Transform every patron interaction into a positive experience with exceptional customer service skills.
In Customer Service Training for Frontline Staff on Sept. 25, you'll learn effective communication techniques to engage with patrons courteously and empathetically, fostering positive interactions and building lasting relationships. Hear from industry leaders on best practices for handling inquiries, resolving complaints, and addressing challenging situations with confidence, compassion, and professionalism.
Course Program
Half-Day Online Course | Wednesday, September 25, 2024
Session 1 | 12:00-12:45 pm ET
The Why and How of Customer Service/Responding to Common Issues
How do you initiate a connection or conversation with someone? Why is customer service pivotal for library workers, and how can you improve your service excellence? This introductory session will highlight small, tangible ways you can enhance your customer service skills and build relationships with library users.
Session 2 | 12:45-1:30 pm ET
Customer Service and Relationships: Building Emotional Intelligence
What is emotional intelligence and how can it help you improve your customer service? How do you work toward growing emotional intelligence when it's such an amorphous concept? This session will explore practical ways to grow your self-awareness, interpersonal skills, and emotional intelligence to create and build trust with colleagues and library users.
Session 3 | 1:45-2:30 pm ET
Leading with Kindness: Communication and Customer Service in Difficult Situations
What is the role of communication in customer service, and what kind of communication is best to facilitate connection? What is nonviolent communication, and how can it help diffuse difficult patron interactions? This session will discuss tangible ways to navigate customer service during conflict and tension.
Session 4 | 2:30-3:00 pm ET
Phone and Email Etiquette
How do you conduct yourself professionally on the phone and over email? The answer might seem obvious to some, but these are learned skills that shouldn't be taken for granted. This session will cover practical tips for maintaining excellent phone and email communication and customer service.
Session 5 | 3:15-4:00 pm ET
The Customer Isn't Always Right: Self-Care and Boundaries
How do you determine when the customer isn't right, and then what do you do to move forward? How do you maintain your personal boundaries and self-care all while in a customer service role? This session will give you practical tips for identifying if and when a library user is worth keeping and how to focus on employee needs alongside customer service. We will also discuss ways to articulate your boundaries and identify ways to care for yourself while at work.
