Focusing learning on customer service: an example from the public sector

Describes an example of a successful learning programme focused on customer satisfaction. Reports on a programme for experienced staff in the European Patent Office called ChOral (CHairing ORAL proceedings). The stages of the programme included sponsoring by a top manager to overcome initial resistance, to support cognitive task analysis and to give “pep talks” to the learners to emphasise the customer‐satisfaction goal; using a consultant to learn “active listening” and “empathy” techniques, which were then included as training content; creating representative case studies and “courtroom” role‐playing exercises; self‐study by the learners of the recommended procedures; and a video‐based, role‐playing practice and feedback system using recently trained examiners as “models”, demonstrating the procedures to be learned by new trainees, with subsequent feedback commentary from respected experts.