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Home » Onsite and Live Remote Courses » Customer Service » Above the Line

Above the Line Service

Course Overview

To really understand what separates excellent service from average service, all you need is a line. That’s right… a simple line. Excellent service is Above the Line, and average service is below the line.

While we each have a personal line by which we judge customer service success, there are some behaviors that are undeniably Above the Line, including problem resolution, a customer care mindset, empathy, and resiliency. How we deliver on these behaviors creates a “feeling of service”, whether good or bad, and that feeling can impact your relationship with the customer, the company’s reputation, and ultimately your company’s success.

This course focuses on four key skills that are linked to Above the Line service:

  • Problem Resolution – Approaching your customer’s request in a consultative, solution-focused way
  • Customer Care Mindset – Delivering excellent service requires an “ALL IN” mentality and genuine care for your customer.
  • Empathy – Picking up the emotional cues of others and responding appropriately
  • Resiliency – Bouncing back from a tough customer encounter and managing emotions in an effort to respond instead of reacting

Through skill development and real-world application, each Above the Line skill will cultivate a renewed spirit of service excellence and give your team members elevated tools to deliver “Above the Line” service with each interaction.

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What to Expect

Learning Outcomes

  • Know the impact mindset has on service.
  • Understand that service is a feeling.
  • Learn enhanced problem resolution skills.
  • Learn how to pick up on emotional cues.
  • Know how and when to use empathy
  • Learn resiliency & self-management tools.
  • Create a custom “Above the Line” service plan.
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“It takes months to find a customer and seconds to lose them.”

Vince Lombardi

Business Outcomes

  • Improved Team Morales
  • More Self-Reliant & Empowered Employees
  • Consistency of Excellent Service
  • Fewer Customer Complaints
  • Enhanced First-Interaction Resolution
  • Improved Customer Satisfaction

How This Works

Program Format

This is a one-day, onsite, instructor-led session that can be split into shorter sessions to accommodate schedules.

  • Live remote training options are also available.
  • The program is presented in a multi-media, fun, interactive manner with group exercises to engage participants.
  • Materials support additional learning reinforcement.
  • Contact us to explore how we can meet your training goals! info@bonfiretraining.com / 800-888-4893

Who should attend?

All team members who interact with external and internal customers.

Above the Line FAQs

Check out some FAQs, and keep in mind that we’ll help you design the best and most effective program to meet your training goals and desired learning and business outcomes. Just give us a call or email, we’re here to help! 800-888-4893 / info@bonfiretraining.com

What is the best class size for Above the Line?

No group is too big or too small! Ideally, we recommend a maximum class size of 25 participants per session. This will encourage participation and engagement with hands-on activities. If this class size doesn’t fit your needs or you have larger participant numbers, we have several options for large group presentations.

How long is the training? Is it a full day?
The standard Above the Line course content is typically seven hours in length and can be delivered in a full day to one group or scheduled in half-day increments over two days. This way, one group could see part 1 in the morning, and another group could see part 1 in the afternoon. This sequence could be repeated for part 2 on a second day. This can help if you’d like to have some staff available to serve customers each day while the others are in training. We also have half-day programs available with fewer topics. As with nearly every course, you and your Bonfire trainer can decide which topics are most important to cover and whether the training is the full seven hours, or a condensed 3 ½ to 4-hour session.
Who should attend this training?
We recommend “Above the Line” for all departments or teams looking to improve communication skills with internal and external customers. This includes frontline customer service representatives, team leaders, managers, and supervisors. The more team members that attend, the more the culture of customer service excellence will be integrated into your entire company. This can be an enterprise-wide training initiative.
I am unable to have my entire staff participate at the same time. Can I still do onsite training?
This is a very common concern. Many of our clients decide that the long-term gain of interactive, hands-on classroom training is worth the short-term pain of being short staffed for customer interactions for a day or two. Rest assured; we have several options for when staffing is a concern. We can divide your staff into multiple groups and run them through the training at different intervals, ensuring that no one is away for more than a few hours. We can also deliver the training after hours or on a weekend. You can also bring in small groups from each department in your company, so no single department has everyone in training at the same time. We have worked around staffing issues many times.
What type of reinforcement do you offer? How do I ensure that the techniques ‘stick’?

It’s important to reinforce the training within 30 days of the training program to ensure the techniques stick and become part of your culture. With that in mind, we have several recommendations.

  • We strongly recommend Bonfire’s Sustain the Training workshop which teaches supervisors, team leaders, and management to coach the newly trained staff on the new techniques and skills learned in the Above the Line workshop. It reinforces the new skills and helps the staff to practice them until they become habit. The coaches’ training provides real content that is coupled with a methodical approach to set your coaches and staff up for success. It’s the best return on investment insurance for your training.
  • We also offer customized refresher training. This can take place anywhere from 6-12 months after the initial training and will help the staff brush up on key techniques so that all of their skills are fully implemented.
  • Team Huddles, an Above the Line Reinforcement Guide, or BOOST Huddles are also great tools that reinforce the learnings from the Above the Line workshop.
  • Your Bonfire trainer is also available for advice and guidance after the training is completed. They’re just a phone call or email away!
Which is a better fit for me? Onsite Training or Live Remote?

Our onsite training is our best and most effective training solution for the Above the Line course. It is customized, interactive and fun. Our charismatic trainers are able to get the entire class involved and participating during the training. This makes the learning process highly enjoyable, and we have found that participants tend to learn and retain more with this format

Live remote training for our standard Above the Line course is also customized and is typically delivered over three total hours, and usually in two 90-minute segments. That said, Bonfire is flexible and will adjust timing to meet your needs.

What is the cost?

Our pricing varies according to the delivery method you choose, the number of days/sessions our trainer is working with your team, and how many people we will be attending, among other factors.  

Excellent Service is Above the Line

“Above the Line” goes beyond providing customer solutions, it means taking ownership for yourself and the impact you have on customer relationships.
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