Free customer service training resources
Mar 01, 2013 12:00 am
REGION -- There are a number of excellent free customer service training resources available to businesses and organizations in the tourism and hospitality industry in Oxford County.
One is Welcome ME, a free, web-based customer service certification program. It offers a consistent, accessible, certified training program for enhancing customer service delivery for frontline staff, managers and owners of hospitality and tourism industry businesses.
Available at www.WelcomeMEtraining.com, the program uses interactive components including a mix of videos filmed with Maine people in Maine locations, learning exercises, and short quizzes to reinforce key concepts. Successful users earn a certificate of completion endorsed by the University of Maine, Maine Woods Consortium and Maine Office of Tourism.
Other customer service training resources include DVD lending libraries at each of the chambers of commerce that serve Oxford
County businesses and the Fryeburg Business Association. These lending libraries provide DVDs at no charge to any business in Oxford County. Businesses do not have to be a member of a chamber of commerce or other business organization to borrow a DVD.
Topics covered by the lending library include customer service and diversity/stereotype issues.
There is even a DVD that is targeted to customer service in a restaurant. The customer service DVDs teach the importance of genuine caring, powerful apologies, why internal customer service is critical and projecting more enthusiasm as well as how to listen attentively, uncover customer needs, calm down angry customers, win back disgruntled customers, handle conflict, and keep an attitude of "customers first.”
The diversity/stereotype DVD explores the impact of bias and stereotypes.
For more information about the DVDs, contact the Bethel Area Chamber at 824-2282, the Fryeburg Business Association at 274-0744 (Dream It Create It Studios), the Greater Bridgton Lakes Region Chamber at 647-3472, the Oxford Hills Chamber at 743-2281 and the River Valley Chamber at 364-3241.