I am a Training Manager responsible for employees spread over 2 main sites UK approx 150 staff Spain approx 60 staff,a no of satellite sites throughout Europe and one in Turkey with approx 5 at each.
I have been tasked with designing workshops to improve their skills in customer service and handling difficult customers. Whilst I am very comfortable with the content and delivery of this within the UK, have no experience of CS in European countries (or Turkey for that matter!) and would value any help, advise or tips from other members.
regards Lynnette
Lynnette Moran
2 Responses
Try the Henley Reserach centre – report into Teleculture
I’d recommend you look at the work of the Henley Research centre report into Teleculture. They have done extensive research on CS in various European countries and cultures. Some countries value single point of contact as most important aspect, some speed of resolution, some friendliness, some honesty its all very different and that impacts policy and procedures. As you rightly suggest you cant just transplant a UK customer service culture and methods onto another country it simply wont work long term. Just look at Indian call centres ! -oops opened up a can of worms there!
Culturally Adapted
Lynette,
I agree, have a look at the report into Teleculture, but also from my experience of doing what you are setting out to do please consider the following:
1. If you have the resources Mystery Shop your Spanish main site for customer service, and get this done by a Spaniard.
2. Culturally adapt all your programmes to suit the necessities of customer service in each target country (I’ve done this in Spain, France, Belguim, Italy, Germany, most countries in Eastern Europe, and all across the Gulf and it is really different each time).
3. Have the training translated and delivered by someone who speaks the local language well – if its delivered in English it won’t have even a tenth of the impact (and studies show that the retention rate in ones second language is only half to a hundreth of first language, dependent on how well the second language is spoken).
4. If you must deliver in English, then each session should last no more than 30 minutes, as concentration will be poor.
5. This training should be coached in by local managers, who will also need to be trained and supported after the training.
I really hope that this is helpful for you, having been in your shoes ten years ago I know what you are facing and the lessons I learnt are valuable, and very costly to learn for yourself.
Regards,
Megan