FARMINGTON — New resources provide fast and flexible options to Franklin County businesses to train their employees in the foundation of basic customer service.

An online workshop and several DVD lending libraries were developed in response to input from 54 Franklin County tourism businesses as part of the Maine Woods Tourism Training Initiative.

Customer service was identified as the most important among the topics offered to tourism-related businesses. Participants also said offering training in several formats was important to provide flexibility for small businesses.

Options available to all Franklin County businesses include:

Free, online workshop at www.MaineSBDC.org. This new, online workshop provides a free option to train employees in the foundation of basic customer service. “Customer Service: Exceeding Customer Expectations” can be found at www.MaineSBDC.org under “Online Workshops.” Developed as part of the Maine Woods Tourism Training Initiative to reach small tourism-related businesses in the Maine Woods, the workshop is available to every small businessperson statewide through a collaboration between the Maine Woods Consortium and the Maine Small Business Development Centers.

The online workshop takes about 35 minutes and answers the questions: What is customer service? Why is good customer service important? How can I improve my customer service skills?

DVD lending libraries offer additional resources for both management and frontline staff training. Several copies of these DVDs are available for up to two weeks for a $5 fee at multiple locations in Franklin County: “Give ’em the Pickle with Leader’s Guide,” “The Essentials of Great Service,” “The Customer Service Connection,” “Listening Under Pressure,” and “Creating the Repeat Customer.”

Lending library locations include the FCCOC Carrabassett Valley Info Center, 1216 Carrabassett Drive, Carrabassett Valley, 235-2100; the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, 248 Wilton Road, Farmington, 778-4215; the Jay-Livermore-Livermore Falls Chamber of Commerce, Adult Learning Center, 9 Cedar St., Livermore Falls, 897-6384; and the Rangeley Lakes Chamber of Commerce, 6 Park Road, Rangeley, 864-5364.