The document outlines a training program to address decreasing sales at Purrfectionary stores due to a lack of customer engagement. The program includes an infographic, eLearning module, and instructor-led trainings to teach associates and managers the foundations of customer service using the work of Jeff Toister. Effectiveness will be measured by analyzing sales data, observation of customer interactions, and secret shopper reports to ensure the training achieves its goal of increasing customer engagement and satisfaction.
1. Project Design Brief
Name: Lisa Tomkins
Client: Purrfectionary
Date: August 21, 2020
Problem Statement
Purrfectionary needs to adopt a customer-centric culture that centers around providing engaging
customer service in order to see increased revenue, unfortunately store associates have not been
engaging with customers resulting in a decrease in sales and customer satisfaction. The lack of
training in customer service foundations for both associates and managers has had a direct impact
on the ability of associates to adequately interact with their core customers. Purrfectionary
locations have seen a consistent pattern of customers leaving the stores within a few minutes of
entering without making a purchase over the past six months, wit can result in decreased
revenues and the possible closing of underperforming locations.
The solution to the problem will need to be formulated based on research into the most effective
ways of engaging customers – from the time they walk in the door through the time they walk out
with their purchase. The work of Jeff Toister on creating a customer-centric culture by focusing on
the foundations of customer service can be used to build out a training program that will help
associates and management find ways of consistently interacting and engaging with customers to
keep them in the store longer and follow through to a purchased (Toister, 2018).
Learning Outcomes
Outcome 1: Summarize customer service foundations and show how basic interactions can increase the
time a customer spends in the store.
Outcome 2: Apply customer service engagement techniques to increase both the ways and the number of
times associates interact with customers.
Outcome 3: Demonstrate the four foundational steps of customer service in the retail environment.
Proposed Media Assets and Delivery Method
1. Infographic: A poster that will be located in the break room of each retail location to encourage
associates to examine the importance of strong customer service skills.
2. eLearning module: A series of interactive activities that can be worked through to further develop
basic customer service foundations. This will be used as both on-boarding training for new
associates and as a refresher course for all current part and full-time associates.
3. Instructor Led Training (Management): A training conducted by a customer service expert that
examines not just the foundations of customer service – but how managers can actively lead by
example and coach their associates after the eLearning module has ended.
4. Instructor Led Training (Associates): Store managers will lead a group training on how to be active
in the customer service process. This activity will be scenario driven – groups of two will work
2. together to respond to different customer service issues and touchpoints. Both peer feedback and
instructor feedback will be used to hone customer service skills and improve interactions.
Learner Assessments
eLearning module:
1. Formative: There will be an interactive quiz for each of the four customer service foundations to
test the knowledge gained during each mini-lesson.
2. Summative: An interactive game will be used that will guide an associate through a full customer
experience, giving them feedback along the way to help develop their skills further. The game will
keep track of the scores from each store with a leaderboard (by store, not associate).
Instructor-Led Training (Management):
1. Formative: Each manager will be asked to create a sample scenario that can be used for one of the
customer service foundations and present it to the group.
2. Summative: The managers themselves will do a role-playing activity where they guide a customer
through the store using the foundations taught. The managers will evaluate one another on their
success and areas for improvement.
Instructor-Led Training (Associates):
1. Summative: Teams will work take turns being both the “customer” and “associate”, doing a role-
play scenario of a customer visit. The teams will give one another feedback (peer review) on
successes and areas for improvement with manager/instructor oversight.
Prototype Production Workflow
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4
Infographic
Day 3: Initial wireframe
sketches and proposed
content to client for
review.
Day 7: Client approval
due
Infographic
Day 3: Design ready for
client approval
Day 7: Client approval
due
Infographic
Day 3: Revisions back to
client.
Day 5: Final approval &
send to printers
Day 7: Send poster to all
locations.
Infographic
Displayed in all break
rooms as soon as it
arrives.
Instructor Led Training
Day 5: Content
developed and sent to
client for approval
Day 7: Client revisions
due
Instructor Led Training
Day 3: revised content
to client for approval
Day 5: Client approval
Instructor Led Training
Day 3: Final materials
presented to client for
approval
Day 5: client approval
Instructor Led Training
Throughout Weeks 4-6
Instructor led training
for managers
eLearning Module
By end of week: initial
content developed and
ready for client review
eLearning Module
Day 3: Client approval
due
eLearning Module
By end of week:
Prototype of eLearning
module developed and
sent to client.
eLearning Module
Day 5: Client revisions
due
3. Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8
Instructor Led Training
Throughout Weeks 4-6
Instructor led training
for managers
Instructor Led Training
Throughout Weeks 4-6
Instructor led training
for managers
Instructor Led Training Instructor Led Training
Managers lead
scenario-based training
for store associates
eLearning Module
Day 4: Revised module
to client for final
approval
Day 7: module ready for
roll-out
eLearning Module
Throughout weeks 6-7
All store associates
participate in eLearning
module training
eLearning Module
Throughout weeks 6-7
All store associates
participate in eLearning
module training
Evaluation
1. At the end of both the eLearning module and Instructor-Led training sessions, attendees and
participants will be asked to complete a short survey to determine what they liked, what they
didn’t like, and how they felt the training was presented.
2. The data collected in both the quizzes and the end of module game will be used to analyze where
the content successfully met the objectives, and if there are gaps in learning that still remain. A
successful completion of at least 80% of the quiz questions is considered successful, while fully
completing the game is defined as success.
3. The training is attempting to change the behavior of the retail associates and managers. Managers
will be asked to observe associates, tracking the time they spend with customers and the
effectiveness of their customer service efforts. Secret shoppers will be used to determine key
items like time before greeting, number of interactions, and length of interactions.
4. The final step will be to analyze the data collected during the observations and secret shoppers
and compare it to the information collected before training to determine the level of effectiveness
and whether progress has been made.
5. Return on Investment will be measured by tracking key metrics for a full quarter, and comparing
the results to the same quarter of the previous year. The following metrics will be used, for sales
figures the ROI will be the difference in profits (less costs of developing the training). Others will
simply look at the level of increase to determine ROI.
Total sales (per store & company-wide)
Average transaction value
Shopper dwell time
Conversion rate
References
Toister, J. (2018, Jun 22). Customer Service Foundations. Retrieved from LinkedIn Learning:
https://www.linkedin.com/learning/customer-service-foundations-2/welcome?u=50813145
Toister, J. (n.d.). Inside Customer Service. Retrieved from Toister Solutions:
https://www.toistersolutions.com/