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10 Customer Service Training Resources

Strong customer service skills are an essential part of any role requiring interaction with others. Whether you’re a retail sales rep wondering how to handle angry customers or a business owner looking for employee training resources, we’ve got something for you.

Free videos and podcasts:

Support Ops
Support Ops is a weekly podcast focused on helping you improve everything from customer service skills to interacting with coworkers. Listeners have the option of downloading the episodes to their iPhone (sorry, Android users) or visiting the Support Ops website on their computer.

Mark Sanborn’s Secrets to Amazing Customer Experiences
Celebrated business speaker Mark Sanborn is the author of several best-selling books on customer service and leadership. Sanborn has uploaded several video series to YouTube, making his advice free and accessible to anyone. The first video in his customer service series explores the “Fred Factor,” named for Sanborn’s mailman, Fred. Fred took pride in his job and established genuine relationships with those on his mail route—a great example of a good customer service rep.

Zendesk’s Masters of Customer Service Webinars
Zendesk, known for its excellent customer support software, produced several one-hour webinars led by customer service experts. Learn how to win the hearts of unruly customers, implement seven tools to change the face of your customer service, and look to Apple’s top-notch retail model as an example for success. Although Zendesk’s software is not free, these videos are.

CTS Service Solutions
If you want to establish regular customers, take customer service strategist Adam Toporek’s advice to gain customers that stick. Aside from making himself available for customer service workshops, Toporek runs a blog and hosts a podcast full of advice and insight in the area.

Call Center IQ
As the name implies, Call Center IQ is oriented towards customer service in a call center setting. Users can access live and previously recorded webinars for free, as long as they register as a member of the site. In addition to webinars, Call Center IQ provides members with articles, podcasts and videos.

Certificate Courses:

ALISON
ALISON has over 750 free online courses, all of which provide some form of certification. You don’t need a paid subscription or membership to gain access to these online courses, either. ALISON offers a selection of customer service courses that take about an hour and a half to complete. After passing the assessment with at least an 80%, you are awarded with an official certificate you can use to bolster your credentials.

Dale Carnegie Training
Inspired by the teachings of business speaker Dale Carnegie, famous for penning the book How to Make Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie Training offers live webinars on customer service. Enrollment in a three-hour course costs $299; their customer service selection addresses topics such as sales effectiveness, customer service attitudes, and managing customer expectations. Compared to other online training modules, Dale Carnegie webinar courses are much more than videos and assessment. Lessons are facilitated by an official trainer, and participants are able to partake in live discussion.

On-Site or Travel Training Workshops:

Business Training Works
Business Training Works offers group training programs both on and offline. Their customer service curriculum is a combination of webinars and in-person training courses of varying lengths. Courses cover a breadth of topics, such as customer relationship management and communication skills, and can be purchased individually to fit the company’s needs. There are even industry-specific courses to train healthcare and government employees.

Zingerman’s ZingTrain Services
Take some customer service lessons from this famous Michigan deli. Whether you’re in the restaurant business or not, there’s a lot to learn from the variety of ZingTrain materials. For the two-day seminar on The Art of Giving Great Service, your team would need to travel to the official ZingTrain campus located in Ann Arbor. Alternatively, purchasing the 3 Steps to Giving Great Service training DVD (and their other training videos) is a smart choice too.

Disney Institute Professional Development Courses
What makes Disney World the happiest place on earth? Unparalleled customer service. Learn from the best in the business by sponsoring a course at your own organization or attending one of the onsite courses offered in both the California and Florida parks. The Disney Institute has courses for leaders and employees alike; if you’re a manager looking to improve your skills, register for a course in Leadership Excellence or Selection, Training & Engagement. All team members, regardless of position, can take valuable lessons from Disney’s Quality Service course. Whether you attend an intensive multi-day session or choose the one-day course, your customer service skills will be greatly enhanced. 

Last Updated: August 27, 2015