How do you encourage an experienced member of staff to undertake further training?
Can you teach an old dog new tricks? Can you change a die-hard frontliner? Is there a way to open the mind of a seasoned pro to a new way of working?
Well the short answer is YES …as long as that old dog WANTS to be taught new tricks AND recognises that for things to change, THEY have to change!
You know what they say – you can take a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink!
Accept that ALL motivation is self-motivation, so if an individual is open to and motivated to receiving new, different and dare I say, even better ways of working to ensure a PME for your customer (that’s a Positive Memorable Experience) than any half-decent customer service training company CAN teach an experienced member of staff ways to enhance their behaviour and performance for their good and the good of their customer.
Our mantra here in First Impression Training is to ensure that everyone has some educational fun when they work with us – which we know is at the root of all successful training.
When people have fun learning new, different or better ways of providing great customer service on behalf of their organisation, then the chances of an enhanced customer AND employee experience is heightened – wouldn’t you agree!?
We once had a gentlemen on one of our bespoke workshops for a client where he’d been representing their brand for almost 30 years – in fact he was due to retire in a few short years when we delivered the culture change programme for the client.
He assured us that the likelihood of him learning anything new at his stage of his career and age was, he hinted, as likely as the Pope marrying Jennifer Lopez! Yet within just a few short weeks, he sought me out while I was on site, telling me how much he’d enjoyed the training and how he was feeling a whole new lease of life on the frontline, and how he thought he’d be proof and a good example to tell others about of how you really can teach an old dog new tricks AS LONG AS that old dog is up for it!
Attitude is a choice – and it’s the individual’s choice as to whether they choose to get on the bus and come with their company (and the training provider of course) on the journey to service excellence or remain in old world, on their lonesome.
Interestingly, some of the greatest success stories are about those once reluctant travellers – who go on to enjoy the ride, ring the bell and enjoy their jobs much better as a result – so no matter how experienced or long in the tooth we may be, there is ALWAYS room for development if the mind is open enough to change!
One of my favourite quotes of all time is this…
“remember, the biggest room you’ll ever enter is the room for self-improvement”
…and we’re all better than we know, so we just need help to realise this – and THAT’S what proper training and development is all about!
Hello... I'm Marie Cross
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