-negative-

communication-skills-8758093.html

Some positive language phrases to practice and

include in your daily customer interactions
include:

Im happy to help!
Great question. Ill find that out for you.
Its been nice speaking with you.
Have a great day.
Source: https://www.helpscout.net/blog/customerservice-phrases/

Topic 2: Inquiring into Customer Needs

Ask: participants to identify and
comment on the use of positive
language in the audio recorded call
that was used to inquire into
customer needs.

Inquiring into customer needs

Topic 3: Answering Customer Questions

Review: by asking participants to
identify and comment on the use of
positive language in the audio
recorded call that was used to
answer customer questions or be
friendly

Answering customer questions

Topic 4: Practice Using Positive Language

Practice: asking and answering
questions using positive language.

Practice using positive language

Assess: informally using a role

play activity.

Role Play Goals:

Give: participants the call

information and explain how the
activity will work (see below).
Point out: the checklist in their
notes.

The Call Center employee will

1. inquire about customer needs in positive language
2. answer questions in positive language

Call Information: Scenario 1

Checklist

The customer:

Call Center employee

wants a tent, catalog #1236

asks about the weight, color and
fabric
is unaware that the tent comes in
different sizes: 2 person and 4
person
wants delivery by the fastest
method possible
will pay by credit card, Visa

tells the customer what can be done

suggests alternatives and choices available to the
customer
is helpful and encouraging rather than bureaucratic
stresses positive actions and positive results
seems helpful, smart and friendly

Create pairs to role play a customer

and a Telephone Operator/
Customer Service Supervisor. The
Call Center employees use positive
language to manage the call.

clearly
directly
loudly enough to be heard, but not so loud to seem
arrogant

A second pair of participants listen

to the role play and use the
checklist to assess performance.
Listeners then give feedback to the
speakers.
Pairs then swap speaker - listener
roles with a new role play using
Scenario 2:
Call Information Scenario 2
The customer:

wants a bird bath, catalog

#1555

asks about the weight,

color and material

is unaware that the birdbath

comes in different sizes: 16
inch diameter and 20 inch
diameter

wants delivery by the

cheapest method possible

will pay by credit card,

Master Card

Call Center employee speaks

Call Center employee uses at least one of the following

phrases:

Im happy to help!
Great question. Ill find that out for you.
Its been nice speaking with you.
Have a great day.

Appendix A: Sample Practical Exercise for

Product Category Search Index

Appendix B: Sample Practical Exercise for

Product Category Search Index Answer Key

Appendix C: Job Aid

Project Team:
Cheri MacLeod, Maureen Stiebris, Joseph Yang, Jennifer Johnson-Corless, Shauna Borger