Workshop outline
This workshop teaches participants to understand the expectations of their clients and define good practice procedure when managing face-to-face communications and telephone calls. Participants will learn techniques for managing difficult situations, describing skills, tone, body language and word choices at each stage.

Learning method
This workshop is highly participative and uses facilitator input, plenary conversations, group exercises and discussions, reviews and action planning. Participants are expected to contribute real-life examples to aid learning.

Workshop content

Session 1: introduction and objectives
Introductions and personal learning objectives
Session 2: what is customer focus?
How do we recognise good customer care? What does it look and feel like?
Why is customer care important to your organisation?
Who are our customers and what are their expectations?
What gets in the way of giving this service?
How do you view your customers?
Creating the right impression – how do you view yourself?
Session 3: communication skills
The three Vs of communication
Body language
English as a second language
Questioning and listening skills
Appropriate greetings and language to encourage
Delivering the message assertively
The different methods of communicating with our customers – face-to-face and telephone
Session 4: managing the residents
What difficult situations do you have to deal with?
What might create these situations?
Managing our own responses and inner dialogue
Handling others’ emotions, anger and complaints
Saying ‘no’ professionally
Session 5: working with our managers
What can we do to improve communications with our managers?
Session 6: working with our colleagues
How can we show support for our colleagues and what should we expect in return?
Managing absence and its impact
Session 7: personal planning
What are we going to do differently back in the workplace?
How will others notice?