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Huon Valley Council – Government

Cross-section of council workers equipped with difficult customer training

Local government employees improve self-management and boundary-setting practices, as well as learning behavioural driver identification.

Services: Customer communications

About Huon Valley Council

The Huon Valley Council is the southernmost local government area in Australia. The area retains the beauty, charm and heritage of a bygone era, yet it is only a 30-minute drive from Hobart. The main townships are Huonville, Franklin, Cygnet, Geeveston and Dover.

The challenge

Local government, like many service sectors in recent times, has seen a spike in aggression and emotional customers. This is concerning given the risks that client incivility poses to retention, psychological safety, and by extension, an employer’s duty of care. Employers are also legally required to do everything they reasonably can to prevent exposure to psychological and psychosocial risks and hazards. Therefore, it’s more important than ever for workplaces to address these risks through effective mediation and support measures.

 

Huon Valley Council wanted a training organisation that aligned with their objectives and could equip a wide cross-section of council employees. Training across this diverse range of roles and functions would ensure an organisationally consistent adoption, compared with training just one service team. Their aims were to: 

 

  • Provide knowledge and application of best practices when dealing with difficult customers.
  • Tools and strategies to defuse, communicate boundaries, and read behavioural drivers.
  • Improved self-management practices for better self-care.
  • Identify requirements when managing heightened state individuals via different mediums, i.e. the phone, face-to-face or written communication.

What did CCS do

Huon Valley Council required a workshop specifically designed for those in the local government sector providing strategies to manage complex client interactions and heightened state behaviours. After taking some time to understand their nuanced needs, we devised a solution tailored to them and their team members. Participants included team members from customer service, waste transfer, youth development, field workers, sports and recreation, parks and reserves, compliance officers, planning officers, road works, administration, and surveyors. 

 

As part of the workshops we delivered, participants gained an understanding of effective communication strategies in tense interactions. They learned to recognise personal reaction triggers, and then work towards developing successful self-management behaviours.  Additionally, they understood how to read diverse communication styles. This helped them to adapt accordingly for improved interactions and apply situationally-appropriate defusing techniques. 

 

The group was also trained with influencing strategies to steer towards desired outcomes, build better rapport, apply assertiveness techniques in response to difficult individuals, and implement healthy boundaries.

The results

✔︎ 4.5 stars for overall session, as reflected in participant evaluations. 

✔︎ Participants reported they found it easy to make the content relevant to their role.

✔︎ Many employees found the training so valuable that they wished the workshops were longer.

Success Stories

Providing dynamic learning experiences

Janette Collier

Acting Director, Australian Institute for Primary Care & Ageing
“Our partnership with CCS has been very successful and course participants have contacted me to say how much they enjoyed the training with CCS and how useful they found it. Many have incorporated the skills and strategies into their working and personal life. Their only complaint was that they wanted a longer session!“

Michelle Eddy

Director of Finance, Canadian Armed Forces
“David Patmore led us on our MARATE experience today and was a very engaging instructor. He made me feel confident and equipped to converse with difficult people/situations. This course will be relevant in all aspects of my life: work, family, friends and absolute strangers that I may encounter."

Kiery Pascoe

Organisational Learning Specialist, Southern Cross Community Healthcare
“It was great to have a session where the facilitator was able to adapt to our industry and provide scenario’s that fitted in with our organisation. Loved how interactive it was and real practical skills that can be used immediately. "






Southern Cross Community Healthcare

Naomi Cooper

Acting Health Services Manager - Digital Health, Royal Flying Doctor Service
“The structure and content was really well thought out and was spot on for the needs of the group. I’ve attended a few workshops on the same topic and this was by far the most practical and useful.“