PDL Customer Service Workshop – One Student, One University

Setting the Scene – One Student, One University Exploring what a consistent student experience means in practice. Moving from "students of my school" to "our students". Identifying barriers to taking ownership of unfamiliar queries. Sharing real examples of challenging student interactions. Forum Theatre – Real Student Scenarios Professional actors demonstrate realistic student service situations. Exploring scenarios such as bounced queries, difficult communication and unhappy students. Questioning the characters to understand what is happening from their perspective. Replaying and adapting scenarios to explore better responses. Coaching characters towards more joined-up, owned and compassionate responses. Learning from the interventions and approaches of colleagues. Listening & Questioning Skills Developing active listening skills. Asking effective questions to understand the student's actual needs. Identifying opportunities to help with queries outside usual areas of responsibility. Taking ownership and progressing queries towards an appropriate outcome. Handing queries over effectively when another team genuinely needs to become involved. Confidence Outside Your Comfort Zone Reframing "I don't know" into a helpful and confident response. Building confidence when dealing with unfamiliar questions. Staying calm, present and receptive under pressure. Maintaining a helpful tone without becoming overly procedural or defensive. Giving students full attention despite competing demands. Communication & Compassionate Service Getting the level and tone of communication right for the individual student. Balancing honesty and clarity with warmth and empathy. Reworking direct or procedural messages so they remain clear while landing appropriately. Small-Group Practice with Actors Rehearsing participants' own challenging conversations. Practising specific sentences, difficult messages and challenging moments. Receiving feedback from actors and colleagues. Experimenting with different approaches in a safe, low-stakes environment. Building confidence through repeated practice. Reflection & Application Reflecting on key learning from the day. Identifying how behaviours can be applied in the workplace. Creating a personal commitment around "what I'll do differently."