We are currently delivering customer service training to some prestigious venues using a ‘forum’ approach.  Forum is designed to work with specific issues relevant to a particular group of people to facilitate learning and change. The approach and outcomes are very different to traditional classroom based training and are proven to be successful within customer service training.

The approach is highly beneficial because it enables the delegates to:

• emotionally log into the training and share experiences in real time.
• explore the experience and discuss what can change and how change can be made and forge agreement.
• hear, see and feel what is different; change becomes easy to assume.
• find a number of potential solutions and are then free to select those which work best for them.

Fresh awareness allows people to perform at their best.  It is impossible to ‘get it wrong’ all ideas can be tried in a safe environment, outcomes observed and experienced and solutions accepted or rejected as appropriate.  The workshop unlocks and harnesses the creative energy of the group.  Delegates own the outcomes of the workshop and therefore remember and buy in.

Is it like role play?  No, it couldn’t be more different! The forum approach uses professional actor/facilitators to take all the roles in the drama, delegates are free to concentrate on the scene being presented to them and are not expected to face the stress of performing in a role.

Forum delivery works best with larger groups – of 24-40 people and as such can help keep costs down. 

For more on forum learning and customer service click here for a Question and Answer sheet which you can download.