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Service Delivery: Responding Effectively to Challenging Calls
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Information and Referral (I&R) specialists daily answer calls from vulnerable people in difficult situations. With experience, they handle these calls quite adeptly. This course is about those other calls. An I&R specialist must have the skills to meet the needs of all types of people in all situations, including people who are angry, hostile, manipulative, frequently call with the same problem, or are otherwise difficult to serve. This interactive course describes the range of “challenging” calls generally encountered within an I&R program, techniques for diffusing situations, setting boundaries, and if necessary, terminating calls.
This course is primarily for Community Resource Specialists but can be used for Database Curators who also take calls.
When you have completed this course, you will be able to:
- Describe the range of clients who may be described as “challenging” for reasons other than the nature of the call.
- Outline techniques to defuse hostility and cope with challenging clients.
- Identify when your feelings are being “triggered,” and you risk losing control of the inquiry.
Key:
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Part 1: Review Exercise
1 Question | 5 attempts | 9/9 points to pass
1 Question | 5 attempts | 9/9 points to pass
Part 2: Review Exercise
6 Questions | 5 attempts | 15/15 points to pass
6 Questions | 5 attempts | 15/15 points to pass
What should I say?
Part 3: Review Exercise
8 Questions | Unlimited attempts | 8/8 points to pass
8 Questions | Unlimited attempts | 8/8 points to pass
Determine whether these statements are true or false when it comes to dealing with constant callers.
Part 4: Face to Face Interviews and Conclusion
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
Final Course Exam
15 Questions | 3 attempts | 12/15 points to pass
15 Questions | 3 attempts | 12/15 points to pass
Certificate of Completion
1.00 Hour(s) of Professional Development credit | Certificate available
1.00 Hour(s) of Professional Development credit | Certificate available
Certificate of Completion
Role Play Exercise
5 Questions | Unlimited attempts | 9/9 points to pass
5 Questions | Unlimited attempts | 9/9 points to pass
Practice Scenario
3 Questions
3 Questions
A woman calls and says she needs to speak to her doctor right
now. Using a calm and low voice, the Community Resource
Specialist says this is an information and referral line and he
will try to help the caller find her doctor. She interrupts and
demands to be “put through” to his office right now. The
specialist further slows his speech and explains that this isn’t
the doctor’s office but he can try to find that number for her.
He asks what the doctor’s name is. The caller’s voice gets
louder and she accuses the specialist of being a liar.
The specialist tries to redirect the caller by asking why she
needs to speak with her doctor. The caller replies that the
pharmacy refused to refill her prescription, so she needs to
tell her doctor to call the pharmacy. The specialist asks if the
caller is about to run out of medication, and she confirms she
ran out two days ago and that’s why she needs to talk to the
doctor right now. The specialist affirms it is important to get in
touch with her doctor and he will try to help, but he needs her
help in trying to find the doctor. He asks if she’s willing to let
him help her. The caller agrees and begins to calm down.
The specialist says this is not the doctor’s office but he
can help her get in touch with her doctor. He asks if she
understands, and she curtly says “Of course, I understand.”
He asks if the caller has anyone else who sometimes helps get
her medications. She says sometimes Sally helps. The specialist
asks if Sally is a family member or a friend, and the woman
says no. He asks how she knows Sally and she says Sally is the
caseworker over at the Mental Health Support Center. The
specialist clarifies that the doctor is part of the Mental Health
Support Center, and the caller confirms. The specialist looks up the number for the agency and asks
the caller if she’d like to write down the number. She says she
doesn’t have a pencil or paper – she just needs to talk to the
doctor. She sounds like her anxiety is beginning to escalate
again, so the specialist suggests that he call the doctor’s office
while she’s on the phone. The caller agrees.
The specialist completes a warm transfer once he has
connected the caller with Sally.
How to De-escalate Calls with Angry or Agitated Customers (Video)
Recorded 01/10/2021
Recorded 01/10/2021