unit 14: customer service
learning aim 'a'
A1: Customer service in business
- Definition of customer service.
- Customer service roles and importance of teamwork.
- Importance of following organisational rules and procedures.
- Different approaches to customer service across industries need different skills and knowledge, such as:
- retail shops selling tangible goods, need for detailed product knowledge and effective selling skills
- offices, such as those offering a non-tangible service, either face-to-face with customers, online, written or telephone customer contact
- contact centres with telephone contact with customers, time limitations
- hospitality industry, such as serving skills for food or drinks.
Starter Activity: Define customer service and list as many different ways as you can that businesses can offer good customer service.
Key term: CUSTOMER SERVICE - The experience that a customer gets when dealing with a business and the extent to which that experience meets and exceeds customer needs and expectations.
Customer service is the process of ensuring customer satisfaction with a product or service. Often, customer service takes place while performing a transaction for the customer, such as making a sale or returning an item, but it can also taker place before and after a transaction. Customer service can take the form of an in-person interaction, a phone call, self-service systems, or by other means. If the experience a customer receives is positive, there is a likelihood that the customer will use the business again. It will be a positive experience if the customer feels that their expectations have been met and exceeded. Getting customers and hanging on to them is an important issue for many businesses and high levels of customer service can be important in achieving these aims. It is also important to remember that retaining customers is much cheaper than trying to obtain new ones. |
Effective Customer Service could be:
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A business must be aware that no amount of price discounting will get customers to buy from the business unless they are satisfied with the rest of the service.
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Task: Go online and do some research to find the different customer service roles that exist within different industries. Focus on:
For each role, find an explanation of what each job entails and list the key skills and knowledge required in order to do the job effectively within this industry. Please present your findings in a table format. |
Managers need to recognise the signs of team effectiveness and early indications of problems and what they should do about them to assure consistently high standards. Working together produces good customer service. Strong teams, for example, assure consistency of communication with the customer, deadlines are more likely to be met and everyone takes responsibility for their actions. In the customer′s eyes a weak team shows itself through poor customer service.
Customer service policies and procedures are formulated to help companies generate direction to best serve customers. There are certain things companies should do, can do and must do to create customer service policies and procedures. Companies must use management and employee input to formulate best practices ideas to serve customers effectively.
Policy
A customer service policy is a written code of conduct for employees to utilize for serving customers. It could include how to respond to questions or deal with disgruntled customers who want refunds. A policy can be short or it can be detailed with more than a page. The policy may state what is expected when a certain situation occurs or appropriate steps to take action. Typically, managers determine the policy and include it within the employee handbook.
Procedure
A customer service procedure is a way of doing a routine practice. In customer service there is certain protocol that must be taken in order to remain competitive. Finding a better or faster way of doing something can be considered a customer service procedure. Managers are given the responsibility of completing job performance evaluations to see where weak links can be rectified. This leads to increased efficiency and better customer service.
What Companies Should Do
Companies should look for new opportunities to improve customer service policies and procedures. Employees and managers alike should look for new methods to help and serve customers. Write new customer service policies and procedures every year there is a meaningful change to the objective of the job. Gain input from external and internal customers. The external customers are the people who buy the product, while internal customers are employees of the company. Feedback and surveys are fundamental to transferring policies and procedures. Once, these are reviewed, proper steps can be taken to enhance customer service policies and procedures.
What Companies Can Do
Companies can create better strategies in business with ever-improving customer service policies and procedures. For instance, policies can allow for leadership to flourish among employees. Management can encourage this behavior with training and employee motivation perks. The best way is by stating what is required as an employee with steps, and rewarding the employees who meet the standards. An example of customer service policies and procedures can be found in the reference section.
What Companies Must Do
Every company must be confident in its customer service policies and procedures. These rules must be effective, clear and precise according to the company product. Establishing feedback mechanisms, polite manners and positive appearance will make any company better when properly implemented. Managers must take time to determine priorities for customer service policies and procedures.
Policy
A customer service policy is a written code of conduct for employees to utilize for serving customers. It could include how to respond to questions or deal with disgruntled customers who want refunds. A policy can be short or it can be detailed with more than a page. The policy may state what is expected when a certain situation occurs or appropriate steps to take action. Typically, managers determine the policy and include it within the employee handbook.
Procedure
A customer service procedure is a way of doing a routine practice. In customer service there is certain protocol that must be taken in order to remain competitive. Finding a better or faster way of doing something can be considered a customer service procedure. Managers are given the responsibility of completing job performance evaluations to see where weak links can be rectified. This leads to increased efficiency and better customer service.
What Companies Should Do
Companies should look for new opportunities to improve customer service policies and procedures. Employees and managers alike should look for new methods to help and serve customers. Write new customer service policies and procedures every year there is a meaningful change to the objective of the job. Gain input from external and internal customers. The external customers are the people who buy the product, while internal customers are employees of the company. Feedback and surveys are fundamental to transferring policies and procedures. Once, these are reviewed, proper steps can be taken to enhance customer service policies and procedures.
What Companies Can Do
Companies can create better strategies in business with ever-improving customer service policies and procedures. For instance, policies can allow for leadership to flourish among employees. Management can encourage this behavior with training and employee motivation perks. The best way is by stating what is required as an employee with steps, and rewarding the employees who meet the standards. An example of customer service policies and procedures can be found in the reference section.
What Companies Must Do
Every company must be confident in its customer service policies and procedures. These rules must be effective, clear and precise according to the company product. Establishing feedback mechanisms, polite manners and positive appearance will make any company better when properly implemented. Managers must take time to determine priorities for customer service policies and procedures.
united_airlines_customer_service.docx | |
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A2: Customer expectations and satisfaction
- Different types of customer, including:
- internal and external customers and the differences between them
- customer personalities, such as aggressive, quiet, demanding
- customers with special requirements, e.g. different language or culture, age, gender, families, special needs such as visual, hearing or mobility.
- Customer complaints.
- Customer expectations and satisfaction, including:
- anticipation of good service, reliable information or service, offering different options, impact of advertisements, reputation, word of mouth, recommendations from others
- importance of responding to customer needs, exceeding customer expectations through providing additional help and assistance, dealing promptly with problems, offering discounts, offering additional products or services, providing exceptional help and assistance for customers with special requirements
- balancing customer satisfaction with business goals, aims and objectives.
- Understanding the risk to the business of not dealing with complaints.
good-customer-service---list-of-business-types.docx | |
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customer_service_research_task.docx | |
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External customers are the people that pay for and use the products or services your company offers. An external customer is a person who is not directly connected to your organisation other than by purchasing your product or service. This customer could be a one-time purchaser or a person your work with long-term.
An internal customer is someone who has a relationship with your company, though the person may or may not purchase the product. It is often a person who works within the company, such as general employees and managers.
Internal customers need not be directly internal to the company.
For instance, you may partner with other companies in order to deliver your product to the end user – the external customer. Such internal customers all have a hand in delivering the product to your end client. Stakeholders and shareholders are additional internal customers, perhaps less obvious but quite significant.
An internal customer is someone who has a relationship with your company, though the person may or may not purchase the product. It is often a person who works within the company, such as general employees and managers.
Internal customers need not be directly internal to the company.
For instance, you may partner with other companies in order to deliver your product to the end user – the external customer. Such internal customers all have a hand in delivering the product to your end client. Stakeholders and shareholders are additional internal customers, perhaps less obvious but quite significant.
how_to_deal_with_customer_complaints.docx | |
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customer_expectations_and_satisfaction.docx | |
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Complaints are a great source of valuable information about your business and your customer base. Furthermore, customers who bother to interact with you, even if it is to complain, are likely to remain loyal to your business - but only if they feel their complaints have been dealt with appropriately.
The importance of handling customer complaints
Encouraging repeat custom is vital if you wish to maintain a healthy and profitable business. By most estimates, a single sale to an existing customer will cost only a tenth as much as the process of acquiring a new customer and making a conversion. It is therefore easy to see why holding onto customers is of the upmost importance. Although it may seem counter-intuitive, complaints are a useful means by which you can interact directly with your customers, and therefore build a personal relationship.
Complaint + satisfaction = loyalty
According to research, customers who complain, and are then satisfied with the company’s response, are almost 10 per cent more likely to make a repeat purchase than a customer who did not make a complaint in the first place. This is attributable to two separate causes. In the first instance, customers who have received an efficient, personal response to their complaint are likely to feel more of an affinity with the company in question. Customers are not as fickle as some people imagine; most consumers recognise that mistakes sometimes happen. Furthermore, most customers instinctively remain loyal to a company with which they have had some personal contact.
A more surprising fact, however, is that it is your most loyal customers who are most likely to complain in the first place. Customers who already feel some loyalty to your brand are more likely to take the time to get in touch, either because they feel that poor service is a personal affront when it comes from a company with which they have previously done business, or because they wish to remain loyal to the company but require better service in order to do so.
This predisposition for complaint amongst repeat clients gives you the opportunity to learn about the concerns of the most important segment of your customer base. 96 per cent of unsatisfied customers do not complain at all - they simply move to another provider. The remaining 4 per cent provide a vital window into the concerns of your customers, and should provide you with valuable information that you can use to improve your processes and increase customer loyalty.
The importance of handling customer complaints
Encouraging repeat custom is vital if you wish to maintain a healthy and profitable business. By most estimates, a single sale to an existing customer will cost only a tenth as much as the process of acquiring a new customer and making a conversion. It is therefore easy to see why holding onto customers is of the upmost importance. Although it may seem counter-intuitive, complaints are a useful means by which you can interact directly with your customers, and therefore build a personal relationship.
Complaint + satisfaction = loyalty
According to research, customers who complain, and are then satisfied with the company’s response, are almost 10 per cent more likely to make a repeat purchase than a customer who did not make a complaint in the first place. This is attributable to two separate causes. In the first instance, customers who have received an efficient, personal response to their complaint are likely to feel more of an affinity with the company in question. Customers are not as fickle as some people imagine; most consumers recognise that mistakes sometimes happen. Furthermore, most customers instinctively remain loyal to a company with which they have had some personal contact.
A more surprising fact, however, is that it is your most loyal customers who are most likely to complain in the first place. Customers who already feel some loyalty to your brand are more likely to take the time to get in touch, either because they feel that poor service is a personal affront when it comes from a company with which they have previously done business, or because they wish to remain loyal to the company but require better service in order to do so.
This predisposition for complaint amongst repeat clients gives you the opportunity to learn about the concerns of the most important segment of your customer base. 96 per cent of unsatisfied customers do not complain at all - they simply move to another provider. The remaining 4 per cent provide a vital window into the concerns of your customers, and should provide you with valuable information that you can use to improve your processes and increase customer loyalty.
A3: Benefits of building customer relationships
- Enhanced reputation of business.
- Repeat business.
- Customer confidence in business.
- Job satisfaction for employees.
In groups of 2 or 3, please go round answering the questions on the A3 paper silently.
What does it mean to have a good business reputation?
How can a business develop a good reputation?
How can a business's reputation be damaged?
How do you measure the reputation of a business?
How do building good customer relationships enhance the reputation of a business?
What does it mean to have a good business reputation?
How can a business develop a good reputation?
How can a business's reputation be damaged?
How do you measure the reputation of a business?
How do building good customer relationships enhance the reputation of a business?
Brainstorm activity:
How does a business build effective customer relationships?
How does a business build effective customer relationships?
What's more important to you? Money or job satisfaction?
Why?
What types of jobs lead to high employee job satisfaction?
How do you measure employee job satisfaction?
Why?
What types of jobs lead to high employee job satisfaction?
How do you measure employee job satisfaction?
a3_reputation.docx | |
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unit_14_reputation.docx | |
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A4: Customer service legislation and regulations
- Industry and sector-specific codes of practice, ethical issues and standards.
- Implications for the business of not meeting all legal and regulatory requirements, including consumer protection, distance selling, sale of goods, health and safety, data protection, equal opportunities.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/groceries-supply-code-of-practice GROCERY SUPPLY CODE OF PRATICE
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https://www.jlpjobs.com/about/partnership-spirit-and-behaviours/ PARTNER BEHAVIOUORS
consumer_service_legislation.docx | |
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customer_service_legislation_and_regulations_table_sheet.docx | |
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learning aim 'b'
B1: Monitoring and evaluating customer service provision
- Using research from customers to identify improvements and monitor complaints.
- Monitoring using:
- customer profiles, data, e.g. types of customer, products or services provided, customer care and service
- sources of information, e.g. customers, colleagues, management methods, e.g. questionnaires, comment cards, quality circles, suggestion boxes, staff surveys, mystery shoppers, recording and sharing information.
- Evaluating customer service, including:
- analyse responses, e.g. level of customer satisfaction, quality of product or service, meeting regulatory requirements, balancing cost and benefits
- planning for change, resolving problems/complaints.
B2: Indicators in improved performance
- Reduction in numbers of complaints.
- Increase in profits.
- Reduction in turnover of staff.
unit_14_guidance_sheet__1_.docx | |
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learning aim 'c'
C1: Customer service skills and behaviours
- Communication skills:
- face-to-face, written, email or other electronic media, telephone
- verbal, e.g. pitch and tone of voice, open and closed questions, using the telephone
- non-verbal, e.g. sign and body language, listening skills
- barriers to communication.
- Interpersonal skills:
- personal presentation approach, e.g. attitude, behaviour, hygiene, personality, conversation skills, giving a consistent and reliable response.
- Behaviours, e.g. being positive, offering assistance, showing respect.
C2: Dealing with customer service requests and complaints
- Customer service situations:
- providing information, products or services, promoting additional products and services, giving advice, taking and relaying messages
- limitations of role and authority, keeping records
- dealing with problems, handling complaints, remedial measures, emergency situations, organisational policy.
C3: Individual skills audit and development plan
- Skills audit of customer service skills.
- Personal SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis to assess any gaps, e.g. interpersonal and communication skills – body language, listening skills, handling complaints, working with others.
- Set objectives to meet skills development goals for a specified customer services role by:
- identifying resources and available support needed to meet the objectives
- setting review dates
- monitoring the plan to assess progress against targets.
unit-14-authorised-assignment-brief-for-learning-aim-c-investigating-customer-service-version-1-november-2016.docx | |
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unit_14_guidance_sheet_assignment_2.docx | |
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unit_14_assignment_two_role_plays.pptx | |
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