Case Studies - Customer Service

Compton Verney
Compton Verney is a Warwickshire based gallery of international standard where visitors enjoy art in a welcoming, accessible environment. In assisting them to improve the visitors’ experience and encourage increased visitor numbers, First Class facilitated a day to support the customer facing managers in the creation of a customer care vision. The vision they created will be used to ensure that visitors have an experience that both meets, and, ideally, exceeds their expectations.

Customer Service Induction for a Hospitality Services Department
Designed and delivered customer service induction training for all permanent and seasonal staff for an award winning Hospitality Services department. This was supplemented with on-going training focusing on specific aspects of customer service throughout the year. This ensured that the Department delivered consistently high standards of service in a highly competitive market across catering, housekeeping, office and conference support staff.

Customer Service - Summary Northern University
First Class was recommended by another University to the external relations department within a northern University. They were seeking facilitators who understood the University environment to work in partnership. Their objective was to show a measured improvement in the service provided to all their customers. In conjunction with a working party, First Class designed two consecutive annual away days with a 50:50 split of “fun” and “work”.

In year 1 the teams established service Charters focused on improving life for each other and working groups to achieve improvement plans. Follow up support included attending departmental development meetings, providing email and telephone support. Twelve months later they achieved a 51% increase in satisfaction in their target areas.

For year 2 the theme was improving the service to the university and external customers. Each team identified “Moments of truth” where they come into contact with customers. They developed an action plan to prevent these becoming “moments of misery” and developing potential “moments of magic”. From the event an action plan of personal and departmental changes was designed and teams of individuals with the relevant experience were asked to work on them. The successes will be celebrated at the next event.

Law Centre
The Law Centre offers free specialist legal advice and representation to those within the community who are disadvantaged and often have nowhere else to turn. The clients’ first contact with the Law Centre is either via the telephone or in person at the reception area. The Director was keen that the Reception was welcoming, efficient and reassuring for clients who may be vulnerable and where English may not be their first language.

As part of on-going work to raise the level of service, there had been a new telephone system and some physical changes to the works area. First Class was asked to work with the team to as they looked to enhance these changes. In discussion with the Director and Head of Reception First Class designed and delivered a day in which the whole Reception team were involved. Through discussion, exercises and lots of flip chart paper they analysed the service to identify the skills and behaviours required for a perfect Reception. The practical issues of what do we need to do to deliver this, including behaviours and standards, were raised and they created an action plan to achieve these as well as how to overcome some of the barriers.

If this type of training is of interest to you please call
Mel Ashworth: 01789 551665 - [email protected]