Customer Service Fundamentals - Melbourne

Customer Service Fundamentals Melbourne

The Course Syllabus by Dr. Marcus Clarkson

Course Overview

G'day everyone! I'm Dr Marcus Clarkson, and spent nearly 20 years working with businesses throughout Australia; from busy Melbourne cafés to huge corporate hubs throughout the CBDs. More than once over the years, wish as I might, things haven't gone smoothly, and from that I have learnt something indisputable: The best customer service isn't perfect customer service, it is customer service with humanity, empathy, and well oiled solutions when everything goes awry.

This all day course is for anyone who deals with customers, whether it's the person on the front desk, a team leader handling complaints or someone who's just fed up feeling exhausted after every difficult interaction. We're going to dispense with the antiquated "customer is always right" philosophy, and zero in on workable, sustainable methods that will ensure your continued health and the longevity of your business relationships.

From my experience consulting to Melbourne companies, I've seen quite clearly how good training in customer service affects more than just customer satisfaction scores, it underpins employee buoyancy and job satisfaction as well. This is a course that has been born out of years of trial and error in a real world environment and there are practical strategies you can put into place straight away.

Curriculum Based Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course participants will be able to:

Foundation Skills:

Demonstrate effective listening skills to show customers you are really listening

Recognise the triggers of customer frustration and deploy proactive deflection tools

Integrate professional boundaries to provide excellent services whilst maintaining self care focus on enhancing positive traits and strengthening skills for various client populations.

Advanced Communication:

Leverage de escalating lines and solutions in similar high pressure customer scenarios

Write professional rejections to ridiculous requests while preserving the contact and the potential relationship those ridiculous requests represent, and preserving a copy so you can prove to them later how reasonable their demand was.

Turn customer complaints into opportunities to build loyalty and grow your Business

Practical Application:

Handle intricate customer situations within a defined problem solving process

Create connection with aspects of the customer's unique personality through personalised communication styles

Execute follow up measures consolidating customer satisfaction and loyalty over time.

Professional Development:

Create strategies to deal with setbacks and challenging times and use methods for service users not to suffer Include the following: Psychological Care strategies or methods Emotional resistance techniques or acceptance strategies.

Develop individual action plans for ongoing improvement in the provision of service to customers

Adapt new skills to internal customer communication, enhancing team cooperation

What You Will Learn

Module 1: The Brain of the Salesman

Knowledge of what's behind the customer's behaviour and feelings, resolving discrepancies between what customers are saying and what they need and how to not take on someone else's pain.

Module 2: Communication Mastery

Useful phrases to de escalate, how to say no and keep goodwill, ways to show you're listening rather than just waiting to talk, and body language for in real life and phone.

Module 3: Resolve and De escalate Conflicts

Step by step instructions in how to deal with angry customers and when to escalate matters and when you can stand on your own two feet, controlling your own emotional responses in high pressure situations and turning complaints into your competitive advantage.

Module 4: Setting Boundaries and Caring for Ourselves

How to identify and 'dance' with boundary testers without creating drama, mental survival skills that allow you to stay at the top of your professional game while protecting your sanity, how to set up service practices that are not draining, and when to advocate for Company policy instead of customer whims. Understanding stress management becomes crucial in maintaining professional boundaries.

Module 5: Building Customer Loyalty

Ideas around how to make positive yet unforgettable impressions, following up in ways that delight and surprise, similar service but personalised without getting one too over extended, and using the difficult ones to actually deepen relationships.

Module 6: Real World Scenario Practice

Practical workshop sessions based on real life Melbourne business cases Hands on role play sessions with instant feedback Fast response skills for unexpected cases Designing your personal response templates for common cases

Course Structure and Methodology

This hands on program integrates theoretical with ample practical instruction. Learners will benefit from self assessment, small group discussion, and practical scenario based learning taking learning into the work environment.

Take away resources and templates that you can use directly in your workplace are included with each module. We will also cover sector specific challenges, so it doesn't matter if you work in retail, hospitality, professional services or any other customer facing industry, the content will still be applicable to you.

Concluding Remarks

It's not about perfection; it's about being ready, professional and really about loving the people who we serve. You'll be able to use this content to approach any customer interaction with confidence and expertise after having taken this course.

You will walk away with tangible tools to protect your sanity while increasing your level of service, proven approaches to turning life 'lemons' into lemonade, and the courage to take to make it work in any situation.

And most of all, you will see that good customer service is not just business sense but it's really rewarding on a personal level too when you have got the necessary skill set and attitude. These are life lessons that can be taken well beyond your current position, and spread good vibes everywhere you travel to.

You're beginning a career in customer service, or you're a veteran who's done it a while, this course teaches you how to perform customer service at a high level and sustain a happy career on your terms without being an emotional rag doll for companies who don't care about you.

Length: All day intensive (6 hours with lunch break)

Location: Melbourne CBD training facility

Contents: Full colour workbook, scenario cards, and digital resources for Atoms, Elements and Compounds included.

Into Action Guide: 30 day email support for implementing questions