e-Learning Blog

First, let's clarify what is meant by "customer service".

●What is Customer Support?

Customer support refers to the series of tasks performed for customers who visit a company. Specifically, it includes the following:

(1) Greeting and Reception
At the reception or entrance, we welcome customers with a smile and confirm their name and purpose of visit. For customers with appointments, we will notify the designated employee of their visit.

(2) Guidance
We will guide you to the designated room, such as the reception room or meeting room. At that time, we will walk a few steps ahead of you and lead you while paying attention to the speed.

(3) Hospitality
We provide drinks such as tea and coffee, and pay attention to ensure that our customers can spend their time comfortably.

(4) Greetings
Be mindful of polite greetings and introduce yourself when meeting for the first time. Exchange business cards if necessary.

(5) Customer Inquiry Support
If there are any questions or inquiries from customers, we will respond promptly and accurately. If it is necessary to contact the person in charge, we will pass on the information.

After the visit, we will see you off to the entrance or exit. We may also provide information about the next visit or future contact.

These are just examples and the response may vary depending on the company. They may seem trivial, but customer service directly affects the company's image, credibility, and customer satisfaction. In other words, employees who are responsible for customer service can be considered as "representatives of the company" when interacting with customers. Therefore, it is important for new employees who have just entered society to receive customer service training, as it holds significant meaning.

Below, we have summarized the benefits of new employees receiving customer service training.

●Benefits of New Employees Receiving Customer Service Training

(1) Learn Business Manners
By taking customer service training, you can learn basic business manners. By mastering proper business manners, you can show respect to your customers and build trust with them.

(2) Gain confidence and interact with customers
By learning how to handle visitors, you can confidently interact with customers. As a result, you will be able to provide more detailed and polite responses, and give customers a sense of security.

(3) Preventing Problems Before They Occur
By learning the basics of customer service, you can acquire the skills to handle various situations appropriately. This can prevent problems from occurring and reduce the burden of dealing with complaints.

(4) Contributes to improving the corporate image
Reception is the first opportunity for customers to interact with the company. Appropriate responses can improve the first impression of the company and enhance its reputation and image.

(5) Consistent Response
By providing all employees with the same customer service training, consistency is created in customer service. As a result, customers can receive the same high level of service from any employee. This increases trust in the entire company.

Through this new employee receiving training in customer service, we have come to understand that it not only benefits the individual's self-improvement, but also leads to overall improvement in company performance.

In this chapter, we will explain the specific contents of customer service training. Generally, the following curriculum is provided.

● Curriculum Example for Customer Service Training

(1) Mindset for Customer Service
Understand the significance and importance of customer service, and recognize that polite and accurate responses to customers contribute to the credibility and evaluation of the company.

(2) Basic Operations and Manners
Learn basic operations such as behavior and attitude that give a good impression, and correct manners that show respect to customers. This also includes learning polite language, appropriate attire, and how to use facial expressions and eye contact.

(3) Visitor Support Flow
Learn how to greet and assist customers, exchange business cards, and more. In addition, you will also learn how to guide visitors to designated locations, as well as how to serve drinks in different situations.

(4) Responding to Special Situations
Being prepared for irregular situations such as customer complaints or when a specific employee is absent can provide a sense of security. Additionally, for companies with many international visitors, it can be beneficial to learn how to greet customers in their language and be mindful of cultural differences.

Through this curriculum, new employees can acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for customer service.

To improve customer service skills, it is important to not only learn the curriculum introduced in the previous chapter as knowledge, but also to acquire it through practical programs such as role-playing.

So, here are some points to summarize for more effective customer service training.

〈Point 1〉Practice Role-Playing to Develop Practical Skills
By engaging in role-playing that replicates real work situations, you can acquire practical skills in addition to theoretical knowledge. Furthermore, by considering various situations and problems, your problem-solving abilities will also be strengthened.

〈Point 2〉Provide Feedback
After role-playing, let's give specific feedback. By telling what was good and what needs improvement, we can deepen our understanding of learning. Also, by using positive words when doing well, new employees can gain confidence. By accumulating such successful experiences, motivation for learning and work will also increase.

〈Point 3〉Communicate the goals and benefits of the training
Before starting customer service training, setting goals for the training will make the direction of learning clear. Also, by communicating the benefits of the training, it will lead to increased motivation for the learners.

〈Point 4〉Demonstrate with a role model
By having instructors and senior employees demonstrate actual customer interactions, new employees can easily form a concrete image. It is even more effective to show both good and bad examples.

〈Point 5〉Participate in actual customer service
As part of the training, new employees will participate in actual customer service with senior employees to gain practical experience. They will start by observing and gradually increase their involvement in customer interactions.

We recommend conducting regular follow-up training rather than just ending it once. By repeating the training, the anxieties and tensions of new employees will be reduced, and their skills will be solidified. As a result, they will be able to play an active role as a skilled worker in actual business operations.

In addition, it is effective to have manuals and resources in place so that new employees can always check the procedures for handling visitors.

In the past, when it came to new employee training, it was common to have group training where the participants would gather together. Group training had the advantage of being able to provide feedback on the spot and allowing for communication with the instructor, but it also posed challenges in terms of time and cost.

One of the recent focuses is "high-quality and high-efficiency new employee training" utilizing e-learning. Here, we will explain the benefits of conducting new employee training through e-learning.

〈Benefits 1〉Ability to learn anytime, anywhere
e-learning allows employees to learn according to their own schedules, without being restricted by time or location. In addition, it is compatible with mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, which are familiar to younger generations, making it easy for new employees to engage in learning.

〈Benefits.2〉Unlimited Review
e-Learning, unlike one-time group training, allows for repeated learning, so you can thoroughly review until you understand. It seems to be a reassuring tool, especially for new employees who have a lot to remember.

〈Benefits.3〉Standardization of Education
For group training, there is a possibility of variation in the "quality of education" depending on the instructor. However, with e-learning, the same educational content can be provided to all participants, leading to standardization of education.

e-Learning delivery and attendance are generally done through an LMS (Learning Management System). This LMS records all data such as learning progress and grades, making learning management easy. In addition, based on this data, tests can be conducted and surveys can be taken, allowing for the delivery of optimal education to each new employee.

〈Benefits.5〉Cost Reduction
e-Learning is a form of online learning, so there is no need for instructor fees, venue fees, or travel expenses for participants. For example, if a company with branches nationwide were to conduct a group training for all new employees, there may be costs for travel and accommodation. However, with e-Learning, these costs can be eliminated, resulting in significant cost reduction.

e-Learning can provide many benefits that were not available with traditional training styles, such as flexibility in learning, improved learning effectiveness, and cost efficiency.

This is an effective e-learning for new employee training, but there are some aspects that cannot be covered in practice. Therefore, we will introduce ways to supplement it.

●Utilize as a hybrid training

Learn basic knowledge and theory through e-learning, and practice role-playing with the cooperation of superiors and senior employees in the workplace. By applying the knowledge gained through e-learning in a real environment, skills will be solidified and it will be possible to acquire the ability to respond flexibly.

●Add interactive elements

By adding interactive videos and game-like content to e-learning, learners' motivation increases and they can learn more actively. For example, by including videos that demonstrate good and bad examples, learners can clearly understand the results and easily imagine specific ways to respond.

●Use as a repetitive learning tool

E-learning, which allows you to learn easily anywhere, is the perfect tool for repetitive learning and review. Reviewing knowledge and experiences gained through role-playing in e-learning can lead to a deeper understanding and retention of knowledge.

Acquiring basic knowledge and repetitive learning is done through e-learning, while practical learning is done through role-playing. By combining these learning methods, learners can balance both theory and practice.

Customer service, which determines the first impression of a company, is one of the most important business skills. Learning the basics of customer service also leads to improved communication skills both within and outside the company, making it a skill that should be acquired early on by new employees. Therefore, customer service training for new employees is essential for any company.

For more effective and efficient customer service training, we recommend e-learning as introduced above.

At Human Science Co., Ltd., we offer various e-learning materials to support the early development of new employees. One of these is "Basic Business Manners for Receiving Visitors and Visiting Clients," which provides easy-to-understand explanations on basic etiquette for receiving visitors, visiting clients, and exchanging business cards.

For more information, please refer to Human Science Co., Ltd.'s e-learning site.

＞e-Learning Materials "Basic Business Manners for Visitors and Visits"

We hope to be able to support the future of our company by helping new employees gain confidence and excel in their customer service skills.