Development of a Training Program for Frontline Service Employees' Improvement of Student Services

Book excerpt: Frontline employees represent the bloodline of an organization. This applied dissertation focused on development of a training program to improve skills necessary for quality student-customer service. Six research questions were answered. First, what skills are required to enhance customer service satisfaction? Second, what are employees' perception of attitudes and expectations relative to delivery of goods and services? Third, what action is required to improve employees' performance to effect customer satisfaction? Fourth, what content-- knowledge, skills, and procedures--are necessary for inclusion in the training plan? Fifth, how can training best be structured and developed to improve the necessary skills? Sixth, how and by whom should the plan be implemented, and if implemented, how should it be evaluated? The development problem-solving methodology was used to answer the research questions. Additionally, a Frontline Service Employees' Perceived Training Needs Survey was administered to gather information relative to the recommended training program. The research questions were answered through procedures that involved formative and summative committees' examination of the program content, format, design, and evaluation method. The final project was a recommended frontline service employees training program. Conclusions drawn from the study revealed the following: (a) a training program should be implemented to enhance skills required for better student-customer services within the organization; (b) a training program for frontline employees should include skills pertaining to active listening, trust and rapport, telephone etiquette, problem-solving and conflict resolution, and clear understanding and knowledge of the organization's policies and procedures; (c) trainees should have the choice and flexibility of mode of instruction and location of training; and (d) an evaluation plan should be established posttraining to ensure that quality and program objectives are continuously being met. The recommended training program was submitted to the leaders of the organization who have the authority to approve its implementation.