**Table of Contents**

table of contents

Module 1: Introduction 1-3

1.2 Handout 1: Warm-up Exercise 1-5

1.3 Target Audience 1-7

1.4 Administrative Tasks 1-9

1.4.1 Training Agenda 1-11

1.5 Summary 1-13

1.5.1 Module 1 Wrap Up -- Group Activity 1-13

Module 2: Concepts of high-quality customer service 2-3

2.1 Learning Objectives 2-5

2.2 Individual Activity 2-11

2.2.1 Customer Service Self-Assessment 2-11

2.3 Who Are Your Customers? 2-13

2.3.1 Internal Customer Service 2-15

2.3.2 Customer Service Delivery Points 2-19

2.4 How Are Child Support Enforcement Customers Different? 2-21

2.4.1 What is the Child Support Enforcement Program "Product"? 2-23

2.5 What is Effective Customer Service? 2-25

2.5.1 Group Exercise 2-25

2.6 What Is Effective Customer Service in the Child Support Enforcement
Community? 2-27

2.7 Perceived Barriers to Providing Effective Customer Service 2-33

2.7.1 Barriers - Child Support Enforcement Worker 2-35

2.8 Strategies for Working With Communication Barriers 2-37

> 2.9 Self-Talk
> .....................................................................
> ... .........2-39 2.10 Benefits Of Delivering Effective Customer
> Service ................................2-41

2.11 Module 2 Wrap-Up [-]{.smallcaps} Group Activity 2-45

2.12 Summary and Conclusions 2-47

2.13 Preview of Module 3 2-49

Module 3: Communication skills 3-3

3.1 Learning Objectives 3-5

3.2 Listening 3-9

3.2.1 What is the Difference Between Hearing and Listening? 3-9

3.2.2 Listening Facts 3-11

3.2.3 Benefits of Being a Good Listener 3-13

3.2.4 Types of Listening --Overview 3-15

3.3 Keys to Effective Listening 3-17

3.3.1 Tone of Voice 3-19

3.3.2 Feedback 3-21

3.3.3 Content 3-21

3.3.4 Intent 3-21

3.3.5 Nonjudgmental 3-23

3.3.6 Use Your Mind 3-25

3.3.7 Be Motivated -- Take The Initiative 3-25

3.3.8 Strategies for Effective Communication 3-27

3.3.9 Open and Closed-Ended Questions 3-29

3.3.10 Nonverbal Communication 3-31

3.3.11 Facial Expressions 3-33

3.3.12 Eye Contact 3-35

3.3.13
Gestures\...............................................................................
3-37

3.3.14 Listening Group
Activity........................................................... 3-39

3.4 [C]{.smallcaps}ommon Barriers to Effective Listening 3-41

3.4.1 Emotional and Mental Barriers 3-43

3.4.2 Common Barriers to Effective Listening 3-45

3.4.3 Long-Term Filters 3-47

3.4.4 Physical And Mental Distractions 3-49

3.5 Summary and Conclusions 3-57

3.5.1 Module 3 Wrap -Up -- Group Activity 3-57

3.6 Preview of Module 4 3-59

Module 4: winning telephone techniques 4-3

4.1 Learning Objectives 4-5

4.2 How Telephone Contacts are Different from Face-to-Face Contacts 4-7

4.3 Telephone Skills 4-11

4.3.1 Answering the Telephone 4-11

4.3.2 Be Prepared to Answer the Phone 4-13

4.3.3 Placing Customers on Hold 4-13

4.4 Inflection 4-15

4.4.1 Tone of Voice 4-17

4.4.2 Tips to Improve Your Inflection 4-19

4.5 Face-to-Face or on the Phone? 4-21

4.5.1 Small Group Activity 4-21

4.6 Summary and Conclusions 4-23

4.6.1 Module 4 Wrap-Up -- Group Activity 4-23

4.7 Preview of Module 5 4-25

Module 5: strategies for handling difficult customers 5-3

5.1 Learning Objectives 5-5

5.2 Difficult Customers and Situations 5-7

5.2.1 Listen 5-7

5.2.2 Empathize 5-7

5.2.3 Respond Professionally 5-9

5.2.4 Recognize Underlying Factors 5-9

5.3 Limited-English Speakers/People With Heavy
Accents........................\.......5-13

5.3.1 Strategy 5-13

5.4 [R]{.smallcaps}ambling or Long-Winded Callers 5-17

5.4.1 Strategy 5-17

5.5 Argumentative Customers 5-23

5.5.1 Strategy 5-23

5.6 Abusive Customers 5-25

5.6.1 Strategy 5-25

5.7 Threatening Customers 5-27

5.7.1 Strategy 5-27

5.8 Hostile/Angry Customers 5-29

5.8.1 Strategy 5-29

5.9 Group Activity 5-37

5.9.1 Role Play 5-37

5.10 Saying No 5-39

5.10.1 Strategy 5-39

5.11 Safety and Security 5-43

5.11.1 What Can be Done to Protect Your Environment 5-43

5.11.2 What You Can Do to Protect Your Environment 5-45

5.12 Summary and Conclusions 5-47

Module 6: Summary and Wrap-Up 6-3

6.1 Summary---Module 1: Introduction 6-3

6.2 Summary---Module 2: Concepts of High-Quality Customer Service 6-5

6.2.1 Attitude 6-5

6.3 Summary---Module 3: Communication Skills 6-7

6.3.1 Communication 6-7

6.3.2 Assertiveness 6-7

6.3.3 Lack of Confidence 6-7

6.4 Summary---Module 4: Winning Telephone Techniques 6-9

6.5 Summary---Module 5: Difficult Customers and Situations 6-11

6.6 Reflections 6-13

APPENDIX: HANDOUTS