Author: Bill Wilson
We occasionally get "Ask an Expert" questions from agency owners interested in improving the customer service skills of their CSRs, producers and others. In this short article, I'll take a look at some of the resources on the internet, in print, or in the classroom to improve your staff's knowledge in this critical skill area.
The following two recent questions are representative of many customer service inquiries received by our "Ask an Expert" service:
"I'm looking for a course or something that addresses and defines what 'good service' means, and how to get my staff on board."
"I'm trying to find a video reviewing excellent Customer Service for a training session in our agency. An ideas where I can purchase something like this?"
One of the things about our "Ask an Expert" service is that, while we have a great group of experts, we don't know everything. But, as Archibald Hodge said, "He is wise who knows the sources of knowledge – who knows who has written and where it is to be found." Luckily, when we don't know it, we do know where to find it.
For customer service education, there are three main sources: (1) live training, (2) print/audio/video materials, and (3) the internet.
Classroom Training
The first place to check is your state IIABA association. Many of our states conduct customer service training annually. Often, they partner with other organizations such as NAIW or the National Council for Insurance Marketing. The latter offers an excellent one-day program called The Dynamics of Service.
Print/Audio/Video Materials
A good place to start searching for nonelectronic materials is Amazon.com. Search their database for "customer service" or similar key words. The great thing about Amazon is that customers rate products from one to five stars...you can see the cumulative rating of materials and read individual customer reviews. In addition, when you select a book, tape or video, the web page will display similar products that were purchased by people who purchased that product, along with a listing of authors who have written similar materials.
Another favorite source of business skills materials is Crisp Publications, famous for their "50 Minute" books. A quick search for "customer" resulted in several dozen publication, including VU faculty member Rebecca Morgan's Calming Upset Customers, available in book, video (for sale or rent) and CD formats.
If you're looking for videos, here are some web sites that might help:
• Customer Service University
• Chart Your Course International (free online previews)
• The Telephone Doctor
• Ideas and Training
• Enterprise Media (the Muppet films are awesome...click here
for a preview of the video "Sell! Sell! Sell!")
The Internet
First of all, don't forget the VU! We have dozens of excellent articles in our Customer Service library. Finally, here are more incredible links:
• International Customer Service Association
• Resource Center for Customer Service Professionals
• American Society for Quality
• Customer Champion
• CSR Cross Selling
• JoAnna Brandi Customer Service Articles
• Fast Company Customer Service Articles
• Craig Harrison Customer Service Articles
• Hal Becker Customer Service Articles
• Shep Hyken Customer Service Articles
• Speaking.com Customer Service Articles
• CustomerSat