Customer Service and

SimplyOrder Training
© 2019 Exclusive Clothes and Gifts. All Rights Reserved.
Table of Contents

Instructor Information .................................................................................... iii 

Content Introduction .......................................................................................... iii 
Content Details .................................................................................................. iii 
Audience Information ........................................................................................ iv 
Training Environment ......................................................................................... iv 
Training Tips ...................................................................................................... v 
Using this Guide ................................................................................................. v 
Timeline ............................................................................................................. vi 
Preparation Checklist for Customer Service Skills Training ............................. vii 
Preparation Checklist for SimplyOrder Training ............................................... viii 
Course Overview: Customer Service Skills Training ................................... 1 
Lesson 3: How to Handle Difficult Customers .............................................. 9 
Introduction ........................................................................................................ 9 
Using H.E.A.T. ................................................................................................ 12 
Escalating Calls to a Supervisor ...................................................................... 21 
Review and Summary ...................................................................................... 27 
Course Overview: SimplyOrder Training .................................................... 29 
Lesson 2: How to Search for Product Information ..................................... 35 
Introduction ...................................................................................................... 35 
Using Search Functionality .............................................................................. 37 
Identifying Product Details ............................................................................... 42 
Review and Summary ....................................................................................... 47 

CS and SO Training Table of Contents Page i

Instructor Information

Content Introduction
Two training courses are provided in sequence for the Telephone Operators and Customer Service
Supervisors of ECG:

Customer Service Skills Training: This training supports employees by equipping them with the
communication knowledge and skills necessary to provide superior customer sales experiences. It
includes instruction combined with in-class practice regarding proper phone protocol, handling difficult
customers, and using effective sales techniques.

SimplyOrder Training: With a focus on mastering use of the newly implemented product ordering
software and its functionality, this training supports employees by introducing the features of the system
and providing hands-on opportunities throughout the course to search for products, create new orders,
and handle returns and exchanges.

Content Details
Course outlines for both the trainings were developed to reflect a comprehensive list of the tasks and
skills necessary for successful performance in the workplace. The content for the Customer Service
Skills Training was selected based on results of the current performance and job task analysis which
revealed gaps that could be resolved through training. Content for the SimplyOrder Training was chosen
by comparing the functionality of the old ordering system with the new one to determine what
additional knowledge was needed for a smooth transition to occur. The table below presents an outline
of the lessons in each course:

Lesson
Course I Overview (Customer Service Skills)
Lesson 1: How to Employ Proper Phone Protocol
Lesson 2: How to Employ Basic Sales Techniques
Lesson 3: How to Handle Difficult Customers
Final Summary

Course II Overview (SimplyOrder)

Lesson 1: How to Launch SimplyOrder
Lesson 2: How to Search for Product Information in SimplyOrder
Lesson 3: How to Take New Orders
Lesson 4: How to Modify an Existing Order
Lesson 5: How to Handle Returns and Exchanges
Final Summary

CS and SO Training Instructor Information Page iii

Audience Information
Primary Audience
 Telephone Operators
Secondary Audience
 Customer Service Supervisors
General Learner Characteristics
 Age: [17-35] 44%; [35-50] 16%; [50-65] 40%
 Gender: Female
 Education: 80% earned GED or HS diploma; 20% some post-secondary education
 Average Tenure at ECG: 2-10 months
 Language: 28% are not native English speakers but have self-reported as fluent
Entry Characteristics
 More than 75% indicated some level of dissatisfaction with their job and previous trainings.
 All current ECG Telephone Operators and Customer Service Supervisors have past experience
with the previous order entry system.
 All current ECG Telephone Operators and Customer Service Supervisors have past experience
interacting with customers via phone.
Learning Preferences
 Shorter increments of training
 Hands-on/Doing activities
 Visual instruction

Training Environment
Training will take place for both courses in the ECG training room. Each trainee will sit at an individual
computer workstation that will be prepared with all software, applications, and tools necessary to
complete the trainings. You will be provided with an instructor computer tower, podium, projector, and
screen. Your computer will be loaded with any necessary supplemental information required for
instructors, such as lecture presentation PPT, administrative sandbox tools, and scenario scripts for role
play. You may add additional materials to this preload upon request.

For role play and breakout sessions, chairs will be arranged in groupings of four in the corners of the
room. Learners can arrange them as needed throughout the sessions.

There will be four standard sessions lasting four hours per each training, with an additional session per
each training as an option in the case of unavoidable schedule conflict. Employees will be preregistered
in the training that they attend, and you will be given your attendance list on the day of the training
session. You will train no more than eight employees at one time.

Should any equipment or technical issues arise, a dedicated IT support staff member is available from
ECG during all training sessions.

CS and SO Training Instructor Information Page iv

Training Tips
In any group training, it is important to establish norms at the onset. These behavioral and participatory
guidelines will help to ensure attendees are explicitly aware of the expectations leading to a more
productive training. It may be helpful to have these norms posted clearly throughout the training for
reference after they are introduced.

Honor attendees’ time by starting promptly and ending on time. Gauge skill mastery as you circulate
during exercises and role-play. Remediate and guide as appropriate and move on to the next task early
if participants demonstrate that the skill or knowledge has been acquired.

Model appropriate actions or responses in instances where participants show continued struggle. This
can include participation in an Elbow Partner practice in which learners practice with the colleague next
to them, Role-Play or practice within the SimplyOrder sandbox.

Using this Guide

A Facilitator Guide is used by instructors, like you, to guide them as they lead training for a group of
learners. This guide has been created specifically for you to train Telephone Operators and Customer
Service Supervisors on improving customer service skills and using the new SimplyOrder system. This
guide includes a variety of information to guide you as you facilitate a training session and ensure that
each session is taught consistently. The information in this guide is organized into three columns.

The left-hand column is just for instructors and only appears in the Facilitator Guide. Learners do not
see the content in this column in their Student Guides; It is left blank for their notetaking. Any content
in the left-hand column will be in blue font. The content listed here includes:
 Instruction notes, which will begin with an action verb in bold
 Any information you need to share that might not be found in the Student Guide
 Answers to all exercise questions

The center column holds icons to give you and the learners an indication as to what kind of content to
expect in that row.

The information in the right-hand column holds the content of the course and is found in both the
Facilitator and Student Guides. What you see in your Facilitator Guide in this column is exactly what
the learners sees in the same column in the Student Guide. The content listed here includes:
 Information about the topics being taught during the course, which sometimes include graphics
to exemplify a concept
 Guidelines or procedure steps that you and the learners will use for demonstrations and practice
exercises
 Thumbnails of the PowerPoint presentation so that you and the learners can identify where you
are in each lesson
 Practice exercises
 Debriefing questions

CS and SO Training Instructor Information Page v

Timeline
Each of the two trainings, Customer Service Skills Training and SimplyOrder Training, will be
approximately four hours long. The tables below serve as guidelines to schedule and time the various
lessons and topics in each of the training. All the time spans listed in the tables are approximations, and
you can modify them based on the needs of the training and trainees. A blank schedule is provided to
map your actual training day.
Customer Service Skills Training
Topic Duration Timing
(in mins)
Introduction 5 ____:___ to ___:___

Ice-breaker activity 10 ____:___ to ___:___

L1: How to Employ Proper Phone Protocol 60 ____:___ to ___:___

Break 10 ____:___ to ___:___

L2: How to Employ Basic Sales Technique 55 ____:___ to ___:___

Break 10 ____:___ to ___:___

L3: How to Handle Difficult Customers 60 ____:___ to ___:___

Final Summary 10 ____:___ to ___:___

Q&A Session 20 ____:___ to ___:___

SimplyOrder Training
Topic Duration Timing
(in mins)
Introduction 5 ____:___ to ___:___

Ice-breaker activity 10 ____:___ to ___:___

L1: How to Launch SimplyOrder 20 ____:___ to ___:___

L2: How to Search for Product Information in SimplyOrder 45 ____:___ to ___:___

Break 10 ____:___ to ___:___

L3: How to Take New Orders 35 ____:___ to ___:___

L4: How to Modify an Existing Order 35 ____:___ to ___:___

Break 10 ____:___ to ___:___

CS and SO Training Instructor Information Page vi

 Topic Duration Timing
(in mins)
L5: How to Handle Returns and Exchanges 40 ____:___ to ___:___

Final Summary 10 ____:___ to ___:___

Q&A Session 20 ____:___ to ___:___

Preparation Checklist for Customer Service Skills Training

The following checklist is intended to aid in the preparation of the training course.

Several Days Before the Class

 Review the Facilitator Guide in its entirety. Obtain clarification and supplement with notes
within the guide if needed.
 Review the PowerPoint presentation for familiarity.
 Communicate with the IT department to ensure the appropriate technical equipment will be
ready and set up on the day of the course offering.
 Review exercise scripts for familiarity.
 Ensure there are enough copies of exercise scripts (Elbow and Role-play) for the attendees
scheduled for this session.

The Day of the Class

 Gather supplies to be used from designated ECG personnel:
 Student Guides (ECG HR)
 Stationery set for every participant: writing pad, pen, and marker (ECG Supply
Technician)
 Name tags for every participant (ECG Supply Technician)
 Attendance list (ECG HR)
 Note pads (ECG Supply Technician)
 Icebreaker materials (toilet paper rolls from ECG Supply Technician)
 Refreshments (bottled water and an assortment of fruit and crackers from ECG HR)
 Stage training site:
 Place guides, name tags, note pads and stationary set at individual workstations for each
anticipated attendee.
 Place the attendance sign-in sheet at the entry along with a pen
 Ensure tables are arranged to facilitate role-play exercises.
 Log on to presenter station and load PPT to the opening slide.
 Post training norms where they are clearly visible.

CS and SO Training Instructor Information Page vii

Preparation Checklist for SimplyOrder Training
Use the checklists below to guide your preparation for the SimplyOrder training. You should do some of
the tasks several days before your class and others the morning before your class.

Several Days Before the Class

 Ensure the SimplyOrder sandbox is ready for training:
 If you don’t already have access, contact IT to gain access to the sandbox.
 Obtain a list of usernames and passwords that will be used by yourself and each learner.
 Test each computer to ensure it can access the sandbox.
 Ensure the seed data is on the sandbox and is “clean”.

o Seed data is the content that is pre-populated on a sandbox that learners may
need during an exercise. For example, if the learner has an exercise where he or
she must modify a customer order, a pre-made customer order will be in the
sandbox already for the learner. This way the learner doesn’t need to create the
order in the first place. If the seed data is missing, you would need to speak to
IT.
o Making sure the seed data is “clean” is making sure any content created from a
previous training session has been deleted. This is a task for IT.
 Review the subject matter content:
 Review this guide.
 Go through each exercise on the training sandbox yourself and ensure that the results
are what you expect.
 Review the PowerPoint presentation.
 Prepare the training room:
 Ensure there is a projector in the training room and that you are familiar with how it
works.
 Obtain copies of student guides and job aids for every learner from ECG HR.
 Confirm that the Train-the Trainer participants will be attending each training session.
 Ensure you have a timer you can use during the exercises.

The Day of the Class

 Prepare and gather supplies to be used from designated ECG personnel:
 Student guides (ECG HR)
 Attendance list (ECG HR)
 Name tags for every participant (ECG Supply Technician)
 Stationery set for every participant: writing pad, pen, and marker (ECG Supply
Technician)
 Job aid: List of top-selling products for the current season (ECG HR)
 Prepare the training room:

CS and SO Training Instructor Information Page viii

  Confirm the presence of the designated IT representative staff for any troubleshooting
during the training.
 Place the attendance sign-in sheet at the entry along with a pen.
 Place one student guide, stationery set, and name tag for every participant at their
computers.
 Play the presentation once before the session to ensure it is functional.
 Open the title slide of the presentation at least 10 minutes before the session begins.

CS and SO Training Instructor Information Page ix

Course Overview: Customer Service Skills
Training

Time: _15_ min.

Present the PPT slide titled

“Welcome”.
Welcome

Welcome the employees to the Welcome to the Customer Service Skills Training
course for ECG. During this training, you will be
training session.
empowered with the skills to courteously serve
customers and effectively increase your sales through
upselling and cross-selling.

CS and SO Training Course Overview: Customer Service Skills Training Page 1

 Present the PPT slide titled
“Introductions”.
Introductions

Your instructor will introduce themselves, and then

Introduce yourself and members
of the DBAP, Inc. team. Each introduce the DBAP, Inc. team.
member tells audience about their You will engage in a brief introduction icebreaker
background. activity.

Explain the icebreaker activity. The group will pass around a roll of toilet paper. When
you receive the roll, you will pull off the amount you
Facilitate the icebreaker activity: would use in the case of a bathroom visit.

1. Pass a roll of toilet paper You will then count the number of squares in your hand
around to the group. and reveal that number of fun facts about yourself with
the group.
2. Tell everyone to tear off
how much they would use
in the bathroom.

3. Tell everyone to count

how many squares they
have in their hand.

4. Call on individuals to
reveal fun facts about
themselves based on the
number of squares they
took from the roll.

5. Allow every individual to

share before moving on to
the next activity in the
training.

CS and SO Training Course Overview: Customer Service Skills Training Page 2

 Present the PPT slide titled
“Administrative Details”.
Administrative Details

Your instructor will go over the following

Pass out the Sign-In Sheet.
administrative details pertaining to this training session.
Tell learners where the closest  Learners are required to sign the Sign-In Sheet.
restroom is.
 Your instructor will point out the location of
Tell learners there will be two 10- the nearest restroom.
minute breaks during the training
session.  This training session will consist of two 10-
minute breaks.
Inform learners that questions
 Ask questions anytime during the training
during the training are encouraged.
session.

CS and SO Training Course Overview: Customer Service Skills Training Page 3

 Present the PPT slide titled
“Purpose of Training”.
Present the training purpose.
Describe the benefits they will
gain from attending the training.
Present the PPT slide titled
“Duration of Training”.
Tell them how long the training is.
Inform that there will be breaks
with snacks provided.
CS and SO Training Course Overview: Customer Service Skills Training
Purpose of Training
The purpose of the Customer Service Skills training is
for you to become familiar with the standards and
procedures used for courteous communication with
customers on the phone, as well as techniques for
upselling and cross-selling products to customers.
You will also gain knowledge and skills for the
workplace that will result in a decrease in customer
service complaints and an increase in customer orders.
This supports ECG’s financial goal of increasing
profits, as well as improving customer service survey
scores, quality of staff development, and your job
satisfaction.
Duration of Training
The training time for this course is four hours in one
session. You will have two 10-minute breaks with
snacks provided.
Page 4
 Present the PPT slide titled
“Content Introduction”.
Introduce the reasons for the
training.
State what they will learn.
CS and SO Training
Content Introduction
This training is designed to support you by equipping
you with the communication knowledge and skills
necessary to provide superior customer sales
experiences. You will learn customer service workplace
strategies regarding proper phone protocol, handling
difficult customers, and using effective sales
techniques.
Your lessons will include training on how to employ
customer service etiquette when answering the phone,
greeting customers and closing your call. Your sales
techniques will be refined by learning upselling and
cross selling techniques. When it comes to handling
difficult customers, you will learn effective guidelines
to employ H.E.A.T. protocols for conflict resolution.
Course Overview: Customer Service Skills Training Page 5
 Present the PPT slide titled
“Course Organization and
Course Organization and Agenda
Agenda”.
The Customer Service Skills training is the first of two
courses you will take in two separate four hour
Explain how the course is
sessions. This training is comprised of three major
organized.
subject lessons. Each lesson will give you
Define the lessons and their main comprehensive task descriptions and classroom
content. opportunities to practice what you are learning.
All trainees will participate in all lessons.

CS and SO Training Course Overview: Customer Service Skills Training Page 6

 Present the PPT slide titled
“Course Objectives”.
Course Objectives

Upon completion of the Customer Service Skills

State the course objectives.
Training course, you will be able to:
 Complete a customer call efficiently
 Follow proper customer service etiquette when
on the phone with a customer
 Employ the four H.E.A.T. method guidelines
when handling difficult customers
 Integrate upselling and cross-selling techniques
within the customer sales call

Present the PPT slide titled

“Questions”.
Questions

Ask learners what questions they What questions do you have?

have.

CS and SO Training Course Overview: Customer Service Skills Training Page 7

Lesson 3: How to Handle Difficult Customers
Introduction
Present PPT slide titled
“Introduction.”
Explain to the learners that
handling difficult customers is vital
in maintaining excellent customer
service, which in turn is profitable
for the company and its staff (the
telephone operators themselves).
CS and SO Training Lesson 3: How to Handle Difficult Customers
Time: _60_ min.
Introduction
It is a fundamental mission of ECG to provide excellent
customer service. As the Telephone Operators at ECG,
you serve as the most direct conduit to customers, and
therefore, your ability and skill in delivering responsive
and appropriate customer service is central to the
success of meeting this mission.
Difficult customers may be one of the greater
challenges in maintaining excellence in service. Their
hostility may provoke you and in turn, your reaction
may further inflame the situation. Such escalations may
result in poor job evaluations, lost sales, and negatively
impact company reputation.
However, with knowledge and practice of an easy
method to deal with difficult customers, you will be
better prepared to maintain your composure, diffuse the
situation and thereby continue to support the ECG
objective of excellent customer service.
Page 9
 Introduction (cont’d)
Present PPT slide titled “Lesson
Objectives.”
Lesson Objectives

State the lesson objectives.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to
 Successfully apply the H.E.A.T. method in
response to challenging customers
 Identify how and when to escalate a call to a
supervisor

Continue presenting the PPT slide

titled “Lesson Objectives” for this
Overview
section.
In this lesson, you will learn how to use the H.E.A.T.
Review briefly the sub-topics that method to effectively deal with challenging customers.
Additionally, you will also learn how to address
will be covered in this lesson.
requests to speak to a supervisor and when to escalate
Inform them that they will engage the call.
in practice exercises, which will
enable them to reliably use the
H.E.A.T. method and how to
address requests to speak to a
supervisor (when to escalate calls).

CS and SO Training Lesson 3: How to Handle Difficult Customers Page 10

 Introduction (cont’d)
Present PPT slide titled
“Importance.”
Importance

Explain that the lesson to follow In order to reach ECG corporate goals for improving
will detail a method that will assist customer complaints, this guideline training for
managing unhappy customers is vital. It offers you a
in managing challenging
framework of approach when a difficult customer
customers.
situation occurs.
Explain how effective methods of
dealing with difficult customers
will subsequently help in achieving
corporate goals of delivering
excellent customer service.

CS and SO Training Lesson 3: How to Handle Difficult Customers Page 11

 Using H.E.A.T.
Present PPT slide titled
“Introduction to H.E.A.T.”
Introduction

Explain to learners that the
H.E.A.T. model is designed to
assist them in managing difficult
customers while maintaining a cool
head.
The H.E.A.T. model serves as a support to help you
deal with difficult customers in a way that diffuses their
frustration and maintains good customer relationships.
The acronym H.E.A.T. may be easy to recall in stressful
situations with customers because you are “taking heat”
from them. Let’s proceed and address each letter of the
H.E.A.T. model and practice employing them in mock
situations.

CS and SO Training Lesson 3: How to Handle Difficult Customers Page 12

 Using H.E.A.T. (cont’d)
Present PPT slide titled “H: Hear
them out”.
Explain to learners the importance
and value of allowing the customer
to fully explain their frustrations
and complaints. Provide a couple
sample responses.
Ask learners what questions they
have.
CS and SO Training Lesson 3: How to Handle Difficult Customers
H: Hear them out
This can be a challenging task, especially when the
customer is raising their voice. However, in allowing
them to simply express their frustrations without
interruptions or challenges, it’s likely you’ll find them
more cooperative as you work with them to resolve
their issue. Let them talk and simply listen to their
concerns and complaints. Then paraphrase what they
have explained. This may elicit them to give you even
more details. You want to give them an opportunity to
“get it all out”. You might say, “I am so sorry that you
are dissatisfied with the quality of the product you
received. Can you tell me more about what exactly
didn’t meet your standards?”
Page 13
 Using H.E.A.T. (cont’d)
Present PPT slide “E: Empathy”.
Explain to learners the importance
of expressing empathy, providing a
couple example statements.
Ask learners what questions they
have.
CS and SO Training Lesson 3: How to Handle Difficult Customers
E: Empathize
Empathy is similar to putting yourself in someone else’s
shoes. You can help to diffuse the situation by
acknowledging your customer’s feelings. You might
say
 “I understand your frustration. This would
frustrate me as well.”
 “You have every right to be upset. No wonder
you called,”
 “You’re right, this is a problem,”
Page 14
 Using H.E.A.T. (cont’d)
Present PPT slide “Elbow Partner
Practice”.
Exercise

Demonstrate the Elbow Partner Now turn to your elbow partner (the person sitting next
to you). Using the scripts in your packet, take turns
activity with one of the participants
practicing these first two steps of the H.E.A.T. model.
allowing them to read the prompt
This exercise will be demonstrated to you with one of
while you provide an unscripted
your colleagues to model what will be done with your
response that shows empathy.
elbow partner. (see script example below)
Debrief the learners concluding the
Elbow Partner Practice asking,
“Share how you felt that you
handled your difficult customer.
Where you more successful or
calmer than usual?” and “What
challenges did you have addressing
your customer with the H. and E.
tools?”

Learner (acting as customer): “I am calling to complain

about a garden gnome I just received. It came to me in
pieces! It was supposed to be a birthday gift for a party
next week and now I don’t know what I’m supposed to
do!
Facilitator response (acting as TO) may be some
variation of: “I am so sorry that your product arrived
broken. I can imagine your stress trying to get this
resolved in time for your party.”
Facilitator should now direct attention to the strategies
employed in this role-play, stating: “Notice how I
rephrased what the customer was complaining about.
Her garden gnome arrived broken. Then I showed
empathy by expressing that I too would be stressed
trying to fix this in time to still give it as a gift. Now,
you try to use these techniques with your practice
scripts. Each partner should take a turn as the telephone
operator and as the customer.”

CS and SO Training Lesson 3: How to Handle Difficult Customers Page 15

 Using H.E.A.T. (cont’d)

Scripts: Scripts provide the narrative for the customer only. The TO should respond using key
phrases discussed in the H and E sections.

Script 1:
Customer: “Yes, hello. I ordered a Serenity Incense Kit over two weeks ago and I haven’t gotten it
yet! I’m calling to see if it has been lost or what. You know this never happens if I order online- only
when I order over the phone.”
Script 2:
Customer: “Hello. I bought a pashmina to wear to a special event and when it arrived, the wrong color
had been sent. I need to return this and get the right color as soon as possible. The event is only two
weeks away and I need to know whether or not I need to find another outfit.”

Switch from activity and redirect

learns’ attention to the PPT.
A: Apologize

Even though you may not be the source of your

Present PPT slide titled “A:
Apologize”.
Explain to learners that an apology
allows the company to take
responsibility and helps to diffuse
customer frustration. Provide a
couple sample apology statements.
Ask learners what questions they
have.
customer’s frustration, it is important to apologize. You
represent the company when doing this, so you never
should respond “This isn’t my fault.”
You can see that it would be easy to also incorporate
your apology within the statements showing empathy.
An example might include “I am so sorry that your
order didn’t meet your expectations. I can understand
your disappointment.”

CS and SO Training Lesson 3: How to Handle Difficult Customers Page 16

 Using H.E.A.T. (cont’d)
Present PPT slide titled “T: Take
Action”
T: Take Action

Explain to learners that it is At this stage, assure the customer that you are ready to
take action to help resolve their situation. Clearly
important to conclude with
explain what steps you will be taking to rectify this.
actionable steps that are clearly
You might say “I am so sorry that you’ve had this
communicated to the customer.
experience. This is what I can do to try and fix this for
Provide a couple of sample action
statements. you.” Note that again, you can embed an apology
within this statement.
Ask learners what questions they
have.

CS and SO Training Lesson 3: How to Handle Difficult Customers Page 17

 Using H.E.A.T. (cont’d)
Present PPT slide titled “Applying
H.E.A.T.”
Exercise

Switch from presenting PPT and
direct learners to the Role-play
scripts.
Demonstrate the Role-play
activity with one of the participants
allowing them to read the prompt
while you provide an unscripted
response that shows your use of the
H.E.A.T. method.
Now, let’s apply these guidelines in some role-play
activities. This exercise will be demonstrated to you
with one of your colleagues to model what will be done
in your groups. Then you’ll be partnered with a peer
and you will take turns applying your H.E.A.T. skills in
difficult customer situations.
Trainers will be circulating to observe and listen to your
responses and give feedback if needed.

Tell the learners to partner with a

peer and move to one of the Role-
play stations. Once there, turn to
the H.E.A.T. Role-play scripts on
page 12 of the Student Guides.
They should take turns reading the
role of the Customer.

Circulate the classroom and assess

learner responses.

Remediate when incorrect or

inappropriate responses or actions
are given.

Model appropriate responses or

actions in a follow-up script if a
learner continues to need
additional support.

Ask learners what questions they

have.

CS and SO Training Lesson 3: How to Handle Difficult Customers Page 18

 Scripts: Scripts provide the narrative for the customer only. The TO should respond using key
phrases discussed in the H.E.A.T. sections.

Script 1:
Customer: “Good morning. I bought a canvas tote with my husband’s initials on it and when it
arrived, it was missing a latch for the shoulder strap. The lady I spoke to yesterday said I had to return
the whole bag and wait for it to process before they could send a whole new bag. This is ridiculous.
It is a huge inconvenience for me to even go to the post office to mail it. And do I have to pay for this
shipping? This is your fault not mine!”
Script 2:
Customer: “Yeah, listen. I really don’t have time so I’m hoping you can help me fix this fast. I
bought this purse and it got here and it is hideous. It doesn’t look anything like the picture. Look at
the picture. Can you see the picture? It looks like leather in the photo, but this looks like a big
garbage bag. I need to return this, and you’ll need to fix that picture so people aren’t tricked into
buying this.”

CS and SO Training Lesson 3: How to Handle Difficult Customers Page 19

 Using H.E.A.T. (cont’d)
Continue presenting the PPT slide
titled “Applying H.E.A.T.” for this
Debrief and Questions
section
Were you able to come up with appropriate responses
Ask learners the first two questions to pacify your customers?
and pause for answers. How did the role-play exercise help you identify the
areas that you need to improve to apply H.E.A.T.
Discuss the various responses of effectively?
the learners and explain the
reasons why some responses were What questions do you have before we move on?
better.

Praise the better responses, but do

not highlight poor performers.

Ask what questions the learners

have.

CS and SO Training Lesson 3: How to Handle Difficult Customers Page 20

 Escalating Calls to a Supervisor
Present PPT slide titled
“Introduction to Call Escalation.”
Introduction

There are times when a call must be elevated to a

supervisor. Customers might request to be connected
with a supervisor immediately or at some point within a
call. Let’s explore both of these situations.

CS and SO Training Lesson 3: How to Handle Difficult Customers Page 21

 Escalating Calls to a Supervisor (cont’d)
Present PPT slide titled “Respond
to Initial Request.”
Explain to the learners the
possible reasons for an initial
request to speak to a supervisor.
Then detail the appropriate steps
to take to address these requests.
Ask what questions the learners
have.
CS and SO Training Lesson 3: How to Handle Difficult Customers
Respond to initial request
When a customer immediately requests to speak with a
supervisor, it may be a result of two scenarios. The
customer may simply be impatient and feel that they
will receive faster and better service bypassing the
Telephone Operator. Alternately, the initial request may
be the result of a repeat call in which the issue went
unresolved in a previous contact. In handling either of
these, begin by attempting to get the customer to explain
their situation. Simple prompt questions such as “I’m so
sorry to hear that you are upset. Can you tell me some of
the details about your situation so I can direct your
issue?
At this stage, you will need to make the decision as to
whether or not this is an issue you can resolve on your
own. If you can inform the customer and ask if you may
be able to resolve it for them immediately. You might
say, “I understand your frustration and I can fix this for
you right now if you’d like. Would you like me to
address this?”
If you are unable to resolve it yourself or the customer
indicates that they do not wish for you to resolve it,
inform the customer that you will have the manager call
them back in a few minutes. They may reconsider
having you handle it. If not, collect their name, phone
number and issue and pass it on to your supervisor
immediately.
Page 22
 Escalating Calls to a Supervisor (cont’d)
Present PPT slide titled “Respond
to Request Within Call.”
Explain to learners the possible
reasons a request to speak to a
supervisor might arise during a
call. Then detail the appropriate
steps to take to address these
requests.
Ask what questions the learners
have.
CS and SO Training Lesson 3: How to Handle Difficult Customers
Respond to request within call
In some cases, a call with a difficult customer may
escalate in frustration and hostility and the caller may
request to speak to a supervisor mid-call. There are
many situations that may lead to this including:
 The customer feels as if you don’t understand
their complaint or you aren’t listening to them.
 The customer may feel that you do not have the
knowledge to assist them.
 The customer may feel that adequate and timely
progress is not being made in the resolution of
their issue and want to speak with someone they
think may better manage it.
Sometimes it is the language of the Telephone Operator
that are triggers. Phrases such as “I’m not authorized to
do this” implies that a supervisor is needed to handle the
problem. Rather than pointing out what you cannot do,
try to show a willingness to assist in what way you can.
Show empathy and give verbal cues letting customers
know where you are in the resolution process. This will
assure them that you are making progress and perhaps
buy additional minutes of customer patience.
If these efforts fail, again let the customer know that the
supervisor will call them back in a few minutes. Collect
their information and provide it to the supervisor
immediately. If the customer insists on waiting,
acknowledge their request politely saying perhaps
“Absolutely. Please allow me to put you on hold until a
supervisor is available to assist you.”
Page 23
 Escalating Calls to a Supervisor (cont’d)
Present PPT slide titled
“Escalation Exercise.”
Escalation Exercise

Switch from presenting PPT and
direct learners to the Role-play
scripts.
Demonstrate the Role-play
activity with one of the
participants allowing them to read
the prompt while you provide an
unscripted response that shows
your ability to address escalation
requests both at the start of a call
and within a call.
Tell the learners to partner with a
peer and move to one of the Role-
play stations. Once there, turn to
the H.E.A.T. Role-play scripts on
page 12 of the Student Guides.
They should take turns reading the
role of the Customer.Circulate the
classroom and assess learner
responses.
Now, let’s apply these guidelines in some role-play
activities. Recall that regardless of when the request is
made, apply your H.E.A.T. method strategies. Listen to
their complaint or concern. Respond with an apology
and empathy and attempt to solicit more information to
see if you can handle their issue. If you can, ask if you
may. If not, or if they decline to have you assist them,
take their information and pass it directly to your
supervisor. This exercise will be demonstrated to you
with one of your colleagues to model what will be done
with your elbow partner. (see script below)
Then you’ll be partnered with a peer and you will take
turns applying your skills addressing requests to speak
with a supervisor.
Trainers will be circulating to observe and listen to your
responses and give feedback if needed.

Remediate when incorrect or

inappropriate responses or actions
are given.

Model appropriate responses or

actions in a follow-up script if a
learner continues to need
additional support.

Ask what questions the learners

have.

CS and SO Training Lesson 3: How to Handle Difficult Customers Page 24

 Escalating Calls to a Supervisor (cont’d)

Scripts: Scripts provide the narrative for the customer only with appropriate pauses and
prompts for the TO. The TO should respond using key phrases discussed in the H.E.A.T. and
escalation sections using the prompts within the script.

Script 1:
Customer: “Hello. I want to talk to a supervisor please.”
TO: Use step 1 and respond with questions to elicit more detail. Be sure to use H.E.A.T. as well.
Customer: “Yes, I already told the lady yesterday what the situation was, and she couldn’t handle it. I
just want to get to someone who can and quit wasting my time.”
TO: Use step 2 assuming that you do know how to resolve this.
Customer: “Fine, but I am out of patience. If you can’t handle this quickly, I’ll expect to be
transferred.”
TO: Respond detailing the steps you are taking as you take them to resolve the issue.
Customer: “This is taking too long. Please transfer me to a supervisor now.”
TO: Respond appropriately, taking their information and letting them know the supervisor will call
back. Apologize and close the call.

Script 2:
Customer: “You have been trying to do this return for ten minutes now! Can’t you move any faster? I
have things I’d like to do.”

TO: Respond using H.E.A.T. guidelines and provide details to the customer about the steps that are
being taken to resolve this as they are happening.
Customer: (interrupting) “You know what? No. I need you to pass me through to a supervisor. I don’t
have time for this.”
TO: Respond appropriately, taking their information and letting them know the supervisor will call
back.
Customer: “No way. I’ll hold. I know better than to wait for a call that will never come.”
TO: Using H.E.A.T., inform the caller that they will be placed on hold.

CS and SO Training Lesson 3: How to Handle Difficult Customers Page 25

 Escalating Calls to a Supervisor (cont’d)
Continue presenting the PPT slide
titled “Escalation Exercise” for this
Debrief and Questions
section
Were you able to come up with appropriate responses
Ask learners the first two questions to pacify your customers?
and pause for answers. What are some of the phrases that you think helps in
calming down irate customers?
Discuss the various responses of
the learners and explain the What questions do you have before we move on?
reasons why some responses were
better.

Praise the better responses, but do

not highlight poor performers.

Ask what questions the learners

have.

CS and SO Training Lesson 3: How to Handle Difficult Customers Page 26

 Review and Summary
Present PPT slide titled “Handling
Difficult Customers: Review and
Summary”
Review the two topics in this
lesson (H.E.A.T. and Escalating
Calls to a Supervisor) at a high
level.
Ask learners what questions or
comments they have before going
on to the next lesson.
CS and SO Training Lesson 3: How to Handle Difficult Customers
Review and Summary
In this lesson, you learned how to effectively handle
difficult customers and when to escalate the call to a
supervisor.
When a customer expresses frustration, employ the
H.E.A.T. guidelines. Hear them out, Empathize,
Apologize and Take Action.
A customer may request to speak to a supervisor at any
point in a call. The reasons may vary but it is important
to demonstrate several of the H.E.A.T. steps in an effort
to resolve the issue yourself. If they persist with their
request, inform them that the supervisor will return their
call promptly. Collect their information and pass it on
to a supervisor immediately. If they insist on holding,
politely grant their request.
One of the most important skills of a successful
customer service provider is being able to handle
difficult customers with courtesy. Possessing the ability
to empathize, communicate effectively and resolve
issues is paramount.
Page 27
Course Overview: SimplyOrder Training

Time: _15_ min.

Present the PPT slide titled

“Welcome”
Welcome

Welcome to the SimplyOrder Training. This training

Welcome students to the
SimplyOrder Training course.
Tell learners they are there to learn
the new order entry system and
that the session will take 4 hours
introduces you to the new order entry system
implemented at Exclusive Clothes and Gifts. After
you’ve completed this four-hour training session, you
will be able to use the new system with ease and
efficiency.

Present the PPT slide titled

“Introductions”
Introductions

Your instructor will introduce herself, after which

Introduce yourself giving your
name, position at ECG, and some everyone in the class will introduce themselves.
background information.

Facilitate the ice-breaker activity

“Fun Fact”

Tell learners to introduce

themselves giving their name, role
at ECG, some background
information, and an interesting fact
about themselves. Start with the
person closest to you and go
around the room.

CS and SO Training Lesson 3: SimplyOrder Training Page 29

 Present the PPT slide titled
“Administrative Details”
Administrative Details

Your instructor will go over the following

Pass out the Sign-In Sheet.
administrative details pertaining to this training session.
Tell learners where the closest  Learners are required to sign the Sign-In Sheet.
restroom is.
 Your instructor will point out the location of the
Tell learners there will be two 10- nearest restroom.
minute breaks during the training
session.  This training session will consist of two 10-
minute breaks.
Explain to learners that questions
 Ask questions anytime during the training
during the training are encouraged.
session.
Encourage learners to pay  You will have plenty of opportunity for hands-
attention during the software on practice with SimplyOrder following every
demonstrations and that they will software demonstration done by your instructor.
have plenty of time for hands-on
practice following each demo.

CS and SO Training Lesson 3: SimplyOrder Training Page 30

 Present the PPT slide titled
“Purpose of Training”
Go over the purpose of the
training.
Emphasize that this training was
developed with their comments in
mind about how previous trainings
were done and their difficulty
using the current tool to find
product information.
Present the PPT slide titled
“Duration of Training”
Tell learners the entire training
will take 4 hours.
Remind learners that the 4 hours
includes two breaks.
CS and SO Training
Purpose of Training
You, the Telephone Operators and Customer Service
Supervisors, requested a better tool at hand when trying
to answer customers’ questions about ECG’s products.
A simpler, consistent, and more comprehensive way of
retrieving that information has been incorporated into
the new order entry system, SimplyOrder.
The purpose of the SimplyOrder training is to introduce
you to SimplyOrder and give you the hands-on practice
you need to gain the knowledge and skills needed to use
SimplyOrder to efficiently and easily find product
information, take orders, and handle returns and
exchanges.
Being properly trained in SimplyOrder will help ensure
an improved experience for both the customer and you
Duration of Training
The training session for SimplyOrder will be a total of
four hours.
Lesson 3: SimplyOrder Training Page 31
 Present PPT slide titled “Content
Introduction”
Introduce the reasons for the
training.
Describe what they will learn.
CS and SO Training
Content Introduction
This training is designed to help you learn the features,
functions, and procedures of the new order entry system
– SimplyOrder. You will learn how to launch the
software and use it efficiently to search products, take
new orders, modify existing orders, and handle returns
and exchanges.
Lesson 3: SimplyOrder Training Page 32
 Present PPT slide titled “Course
Organization and Agenda”
Explain the organization of the
training and agenda.
Go over the lessons briefly,
emphasizing that the training will
involve hands-on sandbox training.
Point out that the customer
maintenance functionality of
SimplyOrder is same as that of the
current order entry system,
therefore, it will be excluded.
CS and SO Training
Course Organization and Agenda
The SimplyOrder training is the second training as a
part of the staff development plan. This training begins
with a brief introduction and overview of the course.
You will learn about the various new features and
functionality of SimplyOrder which will be covered
through a series of five lessons, as listed below:
 Lesson 1: How to Launch SimplyOrder
 Lesson 2: How to Search for Product
Information in SimplyOrder
 Lesson 3: How to Take New Orders
 Lesson 4: How to Modify an Existing Order
 Lesson 5: How to Handle Returns & Exchanges
The training will culminate with a summary and a Q&A
session.
Lesson 3: SimplyOrder Training Page 33
 Present PPT slide titled “Course
Objectives”
Course Objectives

Upon completion of the SimplyOrder course, you will

State the course objectives.
be able to:
 Find specific products and their details quickly
and efficiently
 Fill out a new order form
 Explain the return process to a customer and
carry out that process
 Explain the exchange process to a customer and
carry out that process

Present PPT slide titled

“Questions”
Questions

Ask what questions they have. What questions do you have so far?

CS and SO Training Lesson 3: SimplyOrder Training Page 34

Lesson 2: How to Search for Product
Information

Time: _45_ min.

Introduction
Present PPT slide titled “Lesson 2:
How to Search Product
Introduction
Information in SO”
Before you can take new orders from your customers, it
Tell them it is the foremost and a is important to search the desired product and its related
crucial step to search and retrieve information for the customer. This lesson will guide you
through the steps to search for product information in
the desired product and its specific
details for accurately taking orders SimplyOrder.
from customers.

Continue presenting the PPT slide

titled “Lesson 2: How to Search
Product Information in SO” for
this section.
Review briefly the sub-topics that
will be covered in this lesson.
Overview
In this lesson, using a sandbox, you will learn how to
use the new search functionality of SimplyOrder in
three different ways. Additionally, you will also learn
how to obtain specific product-related details.

Inform them that they will use

sandbox during the practice
exercises, which will enable them
to reliably use the live
SimplyOrder system.

CS and SO Training Lesson 2: How to Search for Product Information Page 35

 Introduction (cont’d)
Present PPT slide titled
“Importance”.
Importance

Explain to them that customers Once you’ve learned how to search product information
successfully, you’ll be able to answer all customer
continue their association with the
queries regarding the products. Furthermore, it will help
company if their queries are
you to take orders accurately from customers, and
satisfactorily answered and when
therefore, keep them happy. Lastly, it will reduce your
they receive correctly ordered
products. call durations when you efficiently complete the
aforementioned activities.
Remind them that taking a correct
order is the first step toward
keeping customers happy.

Present PPT slide titled “Lesson

Objectives”
Lesson Objectives

State the lesson objectives.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
 Find a product quickly and accurately when you
are provided with the product number,
keyword, or product name
 Find specific product details quickly and
accurately when a customer inquiries about a
product.

CS and SO Training Lesson 2: How to Search for Product Information Page 36

 Using Search Functionality
Present PPT slide titled “Using
Search Functionality: Search
Results Pop-up Window”
Tell learners that you acknowledge
their need to easily search and
access products.
Explain why searching products
accurately is an essential and
crucial step toward achieving
customer satisfaction.
Tell them the product attributes
that can be used for the Search
functionality
Point out exactly where the search
function is present on the interface
with help of an enlarged screen
capture on the slide.
Tell learners that the process will
be demonstrated on the sandbox
and they will have the time to
practice it after the demonstration.
CS and SO Training Lesson 2: How to Search for Product Information
Using Search Functionality
The main goal in customer service is customer
satisfaction. This is achieved when customer
expectations of product quality and customer services
are met. As a part of such expectations, customers
expect you to answer their queries promptly as well as
take orders quickly. You have realized that this can be
done when you are able to access the product
efficiently. This is how the Search function of
SimplyOrder simplifies this for you.
As you are aware, the customers are mailed product
catalogs which contain the product name and number. It
may so happen that when customers call, they give you
either just the product name, number, or some other
keyword. When you submit either one of the above
attributes in the search field, a pop-up window appears
which shows all relevant products. After confirming
with the customer, you can select the desired product.
Once you’ve successfully searched the product, you can
easily access other product-related details that will be
helpful to resolve customer queries.
This slide displays an example of a pop-up window that
appears when you submit the product name “Reginald
Wall Clock” in the search field.
A larger version of this example is shown on the next
page.
Page 37