No one ever said training has to be boring. This is a mantra that OPM takes to heart when hosting internal staff training. Not only must it benefit employees, it must also be fun.
OPM has been working with Benchmark Marketing (‘Benchmark’), a communication training expert, during the past six years, turning this goal into a reality.
“Benchmark has provided OPM with a variety of training projects over the years from customer service, honing the sales process, and customer retention to training heads of department in communication skills, in order to provide our customers with best-in-class services and choice,” Susan Ellison, joint MD at OPM explains.
Most recently, Benchmark worked with OPM’s customer services team, headed up by Charlotte Ellison. The division had been restructured, and the purpose was to build a strong team working environment to better serve the customer.
Susan adds, “We have always put a strong emphasis on training our employees at every level, within every department, by focusing on personal development and proactive customer care.”
This latest training module consisted of four sessions. The first dealt with ‘Delivering Excellent Customer Service.’ While some trainees attended this session before, the refresher course meant adding new skills and revisiting old ones. The second session focused on ‘Time Management Skills’. This is particularly important when employees are juggling multiple tasks, ensuring that time is shared effectively between clients, administration and planning. The third session dealt with ‘Handling Difficult People and Situations’, which is always necessary for a high-pressure work environment where any mistake can be costly. Finally, the attendees concentrated on team building.
Benchmark developed team-building exercises and games, including team painting, to reinforce the need for communication at all times, and by focusing on positive aspects such as the right of every team member to have a voice. The session covered how a variety of communication skills is necessary in order to relate to the different personalities that make up a workplace.
“This is always a fun exercise to do, and the guys at OPM did not disappoint,” Margaret Hartley of Benchmark Marketing enthused.
“It was a very positive training day for the staff and a great way to promote team bonding, especially for the newest members of the OPM team in Customer Services,” Susan concluded.
