The Challenge: In a service business, what's the difference between losing accounts and expanding them? Often, the quality of the customer service they provide. So when building customer loyalty emerged as a strategic imperative, FedEx asked how they could ensure that customers were serviced effectively the first time and that any problems were handled swiftly, appropriately, and authoritatively.

The Solution: Starting in 1994, Interactive Alchemy developed an extensive interactive curriculum for customer service reps, managers, service agents, and other key groups. On-site and on demand, it offers plenty of awareness-, skill-, and attitude-building experiences—90 hours' worth!

Take Virtual Counter Outbound (VCO), a two-hour refresher course on processing outbound packages. Participants watch a model service agent process shipments, then they process five shipments on their own by helping virtual customers. And participants don't simply click to answer questions. They interact with various objects in their environment, just as they would on the job. Guide characters narrate the process and offer encouragement.

All courses operate within FedEx's existing courseware structure. The result? A consistent learning experience, with great economies of scale.