Client Service and Sales

CampusStart DateTuition/Fees
Saint JohnSeptember 2023 (Blended Delivery) Domestic | International
MonctonJanuary 2024 (Blended Delivery) Domestic | International

Program Overview

The Client Service and Sales program appeals to those seeking a career in client service industries. With a focus on contact centres, students learn the cornerstone skills of customer service, communication, and sales techniques to build relationships with clients. Throughout this program, students acquire the interpersonal skills and best practices to build performance excellence and increase productivity. The program enables students to confidently interact with a team and identify one’s immediate and long-term impact as a business asset within various sectors (e.g., finance, insurance, telecommunications, and hospitality).  Students are introduced to supervisory skills and managerial principles to better prepare them for leadership opportunities. Emphasis is placed on developing and enhancing the required verbal and written communication skills to confidently engage clients, interact with internal and external stakeholders, and provide quality customer service. 
 
The Client Service and Sales program may be delivered through a combination of in-class and on-line instruction. Simulations and real-life examples may be used to support hands-on communication, sales, and keyboarding practice during the learning of "talk-tech-type" engagement with clients. Students develop the necessary technical skills to perform in a multi-faceted and fast-paced contact centre environment. Opportunities to visit a contact centre highlight industry’s commitment to this training and give a first-hand look at career possibilities.
 
A workplace experience at the end of the program provides students with exposure to a contact centre facility during which they learn about the operations of a contact centre, observe client service representatives in action, and relate their experience to their newly acquired knowledge and skills.  This experience also provides students with networking and relationship-building opportunities.


Duration

The requirements for this certificate program may be achieved within one academic year of full-time study.


Admission Requirements

    Profile A

  • High School Diploma or Adult High School Diploma or GED Diploma of High School Equivalency or Essential Skills Achievement Pathway: Post-Secondary Entry High School Diploma

    NB Francophone High School Math Equivalencies
    International Student Admission Equivalencies


    Career Possibilities

    As a graduate of this program, you'll have a wide range of skills that can be applied in various service and sales business settings and that are valued by the contact centre industry. New Brunswick’s contact centre industry employs over 18,000 people and contributes over $1 billion to the NB economy.  The range of employers is vast, but you may be employed by government agencies, telecommunication, financial, insurance, logistics, and research companies.

    Find career possibilities related to this program in Career Coach.



    Specific Considerations

    Technology Requirements
    NBCC is a connected learning environment. All programs require a minimum specification, including access to the internet and a laptop. Your computer should meet your program technology requirements to ensure the software required for your program operates effectively. Free wifi is provided on all campuses.


    Areas of Study

    • Client service
    • Verbal and written communication
    • Sales processes and techniques
    • Interpersonal skills
    • Intercultural communication
    • Keyboarding skills
    • Word processing and spreadsheet applications
    • Business fundamentals
    • Contact centre operations
    • Supervision and leadership


    Program Courses

    Courses are subject to change.

    This course will expose the student to the various principles of management. It will develop in the student an understanding of operational management as it applies in day-to-day settings and provide an insight into the daily life of a practising manager, as he/she interacts with people.

    The Client Service and Sales Workplace Integration provides the opportunity for students to integrated their learning with first hand observations of a contact centre's operations.  They spend time in an actual contact centre observing the operations and interacting with frontline representative and supervisors, and gaining networking opportunities. Students observe the relationship between the knowledge and skills learned and the actual daily operations of a contact centre. The course concludes with a collective de-brief exercise during which students share and discuss their experiences and reflections with others. 

    This course is designed to help students strengthen their fundamental skills in writing clear, effective sentences and paragraphs, and enable them to create organized, unified and coherent documents. The writing process is introduced. Students will recognize the importance of writing for the intended purpose and audience.

    This course utilizes a practical approach in introducing students to the fundamentals of ethics and ethical decision-making in the workplace.

    Delivered with a hands-on approach, students will examine real-world case studies that illustrate ethical issues and dilemmas in today’s workplace. Students apply ethical concepts and principles to make thoughtful and responsible ethical decisions.

    This course is designed to expose students to management concepts with particular emphasis on developing supervision and interpersonal skills.

    Cultural differences, if not understood, can be a significant barrier to the success of doing international business. This course examines the diversity in a cultural settings and/or people that you will encounter in doing business internationally. Communication strategies will be explored and a variety of communication styles analyzed to address cross cultural variables and barriers in international business.

    Keyboarding is useful for those who regularly do text or data input and who wish to develop efficiency in use of the equipment. This skill is essential for those preparing for a career in which the use of software packages is a major component of their work.

    Learners are challenged to apply human relations and interpersonal communications theory to workplace-based and real life situations. They use a problem solving perspective in suggesting and carrying out appropriate communication strategies and techniques.

    This workshop introduces students to the process of finding employment. It explores the various strategies and resources available, and examines the role of social media.

    This course provides an introduction to the meaning of community service.  Students learn how community service can enhance a student’s educational experience, personal growth, employability, and civic responsibility. Students participate in one day of volunteering to enhance their understanding of civic responsibility and to help the New Brunswick Community College realize its vision of transforming lives and communities. 

    Students develop skills in strategic customer service that lead to retention of customers in a high tech, competitive and demanding consumer market.

    This course introduces students to word processing software. In a lab-based environment students will learn how to create, modify and enhance various types of documents.

    This course introduces students to fundamentals of computer system components and functions, electronic file management, email including scheduling and calendar management, and word processing concepts.

    Students will learn how to manage electronic files and folders, and use the word processing and email software applications in managing files or documents, emails, scheduling and calendars. Students will also use the Internet as a research tool.

    This course introduces students to basic spreadsheet concepts. A strong understanding of those concepts assists in designing spreadsheets for a variety of tasks, such as numerical reporting, sorting, budgeting and forecasting.

    Students gain the necessary skills required when working with spreadsheets, including how to create, edit, format, save, move, copy, sort, and calculate data. They will also learn how to summarize data using formulas and present their results visually using various chart types and styles.

    This course covers the basic fundamentals of selling with an emphasis on the concepts and practices of selling.

    A career in client service requires an understanding of the industry’s goals, roles, and rules. The Introduction to Client Service and Sales course examines fundamentals necessary to thrive in the service sector, with a focus on contact centres. 

    Students examine the values and responsibilities of a qualified customer service representative. They learn the necessity of professionalism and precision when serving clients and working within corporate cultures. Laws and legislations governing privacy and telemarketing are reviewed, as well. Through the course’s focus on service roles within contact centres, students outline the purpose and history of the industry, its work environment, and key technologies used to support communication with clients.

    This course may be delivered using real-life examples and case studies, enabling students to explore the service profession, including its career options, ethics, and technology.

    When supporting clients through a contact centre environment, it is essential to present with confidence and resolve needs with efficiency. By using customer engagement strategies, these abilities become reflexive. This course focuses on the knowledge and skills that enable an individual to provide memorable service to new and existing customers.

    Students learn how to adapt their personalities to various customer situations, focusing on cues related to voice and the specific content of the conversation. They also acquire the skills to match the benefits of products and services with the expectations of both the client and business.

    Delivery may focus on role play and scenarios in which students can apply techniques of a professional customer-service provider while adhering to necessary guidelines and standards.

     

    Within this simulation course, students enrolled in the Client Service and Sales program apply service, communication, sales techniques, and supervisory skills to satisfy client needs and resolve situations that may occur in a contact centre environment.
     
    The core components of this course require students to demonstrate exceptional verbal and client service skills required for business success, efficient use of technology, team relationships, and appropriate adherence to contact centre procedures and standards. In addition to these core skills, this course gives students the opportunity to apply leadership and coaching skills helping them prepare for supervisory opportunities.
      
    During this practice, students adapt to self-directed learning, team discussions, and role play activities. Activities will include both front line and supervisory roles providing them with a more holistic experience and understanding to the contact centre environment.  Both instructor assessments and peer reviews focus on reinforcing individual strengths and recommending areas for enhancement and development.
     

    Prerequisites:

    • KSSC1007F
    • SAVT1027
    • HRRH1009
    • PRRP1003

    A safe and healthy workplace is the responsibility of the employer and the employee. This course introduces students to the importance of working safely and addresses how employers and employees can control the hazards and risks associated with the workplace. Students will also learn about the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders including WorkSafeNB, the employer and the employee in ensuring workplaces are safe.

    The Communication for Client Service course prepares students for the "art of conversation." Students learn the importance and impact of communication through personal experiences and industry engagement. This course captures three fundamental communication requirements: conversation, verbal application, and physical expression. As well, students examine communication mediums (e.g., in person, telephone, text-based) and their situational value. They also examine technological and generational changes in the domain of communicating (e.g., the transition from voice-based to text-based communication).
     
    Through case studies, video content, and interactions via varied mediums, students practice presenting communication concepts formally and informally. Additionally, students critique communication skills and presentation styles to enhance the abilities of classmates and one’s self.


    NOC Codes

    6314 - Customer and information services supervisors
    6523 - Airline ticket and service agents
    6551 - Customer services representatives – financial institutions
    6552 - Other customer and information services representatives


    Disclaimer: This web copy provides guidance to prospective students, applicants, current students, faculty and staff. Although advice is readily available on request, the responsibility for program selection ultimately rests with the student. Programs, admission requirements and other related information is subject to change.


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