Improving

customer
service
- activities for trainers
-

Contents
1. Customer service poster
2. C.U.S.T.O.M.E.R.
3. Like Alice in Wonderland
4. Act it out!
5. Yes/No Game
6. Who am I?
7. Customer service keychain
8. Tongue-twisters
9. Ten rules of...
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10. Creative role-play games

11. Following instructions
12. Blindfolded
13. Its a matter of perspective - debate
14. Stereotypes
15. Cant one finish his story???
16. House doodling
17. Taboo
18. Activity
19. Useful links

1. Customer service poster used as

an appendix for the whole
training
Objectives:
- telling the difference between good and
poor customer service

Time:

10 minutes

Materials: - sticky post-it notes, pencils, paper,

flipchart, markers (2 colours at least)

Description: The trainer asks the participants to think

about 2 experiences they had so far with customer
services/relations (it can be either on the phone or in person). Then, each
participant should give a brief description of the experience and why they think it
was a satisfactory or an unpleasant one. The trainer writes on the flipchart the
positive and negative aspects of each experience, translating it into customer
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service language. Then, the participants are asked to design a poster related to
customer service on the given sheet of paper, by using their post-it notes and the
observations the trainer has previously written on the flipchart. The poster will be
eventually used as a contents list/index in the following training
sessions/activities, as the trainer will go through each subject, point by point.

2. C.U.S.T.O.M.E.R.
Objectives: Warm-up, Follow-up
Time:

5 minutes

Materials: flipchart, markers, post-it notes

Description: The trainer uses post-it
notes to spell vertically the word CUSTOMER/ CUSTOMER SERVICE (or any other
word related to the topic they are going to discuss or have previously discussed in
case the activity is used as follow-up) on the flipchart; each post-it contains only
one letter. The participants are asked to write as many words as come to their
minds starting with that letter. The words should be connected to customer service,
politeness etc.
e.g.: c- customer, client, communication, competitor, complaint; u universal,
unique etc.

3. Like Alice in
Wonderland
Objectives: - understanding call-centre
work, clients expectations, needs vs.
wants, types of clients, reactions etc.

Time:

30 minutes

Materials: - Alice in Wonderland

pictures

Description: The trainer asks the

participants about the story of Alice in Wonderland and gives a brief review of the
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story (if necessary). Then, the participants should work in groups, trying to match
the characters/ story to working in a call centre. For example, the cat is always
smiling smiling on the phone takes you a long way; the mad hatter the same
client who calls over and over again, without having the patience to listen to all
explanations etc.

4. Act it out!
Objectives: - intonation, clarity, speed, accent, volume
- customer service: acting on the phone (pre-task)

Time:

15 minutes

Materials:

- flipchart/ whiteboard, markers

- poems

Description: The trainer writes on the flipchart/ whiteboard a series of emotions/

famous characters/ singers/ political personalities. The trainer gives the participant
a poem that the latter is supposed to read, acting it out using different intonations,
specific to each character listed on the whiteboard.
The intonations have to succeed at a rapid rate, without letting the participant think
too much
E.g.: pirate/ priest/ opera singer/ rock n roll star/ dictator/ shy young lady/ child/
rapper/ a Japanese learning English/ an Italian using English/ someone very happy/
someone who is bored/ someone empathic/ someone whos eating etc.

5. Yes/No Game
Objectives:

- questioning technique, paraphrasing,

explaining, using positive words and expressions

Time: 2 minutes/ word (or concept)

Materials: - cards containing words (the yes/no game;
words related to customer service, nouns, adjectives etc.)

Description: The instructor provides each participant with 5 cards containing

questions or words. You can vary the activity depending on your participants and on
what you wish to insist on.
Work in pairs:
For paraphrasing, rephrasing and explaining: Provide each participant with 5
cards containing Y/N questions that they are supposed to ask their partners. The
other person is not supposed to answer yes/no or not. They are supposed to
explain, paraphrase, offer synonyms and antonyms in order to answer the question.
Then, they switch roles.
For questioning technique: Provide each participant with 5 cards containing
words of your choice. They are not supposed to show their partner the word they
have on each card. One student starts asking questions about the word appearing
on his partners card, and the latter one is supposed to answer only by using
yes/no.

6. Who am I?
Objectives:
Time:

- questioning technique

5 minutes/ person

Materials: - sticky notes/ picture cards

Description: The trainer sticks on each
students back a card containing an image of an animal/ plant/ famous personality
etc. The student doesnt know who he is, he knows only his colleagues. Each
student should ask a relevant question to each of the other students in order to find
out who he is. He is allowed to use a limited number of Y/N questions and has to
think of how to make the others offer him more info.

7. Customer service keychain

- Follow-up activity Objectives:

- reviewing and memorizing

customer service rules
- relevant questions, empathic
expressions etc.

Time:

10 minutes/ keychain

Materials: - colourful paper strips, pens

Description: create your own keychain/key holder during the entire course, by
filling-in the provided cards with relevant examples for each rule

8. Tongue-twisters
Objectives:

- improve diction, clarity,

speed, accent

Time:

1 minute/ tongue-twister

Materials: - pen, tongue-twister cards

Description: The student reads each tongue twister several times. At the
beginning, he should read it Variations:
- The exercise can be done holding a pencil between the teeth
- reciting the tongue-twister with different intonations and/or accents

9. Ten rules of...

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Warm-up activity

Objectives: Follow-up/ Review

Time:

10 minutes

Materials: - paper, pencil

Description: The trainee is asked to draw

his hands on a
sheet of paper (palm down, just like they used to do in kindergarten). Then, they
should write 10 rules they have learned that they (dos and donts) on each finger
from the drawing. In the remaining palm space, they should write a few relevant
examples for each rule they have listed.

10. Creative role-play

games
Objectives: Pair work
Time:

10 minutes/ pair

Materials: - playing cards (poker cards will do);

Variation: the trainer can create playing cards with
characters and a script/ a story;

Description: The trainees work in pairs. The trainer can use either playing cards
(he can have a coded table containing information about each card; e.g.: the
Queen of Hearts is a mellow customer as opposed to the Queen of Spades, who is
an angry customer; the Joker can change personalities during the same role-play
etc.), or the cards he created himself.
Suggestion: he can create characters based on the natural elements, astrological
signs, animals etc.
The trainer provides each pair with a script/ story related to the training topic that
they are supposed to follow and act according to the character indicated on each
individual card.
Variation: A more classical approach: customer agent; landlord-tenant; 2 roommates etc.

11. Following instructions

Objectives: Pair work, group work,
individual work
- understanding customer needs and
preferences when they call a contact centre;
- adapting to customer needs
- customer needs vs. wants
- types of service
Time:

10 minutes

Materials: - origami paper; instructions

- origami folding videos: video projector, laptop, loudspeakers
- scissors, glue
- instruction manuals

Description: Divide the trainees in groups, pairs and make sure you also have a
few working individually. All students will have access to the same materials: folding
paper, scissors, glue.
Group 1: Work as a team. Create an origami figure by following the instructions in
the manual; you can ask your colleagues how they are creating their figures, ask for
advice and help.
Group 2: The trainer gives the instructions as he is folding his own figure. He goes
with the trainees step by step
Pair 1: Watch a video showing how to create the figure. You can pause and stop
whenever you want.
Pair 2: The trainees dont receive any instructions. Just give them an already built
figure and let them create their own by working on the model
Individual work: Just like group 1, follow the instructions in the manual to create
your figure

At the end, the instructor asks each participant if it was easy for them to create
their paper figures. Which methods were more efficient? Why? Why didnt other
methods work? How would you instruct someone to do this?

12. Blindfolded
Objectives: Pair work
- asking relevant questions, troubleshooting
Time:

10 minutes

Materials: - weird object (check your trainers kit )

Description: The trainees work in pairs. One of them

is
blindfolded. The other chooses an object from your trainers kit and the blindfolded
partner has to guess what object the other has, by asking relevant questions. The
trainer can set a limited number of questions (say 7-8 questions and they cant all
be closed or opened).

13. Its a
matter of
perspective debate
Objectives:
- use assertive skills to convince
the others, arguments, careful
interruptions, relevant
questions, patience
Time:

10 minutes

Materials: - paper, pens;

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- rules of how to hold a debate

Description: Divide the group in 2 equal teams. Provide each team with the
instructions of how to carry on a debate. Then, pick a subject for debate such as
Complaining - minor subject or necessary evil (of course, the trainer can choose any
other topic for debate, related to the training topic). One group will present
arguments for and the other one, arguments against the statement. The winning
group is the one who is capable of presenting solid arguments, who uses assertive
techniques, questioning, who is capable of convincing the other of the advantages
of their point of view.

14. Stereotypes
Objectives:
- types of customers, customers
needs vs. their wants
- empathy, politeness, adaptability
Time:

10 30 minutes

Materials: - video projector, loudspeakers,

internet connection
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCl-X2-6xyA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYHG8tYT2PI
- flags, world map

Description: Start the activity by asking the participants to associate each flag
to a country and to give a few characteristics of that nationality. Then, watch the
videos (depending on the time you have at your disposal, you can watch both or
just one). Ask if their previous knowledge of that country was confirmed by the
video and explain what stereotypes are. The participants should state their opinion
on stereotypes and explain how they expect a certain customer from a particular
country to react when they call a contact centre. Ask if any of them have ever been
stereotyped and how they felt at that moment.
Explain what empathy is and ask them to come up with phrases and techniques to
overcome stereotyping people and to adapt more easily to different types of
customers.

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15. Cant one finish

his story???
Objectives:
- interrupting politely (taking the floor)
- interruption vs. overlapping
- verbal nods
- rephrasing, paraphrasing
Time:

10 30 minutes

Materials: - chairs set in a circle

Description: The first participant should start telling a story (personal
experience, his previous experiences in call centres as a customer or as an agent,
an anecdote anything) and he shouldnt make any pauses. The second participant
sitting in circle (clockwise) has to interrupt him politely, rephrase briefly what the
first said and continue with his own story, without letting the first participant finish
his own. The game continues with each participant doing the same, until you reach
again the first one.
They should feel frustrated for not being able to finish their stories. Then, the same
activity should repeat, this time all participating to the first trainees story and
showing interest in it, asking questions (even if they overlap), using verbal nods
(yes, aha, I see, what an interesting idea! etc.)
When the activity is over, the trainer should explain the difference between
interrupting and its negative effects and overlapping (even if it may look like an
interruption, its an active participation to a discussion and a way of showing
interest).

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16. House doodling

Objectives:
- treating your customers with importance
- eliminating negative talk (giving bad news
in a positive manner)
Time:

10 15 minutes

Materials: - paper, colour pencils

Description: Each participant receives a
sheet of paper and colour pencils. The trainees
are supposed to draw a house however they want, the trainer doesnt give any
more information of how the house should be.
After 5-7 minutes, the trainer collects all the drawings and excessively praises (a bit
ironic) some of them which are clearly not the best, doesnt praise the best,
provides very negative feedback on one particular drawing and ignores the rest.
The trainees are asked to describe how they feel after finding out the feedback they
received or how they feel as they didnt receive any kind of feedback. The trainer
underlines the fact that each customer is equally important and that they should be
treated as such. Afterwards, the trainer asks the students to rephrase his
excessively positive phrases and adapt them to an average positive language, in
order to eliminate the ironic meaning; afterwards, they should rephrase into positive
language the negative phrases the trainer used in his previous comments.

17. Taboo
Objectives:
- rephrasing, avoiding repetition, avoiding negative
words
- time management
- explaining
Time:

1 minute/ word
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Materials: - Taboo game

Description: An even number of players from four to ten sit alternating around in a
circle. Players take turns as the "giver," who attempts to prompt his or her
teammates to guess as many keywords as possible in the allotted time. However,
each card also has "taboo" (forbidden) words listed which may not be spoken.
Should the giver say one, a "censor" on the opposing team hits the buzzer and the
giver must move on to the next word. For example, the giver might have to get his
or her team to deduce the word "baseball" without offering the words "sport,"
"game," "pastime," "hitter," "pitcher," or "baseball" itself as clues. The giver may
not say a part of a "taboo" word; for example, using "base" in "baseball" is taboo.
The giver may only use speech to prompt his or her teammates; gestures, sounds
(e.g. barking), or drawings are not allowed. Singing is permitted, provided the singer
is singing words rather than humming or whistling a tune. The giver's hints may not
rhyme with a taboo word, or be an abbreviation of a taboo word.
While the giver is prompting the teammates they may make as many guesses as
they want with no penalties for wrong guesses. Once the team correctly guesses the
word exactly as written on the card, the giver moves on to the next word, trying to
get as many words as possible in the allotted time. When time runs out, play passes
to the next adjacent player of the other team. The playing team receives one point
for correct guesses and one penalty point if "taboo" words are spoken.

18. Activity
Objectives:
- explaining, guessing, relevant
questions
- time management
Time:

1-2 minutes/ word

Materials: - Activity game

Description: Activity is a combination of three games, which encourages
creativity in players. The player has to present a word or a phrase (given by a card),
with either drawing, explanation or pantomiming (like in charades) and teammates
has to guess the word or a phrase he is presenting.

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When drawing, player mustn't use words or gestures and drawings mustn't contain
any letters or numbers.
When explaining words and phrases, player can do that with the help of words, but
he mustn't use any words which forms phrases given by a card. Player also mustn't
use any gestures while explaining the words.
When pantomiming, player mustn't talk nor can he point at any objects in the room.
Player can choose the cards numbered 5, 4 and 3. Numbers represents how many
spaces the team will promote if they guess the phrase. The higher the number of a
card, the tougher are phrases. The teams have time until it runs out on the sand
clock (around 1 minute).

19. Useful links

http://www.trainerbubble.com/
http://www.skillsconverged.com/
http://www.glasstap.com/trainerslibrary/
http://www.fenman.co.uk/traineractive/trainingmanual/Training-Games-for-Trainers.html
http://www.businesstrainingworks.com/training-resources/
http://www.geog.cam.ac.uk/research/projects/insectfarming/StaffCapacityBuilding.p
df
http://www.thecustomerfocus.com/
http://www.proedgeskills.com/customer_service_training.htm
http://www.brainstormdynamics.com/

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