Dealing with Difficult Calls

Course Subject

Explanation

Activity

Introduction

Help me to understand everyone’s role and personality types.

I will pass out cards for participants to write down some issues they repeatedly face, recent problems they thought didn’t go well.

I will record these items on the whiteboard and as we go through the course, we’ll keep track of these to see how many we address.

Any that haven’t been addressed will be discussed at the end.

Personal Skills Introduction

I’ll show a few funny videos where Personal Skills are lacking, to demonstrate the issues we face and generate discussion.

Personal Skill: Listening

I will explain the different types of listening and try to stress the importance of ‘active listening’.

At the end of this section, I’ll invite all participants to complete a ‘listening questionnaire’ that highlights areas for improvement.  It’s a nice point of reflection that can be used regularly.

Personal Skill: Language

I’ll explain the different types of language we use and explain how our choice of language can be proactive rather than reactive.

Discussion

Personal Skill: Action

Explanation of a simple organizational system, together with emphasis of Follow-Up and Follow-Through.

Discussion

Types of clients

(e.g. demanding, rude)

This is to help participants understand the general categories of client that they will likely deal with.

Discussion as to how you can use personal skills to help improve any situation you find yourself in.

Role Play?

Strategies for dealing situations

(e.g. Don’t take it personally, Be Solution-Focused)

Here I will explain some effective strategies in dealing with different calls/clients.  I’ll explain that there isn’t a silver bullet, but instead having a full box of tools that you are practiced in using will help you confidently deal with any situations you encounter.

Role Play.
We’ll break up in pairs and I’ll prepare scenarios where someone has a concern/complaint and the other person has to use a specific strategy to resolve the issue.  Light-hearted, but we’ll discuss what worked, what didn’t and why.

Complaints

How to deal with complaints in a professional manner.

Discussion involving any actual complaints procedure that the participants follow in their role.

Conclusion

Summary of the training.

Review of any issues raised in the Introduction.

Discussion if some items remain unresolved.

Further discussion as to everyone’s ‘next step’, to answer these questions:
What are you going to do that you haven’t previously been doing?

What are you not going to do that you previously have?

What are the 3 takeaways from the course?

How are you actually going to implement them into your workplace.