This paper offersa discussion on the importance of need assessment, and develops a plan for implementing a training program.

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Employee Customer Service Training Class
Introduction
Customer service is among the most fundamental activities in the value chain of modern
organizations. Therefore, developing appropriate customer service skills and attitudes among
employees can be noteworthy source of competitive advantage. This paper presents a plan for
implementing a customer service training program for newly hired employees. The paper offers a
discussion on the importance of need assessment, a plan for implementing the training program,
rationale for the selected methods, strategies for motivating employees, and a survey for
collecting feedback.
The use of Need Assessment
Need assessment is a tool for planning employee training program. Need assessment in
essential in the planning of training programs for various reasons. First, it enables trainers to
identify skills gaps making it possible for them to develop relevant and useful programs. A
training program should add value by improving employees’ skills, attitudes and competencies
(Ferreira & Abbad, 2013). A training program that focuses on skills and competencies that
employees have already mastered does not add value. Need assessment enables human resource
practitioners to identify areas that employees have already mastered and those that need
improvement. This knowledge enables the practitioners to develop training programs that add
value to the company. The need assessment exercise is of a particular importance in this case
since the training program target new employees whom the organization knows little.
Secondly, the use of need assessment enables planners to prioritize training needs. At any
given time, employees are bound to have diverse skill gaps (Sherazi, Ahmed, Iqbal, Umar &
Rehman, 2011). The gaps may also vary from one employee to another. Need assessment

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enables human resource planners to prioritize training needs by identifying the most frequent
gaps and the most significant skill gaps. Prioritizing training need allows the human resource
department to make optimal use of training resources. Since training resources such as funds are
limited, the department can focus on needs that will have the greatest effect on the organization.
Customer Service Training Implementation Plan
1. Identify customer needs
The customer service training implementation plan is divided into four steps. The first
step entails identifying the needs of customers. The ultimate goal of the customer service training
program is to enhance customer satisfaction so as to boost the firm’s competitiveness. Therefore,
it is paramount for the training team to understand what customers expect from the company and
the company’s staff. The training team will implement this step by conducting a quick survey
where they will provide customers with a comment card that inquires about the customers’
experiences and wishes.
2. Need assessment
The second step in the training implementation plan entails conducting a need
assessment. The need assessment is necessary because it will enable the trainers to identify skill
gaps and prioritize training needs. The trainers will assess each new employee individually using
methods such as interviews, survey, and observation. The trainers will hold belief interviews
with the new employees with the aim of soliciting information about the skills and attitudes. The
survey will entail providing the employees with semi-structured questionnaires that also solicit
information about employees’ attitudes and skills. The questionnaires will capture the
information that was left out during the interview as it will facilitate anonymity of responses. The
observation method will entail asking the new employees to complete a task and observing his or

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her performance. The performance will be assessed using an observation checklist. The need
assessment process will focus on identifying the gap between the present attitude and skills of
employees and customers’ expectations, which the trainers identified in step one.
3. Select and implement training methods
The third step in the training implementation plan entails selecting and implementing
training methods. There is a broad assortment of options when it comes to the process of
selecting training methods. These options include presentation, discussion, case study, discovery,
role play, simulation, modeling, or on-the-job training. Each of these training methods is suitable
for different training subjects. The planned program proposes the use of on-the-job training. This
method entail having the new employees learn in the work setting by observing managers and
their peers performing the job tasks.
4. Evaluation
The final step in the training implementation plan entails evaluating the gains realized
through the training program. Evaluation is the process of comparing the outcomes of the
training program with the intentions of the program (Kaufman, Keller & Watkins, 2006). The
planned program proposes the use of Donald Kirkpatrick framework of training evaluation. This
framework evaluates training program at four levels; reaction, learning, behavior, and results
(Anderson & Tremlay, 2008).
Rationale for Selecting the Training Method
This training program intends to apply on-the-job training methods for various reasons.
The first reason is that the training program targets new employees. On-the-job training is a
useful method of training newly-hired employees as it helps to orient the new employees with
their jobs (Noe, 2010). This method gives new employees real-time and live awareness of how

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employees interact with customers. The second reason is that on-the-job training enables the
human resource department to tailor the training process to the abilities and experiences of
employees. Each learner proceeds at his own pace until she or he achieve mastery of the job.
Tailoring the training program to employees’ experiences and abilities increases employees’
motivation; thus, facilitates learning. Thirdly, on-the-job training facilitates learning by allowing
the trainees to exercise and practice what the trainer expects them to learn. In this training
method, trainees can apply the skills they acquire in their job immediately. They also use actual
equipments and tools, and engage in real interaction with customers. These real-time experiences
facilitate greater acquisition of skills. In addition, on the job-training allows employee to acquire
tacit knowledge that cannot be transferred through formal training methods. In this method, new
employees get a chance to interact with experienced employees. This interaction facilitates
sharing and transfer of experiences, which is not possible in a formal training program. On-job-
training method also allows the employees to learn the company’s culture and values, things that
trainees cannot learn in a formal setting.
Ways of Motivating Employees
Human resource experts need to develop systems that motivate employees to learn, apply,
and share knowledge in order for the training program to be successful (Noe, 2010). The first
way of motivating employees to learn is by providing them with a learning environment that has
features that are critical for learning to occur. The human resource team must provide the new
employees with the requisite resources and the right environment so as to realize the goals of
training. The organizations must offer meaningful materials, tools and equipments for the new
employees to learn and apply the knowledge that they acquire. The organization must also
provide the new workers with technologies for sharing knowledge and experiences.

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The second way of motivating employees to learn is by rewarding change in behavior and
performance. The human resource department must develop compensation programs that reward
employees for positive changes and improvement in performance. Rewards can either be
intrinsic or extrinsic (Anderson & Tremlay, 2008). Extrinsic rewards include salary increment,
promotion, bonuses, and other material rewards. Rewards need not material in nature. The
human resource department can also use intrinsic rewards such as recognition and praise to
motivate employees to learn and change. Intrinsic reward also entails assisting employees to
develop skills that are congruent with their personal values and interests (Noe, 2001). Employees
will be highly motivated to learn when the training program gives them skills that also advance
their personal interests.
Survey for Collecting Feedback
The survey for collecting feedback takes a semi-structured form. The data collection
instrument comprises of the both open-ended and close-ended questions. The first section of the
questionnaire carries the close-ended questions. The section requires the trainee to indicate the
level of agreement with the statement provides. The second section comprises of the open-ended
questions.
1- Strongly agree, 2- Agree, 3- Neutral, 4- Disagree, and 5- strongly agree.
Statement 1 2 3 4 5
The training program had a clear objective
The program encouraged interaction and participation
of employees.
The issues we learned in the program were relevant to
me.
Experiences employees were supportive of the
training process.
The tools and equipment that the organization
provided were useful in the training process.

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The training experience will add value to my work
The coaches and mentors were knowledgeable in
their respective areas.
The time for the training program was sufficient.
1. What aspects of the training program did you like most?
2. What aspects of the training program did you like least?
3. What aspects of the program should the company improve?
4. How do you think the training will influence your practice?
5. Please share any additional comments about the program.
Conclusion
In the modern business environment, training is not a luxury but a necessity. Modern
organizations need to develop their workforce in order to develop a sustainable source of
competitiveness. The proposed training program comprises of four main steps; identifying
customers’ needs, assessing skill gaps, selecting and implementing training methods, and
evaluation. Training programs are only effective when they add value to the organization. The
need assessment exercise helps to create training programs that add value by identifying and
prioritizing training needs. It is also essential to motivate employees in order to facilitate
learning. Providing the right environment for learning and rewarding employees are some of the
strategies that the planned program will use to motivate employees to learn.

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References
Anderson, M. & Tremblay, M. (2008). Evaluation of the executive training program for research
application. Health Policy. 4 (2), 136- 148
Ferreira, R., & Abbad, G., (2013). Training needs assessment: where we are and where we
should go. Rio de Janeiro. 10 (1), 77-99
Kaufman, R. Keller, J. & Watkins, R. (2006). Evaluation beyond Kirkpatrick. Available from
http:// u.edu/~rins/articles/whatwork.PDF
Noe, R., (2010). Employee training and development. USA; McGraw-Hill Companies.
Sherazi, S., Ahmed, I., Iqbal, M., Umar, M., & Rehman, K., (2011). Training needs assessment
practices in the corporate sector in Pakistan. African Journal of Business Management. 5
(28), 11435- 11441