Part B

Customer Service Icebreakers

Whether your attendees are seasoned veterans, those with middle of the road experience, or rookies, those who
are very new to the whole customer service arena and possibly even the organization they are employed with,
it’s very important to put people at ease and encourage their involvement and sharing of ideas. You also want
to avoid divisions within your program.

This activity area does just what it states: it breaks the ice to open the door to communication, involvement,
and sharing. It taps the wisdom, talents, and gifts each individual brings to the workplace. This area also allows
individuals to realize that they do not stand alone but are a critical component of the entire team representing
excellent customer service. These activities will get your program underway and heading in the right direction.
 Part B: Customer Service Icebreakers

4. Team Task

Activity Description Time Guideline: 15 minutes

This is to promote immediate involvement and immersion into the learning process. Participants will
demonstrate teamwork, understanding, and cooperation before they even sit down. It will reflect the
importance of sharing the workload and delegating tasks to all involved in the process and will allow
for a creative mix at each location within your training session.

Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to:
1. Demonstrate the necessity to work together to accomplish a task.
2. Identify a leader and demonstrate the importance of being a cooperative follower.
3. Determine that it is easier to work together rather than “go it alone” to succeed.
4. Acknowledge that the program will be educational and enjoyable.

Method of Instruction
Select an area in the training room where participants can form a single straight line. Instruct them to
line themselves up according to the years of service they have within their organization, starting with the
individual with the most years of service. Identify that individual and designate where they should go to
position themselves. Instruct the rest of the group to communicate among themselves and to accomplish
the task now.
When they are lined up, have them say the number of years of service aloud for all to hear. Thank them
and then ask them to remember the number you assign to them. Depending on the number of tables (we
prefer round ones), count off to that number. For example, 5 tables means you want to count off to 5 and then
repeat the process in the line assigning one number to each person. When finished, announce that those with
#1 are to sit at a particular table (which you now identify), #2’s at this table, #3’s here, and so on. Participants
should now take their seats.
Now, ask them what they just did. “What happened? Why did we do it?”
Suggested answers:
• Divided up the years of service at each table with a good balance to promote a good mix of ideas
• Demonstrated good teamwork and cooperation to get the job done
Now, ask them to take a good look at the team members at their table. Instruct them to point at the most
responsible-looking team member at the count of 3. Say, 1, 2, 3, go! Majority rules. Instruct the newly
delegated team leader to delegate some responsibilities to the other members of their team. This is an
excellent time to have each team get their own books, materials, whatever they need for your particular
program. Each team member should be delegated a task.
Again ask, “What did we just do? Why did we do it?”

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50 Activities for Achieving Excellent Customer Service

Method of Instruction (continued)

Then say,
“In the world of customer service there is so much to accomplish. We can’t go it alone. We can’t do it all
by ourselves. We desperately need each other to get the job done and fulfill the needs of our customers.
Also, depending on our talents, knowledge, and skills, we will be called upon at times to a role of
leadership. In that capacity we need to utilize the rest of the team. As followers, we need to cooperate
and support the leader realizing we may assume that role at any given time and will request the support
of the team at that time.”

Notes, Insights, and Variations

When sharing the number of years of service, you may want to make note and add up the total to share with
the group. No one can ever take away those years of work, dedication, and experience and it represents a
tremendous amount of wisdom that we want to bring out in the program. Please allow yourself to share that
wisdom.
This is such a great way to get all participants interactively involved, working together, and having fun right
from the get go while making some critical points. It sets the stage for ongoing involvement and cooperation
throughout your workshop. Everyone realizes that their participation helps the entire group succeed.
This could be a good way to begin discussing that excellent customer service should be everyone’s job.
Ask, “What happens when an individual does not pull their weight or do their part?”
Possible answer:
• Raises stress, anxiety, frustrations, workload of entire group
Ask, “What happens when each individual does their part?”
Possible answers:
• Lowers anxiety, stress, frustrations
• Makes for a better work environment

Personal Information
See Author/Editor Biographies for information about Darryl S. Doane and Rose D. Sloat.

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 Part B: Customer Service Icebreakers

5. Promoting Communications
and Teamwork

Activity Description Time Guideline: 20 minutes

When a group of people are brought together for training in a seminar or workshop, there are varying levels
of familiarity with each other among the participants. This can be true if the people are all from one company
or from a mixed group such as a combination of suppliers and customers. I have found in either case that this
exercise is an excellent ice breaker to have people get to know each other, to share personal information,
which everyone can relate to, and to form a bond and better understanding based on this information.

Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to:
1. Create openness and familiarity.
2. Provide a learning environment.

Method of Instruction
1. Before the group arrives, have 8½” × 11” sheets of paper on the walls in the four corners of the room. The
papers will have written on them one of the following things: Oldest child, Middle child, Youngest child,
Only child.
2. After some introductions, tell the participants to go to the corner of the room that defines them. (Only
child will always go to “only child” even though they are also the oldest.)
3. Once they have gone to their proper place, ask them to spend 10 minutes or so (depending on how
many people there are) taking turns discussing how their birth order affected how they were treated
and subsequently how it affects where they are today and how they think of things.
4. Usually the stories and perspectives they share will be very similar, and the result is usually lots of laughs
and insights, while a natural bonding takes place because of these shared experiences.
5. After they all have had a chance to talk, while still in their corners, have each group tell the other groups
what they discussed.
6. Usually the groups will cast dispersions at each other in a good-hearted way during this phase of the
exercise, and it promotes a very relaxed start for the rest of the gathering while helping people become
closer.

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50 Activities for Achieving Excellent Customer Service

Personal Information
W. E. (Bill) Connor is the owner of Improved Business Performance, and a veteran of over 30 years in the world of fast-paced
production operations. With the skills learned as a teacher, production operator, supervisor, production planner, safety manager, and
internal consultant for two divisions in a global manufacturing company, Bill has the innate ability to see and help others see how
performance can be improved.

Whether it is simply improving an associate’s communications or time management skills or something more complex such as
suggesting workplace redesign, IBP has the tools to make a difference. Improved Business Performance offers free initial consultation
in Ohio to determine the need and applicability of solutions. Life is full of obstacle illusions. Let us remove those that are keeping
your business from reaching the pinnacle of performance.

William E. Connor, Owner

Improved Business Performance
Tallmadge, Ohio 44278
(330) 630-3991

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 Part B: Customer Service Icebreakers

6. Who Are You?

Activity Description Time Guideline: 30 minutes

This activity promotes group togetherness and the realization that there is strength in both their similarities
and differences.

Learning Objectives
The purpose of this activity is to get the participants working together, opening up, and sharing ideas—to
create an atmosphere of functioning as a team while demonstrating individual differences.

Method of Instruction
You will need four sets of 5” × 10” cards with the following words on them:
Set 1 Set 3
a. Competitive a. Caring
b. Compromising b. Care Giver
c. Collaborative c. Cared For
d. Accommodating d. Cared About
Set 2 Set 4
a. Talkative a. Tired
b. Quiet b. Confused
c. Outgoing c. Happy
d. Watcher d. Eager
Position the cards in advance. Place all the “a” cards, “b” cards, “c” cards, and “d” cards together and face
down.
Example: Room Setup
A B

Group Standing

C D

Have everyone stand. Tell them that their assignment is to walk over to the sign that reflects the word that is
most like them. They must select one. This is a forced-choice activity.
Reveal the first set, saying: “Are you
a. Competitive?”
b. Compromising?”
c. Collaborative?”
d. Accommodating?”

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50 Activities for Achieving Excellent Customer Service

Method of Instruction (continued)

Have individuals move to the sign that is most like them now. As they finish, walk up to each group and
select one individual. Ask him or her to please share why he or she selected that particular word. Do this
with each group no matter its size.
Proceed with the second set. “Are you:
a. Talkative?”
b. Quiet?”
c. Outgoing?”
d. A watcher?”
From where participants are currently, they should now move to the word that best describes them. Again,
once they have positioned themselves, go to each group and select one individual. Have him or her share
why he or she selected that particular word.
Proceed to the third set. “Are you:
a. Caring?”
b. Care giver?”
c. Cared for?”
d. Cared about?”
Follow the same process.
Proceed to the fourth set. “Are you:
a. Tired?”
b. Confused?”
c. Happy?”
d. Eager?”
Follow the same process as before.
When finished, ask the participants to take their seats.
Ask them, “What did we just do and why did we do it?” Let them tell you. It adds value to the activity.
Typical responses include:
• Mixed up the groups
• Showed them they are similar in some ways, different in others
• Teams changed as assignment changed
Add the following comments:
“Customer service is not a spectator sport. It takes a fully functional independent individual or “I” to
be a fully functional interdependent member of a team or ‘We.’
“The words you choose to go and stand by for whatever reasons reflected both your independent
uniqueness and your shared beliefs as team members.
“By the way, they were all correct. There were no wrong words to respond to. They simply represented
our differences and our similarities. That’s normal; that’s part of being a human being.
“Customer service people experience all of these and more in working with customers everyday. The
key to success, of course, is to display the appropriate behavior/feeling/attitude at the appropriate time.

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 Part B: Customer Service Icebreakers

Method of Instruction (continued)

“We’ll be talking more about what being a real team member means and what other characteristics/words/
behaviors are needed to be effective as a team member.
Thank everyone for their participation.

Notes, Insights, and Variations

• You may wish to utilize this activity as a springboard to further work on effective teams. You may find
the following definition useful.
Team Member: A person who deliberately sets out on a planned course of action designed to bring
about the successful achievement of the team’s goals. A team member is an individual who gives her-
or himself permission to contribute both independently and interdependently to the success of the team.
• Have the participants add other words and characteristics they believe are essential to be an effective and
efficient team member.

Personal Information
See Author/Editor Biographies for information about Darryl S. Doane and Rose D. Sloat.

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 Part B: Customer Service Icebreakers

7. You’ve Got the Power

Activity Description Time Guideline: 15 minutes

(However, it is dependent on
what you are applying it to)
A wonderful way to move discussion and interactivity along by having the participants themselves select the
individual who will lead a discussion, answer the next question, and be a team leader, etc.

Learning Objectives
The purpose of this activity is to have participants themselves select from their peers who will have
responsibility to do any of a variety of tasks. It helps to share the workload, spread leadership responsi-
bilities, and get everyone involved.

Method of Instruction
This is a very simple, yet powerful activity. You will need a nerf ball or soft stuffed animal or some other
soft creative item. It needs to be soft because participants will be throwing this around the room to each
other and you don’t want any injuries.
Hold up the item you have selected (for the purpose of this explanation, we’ll call it a ball). Say this
represents the power. Whomever is holding it has not only the ability but the responsibility to lead.
You select the first individual to turn “the power” over to stating that when they are finished with the task
at hand, they may then select the next individual to turn over “the power” to. It is their choice and no one
else’s because they have the power. As you say this, throw the ball to the individual you have chosen.

Notes, Insights, and Variations

This is a fun activity that easily complements many activities. It can be used for review of portions
of materials already covered, running through a list of questions with each individual with “the power”
taking one of the questions, etc. Be creative, have fun with it!

Personal Information
See Author/Editor Biographies for information about Darryl S. Doane and Rose D. Sloat.

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