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A Change in MethodologyProposal for updated training methods of new customer service representatives

Jared Hazen

The current system of training for new hires in the customer service department is

in need of an update. The system we use can be classified as sit them down and praythey learn. Generally when a new CSR is hired they will be placed with a lead, whos

job rarely reflects what they will be doing themselves, or various CSRs that may be to

busy or even unable to communicate the techniques and methods they use to deal withcustomers. This continues for roughly one week. Towards the end of their training period

they are allowed to type while the CSR talks to the customer and vice versa. The new

hires are also given a CSR handbook addressing various company policies regardingcustomers. This system works when there is only one new hire and the CSRs and leads

have time to address various issues in depth with the new hire. In our current situation

being understaffed and at times of the week overwhelmed, this system may not be

productive in efficiently training new hires. Continuing with this system if we were to

hire 4-5 new CSRs it could take as many as 2 months to get them on the phones andhandling customers efficiently.

In a situation where we may be faced with starting multiple associates all at once,

team based training may be more productive. Isolating the associates to a separate area of

training where the CSR and Employee Handbooks can be gone over, multimedia tools(such as MS PowerPoint) can be used to introduce the associates to the various computer

interfaces they will be using and even scenario based training using the trainers personal

experience with dealing with customers can be put to use. I believe 3 days of training in

this method with a group of new hires, followed still by one to two days of one-on-onetime on the phones listening and typing, can effectively train a new group of CSRs and

have them ready to deal with the majority of potential calls they will receive. This willalso help to establish an open line of communication for them to follow through if thereare any situations with which they may have difficulty. Another advantage to training in

this way is consistency of the training itself. In the old method the new associate is

shifted from CSRs to Leads as their schedules allow and does not have any simplicity orconsistency in the way the new hire learns and can lead to conflicted learning of policies

and procedures.

The following pages are a day to day breakdown of a possible training routine.

This is of course just a rough routine and can be add to ad hoc.

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Day 1, Introduction to Company

A. Review of Employee Handbook

a. Address questions or concerns from new hiresB. Review of CSR Handbook

a. Address various topics specifically, for example ID requirements

C. Introduction to the Officea. Tour of Office so associates are aware of where everything and/or

everyone is

b. Introduction to various personnel in the office and what thoseindividuals do to facilitate better understanding of procedures the new

associate may be involved in

Day 2, InterfaceA. Introduce New Associates to CSR Tools

a. Functions of CSR Order Queue

b. Functions and techniques of Search Orders

c. Admin Review and Blacklist searchesd. Confirmations

i. What to do and who should handle theme. Examples of using search tools for crosschecking zip codes, phone

numbers, addresses, etc.

B. Website Interface

a. Finding and selecting medicationsb. Customer login/customer interface and its uses

c. Placing orders

i. Selecting shipping methodsii. Selecting payment methods

iii. Thoroughness of filling out order forms

iv. Submitting ordersv. Checking status of orders at time of placement (interface from

the order back to search tools)

1. How to proceed with blacklist, reorder too soon,confirmation required, etc.

d. Dealing with websites using multiple shippers

e. Placing orders for customer whose affiliate is no longer with us

C. Office Toolsa. Use of MS Outlook for intra-office e-mails, customer faxes, etc.

b. MS Lync and Group Lync for fast communication

i. Including who to message dependant on what the situation isc. MS Excel pertaining to timecards

D. Shoretell and LiveChat

a. How to login and select specific groups for sorting incoming callsb. Procedure for call backs

c. Using the Queue Monitor

d. Various tools within LiveChat

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Day3, Scenario Based Training As A Group

A. The Basics

a. When a customer calls to place an orderb. When a customer calls for order status

i. Checking Pharmacy and Fedex status

ii. Canceling orders1. MO canceling

2. Pharmacy Processing canceling

iii. Dealing with customer complaints regarding delaysiv. Placing orders to common shipping addresses

c. Confirmations

i. Who may do a confirmation?

ii. How to and where to transfer confirmation callsd. Making notation in customer files, what needs to be there and what

doesnt

B. Escalations

a. How to deal with customersi. Explaining of policies and procedures

b. When and who to escalate calls toC. Refunds and Returns

a. When and how to issued a refund request

b. When is it ok for a package to be returned to us?

i. Placing a Fedex Call Tag and tracking a package

Day 3can be conducted using PowerPoint with snips and screenshots forming various

scenarios. Trainer will show and speak about various personal experiences as examplesof how to handle various day to day situations.

Days 4 can be spent shadowing a CSR to include typing while CSR is speaking to thecustomer then speaking to the customer while the CSR handles the typing. Day 5 can be

spent with the CSR shadowing the new associate.