Feed the heart and soul: NICC Waukon Center to offer Customer Service Certificate class to enhance skills of new and existing employees
by Lissa Blake
Customer Service representatives are often the heart and soul of successful organizations.
And in order for a community to be successful, it has to make sure those representatives have the tools to promote their assets.
Beginning June 1, Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC), in partnership with Allamakee County Economic Development (ACED) and Tourism, will offer an “earn and learn” month-long class (33 hours of class instruction) to help local businesses and existing or potential workers develop their customer service skills. At the end of the course, participants will earn a customer service certificate.
“We have so much tourism in the county. People come to utilize Allamakee County’s restaurants and retail businesses. We want people to have a really great experience while they’re in the county,” said Erica Nosbisch, director of NICC’s Waukon Center. “We know there are students who are looking to develop skills to make them more employable, and there are businesses looking to upskill their current employees. This is our way of trying to help.”
GET THEM COMING BACK
Val Reinke, director of ACED/Tourism, said she works with a lot of employers with regard to developing their workplaces.
“One of our strategies in the county is to build up our population. If we invite people here, we want them to love it. If the people are fabulous, they will come back. Or they might like it so much, they might want to live here,” said Reinke.
“We also know there are employers that need new people working for them and they also have people who need to be upskilled,” she said.
THE PROGRAM
The upcoming class will meet for 11 class sessions, for a total of 33 hours of training. Attendees can choose to either attend physical classes at the NICC Waukon Center or attend live online classes from home.
Topics to be covered will include the following:
• Customer Service: Remember Me, the Customer?;
• Professionalism: Choosing Success 1, Phone Etiquette;
• Effective Communication/Dealing with Difficult Conversations;
• Quality Assurance;
• Professionalism: Choosing Success 2, Resume Building/Interviewing Skills;
• Financial Literacy;
• Using a Cash Register;
• Understanding Differences in the Workplace;
• The DISC ® Profile;
• Branding/Stress and Time Management;
• Problem Solving and Decision Making;
• Accountability and Attendance;
• Cross-Selling: Knowing Local Tourism/Customer Service Role Play.
EARN AND LEARN
Reinke said the class is meant to be an “Earn and Learn,” class, meaning companies investing in sending an employee may pay them something for their time in class or possibly help them with tuition. Nosbisch said there is also some financial assistance available for individuals taking the course.
TWO PATHWAYS
Nosbisch said there are two pathways for interested parties to enroll in the class. The first is that a business identifies a current employee or new employee to enroll in training. The business then connects with NICC and registers the person, who then attends the training while working for the business.
While in training, NICC success coaches and instructors monitor student progress, provide progress reports to business sponsors, assess student competencies in the training area and address barriers/issues impacting student success. Students will enter the workforce full-time or continue their education in a degree.
The second pathway is that an individual can inquire with NICC regarding the training, and NICC connects with a local business to discuss earn-and-learn opportunities for the candidate. A student will then apply for a position at the local business and sign up for training. If recommended for employment, the student will both enroll in the training and begin employment with the business.
MENTOR FOLLOW-UP
Reinke said one of the biggest benefits she feels students will receive from the class are the follow-up visits from a mentor, who will help coach them regarding the skills they have learned in class. Whether a business initiates one of its employees taking a class, or an individual inquires on his/her own, NICC coaches and instructors will monitor student progress, provide progress reports to business sponsors, assess student competencies in the training area and address barriers/issues impacting success.
After the student has either entered the workforce or chosen to continue on to a degree program, NICC coaches will continue to communicate with students for up to one year and provide additional employment or services, if needed.
PILOT PROGRAM
Reinke said it is the responsibility of everyone working at a local establishment to go above and beyond - to possess exceptional customer service skills and to know what’s going on throughout the county so they can cross-sell the area’s opportunities.
“If there is no time spent doing that, we are leaving money on the table,” she said. “We’re hoping this pilot program is a way to ‘hold people’s feet to the fire’ regarding offering outstanding customer service skills. At the end of the experience, students will receive a certificate and a recommendation that they did a great job. They will potentially look forward to making more money in the future and become a great role model for others they’re working with.”
TO REGISTER
For more information or to register, call 844-642-2338, ext. 6700 or email blakede@nicc.edu within the next couple weeks. Visit www.nicc.edu/solutions to learn more information about continuing education possibilities.
