Training Articles

These articles are only available to members

Should you have a customer service related training article that you wish to feature on our website then please forward it to Anne-Marie Lose. 

The Crooked Stick Approach by Guy Arnold

To my knowledge, no-one ever said on their deathbed:

  • ‘I’m really glad I never did all that stuff that I really wanted to do’.
  • ‘Thank god, I never really fulfilled my potential’
  • ‘I’ve got to live: I need to get back to that miserable job I spend so long complaining about, and those back-stabbing turkeys I work with!’
  • And the old chestnut: ‘I wish I’d spent more time at the office’ (though I don’t really think this is always true, as my suggestion is that you align your occupation with your passion, then spending more time in the office isn’t an issue (except perhaps to your loved ones!))

But there will be plenty of things every day about which you might be tempted to say : ..............Read more for full members

Customer - driven L & D in action! by Anne Blackburn of Sidona Group

Anne Blackburn of Sidona group looks at how customer research can be used to construct a compelling business case for training.
As training budgets come under pressure, and fewer employees are expected to deliver more, having highly skilled and trained people that add real value to the organisation becomes imperative. Your ability to protect continued investment in training and demonstrate bottom line business benefits is critical in these tough trading conditions.
Here’s a suggestion to help influence the doubters which has worked for us (won A 2010 National Training Award with this approach) use your customers to provide input to your training needs analysis, strategy, design and measurement of success.
Undertaking in-depth telephone customer interviews enables you to identify: .........Read more for full members

Are outsourced contact centres destined to fail everywhere in the world? by Annie Mulady

The people are there, the technology is set-up, the training has taken place you are ready to launch your all singing and dancing outsourced contact centre – the savings are bringing a smile to the chairman’s face but there could still be something very wrong……
members

Money down the drain? by Annie Mulady 

There are many elements to making training stick and achieving a return on your investment and it begins before the training has even started.   Imagine where your investment is going if an internal or external trainer turns up to deliver training only to meet with.....Read more for full members

Spring-Clean Your Mind – For The Sake Of Your Customers!

Article by Marie Cross

Let’s face it – the start of a new year is a great time for spring-cleaning!

Indeed, the first 3 months of any new year are usually good for clearing out a cupboard or two or sorting through your wardrobe in preparation for that healthy eating and exercise regime I feel sure you would have started in January (and hopefully not given up on by now?!). Read more for full members

Reasons to Maintain and Improve Customer Service in Recessionary Times

Key points to emerge at discussion of members of the Customer Service Training Association, December 2009

1. Recession creates opportunities as well as threats – an organisation with poor customer service stands less chance of benefitting from the opportunities  Read more for full members