By the end of the workshop, participants will understand the importance of providing exceptional customer service, learning to care for both internal and external customers, and applying the customer service principles and techniques in the school environment. 

Many managers tell their frontline administrative or academic staff members and teachers to be friendly and give stellar service but do not explain how to deliver it. This is a very hands-on program; there will be ample opportunity to put the principles into practice.

Module 1:       Making a Commitment to Legendary Service 
The why always precedes the what and the how. Knowing the why will give us a better chance of success. It is essential to understand the importance of outstanding customer service intrinsically. Next, it is necessary to know what stellar service is and what characteristics are critical to delivering the desired service.  With that knowledge, we will more readily commit to our goals. Participants will craft a clear personal service vision. Before a comprehensive plan is developed, participants will learn three simple steps to build rapport and relationships with their customers as a starter.

At the end of this module, the participants will be able to:

1. Understand the importance of delivering stellar customer service.
2. List a set of qualities for an outstanding service professional.
3. Construct a clear personal service vision.
4. State simple steps in developing rapport with customers.

Module 2:       Knowing Your Customers and Their Preferences

To support and serve one’s customers more fully, it is vital to be attentive to customers to know who their customers are and what they want. Participants will learn about customer profiling. Active listening establishes connections between participants and their customers, which allows for ease of interaction and ensures that messages are being related completely and accurately. This will encourage the customers to express themselves more clearly and candidly.

At the end of this module, the participants will be able to:

1. Examine customer profiling to know the different types of customers they serve and the customers’ specific preferences.
2. Develop a method for collecting and processing customer feedback.
3. Cultivate active listening skills.

Module 3:     Forming Longstanding First and Last Impressions on Customers
Making customers feel welcome is the first step. As the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. The last impression you make may be the one that sticks with your customer the most.  

At the end of this module, the participants will be able to:

1. Discuss ideas for making remarkable first and last impressions.
2. Identify points of contact with customers during day-to-day interactions.
3. Draft a plan to make each interaction matter.

Module 4:       Being Responsive to the Needs of Customers 
Focusing on relationships with both internal and external customers is the school’s most powerful competitive advantage. To accomplish that, participants will discover ways to show their customers that they care. Participants must respond to needs with kindness and empathy in all situations. In particular, it is extremely stressful to manage difficult situations that involve customers.   

At the end of this module, the participants will be able to:

1. Identify ways to show their customers that they care about them.
2. Seek opportunities to build trust and earn trust with customers.
3. Learn techniques to deal with difficult situations that involve their customers.

Module 5:       Empowering Oneself to Implement Legendary Service 
Empowerment is taking the initiative to implement the service vision, including clarifying delegated authority, resources, policies, procedures, and protocols to realize the service vision proactively.

International schools have their own micro-culture. Despite a common language with which to interact in international schools, when people of radically different cultures come together, it is important to prepare host country support staff for their roles.

At the end of this module, the participants will be able to:

1. Clarify delegated authority, resources, policies, and procedures for them to take the initiative in implementing the service vision.
2. Identify trust-building blocks with their direct supervisor so that they will accept their feedback more readily.
3. Demonstrate characteristics that enable participants to thrive in the international school environment.

 

This course has 5 live synchronous sessions where participants will collaborate online using Zoom. Before each synchronous live session, participants will access course materials, submit assignments, and collaborate online using Microsoft Teams. Please see below for a brief outline of the course and dates:

• Asynchronous Couse Work (1 hour of preparation for each week for five weeks)
  • Legendary Service by Ken Blanchard – For each module, the facilitator will assign chapters from this book to participants that must read before the synchronous live session.
  • Participants will be asked to assess their own customer service practices related to modular content and report them in the synchronous live sessions.
• Saturday Synchronous Live Sessions (2.5 hours with the Facilitator for each week for five weeks)
  • Feb 19, Saturday, 9:30 am to 12 noon China Time inclusive of 15-minute break (for the Chinese Mandarin cohort)
    Feb 19, Saturday, 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm China Time inclusive of 15-minute break (for the English cohort)
  • Feb 26, Saturday, 9:30 am to 12 noon China Time inclusive of 15-minute break (for the Chinese Mandarin cohort)
    Feb 26, Saturday, 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm China Time inclusive of 15-minute break (for the English cohort)
  • Mar 5, Saturday, 9:30 am to 12 noon China Time inclusive of 15-minute break (for the Chinese Mandarin cohort)
    Mar 5, Saturday, 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm China Time inclusive of 15-minute break (for the English cohort)
  • Mar 12, Saturday, 9:30 am to 12 noon China Time inclusive of 15-minute break (for the Chinese Mandarin cohort)
    Mar 12, Saturday, 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm China Time inclusive of 15-minute break (for the English cohort)
  • Mar 19, Saturday, 9:30 am to 12 noon China Time inclusive of 15-minute break (for the Chinese Mandarin cohort)
    Mar 19, Saturday, 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm China Time inclusive of 15-minute break (for the English cohort)
• Post Course Coaching Calls with the Facilitator to review plans implemented.

  • This will be scheduled between April and May of 2022.

 

Approximately 2 weeks before the start of the course, participants will be emailed a course introduction, instructions for participating, and a pre-course survey and readings, if applicable. If you do not receive this email, please let us know.

Course announcements will be sent from events@pdacademia.com; please add this email sender to your safe sender list.

 

IMPORTANT NOTE TO PARTICIPANTS

Email communication before the course start date

Emails related to this Online PD Program will be sent from events@pdacademia.com. Please immediately add this email sender to your safe sender list.

Approximately 2 weeks before the start of the course, participants will be emailed a course introduction, instructions for participating and a pre-course survey and readings, if applicable. If you do not receive this email, please let us know.