Background
The Vistry Thames Valley Customer Care team regularly handles complex and sensitive customer interactions as part of their commitment to excellent service. To further enhance their skills and confidence when managing challenging situations, we worked together to develop a bespoke training course.
The course began with a pre-meeting to explore the team’s day-to-day experiences and the types of conversations they typically have. This insight allowed us to tailor scenarios for the training that were highly relevant and immediately applicable.
The Solution
The training day was designed to provide practical techniques and strategies that the team could integrate into their existing approach. Through interactive and realistic scenarios, the team explored ways to fine-tune their language, manage customer expectations effectively, and maintain a constructive and empathetic tone during difficult conversations.
Outcome
The training was lively and engaging, with the team enthusiastically embracing the tools and techniques introduced. Feedback from the Vistry team has been very positive, with participants reporting increased confidence and a clearer focus on actionable solutions during challenging interactions.
Key takeaways from the course including the “helping Hand” approach and avoiding overuse of “sorry,” have been successfully adopted. The team has also adjusted their vocabulary, replacing ambiguous terms like “unfortunately” with more constructive language. These refinements have enabled them to continue to deliver exceptional customer care, even in demanding situations.
Testimonial
"It’s a very good course. It really makes you think about your vocabulary and your own behaviours. It’s certainly made our team feel more confident when dealing with difficult customer situations.
The scenarios used on the course were very relevant to what we deal with day-to-day.
I’ve noticed the team regularly using the tools and techniques, including the Helping Hand and being careful not to overuse sorry. They have adjusted their language and eliminated wishy-washy words like unfortunately. They explain more when we can’t give a customer what they want and focus on finding what we can do for the customer."
