Tracking the Customer Pathways – a ten minute training session for customer care

Customer Pathways (Inward)

Aim

For participants to consider and appreciate the different ways in which customers have contact with the organisation, and their role in providing customer service.

Overview

Having mapped out the pathways that customers follow, participants think about their own responsibility in making that route as smooth as possible.

Numbers

Any number working in groups of three to six.

Suitable for

Induction, refresher, short session in a longer training, team meeting activity.

What you need

One sheet of flipchart paper per group plus pens.

Resource 1 – Customer Pathways

Handout 1 – The Brief

Handout 2 – Action Plan

Handout 3 – Report Back (for evaluation)

Preparation

1. Copy Handout 1 – The Brief (one per group)
2. Copy Handout 2 – Action Plan (one per person)
3. (Optional) copy Resource 1 – Customer Pathways to use as a handout
4. Arrange the room so that participants can work in groups of three to six people.

What to Do

Activity – 2 minutes – groups

Give each group of participants a sheet of flipchart paper and a selection of pens.

Also give them a copy of Handout 1 – The Brief.

Ask them to complete stage one of the exercise by mapping out the different routes that customers take when coming into contact with this organisation.

Reflect – 3 minutes – groups

Refer the groups to stage two of the brief and ask them to reflect on the impact that they can have personally on each of the customer pathways.

If any of the groups feel that they do not have any responsibility for some of the pathways you should challenge them to find some way in which they do.  Use Resource 1 – Customer Pathways to help you.

Conclude – 3 minutes – whole group

Collect feedback from each of the groups and gain consensus on the ways that individuals impact on the various different customer pathways.

If appropriate use Resource 1 – Customer Pathways as a handout.

Plan – 2 minutes – individual

Give each individual a copy of Handout 2 – Action Plan and ask them to record the action that they plan to take as a result of this training session.

Evaluation

Three weeks after the training session send each participant a copy of Handout 3 – Report Back, asking them to complete and return it.

Variation

f you have plenty of floor space, you could physically ‘map out’ the pathways that customers take and have groups of participants ‘walk through’ the exercise discussing their role along each ‘route’.

 

 

Customer Pathways (Inwards)

Resource 1 – Customer Pathways

 

Use this resource to prompt the responses from the groups during the exercise.

Feel free to add or amend sections according to your knowledge of the organisation and its customers.

 

Personal visit	Queue management Friendly professional service Clean and tidy premises Smile
Letter	Prompt reply Correct spelling and grammar Accurate information Answer all queries
Telephone	Answer quickly Professional and accurate answers Do not pass on call Call back when promised
E-mail	Answer/acknowledge quickly Appropriate style of response Manage workflow queues Appropriate use of ‘out of office’ response
Website	Keep website up to date Keep yourself up to do date on the contents of the website Liaise with the ‘webmaster’ over customer comments Advise customers of alternatives
Social media	Treat people with respect Be careful about the impression you give Watch for positive and/or negative feedback
Order form	Follow correct procedures Keep customer advised of delays Communicate with colleagues to ensure consistent approach Watch for special needs

 

 

 

Customer Pathways (Inwards)

Handout 1 – The Brief

 

Stage One

 

On the sheet of paper that you have been given:

1. Draw a shape in the centre that represents your organisation
2. Draw lines into the centre which represent the different ways in which customers make contact with your organisation

 

 

 

 

Stage Two

 

Now think about the impact that you personally can have on the level of customer service that is delivered along each of the pathways that you have drawn.

Make notes of your main points on the sheet of paper.

 

 

Customer Pathways (Inwards)

Handout 2 – Action Plan

 

 

As a result of this training session I have decided to:

 

 

 

 

 

 

By (date):

 

The effect this will have is:

 

 

 

 

Signed:

 

Date:

 

 

Customer Pathways (Inwards)

Handout 3 – Report Back

Following this training session the action I took was:

 

 

 

 

 

 

The result it had was:

 

 

 

 

 

I now intend to:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Signed:

 

Date:

 

Please complete this form and return it to:

 

By (date):

 

 

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