Conflict Resolution: Simulating Real-Life Hotel Customer Service Scenarios Using Virtual Reality.

18/2/2023

Conflict resolution is an essential skill in the field of customer service. It is the process of finding a peaceful and mutually acceptable way to resolve conflicts or disagreements between parties. In the hospitality industry, conflicts can arise due to various reasons such as misunderstandings, miscommunication, and differing expectations.

Simulate real-life customer service scenarios

Traditionally, customer service representatives have had to rely on their communication and interpersonal skills to resolve conflicts. However, with the advent and democratisation of virtual reality (VR), it is now possible to simulate real-life customer service scenarios in a virtual environment, allowing employees to practice and hone their conflict resolution skills.
Using VR for conflict resolution training allows a more immersive and realistic learning experience where front office staff can interact with virtual customers in a lifelike manner and practice resolving conflicts in a safe and controlled environment. This not only helps them develop their conflict resolution skills but also builds their confidence and prepares them for real-life customer interactions.

Improve Active Listening and Knowledge

In addition to improving conflict resolution skills, VR can also be used to train on various other customer service-related skills such as empathy, active listening, and problem-solving. By providing a realistic and immersive training experience, VR can help Front Desk Agents, Concierges or even General managers better understand the needs and expectations of their guests and provide more effective and satisfactory solutions.
VR can also become a cost-effective and time-efficient solution that eliminates the need for in-person training sessions and allows for training to be conducted at the convenience of the learner.

Examples of VR Customer Service Training

— Role-playing scenarios: In this type of training, employees can practice resolving conflicts in a virtual environment by role-playing various scenarios. For example, they could practice handling a customer who is unhappy with a product or service, a customer who is making unreasonable demands, or a customer who is experiencing a misunderstanding. A series of pre-defined answers are provided to identify how well the situation is handled, providing a useful set of data on staff behaviour in challenging situations.
— Virtual reality simulations: In these simulations, front of house staff are placed in a virtual customer service environment and are required to resolve conflicts that arise in real-time. This scenarios are usually scripted and filmed(sometimes with the use of professional actors) and can include handling customer complaints, mediating disputes between customers, or finding ways to deescalate tense situations.
— Interactive games: Some VR training programs use interactive games to teach conflict resolution skills in a more ludic way. For example, a customer-facing employee might be required to navigate a virtual environment and make decisions that will either escalate or deescalate a conflict. This can help them understand the impact of their actions on a conflict and learn strategies for resolving conflicts peacefully.
— Virtual reality case studies: In these case studies, teams are presented with a virtual customer service scenario and are required to analyse the situation and come up with a resolution. This can help them practice critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as develop strategies for resolving conflicts effectively.

Better Manage Guest-Conflict

VR role-playing scenarios are very effective and allow individuals to practice handling various types of conflicts and customer interactions in a safe and controlled environment. This can be especially beneficial for employees who may be less experienced or who may have difficulty handling difficult customers in real life.
One of the key benefits is that they provide a realistic and immersive learning experience which help them interact with virtual customers in a lifelike manner and practice resolving conflicts as if they were in a real customer service setting. This can help them develop their conflict resolution skills and build their confidence, as well as prepare them for real-life customer interactions.

Collect Valuable Data for Future Immersive Trainings

In addition to improving conflict resolution skills, we also use VR role-playing scenarios to collect valuable data for Augmented Reality (AR) visualisations and future trainings.
By tracking the actions and decisions of trainees during the role-playing scenarios, trainers can identify areas for improvement and tailor future trainings to address specific needs. This can help ensure that everyone in the organisation is well-equipped to handle various types of conflicts and provide the best possible service to guests and customers.
Overall, VR role-playing scenarios provide a valuable training tool for customer service representatives looking to improve their conflict resolution skills and better serve their customers.

Conclusion

Through immersive and realistic learning experiences, hotel staff can develop their skills and gain the confidence and knowledge needed to handle various types of conflicts effectively.
VR provides a realistic and immersive learning experience that helps develop empathic listening, non-verbal and body language communication, and conflict resolution skills to prepare for real-life interactions with customers. Its cost-effectiveness and time-efficiency make it an attractive training option for businesses looking to improve the skills of their customer service teams.