Green Square
Developing Customer Service capability
Green Square was keen to develop a consistent approach to delivering customer service across the Group. We worked with a Steering Group to agree with a set of principles and a process that supported the Green Square values and competencies and agreed with an approach to initially introducing the approach to all staff and then to reinforce and embed the learning on a day to day basis.
Production of DVD
We identified common scenarios involving customers (both internal and external) and filmed them, showing the principles and process in action. Green Square staff took on the service provider role and we used actors to play the customers (making it more realistic). There were 14 scenarios in total showing different aspects of the organisation from Grounds Maintenance to Anti-Social Behaviour.
Staff training sessions
We designed and delivered a one day workshop for staff at all levels, from the CEO to Customer Service Assistants, caretakers and cleaners. We used the DVD to introduce each principle and to help staff see what was expected from them in terms of service excellence. We included sessions around questioning and listening (core customer service skills) as well as sessions on assertiveness and managing challenging situations. Sessions were delivered with a mix of staff at each in terms of level and function to encourage learning and knowledge sharing, as well as building relationships across the Group.
The Green Square Academy
Rather than it being a one-off training exercise, we worked with the Steering Group to develop the ‘Academy’. This included the option for staff to progress from Bronze through to Gold via training, completion of post-course assessments and most importantly application in their day to day working life – assessed against their competency framework.
Embedding the learning
We trained managers and coaches so they were able to observe, feedback and coach staff members around the customer service principles and process.
We also delivered train the trainer sessions to a group of internal trainers who have now become self-sufficient, following a process of shadowing our trainers, co-facilitating and feedback/coaching.
StraightForward totally understood who we are, what we’re about, and what we wanted to achieve from the outset. They unanimously and outstandingly came out on top in our tendering process for a partner to work with that would help us achieve a consistency and standard of customer service that we can be proud of, and that our customers would be ‘Delighted’ with – and we haven’t looked back since! Charlotte, Barbara and their team – special mentions to Louise, Sarah and Emma – have shared, and continue to share, their expertise generously; facilitating and enabling the creation and implementation of our Group-wide training programme Delight, our standards and principles, and our Academy of excellence that has fulfilled all the objectives we gave them. Everyone from across the business who has been trained by, worked with, met, spoken or bumped into them has had nothing but praise for them, and it has been some of the best received (if not the best) training we have ever delivered. They are now fully-fledged and established members of our extended team, and are a very welcome and invaluable addition that I would have great pleasure in recommending and introducing to others.
Julianne Britton, Customer Services Director