New Customer Service Training Classes & Requirements

Customer service training at Greenville Utilities has always played an important role in our mission of providing exceptional customer service both internally (between employees) and externally (with customers).  This year, GUC's customer service training requirement is three hours, and a few new and exciting classes are being offered.

Training Officer Carol Bazemore spends a great deal of time researching and developing new topics and programs that will enhance the different educational opportunities offered to our employees. One new class that she began offering in 2015 is called Workplace DiSC. The DiSC training became so popular among GUC employees and leaders that it is now part of our training requirement.

What is Workplace DiSC?

Have you ever wondered why some people just don't understand what you're trying to communicate? Or ever thought, "I cannot begin to know what that person needs, even when I ask them." Most of us have felt this way at one time or another.

Everyone has a unique blend of different work styles that are extremely valuable. The DiSC training is a tried and true solution to help people at any level of an organization effectively understand their own behaviors, as well as others. It uses a behavioral assessment tool based on a model of four basic work styles: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness (DiSC).

"In my many years of training employees at GUC and other companies, I've found the DiSC model to be, by far, the most effective tool to empower employees," said Carol. "It's amazing to watch the light come on as employees learn more about themselves and how best to work with their coworkers' unique work styles. Workplace DiSC is a very effective, yet simple tool that reveals our primary and preferred behavioral style. Employees quickly learn to use this knowledge to have successful relationships with their leader, co-workers, and customers."

Wastewater Treatment Plant staff (pictured above) were among the first to go through Workplace DiSC together as a team, which is another way that our Training Office can present this important tool.

2017 Training Requirements

This year's customer training program is two-fold.

Part 1 — All employees not yet trained on DiSC:

• "Workplace DiSC" (2 hours), and
• "All Together" (1 hour, taken after DiSC)

Part 2 — 107 employees who completed Workplace DiSC in 2015 or 2016:

• "Time, Tasks & Technology" (3 hours)
• "Strategic Meeting Skills" (3 horus)
• "Interpersonal Influence Inventory" (3 hours)
• "Leadership Unlimited Profile" (3 hours)
• Optional "All Together" (1 hour)

The training schedule for classes can be found in the Training Calendar on the MyGUC homepage under "Community" links. Carol also sends periodic emails with a description of each class and the updated calendar. Your department administrator can help you register. For more information, call Carol at 551-1499.

Here's what GUC employees have to say about their DiSC training:

"I believe DiSC was the most beneficial training course I have received by our Training Office. I've found myself analyzing situations and how I reacted to them based off my personality grouping. It's helped apply behavior changes on how I approach my co-workers, and it's easier now to put myself in my co-workers shoes to see their point of view."

"I loved this class! Not only have I been able to apply it to my working relationships but also at home."

"Workplace DiSC was one of the best trainings I've ever attended. Although skeptical at the beginning, by the end I was a believer and have recommended the training to all my fellow coworkers and supervisors." 

"DiSC has helped me to improve relationships with family and coworkers."

"DiSC is a great tool to promote awareness of different personality traits and how to effectively interact and work with the diverse population of coworkers and customers on a daily basis. Beyond that, better self-awareness is one of the biggest things to be gained from this training. Better understanding ourselves and our own tendencies is something we should all strive for continually."