Chapter 11

Learning Activities

What’s in This Chapter

• Fifty-one learning activities to use in your workshops

• Complete step-by-step instructions for each activity

• Refer to Chapter 14 for instructions to download full-size learning activities

The learning activities of the three workshops are their essential elements. They will challenge and engage learners, support them in acquiring new knowledge and skills, provide stimulation for different types of learners, and avoid the monotony of ineffective lecturing. Remember that “listening ain’t learning,” and these activities will cause learning to “stick” by involving the participants in a meaningful, hands-on experience.

Each learning activity provides detailed information about the learning objective(s) it supports, required materials, timeframes, step-by-step instructions, variations, debriefing questions, and transitions. Follow the instructions in each learning activity to prepare for the workshop, identify and gather materials, and successfully guide participants through the activity. See Chapter 14 for complete instructions on how to download the workshop support materials.

The workshops’ opening learning activities serve multiple purposes. They engage learners, create interest, establish an interactive and collaborative learning environment, introduce participants, establish expectations, and outline each workshop’s learning objectives. Whew! (They are pretty important.)

After each workshop’s first three learning activities, subsequent activities are aligned with specific learning objectives. Some learning objectives have multiple learning activities associated with them. As an aid to you, the linkage between learning activities and learning objectives is identified at the top of each learning activity.

Another intentional aid to you is the format of the learning activity instructions. While you certainly want to use your own style and language while facilitating, there are instances where I have shared specific facilitation language. This includes questions that draw knowledge from participants as well as content to explain workshop concepts (such as the HELP process), debriefing questions, and transitions to move smoothly between learning activities. Also included are some sample stories from my experiences. You can take them and use them as yours, or replace them with examples of your own that illustrate the same points. Familiarize yourself with the blend of information provided and bring it all to life in your own way!

Learning Activities Included in Customer Service Training

Half-Day Workshop: Service Behaviors That Matter

Learning Activity 1: Intriguing Question or Story

Learning Activity 2: Hello, My Idea Is …

Learning Activity 3: Prioritize Learning

Learning Activity 4: I’m Stumped

Learning Activity 5: Keep a Cool Head

Learning Activity 6: Quit Taking It Personally (Q-Tip)

Learning Activity 7: The HELP Process for Customer Interactions

Learning Activity 8: HELP the Customer

Learning Activity 9: Interconnected Service Facets

One-Day Workshop: From the Customer’s Perspective

Learning Activity 10: Initial Reactions

Learning Activity 11: Service Heroes

Learning Activity 12: Prioritize Learning

Learning Activity 13: Interconnected Service Facets

Learning Activity 14: Do They Agree?

Learning Activity 15: Performance Improvement Service Levels

Learning Activity 16: Where Are We Now?

Learning Activity 17: The HELP Process for Customer Interactions

Learning Activity 18: HELP the Customer: Interviews and Role Plays

Learning Activity 19: Quick Start

Learning Activity 20: Mistake Proofing

Learning Activity 21: Creating Mistake-Proof Techniques

Learning Activity 22: Critiquing Mistake-Proof Techniques

Learning Activity 23: Our Service Systems

Learning Activity 24: Where and How Can I Help?

Learning Activity 25: Where We Go From Here

Two-Day Workshop: A Total Approach to Service

Learning Activity 26: Wall Graffiti

Learning Activity 27: Prioritize Learning

Learning Activity 28: Social Agreements

Learning Activity 29: Now You Know

Learning Activity 30: Group Résumé

Learning Activity 31: Interconnected Service Facets

Learning Activity 32: The Root Issue Is?

Learning Activity 33: Performance Improvement Service Levels

Learning Activity 34: Field Trip

Learning Activity 35: Quick Start—Field Trip Debrief

Learning Activity 36: Working With Cross-Functional Process Mapping

Learning Activity 37: Cross-Functional Process Mapping Our Processes

Learning Activity 38: Cross-Functional Process Map Reviews

Learning Activity 39: Day-One Workshop Closure

Learning Activity 40: Welcome Back!—Quick Start

Learning Activity 41: Control–No Control–Influence (C–NC–I)

Learning Activity 42: Mistake Proofing

Learning Activity 43: Mistake-Proofing Process Map Elements

Learning Activity 44: Critiquing Mistake-Proof Techniques

Learning Activity 45: Creative Problem-Solving

Learning Activity 46: Quick Start

Learning Activity 47: Next Steps to Improve Our Systems

Learning Activity 48: Keep a Cool Head

Learning Activity 49: Quit Taking It Personally (Q-Tip)

Learning Activity 50: Living My Legacy

Learning Activity 51: Day-Two Workshop Closure