Role plays are tough - an alternative

For many people role plays are tough and uncomfortable. The thought of sitting with a peer pretending to be a customer is scary and intimidating.  As a result, we avoid the activity.

Very few people will argue that role plays are not beneficial.  In fact most expert professions are built on proactive simulations.

·      Airline pilots use a simulator.

·      Doctors may practice on dummies.

·      Sportsmen practice in training drills.

And yet in customer service environments, it is avoided.  Rather than move to the uneasy role-play, customer service staff and sales people could use the wisdom of others.

Here’s what you could do:

1)   Sit with new staff and explain some likely scenarios:

a.     What upsets customers,

b.     Shortcuts,

c.      Likely demands

2)   Explain how you felt when this happened.  This is important because when experienced by the staff member it won’t feel as foreign.

3)   Explain what you did to fix it.

4)   Explain where you have previously failed.

If you are not going to role-play, then share your wisdom, because leaders have a big role to play.

Related post – What we can learn from Yoda