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Training and Personal Development

Customer Services (Continued)

• Are you an approachable and friendly person?
• Can you cope under pressure?
• Do you listen carefully to people?
• Do you understand people?
• Are you tactful?
• Are you a confident person?
• Are you patient?
• Can you be fi rm but polite with people?
• Are you a tolerant person?
• Do you have a smart appearance?

If you are satisfied with your answers then start your research. Internal customer training courses may be available in your organisation especially if you work in the public sector. Here you are likely to have access to courses that address the specific needs of different departments. If you work at a cash desk in a local tax office your customer skill requirements will
differ from someone who is working in a nursing home.

Check out external courses too, such as one-day seminars. You could perhaps share costs by joining forces with another department to pay for training consultants. If you have a regular staff appraisal then you could also discuss your training needs and seek the support of your line manager to help you undertake a suitable course.

Colleges of Further Education will also have courses tailored to meet many sectors. The Customer Service NVQ is available at different levels and is an ideal route to accrue skills that will enhance your career prospects. Whether you are a plumber, a hairdresser, a cashier or a carer, an NVQ is a recognised qualification that will attract any prospective employer.

If you are doing a business degree then customer service training should also feature as a course module. Remember to draw
attention to this in your CV when applying for jobs.

For further information about careers and training in customer service visit your local Jobcentre, College of Further Education or Library. You can also find out more about NVQ’s via the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority www.qca.org.uk/

Useful Websites:

• Customer Service network www.customernet.com
• National Customer Service Week www.nationalcustomerserviceweek.com
• Call Centre Association (CCA) www.cca.org.uk


(Picture: British Gas Logo)

Working in customer service The First Day Experience

At British Gas, we understand that your first day in a new job can be a daunting experience. You are coming to work for a new employer with people you have never met before and you are feeling nervous before you even start. This is why we will do everything possible to make you feel comfortable from the moment you start your new career with us.

As part of our award-winning recruitment process, you will be welcomed by one of your new colleagues on arrival, and immediately get a chance to mingle with your new workmates before sitting down for an introduction to our Business. We will ensure that refreshments are provided throughout the morning and afternoon to ease you into your first day.

You will receive a presentation on who will be looking after you from the training team and the recruitment team, and your managers will introduce themselves over the course of the day. The first day then continues with a chance to get to know your
fellow colleagues, followed by further information on British Gas. Lunch will be provided, and you will finish your first day with a briefing about your role, how your training will be structured and how you will be supported throughout this period and beyond.

(Picture: Photo of a woman in a business suit with two men sat in the background)