Training On The Handling Of Customer Complaints

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Any training & development programme should contain inputs which enable participants to gain skills, learn theoretical concepts & help acquire vision to look into distant future. In addition to these, there is need to impart the ethical orientation, emphasize on attitudinal changes & stress upon decision-making & the problem-solving abilities.

Skills: Training refers to imparting skills to the employees. Worker needs skills to operate the machines, and use the other equipment with least damage & scrap. This is basic skill without which operator will not be able to function. The examples of interpersonal skills include persuading, listening, & showing understanding of the others feelings.

Education: Purpose of the education is to teach the theoretical concepts & develop sense of reasoning & judgment. Any of such programme has university professor as the resource persons to enlighten the participants about the theoretical knowledge of topics proposed to be discussed.

Development: The another component of training & development programme is the development which is less skill-oriented but surely stresses on knowledge. The knowledge about the business environment, management principles & techniques, human relations, specific industry analysis & like is useful for the better management of a company.

Ethics: There is a need for imparting higher ethical orientation to a training & development programme. There is no denial of fact that the ethics are largely ignored in the businesses. The unethical practices abound in finance, marketing & production functions in the organization. These are less seen and talked about in personnel function.

Decision Making & Problem Solving skills: The Decision making & problem solving skills focus on the methods & techniques for making the organizational decisions & solving all work-related problems, learning related to the decision-making & problem-solving skills seeks to improve the trainees abilities to define & structure problems, collect and analyse the information, generate alternative solutions & make optimal decision among alternatives.

Training on the company  policies/ procedures:

A. The classroom sessions.

Explain policies/procedures.

Question & answer sessions.

Handover booklets on the policies/procedures.

B. 3 days later conduct written test.

Training on the handling of customer complaints:

Retail   sales  staff: (Workshop contents) 

Step 1: Approach and Greeting. 

*First impressions & personal appearance. 

*Having a friendly & cheerful disposition.

*Acknowledging the customers you cannot assist immediately. 

Approaching the Customers:

- Decided Customer.

- Undecided Customer.

- Browsing Customer.

Using various types of Greetings.

Step 2: Qualification 

Questioning/Probing to discover customer's real needs and wants.

Step 3: Demonstration 

*Establishing Trust. 

*Establishing Value. 

*Creating Excitement & Desire. 

*Demonstrating merchandise FEATURES and BENEFITS.

*Involving customer. 

*Offering few alternatives. 

*Use of technical terms.

Step 4: Handling the Objections 

*Handling various types of objections. 

*Identifying customer's true objection. 

*Anticipating the objections.

Step 5: Closing Sale 

*Recognizing the buying signals 

*Using various types of  closing techniques 

*Generating the additional sales:

- Add-on selling

- Up-selling

- Cross-selling 

     -suggestion  selling

      -Optimized selling

-Reassuring & fare welling customer

3. Training on the motivating sales personnel

1. The Personal Selling Techniques.

1.1-Distinguish between three selling situations:

*SELF-SERVICE

*SELF  SELECTION

*FULL  PERSONAL  SERVICE

1.2 –Identify features of full personal service,

1.3-Greet customers in appropriate

1.4-Recognise the circumstances where the customers should be allowed to browse.

1.5- Use active listening skills to identify the specific customer needs.

1.6-Identify different means of opening a sale

1.7-Select appropriate method of opening a sale based on the active listening.

1.8- Demonstrate through the product knowledge when selling

Benefits in the use:

*Functions

*Materials

*Origins

*Features

1.9 –Demonstrate features of a product

1.10 –Emphasize functions/features/benefits of the product appropriate to needs of a particular consumer

1.11 – Construct an offer for the product.

1.12- Identify various categories of the objections.

1.13- Identify appropriate counter action to the various types of objections.

1.14 – Overcome objections when doing the personal sales.

1.15 Identify  circumstances   when the complementary  sales  are  appropriate

1.16 -Identify  the opportunities  for  trading  up

1.17- Present  options  to the customers for  trading  up

1.18- Recognize the buying  signals & appropriate  moment 

to close sale.

1.19- Explain different techniques of  closing the  sale.

1.20 - Select and  utilise  appropriate  techniques for  closing

sale  in the given  situation.

2. CUSTOMER RELATIONS

2.1-Maintain the courtesy throughout all stages of sale.

2.2-Explain means  of  building customer  loyalty

2.3- Explain ethics  of selling

2.4-Deal  with customer  in ethical  manner

2.5- Outline legal responsiblities  of  the  retailer.

his  customers  under  current  legislation

2.6-Explain obligation  of  salesperson to  his/her  employer.

2.7-Deal effectively  with  customer  complaints  in   accordance with  company  policy.

2.8- Implementing range  of the customer  services

      *Good  returns  policy

      *Delivery

      *Cash  &  carry

      *After  the sales  service

2.9- Identify customer  service  provided  by retailer

over & above  legal  obligation. 

2.10 - Explain  how  to  deal with the emergency  procedures in  

retail  outlet.

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3. Handling  payments.

3.1-Use the cash   register competently  [ including use  of barcodes]

3.2-Use correct  procedures  when  handling the cash  transactions.

3.3-Deal with following  procedures when  handling the cash

*Floats

*Credit  notes

*Refunds

*Voids

*Vouchers

3.4-Follow correct  procedures  for the validating the cheques.

3.5-Use correct procedures for the credit   card transactions

3.6-Demonstrate secure procedures when handling the payments.

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Traning

Training procedure

Introduction

Incorporating product training in training program would help sales personnel to meet customers’ need & reach their full potential. Andragogy is one theory of the adult learning that attempts to explain that why adults learn differently than the other types of learners. Andragogy makes following assumptions

·   Adults need to know why need to learn something

·   Adults need to learn the experientially 

·   Adults approach the learning as problem solving

·   Adults learn best when topic is of immediate value

Adult learners usually approach the learning differently than young learners, they are

·   Are more self guided in learning;

·   Bring more & expect to bring more, to the learning situation because of wider experience

·   Require learning "to make sense"- will not perform activity because instructor said to do

Also different people learn things differently, there are 3 learning styles:

Visual learners: These process new information best when it is visually illustrated or demonstrated using:

·   Graphics, illustrations

·   Demonstrations

·   Images

Auditory learners: They process the new information best when it is spoken:

·   Discussions

·   Lectures

Kinesthetic learners: These process the new information best when it may be touched or manipulated:

·   Written assignments, taking notes

·  Participation in activities 

·    Examination of objects

The first key to making the training effective is to use variety of techniques to introduce learners to material & to apply their new found knowledge so it sticks with them. Objective of training is not to teach the product knowledge but how to use the product knowledge to sell. The people are more engaged when the training is fun and interactive. Humans are the social beings so social aspect should be included in class room.

Making training program fun & interactive will not just provide more enjoyable experience for participants, but will lead to higher learning. The Learning is achieved best by being active. According to the adult learning principles, learn by processing information, linking it to the previously held knowledge & by applying new knowledge. So designing training to include the fun activities & social interaction will lead to more successful & educational program.

Keeping all factors in mind it is necessary to develop the training process that addresses each of learning styles & helps to ensure that training reaches all of individuals.

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Trainees

The product knowledge needs to be imparted to existing sales staff as well as new recruits who will be selected on opening of new stores.

For existing stores: The team heads of each department will be sent for training who in turn will provide on job training to subordinates. In case of the existing stores it’s not feasible to provide training to all sales staff as it would cause a hindrance in working schedule.

New recruits: All candidates who will be selected by management to work on floor as the sales staff would be required to undergo training. Module on the product knowledge will be incorporated within two week induction training the currently being given to the staff.

Duration: 3 days

Course content:

Training would consist of the two sections of manuals

Basic guide- It would give all basic knowledge about different categories of apparel, different types of fabrics, weaves & styles.

Selling guide- This consists of all steps required to make a successful sale & would let participants know importance of translating product features into benefits. It also consists of all products present in store along with price points & their features & benefits.

Process

Training on the product knowledge will be divided in to three day session. This would include a presentation of manuals as well as the interactive activities for an effective learning session.

Day 1:

Before start of any the module it is necessary to describe goals & objectives of training & how participants would benefit from training.

Module would begin with interactive game to make candidates realize need of the product knowledge.

Activity 1:

What is in my bag?

Duration:

45 minutes

Objective:

To let participants realize need of product knowledge

Instructions

All participants will be divided into group of two or three. Each group would be given a product inside the bag. All groups will be given fifteen minutes to write few points about their product which would help of other groups to identify their product.

After fifteen minutes each group will say one point about their product & process will continue till one of products name is guessed correctly.

As this activity is conducted before training, it would become difficult for participants to guess products & hence they would realize need to have the correct product knowledge.

After this activity participants would be given presentation of first section of manual i.e. basics guide which would help them gain a brief knowledge about all products being sold in store.

Day would end with small quiz based on "basics guide" to help them retain contents of training.

Day 2:

At start of 2nd day, Activity 1 would be repeated and participants would realise improvement in performance. This will give them a boost & would encourage them to learn more.

Participants would be given a brief about importance of knowing how to sell the product & how it benefits of a product that matter to the customer & not just features.

They would be given presentation of second section of manual i.e. selling guide & men’s & women’s section would be completed.

At end of the day participants would be quizzed on day’s course content.

Day 3:

After second day’s course content participants will have some clear image about various products that would be sold on job. Also they would be equipped with specific techniques that could be used to sell products based on features and benefits.

Third day would be last day of training & would consist more of activities to help participants retain knowledge and to help them apply this knowledge on job.

Day would start with an activity called features and benefits game.

Activity 2:

Features & Benefits Game

Duration: 

Flexible

Objective: 

To encourage the participants to focus on customer, not technical features of what they are selling.

Instructions

Ask a member of group to act as customer and give a very brief outline of requirements for product they wish to purchase. Like "I would like to buy a trouser for office wear. I would want something which is comfortable and light". 

The rest delegates then have to sell that item focusing on customer’s needs. 

Rules are: First person gives feature like "this shirt has wrinkle resistance" & then passes it onto next participant who has to provide benefit "which means, you don’t need to iron every time u wear "

It is then gets passed to third delegate who provides some other feature, and fourth provides corresponding benefit - matching customer’s needs. 

You swap & have different customer or product. 

After the above mentioned activity, participants are likely to get energized. Presentation of "selling guide" would proceed covering kids & infants section.

Training module would be finished up by a fun activity to help them apply all they have learnt.

Activity 3:

Sell This!

Duration:

Flexible

Objective:

To encourage the creative thinking, accepting peers’ ideas, & help to effectively sell products.

Instructions:

The Brainstorm a list of product names & give one name to each of the small group. Give 20 minutes to each of the group to come up with following:

·   What product is/does?

·   A celebrity spokesperson for the product

·   Acting out a commercial for the product

Each team will present their "product" to larger group

Learning Principles:

The training & development programmes are the most likely to be effective when they incorporate following principles of learning:

TheEmployee motivation.

Recognition of the individual differences.

Practice of opportunities.

Reinforcement,

Knowledge of the results.

Goals.

Schedules of the learning.

Meaning of the material

Transfer of the learning.

Motivation to learn is basic requisite to make the training & development programmes effective. Motivation comes from awareness training fetches some rises in pay and status. The motivation alone is not enough. Individual must have ability to learn. Ability varies from an individual to individual and difference must be considered while the organizing training programmes.

Regardless of the individual differences & whether a trainee is learning the new skill or acquiring knowledge of the given topic, trainee should be given opportunity to practice what is being taught. Practice is also essential after individual has been successfully given the training. It is almost impossible to find the professional cricket player who does not practice for lots of hours a day. The practice can be a form of positive reinforcement.

Reinforcement may be understood :

Increases strength of response

Tends to induce repetitions of behavior that preceded reinforcement.

Distinction may be made between the positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement.

Knowledge of the results is necessary condition of the learning. Feedback about performance will enable learner to know where he stands and to initiate the corrective action if deviation from expected goal has taken place. There are specific tasks for which such feedback is virtually mandatory the learning. The crane operator, as example, would have the trouble learning to manipulate controls without knowing how crane responds to the control actions.

Goal setting can accelerate learning, particularly when it is accompanied by the knowledge of results. The individuals generally perform better & learn more quickly when have goals, particularly if goals are specific & reasonably difficult. Goals that are a lot difficult or very easy have little motivational value.

Schedules of the learning involve:

Duration of the practice sessions

Duration of the rest sessions.

Positioning of the rest pauses. All three must be carefully planned & executed.

Various methods of training are used to train the employees. Commonly used are:

On-the-job methods

Off-the-job methods

Techniques of the training of are:

Lecture: The lecture is the verbal presentation of information by the instructor to large audience. Lecturer is presumed to possess the considerable depth of knowledge of subject at hand. The virtue of this method is that it may be used for very large groups, the cost per trainee is low. This method is mainly used for the training factory employees.

On-the-job Training (OJT): The majority of the industrial training is of on-the-job training type. OJT is conducted at work site and in context of job. Often, it is informal, when an experienced worker shows trainee how to perform job tasks.

This is the most effective method as trainee learns by the experience, making him highly competent. Further, method is the least expensive since no formal training is organized. Trainee is a highly motivated to learn since he is aware of fact that his success on job depends on training received. Training is free from artificial situation of classroom. This contributes to effectiveness of programme.

Programmed Instruction (PI): It is a method where training is offered without intervention of the trainer. Information is provided to trainee in blocks, either in book form of through teaching machine. After reading each block of the material, learner must answer the question about of it. The feedback in form of correct answer is provided after each response. Programmed instruction (PI)involves:

Presenting the questions, facts, or problems to learner.

Allowing person to respond.

Providing feedback on accuracy of answers.

If answers are correct, learner proceeds to next block. If not, he repeats the same.

Main advantage of PI is that it is self-paced- trainees can progress through programmes at their own speed.The strong motivation is provided to learner to repeat learning. Material is also structured & self-contained, offering more chances for practice.

Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI): It is an extension of PI method. Speed, memory & data-manipulation capabilities of computer permit greater utilization of the basic PI concept. Like, learner’s response may determine frequency & difficulty of next frame.

CAI is improved system when compared to the PI method, in at least three respects. First, CAI provides for accountability because tests are taken on computer so that management can monitor each trainee’s progress & needs. A CAI training programme can also be modified easily to reflect the technological innovations in equipment for which employee is being trained. Third, training also tends to be flexible in that trainees may usually use computer almost anytime they want, and gets training when they prefer.

Simulation: Simulator is any kind of equipment or technique which duplicates as nearly as possible all the actual conditions encountered on job. Simulation is an attempt to create a realistic decision-making environment for trainee. Simulations provide likely problem situations & decisions alternatives to trainee. Like, activities of organization may be simulated & trainee may be asked to make the decision in support to the said activities. Results of those decisions are reported back to trainee with explanation of what would have happened if they had actually been made in workplace. Trainee learns from this feedback & improves his subsequent simulation & workplace decisions.

Case study: This is a written description of actual simulation in business provoking the reader, the need to decide that what is going on, what situation really is or what problems are & what can & should be done. Taken from actual experiences of organizations, cases represent attempts to describe, as precisely as possible, the real problems that managers have faced. Trainees study cases to determine the problems, analyse causes, develop solutions, select best one & implement it. The case study can provide stimulating discussions among the participants & excellent opportunities for the individuals to defend analytical & judgment abilities. It appears to be the ideal method to promote decision-making abilities within constraints of limited data.

Role playing: This generally focuses on the emotional issues and not actual ones. Essence of role playing is to create realistic situation, as in the case study, & then have trainees assume parts of specific personalities in situation. Like a male worker may assume role of the female supervisor, and supervisor may assume role of the male worker. Both may be given a typical work situation & asked to respond as they expect others to do. Consequence is better understanding among individuals.

Vestibule Training: This utilizes equipment which closely resemble real ones used on job. However, the training takes place away from work environment.

Special area or a room is set aside from main production area & is equipped with furnishings similar to those found in actual production area. Trainee is then permitted to learn in the given simulated conditions, without disrupting the ongoing operations. The primary advantage of the vestibule training is that it relives employees from pressure of having to produce while learning. Emphasis is on the learning skills required by job.

Sensitivity Training: The sensitivity training uses few numbers of trainees, usually less then 12 in a group. They meet with passive trainer & gain insight into own & others behavior. The meetings have no agenda & are held away from workplaces & questions deal with ‘here and now’ of group process. The discussions focus on ‘why the participants behave as they do, how do they perceive one another, & feelings & emotions generated in interaction process.

Objectives of the sensitivity training are to provide participants with increased awareness of their behavior & how others perceive them-greater sensitivity to behavior of others, & increased understanding of the groups processes. The specific results sought include the increased ability to empathise with others, improved listening skills increased conflict-resolution skills, greater openness and increased tolerance of individual differences.