A training plan designated to improve customer service while improving instructor communications and professionalism.

1. The Human Resources School
Training Department’s
Telephone Etiquette Course Instructional
Plan
A TRAINING PLAN DESIGNED TO IMPROVE CUSTOMER SERVICE
WHILE IMPROVING INSTRUCTOR COMMUNICATIONS AND PROFESSIONALISM

2. AGENDA
 Purpose
 Why Telephone Etiquette?
 Phase I
 Phase II
 Phase III
 Phase IV
 Conclusion

3. PURPOSE
 Purpose: To gain approval of a Telephone Etiquette Instructional Plan for
the HR Training Department (TD) Personnel designed to leave a positive
impression with callers regarding our department and its personnel; and
to standardize procedures TD personnel on answering and responding to
incoming callers

4. WHY TELEPHONE ETIQUETTE?
WHY? - BECAUSE OUR CUSTOMERS DESERVE PROMPT, QUALITY, AND DEDICATED ATTENTION
WHY? – BECAUSE WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING QUALITY CUSTOMER SERVICE
WHY? – BECAUSE WE DO UNTO OTHERS AS WE WOULD HAVE OTHERS DO UNTO US
WHY? – BECAUSE WE ARE A REFLECTION OF OUR DEPARTMENT
WHY? - BECAUSE SIMPLY PUT, IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO
WHY? – BECAUSE WE ALWAYS STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE
WHY? – BECAUSE WE ARE PROFESSIONALS

5. WHY TELEPHONE ETIQUETTE
Because it is Absolutely Essential to an Organization and its Employees Success

6. Why Telephone Etiquette?
Because Organizational and Individual Performance is Adverely Impacted

7. PHASE I
 Couse Description
 A 3-hour mandatory training session designed to reinforce telephone etiquette, when
answering incoming calls. There are 3 specific areas of concentration:
 1 – The appropriate way to answer calls
 2 – the appropriate way to respond to a caller’s inquiry
 3 – the appropriate way to conclude the conversation
 The goals of this training session are:
 1 - Leave a positive impression with callers regarding our department and its personnel
 2 - Standardize procedures for answering and responding to incoming callers
 Target Audience
 Every individual assigned or attached to the training department, both military and civilian
 Basic knowledge of computers is required; the training audience ranges in age from 28 to 37
years old

8. PHASE I (CONT)
 Delivery Modality
 The instructor led training method of delivery in a large group instruction
format
 Learning Goals
 Leave a positive impression with callers regarding the HR Training
Department and its personnel
 Standardize the Training Department’s procedures for answering and
responding to incoming callers

9. PHASE II
 Goals with Associated Objectives
 Goal #1: Leave a positive impression with callers regarding our department and
its personnel
 Objectives for Goal #1 are:
 1 - Given specific and standardized instructions on how to initially receive an
incoming call, the instructor will answer incoming calls with a standardized
greeting without error
 2 – After obtaining information from the customer, the instructor will provide
the appropriate feedback or provide guidance to the customer as to the
appropriate individual/office/agency to handle their inquiry- 90% of the time
 3 – Given specific and standardized instructions on how to appropriately
conclude the call, the instructor will demonstrate the appropriate way to
conclude a conversation without error

10. PHASE II (CONT)
 Goals with Associated Objectives
 Goal #2: Standardize procedures for answering and responding to incoming
callers
 Objectives for Goal #2 are:
 1 - Given specific guidance on telephone etiquette, course developers will
prepare standardized operating procedures/formal instruction on answering,
responding to, and concluding incoming calls with estimated time values
 2 - Given appropriate training on the mission and responsibilities of the other
departments within the Institute and the Points of Contact (POCs) within those
departments, the instructor must pass a written exam verifying their
knowledge of other departments and department POCs, receiving a
minimum passing score of 80

11. PHASE II (CONT)
 The Objectives, Instructional Strategies, and Instructional Technologies
 Objectives
 Are performance and knowledge based
 Require both collaborative learning and critical skills
 Collaborative learning for objectives associated with Goal #1 because instructors will conduct role
playing with the target audience during the training and testing
 Critical Thinking for objectives associated with Goal #2 because instructors have to display
effective listening skills and use critical thinking skills in assisting callers with issues that require
involvement from other departments
 Instructional Strategies
 Computer Based Training
 Lecture
 Reading
 Role Playing
 Instructional Strategies
 Power Point
 Web Based

12. PHASE III
 Who is Involved with the Development of the Training and Education Products
 Training Developers
 Instructors
 Select Group of Personnel from the Target Audience / Learners (to provide input regarding what
areas they believe need emphasis)
 Time Values from Development to Implementation (60+18+12 = 90 hours)
 For actual classroom courseware (training materials) to be used to train and educate the target
audience there will be 20 hours of development for each academic hour (3 hours) of resident
training, totaling 60 hours of courseware / training product development
 For Instructor Key Personnel Training (IKPT) materials used to train and educated the instructors /
facilitators there will be six hours of development for each hour of scheduled instruction delivery
(3 hours), totaling 18 hours of development for products to prepare those delivering the
instruction to the target audience
 After developing the IKPT materials, there will be an additional 12 hours spent actually training
the trainers (instructors / facilitators)

13. PHASE III (CONT)
 Required Resources to Conduct Training
 Developers
 Instructor / Facilitators
 Students (target audience)
 Facilities (classrooms)
 Classroom Equipment
 Desks
 Chairs
 Telephones (classroom must be appropriately equipped with telephone jacks
 Computers
 Printers / Copiers
 Whiteboard
 Videography and Recording Equipment
 Projector & Projector Screen

14. PHASE III (CONT)
 Implementation Plan
 Plan will be communicated
 verbally to all instructors during our regularly scheduled weekly meetings
 written communication (email) to all members of the target audience (all of whom are located within
the training department)
 Interest and commitment will be built by
 allowing members of the target audience to have input throughout the design and development
phases
 through incentives provided to those who do well in the course and who receive positive feedback, via
the numerous surveys and feedback from our customers
 Attendance at the course is for
 all instructors assigned to the training department
 new instructors must also attend as part of their in-processing

15. PHASE III (CONT)
 Evaluation Plan(s)
 Formative (summary) – Observing role play during rehearsals - Role playing, with a caller and
instructor will determine if the instructor answers the incoming call as indicated above,
following the standardized instruction. Then, objective 2 – after the caller has stated the
purpose for the call, the instructor provides the appropriate feedback. So, if the question from
the caller is, “I am calling to see if I am eligible for attendance at the Human Resources Plans
and Operations Course?” the instructor will provide appropriate feedback such as, “the criteria
requires attendees to be in the grade of Sergeant First Class and above; be assigned to an
authorized 42 series human resources position; and have a minimum of one- year of active or
reserve service remaining on their military contract. If the customer questions who or which
office has waiver approving authority, then the instructor must provide an appropriate response
such as “All waiver requests must be submitted on a DA For 4187 (Request for Personnel
Action) and processed through the requestor’s battalion commander, to the Commandant of
the Adjutant General School, ATTN: Operations Office, Fort Jackson, SC 29207

16. PHASE III (CONT)
 Summative (summary) - This assessment requires gaining feedback from the customer (caller)
regarding their satisfaction of the service / support they received from the instructor who
answered their call. Simply put, was the customer satisfied with the information they received
from the training department instructor. This will be measured through Interactive Customer
Evaluation (ICE) surveys, telephonic call-back surveys, and general telephone push-button
responses (such as, if you were satisfied with the response you received, please press #1 on
your telephone; if you were not satisfied, please press the #2 and provide a brief response; you
may leave your name and a call-back number if you desire). Additionally, as a part of the
training program, instructors will be required to take a written exam as identified in Objective
#2 of Goal #2 (“Given appropriate training on the mission and responsibilities of the other
departments within the Institute and the Points of Contact (POCs) within those departments,
the instructor must pass a written exam verifying their knowledge of other departments and
department POCs, receiving a minimum passing score of 80”)

17. PHASE IV
 Connecting the Dots (Aligning Phases of the Course to Meet the Educational Outcomes
 The training description, goals, objectives, and assignments are all aligned in a sequential manner
 The learner is trained and educated, in sequence, on the appropriate way to (1) answer, (2) respond to, and
(3) conclude/end incoming calls
 To receive a passing score / be certified on telephone etiquette one cannot move on to responding to a call
without first being successful (or receive a “GO”) at answering the call; and one cannot conclude/end the
call (or receive a “GO”) without properly responding to the call
 Through role playing, with instructor/facilitator observation, learners must display proficiency / competency
in an area before being allowed to move forward to the next area
 Course is aligned to the established learning outcomes
 Enabling / Terminal Learning Objectives (ELOs /TLOs) are interdependent and mutually contribute to
achieving / attaining the desired end result
 Evaluation Tools Used to Assess Level of Effectiveness / Readiness
 Question and answer session
 Written Exam
 Surveys - Interactive Customer Evaluations (ICE); Telephonic (customer call-back / push-button) Responses;
Instructor and Student Verbal Feedback; and Course Observations

18. PHASE IV (CONT)
 Collection and Use of Evaluation Data
 Evaluation data will be conducted from:
 Instructor / Facilitator
 Learner
 Customers
 Type of Data to be collected and Associated Timeframe
 After Action Written Reports (upon completion of every 3-day training course)
 Interactive Multi-Media Feedback from ICE (reviewed / collected daily)
 Surveys – all inclusive (collected and compiled daily; reviewed and analyzed bi-weekly)
 Discussions / Counseling Sessions with Trainers and Students (routinely)
 Monthly Hasty Overview of Findings and Analysis to determine if minor revisions are required
 Quarterly Deliberate Overview of Findings and Analysis to determine if major revisions are required
 Annual Review of Course to Determine Definitive Requirements and Resources

19. CONCLUSION
Each of us needs the help and support of others. Interacting
with people is an intricate and very necessary part of our lives.
The expectation should always be to “treat others as you expect
to be treated.” We need positive communication and the more
we receive, the better we feel. This training plan is designed to
improve customer service while also improving instructor
communications and professionalism. The end result is to leave
a positive impression with callers regarding the HR Training
Department and its personnel.