When training people to provide top quality customer service, trainers often mistakenly assume that there is a universal motivation to improve the service given to people. Providing exceptional service often requires providers to take that extra step, and work extra hard; while most learners recognize that this is to the benefit of their firm, they may not feel its important enough for them to work extra hard at it.

There is also a personal benefit to working hard to please customers - the job itself becomes considerably more satisfying and enjoyable if their customers are delighted. Conversely, poor service providers are often engaged in confrontations; it is difficult for most employees to not take the feelings of anger home with them after a particularly strenous argument.

The following roleplay will cause a fight - that's what its here for. Even if the service provider tries to help the customer, inevitably it will break down into an argument.

In order to play the game, simply hand the customer form to the person playing the role of customer, and the service provider form to the person playing the role of service provider. This game is set up for government. You can modify it depending on the circumstances of your training.

Allow the arguing to take place for 30 seconds or so; it need not go on longer than a minute. Stop the fight and immediately confront the "service provider". Ask them how they feel right now, how much stress they are under. Ask them how long it will take them to get rid of the feeling. Ask them if they like the feeling.

This can be followed with a dialogue about how positive interactions are much more satisfying than stressful ones. If this roleplay is done at the beginning of the training, let your participants know that by following what they learn in the training, their personal experience at work will dramatically improve.