Chapter 7. TRAINING: Learn Your Lines

“If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. It’s the hard that makes it great.”

—TOM HANKS

Tonight is opening night. The last rehearsal went well because Bob made sure Liz was prepared and knew her lines. She had spent so much time learning and watching the production that the transfer was seamless. You and the other cast members take your places on stage. You hear the audience applaud as the play is announced. The curtain rises, and the play begins. During Act I, only one of the actors, Mitch, flubs his lines. You quickly pick up on his mistake and ad lib until he is back on track. During Act II, Mitch misses his cue and another actor steps in for him. By Act III, you and the other actors are on edge wondering what is going on with Mitch. He almost makes it through Act III, but at the end he forgets his line yet again. The audience does not seem to notice; the members applaud wildly at the end of the play. You and the cast take your curtain calls, elated yet relieved that you made it through the first night. By the audience’s reaction, you can tell that this play is going to be a hit. Bob gathers the cast together to congratulate all of you. He does not say anything about Mitch’s performance but as you walk to the dressing rooms you overhear Bob asking Mitch to stay behind.

Before Mitch’s performance problems become worse, Bob needs to find out the what is happening. Fortunately, the other actors covered for Mitch, but Bob needs to address the problem before it becomes more serious. The cast members will cover for a short time, but the members will become disgruntled if the situation persists performance after performance.

Good directors understand that a successful performance depends on cast members who know their lines thoroughly and have learned how to interact with their colleagues and the audience. When an actor performs poorly, the cause usually involves a lack of training or a lack of motivation. Bob made sure Mitch knew his lines, so now he is wondering if Mitch lacks the motivation to perform well. Still, before Bob reaches that conclusion, he needs to get Mitch’s perspective. After all, his poor performance might simply be the result of first-night jitters or stage fright, both of which could be corrected through additional training.

Let’s face it. In business, as in acting, it is important to learn your lines well. Unless you know what is expected, you cannot perform at your best. Your customers are going to suffer when you or your coworkers do not know how to find the best solution for them in every situation.

As a customer service star, begin by analyzing what you and your team need. What do you need to learn? What kind of training do you need? Think about all aspects of your job, from technical training to providing exceptional service to your customers. Learning one without the other will not create a satisfactory customer interaction. It is imperative that you learn all aspects of the job. In addition, understanding the big picture—your overall company operation and what your competition offers—will help you and your coworkers give your customers great performances every day.

“The only thing that you owe the public is a good performance.”

—HUMPHREY BOGART