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Check Out Your Work Environment
Trainer’s Warehouse Article
Delivering the very best service to our customers requires that we have a heightened awareness of our surroundings and our work environment.
Here are some tips for greater customer satisfaction and more business as a result of being better prepared to deal with
and fulfill customer needs.
- Determine the “tools” you need in order to successfully “get the job done.” No matter how small or how grandiose the
item is, if it helps you in the accomplishment of your task, it is important.
- Identify the tools currently in your work environment that assist in providing excellent customer service.
- Utilize P6—“Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance” by Patrick P. Pepper.
- Anticipate (think like your customer) all that they may need, care for, or want. Provide “Seamless Service.”
- All items within your work environment should assist in keeping you “customer focused.”
The following is an excerpt from our book 50 Activities For Achieving Excellent Customer Service.
Check Out Your Work Environment
Activity Description
Time Guideline: 15 Minutes
This activity will help participants develop an awareness of their surroundings and assist them to be prepared at the start of
the day for serving their customers.
Learning Objectives
Purpose:
The purpose is to examine the work environment and the tools available to assist in serving the customer.
Participants Will Be Able To:
- Determine the tools needed in order to successfully “get the job done.”
- Identify the tools in their work environments that will assist in providing excellent customer service.
- Recognize that they must be prepared before the first call of the day.
- Operate by keeping focused on the customer.
- Show that they are professionals.
Benefits:
The benefit will be greater customer satisfaction and more business as a result of being better prepared to deal with and fulfill the
customer’s needs.
Method of Instruction:
Materials Needed
Handout 28.1: Check Out Your Work Environment (see below)
Preparation and Room Set-Up
No additional preparation is required. The activity is applicable to whatever room set-up the presenter has selected.
Step-by-Step Walk-Through of the Activity
Step 1: Say to the class,
“Did you ever make a call to someone and find they weren’t in, and you asked the person who
answered, ‘May I leave a message?’ The person says, ‘Sure, but can you wait until I get a pen?’”
Step 2: Explain,
“Your environment has such a great impact on how professional you are with your customers. In
order to be as effective and efficient as you possibly can be, it is important to have the right tools in your immediate work environment.”
Step 3: Place your participants in teams. Choose a leader for each and say,
“Leaders, please take your teams through a discussion and come up with a list of items in
your environment, not only on your desk, but in the office, or your training room that would make you as efficient and
effective as possible while working with your customers.”
Step 4: As the teams respond, ask everyone to write down the responses in their notebooks. Say,
“Team 1, please give us three to four items you have come up with.” Ask the other teams to do the
same.
Step 5: Share responses by saying,
“Here are some items we have accumulated from other sessions.” Read the list from Handout 28.1.
Step 6: Give out a copy of Handout 28.1. Say,
“When you go back to your office, please take a look at your desk and the office environment
and see if there is anything that you can do to improve your tools and how you work with your customers.”
Even though some of these items seem simple, they can be very important when it comes to being an efficient and effective professional.
Other Insights
What does it take for those with the responsibility to provide excellent customer service to have the means to get the job done and
create seamless service? What combination of knowledge, skills and attitude must exist to obtain the best results? What items must each customer service person have available
to them in their work arena to fulfill the needs of their customers and provide solutions? What tools must exist in your professional bag of skills to succeed and experience
success time and time again?
Anticipate all that your customers may need or care for or want. It is like orchestrating just about anything, a party for some of
your friends for example. This includes behind the scenes as well as what is observable behavior. In order to insure
a successful event, all that needs to be prepared and taken care of in advance must be anticipated.
View your treatment of the customer from the customer’s perspective by being one yourself.
HANDOUT 28.1
Check Out Your Work Environment
* Computer
* Good lighting and temperature
* Phone
* Cover-up fluid
* Phone headset *
Facial tissues
* Calculator
* Waste basket
* Notebook, forms * Fax
machine
* Pen, pencil *
Schedule
* Eraser
* Chair/desk
* Stapler
* Responsive departments with answers
* Humor in the workplace * Files
* List of phone numbers * Catalogs,
resource books
(internal and external)
* Internet access * A
customer
* Proper computer software * Paper clips
* Clean, efficient work area * Clock
* Calendar
* Self-adhesive notes
* Great attitude
* Copier
* Phone books
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