Cultural Awareness Tool Kit

The United States is increasingly becoming a multi-cultural society in which currently one in every eight residents was born outside the U.S. Each of these cultural groups brings with it a different set of customer service preferences and expectations so what may be considered outstanding service by some is unacceptable or uncomfortable to others. That means that even the most conscientious customer service provider may be surprised to find that some customers are unhappy with their service and looking to take their business elsewhere. So, how do we know what service our multi-cultural customers are looking for? This workshop addresses the intangibles and cultural missteps that may be sabotaging our best customer service efforts. It discusses ethnic, regional, generational, and cultural differences, sensibilities and expectations. Workshop participants will learn: • That the handshake, eye contact, body language, and personal space that is appropriate for some cultures is considered aggressive and uncomfortable to others • To appreciate the importance some cultures place on using professional titles, military rank, or titles of social status . Cultural differences in the value of time and punctuality. • That getting “right down to business” will be appreciated by some cultures but considered rude by others • How to train staff to successfully communicate and deliver quality customer service in a multicultural environment