Grade Level: Middle School (6–8)
Length: 2–3 class periods (45–60 minutes each)
Students will be able to:
Define customer service and explain why it matters.
Apply the SMILE method of customer service.
Understand and demonstrate empathy in customer service situations.
Create an interactive Scratch scenario showing both positive and negative customer service outcomes.
The SMILE Method
S – Smile: Show friendliness and positivity.
M – Make eye contact: Show attentiveness.
I – Inquire: Ask questions to understand the customer’s needs.
L – Listen: Focus on what the customer says without interrupting.
E – Engage/Empathize: Care about the customer’s feelings and provide a solution.
Empathy in Customer Service
Empathy = putting yourself in the customer’s shoes.
It’s not just fixing the problem — it’s showing you understand how they feel.
Example: Instead of just saying “Here’s your food corrected,” say, “I’m sorry your order wasn’t right. I know that’s frustrating when you’re hungry — let me fix it quickly.”
1. Hook (5–10 min)
Teacher/volunteers act out two versions of a scenario:
Employee fixes the problem but shows no empathy (robotic).
Employee fixes the problem and shows empathy (“I understand, I’ll fix that”).
Ask: Which one felt better as a customer? Why?
2. Direct Instruction (15 min)
Define customer service.
Teach the SMILE method and show how each step can build empathy.
Example chart:
Smile → makes customer feel welcome.
Make eye contact → shows you respect them.
Inquire → helps you understand their needs.
Listen → proves you care about their words.
Engage/Empathize → shows you understand feelings and fix the problem.
3. Guided Practice (10–15 min)
Brainstorm scenarios as a class (wrong order, can’t find an item, tech not working).
For each, ask:
What would empathy look like here?
What would a “non-empathy” response sound like?
Example:
Customer: “I’ve been waiting 20 minutes!”
Without empathy: “Yeah, we’re busy. Wait longer.”
With empathy: “I’m really sorry for the wait. I know that’s frustrating. Let me get your order moving.”
4. Independent Practice – Scratch Project (1–2 class periods)
Task: Create an interactive Scratch scenario showing two possible outcomes:
With empathy + SMILE → happy customer.
Without empathy/ignoring SMILE → unhappy customer.
Requirements:
Two characters: Customer & Employee.
At least one customer problem to solve.
Two employee responses (empathetic vs unempathetic).
Use dialogue blocks to show feelings (maybe even show emojis or change sprite costumes to “smile” or “frown”).
Include at least one SMILE step in the dialogue (like “How can I help you?” or “I understand your concern”).
5. Sharing & Reflection (10–15 min)
Students demo projects.
Reflection questions:
Which SMILE step was easiest to show in Scratch?
How did you show empathy in your dialogue?
How might empathy help in your own daily life (with friends, teachers, family)?
Formative: Observe brainstorm and discussion of empathy vs no-empathy.
Summative: Scratch project rubric:
Includes a customer service scenario (20%)
Demonstrates SMILE steps (30%)
Shows empathy vs non-empathy outcomes (30%)
Creativity/effort (20%)