Our Approach

Our Service Excellence Workshops are customized based on client needs and realities. This program is delivered utilizing a variety of methods to maximize learning, retention and post-workshop performance, including:

• Teaching
• Constructive and focused group discussion
• Client and industry-specific cases, examples and scenarios
• The introduction of tools, skills and/or best practices to address the topic/need
• Group practice clinics
• Individual practice sessions using your organization’s scenarios

The Objective / Takeaway

The consistent and overarching objective whenever we deliver our Service Excellence Program is this: Provide learners with the knowledge, skills, tools, and confidence (competence comes later, with practice) to consistently deliver differentiated (WOW!) experiences to those they interact with – each time, every time (via the telephone, and face-to-face).

Service Excellence Program – Modules

• Breaking the Ice (via telephone and face-to-face)
• Being positive, realistic, and Managing UP!
• Telephone Skills (Greetings, Completing Calls, Making Outbound Calls, Transfers)
• Taking Initiative & Personal Accountability
• Explaining What’s Happening & Why – The Magic of “Because”
• SERVE & E-SERVE for: Service Recovery / Problem Solving / Dealing with Conflict & Difficult Conversations
• All “Customers” are People Too!
• Sharing of Knowledge & Information
• Looking the Part 
• Social Styles: Adapting to their style
  • “Pillars” of Service Excellence: Courtesy & Consideration, Systematic Thinking & Teamwork, Respect

Details of our Service Excellence Modules

“S-E-R-V-E”: A real-time tool and approach to:

• Deliver Bad News
• Have a Difficult Conversation
• Deal with Conflict
• Deal with “No” 
• Negotiate for a successful outcome

SERVE: A “state of mind” and tool when dealing with the above scenarios, where…

S = Seek to understand (Knowing which questions to ask, and in what order, as well as clarifying when we are not clear about their response) 

E = Empathy (How: try to imagine yourself as being in their shoes, without making them right or wrong)

R = Respond (How: Educate / Explain What’s Happening using “The Magic of Because” / Deliver “Bad News” when required / Offer options, ideas, suggestions and recommendations)

V = Verify (How: Confirm which option the customer had selected – and in some cases, confirming that none of your options were selected)

E = Engage (How: Explain what you are currently doing (or will do) to address the option the customer has selected)

E-SERVE: Starting with Empathy when the other person is upset or angry will help to win trust, and diffuse their anger. 

Taking Initiative & Personal Accountability: Our Service Excellence Program includes the impact of Taking Initiative to WOW! someone by doing something you did not have to do (in the moment), as well as the impact of avoidance. We also include doses of personal accountability, so learners understand we each must own the experiences we deliver. Ex: asking ourselves in the moment, “What can I do right now to deliver a differentiated (i.e. WOW!) experience for this person?”

Being Positive, Realistic, and Managing Up! Speaking positively about others, including customers, patients and co-workers (and Not polluting our own environment by speaking badly about others, or gossiping).

Social Styles: Understand your Social Style and theirs, then adapt your style to theirs – you’ll have a better connection, and enjoy the experience more! The four Social Styles are:

• Amiables
• Analytics
• Expressives
• Drivers

Questioning Skills: 

“Spend a minute, save an hour!” – How: Ask better questions. 

In this Module, we discuss and practice the three main types of questions to ask, and when to optimally ask them.

TIMS: A real-time clarifying tool when you’re not sure of what they mean.

Being a Trusted Advisor: Become and remain a Trusted Advisor by: 

• Being Credible (know your stuff, and know where to go when you don’t)
• Being Reliable (make and keep commitments)
• Make Connections (what can you do to get to know them better?)
• Self-orientation: Don’t have a focus on your needs, first start with a focus on them and their needs.

WIIFT (Get more “Yes’s!”): Communicate “What’s In It For Them” (WIIFT) when making a suggestion, recommendation or providing options – you’ll get more “Yes’s”

“Putting the Fish of the Table”: Delivering “bad news” fairly, with respect and with empathy. This equally includes not “avoiding” delivering bad news when you need to.

Negotiating for a Successful Outcome: Focus on Interests, not Positions: When negotiating for success in a balanced way, did you seek to uncover their “Interests” and not get stuck debating “Positions”?

Explaining What’s Happening / The “Magic of Because”

When we Explain What’s Happening, we reduce Questions, Anxiety and Stress. 

RIBO Accredited: 6.5 Personal Skills Hours