Training plan for Managing Customer Expectations

This plan will help you train employees to effectively manage customer expectations.

Service failures are caused by an experience that falls short of expectations. Expectation management helps customers avoid unpleasant surprises.

Managing expectations will result in:

  1. Fewer complaints

  2. Happier customers

  3. More repeat business

This guide helps you facilitate the Customer Service: Managing Customer Expectations course on LinkedIn Learning. Make sure your team has access to LinkedIn Learning before you begin.

Managing Customer Expectations focuses on these skills:

  • Identifying situations expectations should be managed

  • Creating expectation management strategies

  • Helping customers adjust unreasonable expectations

The course is ideal for anyone working in customer service. This includes contact center agents, customer support representatives, retail associates, hospitality associates, and nonprofit employees.

This training plan uses a unique approach to training videos.

It divides the lessons into short segments, spaced out over four weeks. This approach maximizes learning and application while minimizing the disruption to your regular operations.

Here's what this guide covers:

  1. Resources Required

  2. Preparation

  3. Pre-work

  4. Week 1: Kick-off

  5. Week 2: Identify opportunities

  6. Week 3: Managing expectations

  7. Week 4: Wrap-up and completion

  8. Conclusion

Graphic that reads: "Managing Customer Expectations facilitator's guide. Trainer: Jeff Toister"

Resources Required

You'll need these resources to use this training plan.

  1. Access to Customer Service: Managing Customer Expectations for all participants.

  2. The exercise files from the course.

  3. Jeff's workshop planning tool (free download).

Contact LinkedIn Learning for pricing and subscription options if you don't already have access.

Estimated time needed: 45 minutes per week

  • Group activities: 30 minutes per week

  • Individual learning: 15 minutes per week

Preparation

Get your team ready for the training.

Step 1: Create a training plan. Use the Workshop Planner to create an action plan.

  • Identify a goal for the training

  • Decide how to prepare your team

  • Create a plan to help the team use their new skills

Here's a how-to video:

Step 2: Announce the training. Tell your team about the training and what to expect. Address three questions for participants:

  1. What is the training about?

  2. Why is it important?

  3. How are employees expected to use what they learn?

Keep your announcement simple. Consider sharing it in a team meeting. Follow-it up with a short email that contains the pre-assignments.

Step 3: Schedule team meetings. You'll be meeting with your team once per week for four weeks. Each meeting should take 30 minutes to allow time for discussion.

Step 4: Share pre-work. Share the pre-work with your team. I've included that in the next section.

Pre-work

Ask participants to watch the videos listed below before the first meeting.

  1. Set yourself up for success with good customer service

  2. Understand the impact of unpleasant surprises

Participants should also complete page one of the Learning Plan worksheet that's included in the course's exercise files. This includes:

  • Discussion questions

  • Learning objectives

It's helpful to share a few best practices for getting the most out of this course:

  1. Watch just one video at a time.

  2. Complete the activity that goes with each video.

  3. When possible, try using what you learned from the video before moving on to the next module.

Week 1: Kick-off

The initial meeting should set the tone for the course. Start by reviewing the overall goal for the training that you identified on the Workshop Planner.

Next, discuss the following questions:

  1. How is this course relevant to the team?

  2. Where do customers develop their expectations (i.e. the four sources)?

  3. What is the impact of a customer getting an unpleasant surprise?

Assignments for next week: Ask your team to watch the following video and complete the related activity.

  1. Find places where you can manage expectations

Week 2: Identify opportunities

This week's theme is identifying where customer expectations can be managed. Start by reviewing the week one assignments.

Discussion questions:

  1. What are three specific opportunities to manage our customers' expectations?

  2. What could cause a customer to have the wrong expectations?

  3. What can happen if we don't effectively manage expectations in these situations?

Assignments for next week: Ask your team to watch the following videos and complete the related activities.

  1. Use clear language to avoid surprises

  2. Educate customers on what to expect

  3. Understand why customers don't read

Week 3: Managing expectations

The focus is creating strategies to manage customer expectations. Start by reviewing the week two assignments.

Discussion questions:

  1. How can clear language help customers avoid unpleasant surprises?

  2. When can we educate customers on what to expect?

  3. How can we capture customers' attention at the right time to share expectations?

  4. What strategies can you use to manage expectations in the situations identified in Week 2?

Assignments for next week: Ask your team to watch the following videos and complete the related activities.

  1. Adjust unreasonable expectations

  2. Take action

  3. Complete the Chapter Quiz

  4. Complete page two of the Learning Plan worksheet.

Week 4: Wrap-up and completion

The final week is wrapping up the course and implementing lessons learned. Start by reviewing the week three assignments.

Discussion questions:

  1. What is a situation where a customer might have unreasonable expectations?

  2. What can you do to help a customer have more realistic expectations?

  3. What is your top takeaway from the course?

  4. How will we sustain our progress as a team?

Remind participants that they can earn a certificate for their LinkedIn profile by doing the following:

  1. Watch all the videos

  2. Complete the chapter quizzes

Here’s a how-to guide if you need help accessing certificates.

Conclusion

It helps to go back to your original goals for this training and note the team's progress.

Your employees should show improvement in their expectation management skills, but it's likely they also have areas for continued growth.

Set aside time to provide each person with coaching and feedback. You can also give them weekly reminders from the Customer Service Tip of the Week.