How many times have you gone to a training session or inservice, came away energized from what you learned — but ultimately didn’t change your behavior as much as you hoped? It has happened to all of us. But you can maximize the results — and improve as a customer service professional — if you take advantage of these five tricks:

 

1. Read handouts before the training session. You’ll get more from the session if you’re not distracted by reading while the instructor is talking.
2. Focus on takeaways. Don’t try to take notes on everything the instructor says. Instead, zero in on information that has an immediate practical value for you.
3. Keep your notes concise. Don’t get bogged down in the details –you could find yourself missing key points while you’re still scrambling to write. Instead, use outlines and key words to keep you on track — you can always flesh out your notes later.
4. Review your notes right after the class. What you learned will stay with you longer if you review your notes while the training session is fresh in your mind. Best bet: Rewrite your notes so you’ll be able to make sense of them weeks or even months later.
5. Use what you learn right away. This is the most important tip of all — make a list of action items and tape it to your monitor so you’ll remember them throughout the day. Once you’ve started doing them regularly, what you’ve learned will become second nature. For additional confidence, check out these tips from the United Cerebral Palsy Web site at www.ucp.org/ucp_generaldoc.cfm/1/9/6573/6573-6573/400.

Filed under: Customer Service Corner