Utility Automation & Engineering T&D - 6 tips: Role playing sharpens utility CSR sales, service skills

Phoenix, AZ, May 20, 2008 -- Role playing specific, real-life situations is one of the most effective methods utilities can use to improve their customer service representatives' sales and service skills, according to David Saxby, president of Measure-X, a company that specializes in helping utilities improve their customer service and sales.

"Role-playing exercises should be more than a glorified game of 'let's pretend,'" says Saxby. "The more the exercises mimic actual situations, the more realistic they are and the greater the opportunity for learning."

Tip 1. Create real-life situations. Ask staff members for situations that are most challenging for them and use those in the exercises, Saxby says. "If you expect them to sell, then develop questions that may be tough to answer," Saxby says. "Throw out challenges to pricing and have the person who poses as a customer actually name a competitor. Create scenarios that will help them learn to overcome obstacles."

Use these ideas to create an exercise that will stretch employees' abilities and provide opportunities for growth, but do it in a way that does not humiliate anyone, Saxby notes.

Tip 2. Assign specific roles. Having someone role play a generic customer is ineffective and likely not engaging," Saxby says. "Your CSRs should be using customers' names in actual interactions, so give the role-playing customer a name," Saxby explains. "If you're role playing business customers, then also give your 'customer' a title and help that person act that role appropriately."

Tip 3. Talk like customers talk. "Use the jargon that customers use," Saxby says. "The words customers use are probably not the same jargon your staff uses."

Tip 4. Switch roles. Employees need to step into the other guy's shoes, Saxby says. "During exercises, have your staff practice being both the customer and the utility representative. They will definitely have a better idea of the customer's perspective by walking in that person's shoes."

Tip 5. Practice objections. Ask employees to identify the customer objections they most frequently encounter and brainstorm on how to overcome those objections, Saxby says. "Work these objections into the role-playing exercises so your staff can learn how to overcome them by identifying the value of what they are selling. Overcoming objections is one of the most intimidating aspects of a sales-based interaction. Practice, practice, practice."

Tip 6. Change the subject. Customers sometimes innocently -- or intentionally -- end up off topic or even off product, Saxby says. "It's important to keep a conversation focused without appearing insensitive," Saxby notes. "Have your role-playing customers practice wandering off topic so your staff can learn how to bring a conversation back to the matter at hand."

Learning new skill sets takes practice, according to Saxby. "Unfortunately, most of us would rather keep doing things the same old way," Saxby says. "Effective role-playing exercises are one of the best ways to give your staff the opportunity to experience, experiment and practice in a safe, non-threatening environment."

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