The Participant assumes the role of a Call Centre Operative in the Customer Support Centre of Stenham Bank. The Bank provides a range of services including credit cards, holiday insurance, current accounts and on-line banking. With the help of a personal brief the Participant will answer the telephone to a customer who has queries regarding: a claim on their insurance policy; the range of services available; and a complaint about the service. The Participant must ensure that the outcome of the call is positive for the customer and that the action they agree is within the Companys specifications.
Competencies: Persuasive Oral Communication
The Participant plays the role of a Financial Controller for Churchill Motors Ltd, a medium-sized garage offering the full range of garage services including buying and selling cars. The Participant, using the facts and figures provided needs to agree or negotiate terms with the Sales Director, who is keen to close a reasonably large sale with a prospective customer. This entails establishing the parameters of the deal, so as to protect the garages financial position.
The Participant plays the role of a newly appointed Project Manager within a company providing bespoke software and software support, Outsoft Ltd. They are due to meet a client for whom they provide on-site support, for the first annual review of the contract. The Participant is provided with information about the contract and the progress to date. Their aim is to discuss any issues, operational or personal, that the client raises to ensure the effective relationship between the two companies continues. The Participant does not require any prior knowledge of IT or software, as the exercise focuses on the ability to develop an effective working relationship with the client.
The Participant assumes the role of an Area Manager for Choice Airways – one of five transport and travel companies owned by a large international organisation called One Choice Travel. One Choice Travel is keen to increase synergies between operating companies and is therefore introducing an initiative to encourage working together. The Participant is due to meet with the Area Manager for First Rail Link, One Choice Travels Rail company, in order to agree or negotiate terms as to how this initiative should be rolled out in their area to ensure success.
The Participant assumes the role of a Trainee Store Manager working for a major international retailer, EuroBargain, which has numerous hypermarkets across Europe. In this exercise the Participant is required to meet with a customer who has had negative experiences of both the stores products and services. The Participant must address the issues raised by the customer in order to ensure that the customer’s faith in EuroBargain is restored.
The Participant plays the role of an Agent at Direct Insurance Services, a company which sells insurance over the telephone. On this occasion the Participant has to sell their product to a difficult customer who is annoyed about being disturbed at home. The Participant is supplied with detailed information about the product they are selling, so no specialist knowledge is required. The outcome of the telephone conversation is dependent on the customer handling skills of the Participant.
The Participant plays the role of a Chief Executive of a contract services company, Tuson where a senior member of staff has had a difficult encounter with an important customer in the Midlands. It has taken some time to try and resolve this disagreement at a local level, and from time to time both parties have leaked some aspects of the dispute to the papers. The Participant is now faced with the prospect of going to record a radio interview for a national network, which could go out on the national news. To prepare for the interview, the Participant is provided with details of the existing contract and some information about the background to the dispute.
The Participant is asked to play the part of an Account Manager for a supplier of paints and coatings, PX Paints. The Participant is scheduled to visit a customer who produces volume car components. There has been a quality failure with one of the products which threatens to disrupt what has previously been an excellent long-term relationship. The task is to deal with the complaints, discuss ways of avoiding a recurrence and build a better partnership for the future.
The Participant assumes the role of a Consultant with International Computing Solutions (ICS). They are required to meet with an extremely upset and dissatisfied customer who feels that they have been badly treated and significantly let down by ICS. Whilst the Participant is not the technician accountable for the problem, they are responsible for the contract and must reassure the client and convince them that ICS will be able to come up with a viable solution to resolve the situation. The Participant must ensure that the client is satisfied otherwise an important contract will be lost.
The Participant assumes the role of an HR Business Partner in a pharmaceutical company, Phyto plc, with Head Offices in the UK and satellite offices in Denmark and Australia. The Company has outsourced many of its global HR processes to Employment Plus. However, different approaches and standards are being applied by the outsource supplier, especially in terms of selection and development of staff. The Participant is required to attend a meeting with the Employment Plus Account Manager to investigate some recent complaints and to set in place foundations for a more cohesive approach to the services that are being provided.
