Delivering and Monitoring A Service To Customers PDF

TVET PROGRAM TITLE: Accounts and Budget Support Level –III
MODULE TITLE: Delivering and Monitoring a Service to Customers
LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this module the trainer will be able to
LO1: Identify customer needs
LO2 Deliver a service to customers
LO3: Monitor and report on service delivery
Delivering and Monitoring a Service to Customers

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TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE
LO1: Identify customer needs...................................................................................................... 3
1.1 Use appropriate interpersonal skills to accurately identify and clarify customer needs and
expectations................................................................................................................................. 3
1.2 Assess customer needs for urgency to determine priorities for service delivery in
accordance with organizational requirements ............................................................................. 5
1.3 Use effective communication to inform customers about available choices for meeting
their needs and assist in the selection of preferred options ......................................................... 6
1.4 Identify limitations in addressing customer needs and seek appropriate assistance from
designated individuals ................................................................................................................. 7
1.5 What is customer? ................................................................................................................. 7
1.6 Know your customers' needs .............................................................................................. 10
1.7 Why do your customers need you? ..................................................................................... 10
1.8 What do you know about your customers? ......................................................................... 11
1.9 Strategies for Identifying Customer Needs ......................................................................... 14
LO2 Deliver a service to customers ........................................................................................... 18
2.1 Deliver, Monitor and Evaluate Customer Service to Internal Customers .......................... 18
2.2 What is customer service? .................................................................................................. 19
2.3 Customer Service Is Critical to Small Businesses .............................................................. 22
2.4 Five Ways to Deliver Excellent Customer Service............................................................. 24
2.5 How important is it to deliver an excellent service? ........................................................... 26
2.6 How to Deliver Great Customer Service ............................................................................ 26
2.7 Caring for Customers .......................................................................................................... 27
2.8 Describe the types of problems that internal customers may have ..................................... 30
2.9 Explain ways of dealing with problems .............................................................................. 31
LO3: Monitor and report on service delivery .......................................................................... 34
3.1 Explain the purpose and benefits of monitoring internal customer satisfaction and how to
do so .......................................................................................................................................... 34
3.2 Describe techniques for collecting and evaluating customer feedback .............................. 35
3.3 Explain the benefits of continuous improvement ............................................................... 37
3.4 5 Ways to Monitor Your Customer Service ....................................................................... 37
3.5 Resolving Customer Disputes ............................................................................................. 39
3.6 Hiring for Service ............................................................................................................... 39

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LO1: Identify customer needs
Every client is different and will expect different things from you. That‘s why it‘s important to
be able to clearly identify your client‘s needs. The key to identifying your client‘s needs is to
build a relationship with them, make them feel comfortable, get to know them and their
expectations, ask questions and offer suggestions. To provide an excellent level of customer
service you will also need to be aware of the services provided by the Agency and who to refer
the client to if there are any issues or concerns.
In this chapter you will learn to:
o Use appropriate interpersonal skills to accurately identify and clarify customer
needs and expectations
o Assess customer needs for urgency to determine priorities for service delivery in
accordance with organizational requirements
o Use effective communication to inform customers about available choices for
meeting their needs and assist in the selection of preferred options
o Identify limitations in addressing customer needs and seek appropriate assistance
from designated individuals
1.1 Use appropriate interpersonal skills to accurately identify and clarify

customer needs and expectations
Interpersonal skills are the skills you need when you, as a person, communicate with another
person. Some people have a better understanding of the needs of others and know how to please
them because they have learnt to watch and listen rather than do all the talking. Other people
have such a warm and friendly manner that the people they meet immediately feel at ease and
comfortable with them.
Interpersonal skills can always be improved and refined so that you can achieve the best possible
communication with your clients. You can do this by practicing your existing skills or by
developing new skills.
Understanding your client‘s needs and the type of cleaning they require will make it easier for
you to do your job efficiently and effectively. When you first meet a client it‘s important to try
and establish a relationship with them. You will initially need to remain the listener in the
conversation.

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Take notes and try to avoid butting in as this will only annoy the client and you will become
disadvantaged by not giving yourself enough time to listen and understand what the client wants.
In order to meet the client‘s expectations you must first comprehend what the client‘s cleaning
requirements are. Active listening, such as paraphrasing and asking ‗open‘ and ‗closed‘ questions
will enable you to hear and clearly understand what your client wants and expects from you.
Why listen? When you actively listen to your client you are:
 showing them that they are important and worthwhile
 interested in who they are
 developing trust and confidence
Paraphrasing is when you repeat back what you‘ve heard to the sender but in your own words.
By doing this you are able to clarify your understanding of what‘s been said.
Open questions are used to extract more information. They usually begin with how, what, when,
where or why. For example, ―How did you manage to get the stain out?‖
Closed questions are generally used when you are after a factual and short response. For
example, ―Are you hungry?‖ The answer will be ―Yes‖ or ―No‖. Think about the questions
before you ask them and consider the responses you are after. This will enable you to ask the
right questions.
When trying to ascertain what your client‘s cleaning requirements might be, consider asking the
following questions:
 What are your expectations?
 What levels of service will satisfy you?
 What would you like cleaned?
 How would you like it cleaned?
 Do you have any special surfaces that need special products or attention?
 Do you have any specialized equipment?
 What is the best way to use that (product or equipment)?
It‘s important that you never assume to know what the client wants. Most importantly don‘t
assume that you automatically know more about cleaning than the client does because cleaning is
your job. A client may have a delicate surface or require you to clean something that you have
never seen before. In these instances it‘s important to ask questions in order to clearly understand
the client‘s requirements.
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There is no doubt that a know-it-all attitude can seriously undermine the client/cleaner
relationship. Clients wanting a cleaner know that they are engaging an expert; you do not have to
prove it. A condescending tone of voice, a hint of boredom or the overuse of cleaning jargon will
alienate the client.
Your role as a professional cleaner requires you to remain courteous at all times. Common
courtesy means that:
1.2 Assess customer needs for urgency to determine priorities for service
delivery in accordance with organizational requirements
At Absolute Domestics we inform the client when they make their initial enquiry that the cleaner
works to their requirements. This is a large selling point for the company and it‘s something the
Agency strives to achieve every day. It‘s important that you as the cleaner also strive to achieve
this. By this we mean that you will:
 clean as the client requests you to clean
 do the cleaning tasks the client sets for you
 use the products and equipment selected by the clients
The only time this would differ would be if you were to identify that the products and equipment
selected by the client might damage or harm the surface in which you are to clean. If that
happens you would need to discuss options with the client and provide an alternative solution for
them.
Quite often you will arrive at a client‘s home to discover a list of cleaning tasks that need to be
completed. Although we encourage the client to priorities this list for you, you will find that on
most occasions it will generally be up to you as the cleaner to use your initiative and assess what
needs to be done first. When prioritizing the tasks you need to take into consideration the amount
of time the client has booked. Sometimes you may not have the time to complete all of the tasks
set and it‘s times like these that you will have to re-evaluate your workload and priorities the
cleaning tasks according to urgency. Discussing this with the client will aid in achieving a
positive result.
Most clients will want the bathrooms, toilets and floors done every week so it‘s important to
ensure that these tasks are completed. On occasions the client‘s priorities may change due to a
variety of reasons, such as:

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 friends/family visiting - the client may request you clean some windows, dust some
skirting boards or clean the blinds
 carpets being cleaned - the client may require you to devote extra time and attention to
giving the carpets a thorough vacuum
 renovations being done - you may need to pay particular attention to a room in the home
for the entire clean
 a party – you may only need to clean bathrooms and the room the party will be in
These are the types of things you will need to consider when assessing your client‘s needs for
urgency to help determine their priorities. If these requests were made on a normal cleaning day
they may not necessarily be an urgent cleaning task and you might decide to get to it if you
have the time, but when the client has another agenda such as one of the items mentioned above
then the task will have an urgency to it, therefore making it a priority.
It‘s important to all parties concerned that Absolute Domestics and you as the cleaner deliver on
what we promise on every occasion. This is called ―Under promise and over deliver‖. You will
never have a dissatisfied client if this is your approach. Avoid giving an unrealistic expectation
as the Agency and the client will expect you to meet it. If you promise to deliver something and
fail to achieve it then this is called ―Over promise and under deliver‖.
This outcome can be detrimental to you and Absolute Domestics as it could mean the loss of
not only one but several clients. Negative experiences are discussed more readily with friends,
colleagues and relatives, than positive. There is no point saying you can do something when in
fact you can‘t, so be honest.
1.3 Use effective communication to inform customers about available choices

for meeting their needs and assist in the selection of preferred options
To be effective in life, you have to communicate well.
Being an effective communicator takes real skill. The greater your awareness of how
communication works, the more effective your communication will be.
Everyone communicates differently and sees the world differently. The greatest skill you can
have in order to instantly and significantly improve you communications skills is to understand
the other person's point view and how they see the world. Then you can adjust your own
communication to take that into account.

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Non-verbal communication, Remember, everything communicates. If you aren't clear about
what you mean and what your intention is, the other person (or people) could easily misinterpret
what you mean.
What you do matters as much as what you say. Your behavior will 'read' unconsciously to other
people, it is therefore important to be aware of your body language –your personal presentation,
facial expressions and hand gestures.
1.4 Identify limitations in addressing customer needs and seek appropriate

assistance from designated individuals
There will be the odd occasion that you will not be able to provide the client with the
information or service they need. This could be due to many reasons. You may not have
the skill or expertise to complete what‘s been requested or the Agency may not provide
the service. It‘s important to be honest with the client and know your limitations. The
client would prefer you to seek advice than to attempt something and damage their
property.
Politely advise the client that you do not have the expertise to complete the task however you
will Endeavour to find out how to do it or alternatively contact the Agency for assistance.
Remember your Team Manager is always there to help. They will either provide you with a
solution to the problem or do some research and get back to you as soon as possible.
In some instances the Agency may need to provide another cleaner. This may be the case if
the client requires:
 their carpets cleaned
 a spring clean or move out clean
 an ironing service (as this may not be something you do)
On occasions you may have to get back to the client with the information they have requested from
you. Whatever action you take when responding to the client always ensure you keep the client
informed and up-to-date with your progress and let them know when to expect a response. Work
colleagues, the Internet and cleaning industry experts may also be able to assist with any
specialized cleaning related enquiries.
1.5 What is customer?

Customer is

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An individual or business that purchases the goods or services produced by a business, The
customer is the end goal of businesses, since it is the customer who pays for supply and creates
demand. Businesses will often compete through advertisements or sales in order to attract a
larger customer base.
1. General: A party that receives or consumes products (goods or services) and has the ability to
choose between different products and suppliers. See also buyer.
2. Quality control: Entity within a firm who establishes the requirement of a process (accounting,
for example) and receives the output of that process (a financial statement, for example) from
one or more internal or external suppliers.
A customer (sometimes known as a client, buyer, or purchaser) is the recipient of

a good, service, product, or idea, obtained from a seller, vendor, or supplier for a monetary or
other valuable consideration. Customers are generally categorized into two types:
 An intermediate customer or trade customer (more informally: "the trade") who is a

dealer that purchases goods for re-sale.
 An ultimate customer who does not in turn re-sell the things bought but either passes them
to the consumer or actually is the consumer.
A customer may or may not also be a consumer, but the two notions are distinct, even though the
terms are commonly confused. A customer purchases goods; a consumer uses them. An ultimate
customer may be a consumer as well, but just as equally may have purchased items for someone
else to consume. An intermediate customer is not a consumer at all. The situation is somewhat
complicated in that ultimate customers of so-called industrial goods and services (who are
entities such as government bodies, manufacturers, and educational and medical institutions)
either themselves use up the goods and services that they buy, or incorporate them into other
finished products, and so are technically consumers, too. However, they are rarely called that,
but are rather called industrial customers or business-to-business customers. Similarly,
customers who buy services rather than goods are rarely called consumers.
Six Sigma doctrine places (active) customers in opposition to two other classes of people: not-
customers and non-customers. Whilst customers have actively dealt with a business within a
particular recent period that depends from the product sold, not-customers are either past

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customers who are no longer customers or potential customers who choose to do business with
the competition, and non-customers are people who are active in a different market segment
entirely. Geoff Tennant, a Six Sigma consultant from the United Kingdom, uses the following
analogy to explain the difference: A supermarket's customer is the person buying milk at that
supermarket; a not-customer is buying milk from a competing supermarket, whereas a non-
customer doesn't buy milk from supermarkets at all but rather "has milk delivered to the door in
the traditional British way".
Tennant also categorizes customers another way, that is employed out with the fields
of marketing. Whilst the intermediate/ultimate categorization is used by marketers, market
regulation, and economists, in the world of customer service customers are categorized more
often into two classes:
 An external customer of an organization is a customer who is not directly connected to that

organization.
 An internal customer is a customer who is directly connected to an organization, and is
usually (but not necessarily) internal to the organization. Internal customers are
usually stakeholders, employees, or shareholders, but the definition also
encompasses creditors and external regulators.
The notion of an internal customer — before the introduction of which external customers were,
simply, customers — was popularized by quality management writer Joseph M. Juran, who
introduced it in the fourth edition of his Handbook. It has since gained wide acceptance in the
literature on total quality management and service marketing; and the customer satisfaction of
internal customers is nowadays recognized by many organizations as a precursor to, and
prerequisite for, external customer satisfaction, arguing that service organizations that design
products for internal customer satisfaction are better able to satisfy the needs of external
customers. Research on the theory and practice of managing the internal customer continues
today in a variety of service sector industries

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1.6 Know your customers' needs
However good your product or service is, the simple truth is that no-one will buy it if they don't
want it or believe they don't need it. And you won't persuade anyone that they want or need to
buy what you're offering unless you clearly understand what it is your customers really want.
Knowing and understanding customer needs is at the centre of every successful business,
whether it sells directly to individuals or other businesses. Once you have this knowledge, you
can use it to persuade potential and existing customers that buying from you is in their best
interests.
This guide tells you what you need to know about your customers, how to use this information
to sell to them more effectively, and how to win business from your competitors.
 Why do your customers need you?

 What do you know about your customers?
 The customer's current supplier
 Ten things you need to know about your customers
1.7 Why do your customers need you?
Every business needs a reason for their customers to buy from them and not their competitors.
This is called a Unique Sales Proposition (USP). Your USP can be identified by completing the
phrase "Customers will buy from me because my business is the only..."
Your USP can change as your business or your market changes, and you can have different
USPs for different types of customer.
All of these USPs can be effective because they are driven by what the customer looks for when
making a buying decision.
It's a good idea to review your USPs regularly. Can you tailor your products or services to better
match your customers' needs? Consider asking your customers why they buy from you. This will
tell you what they think your USP is - this may differ from what you think your USP is.

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It's also useful to check constantly what your competition is doing. Remember - if your
competitors are doing the same, your USP isn't unique any more.
1.8 What do you know about your customers?
The more you know about your customers, the more effective your sales and marketing efforts
will be. It's well worth making the effort to find out:
 who they are

 what they buy
 why they buy it
If you're selling to other businesses, you'll need to know which individuals are responsible for
the decision to buy your product or service. For information on targeting decision-makers, see
our guide on how to target the right people in an organization.
You can learn a great deal about your customers by talking to them. Asking them why they're
buying or not buying, what they may want to buy in the future and asking what other needs they
have can give a valuable picture of what's important to them.
Strong sales are driven by emphasizing the benefits that your product or service brings to your
customers. If you know the challenges that face them, it's much easier to offer them solutions.
It's also well worth keeping an eye on future developments in your customers' markets and
lives. Knowing the trends that are going to influence your customers helps you to anticipate
what they are going to need - and offer it to them as soon as they need it.
You can conduct your own market research and there are many existing reports that can help you
build a picture of where your customers' markets - and your business - may be going.
The customer's current supplier
Chances are your potential customer is already buying something similar to your product or
service from someone else. Before you can sell to a potential customer, you need to know:
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 who the customer's current supplier is
 if the customer is happy with their current supplier
 if buying from you would offer the customer any benefits - and, if so, what those benefits
would be
The easiest way to identify a potential customer's current supplier is often simply to ask them.
Generally people are very happy to offer this information, as well as an indication of whether
they're happy with their present arrangements.
If you can find out what benefits they're looking for, you stand a better chance of being able to
sell to them. The benefits may be related to price or levels of service, for example. Are there any
benefits your business can offer that are better than those the potential customer already
receives? If there are, these should form the basis of any sales approach you make.
Ten things you need to know about your customers

1. Who they are
if you sell directly to individuals, find out your customers' gender, age, marital status and
occupation. If you sell to other businesses, find out what size and kind of business they
are. For example, are they a small private company or a big multinational?
2. What they do
if you sell directly to individuals, it's worth knowing their occupations and interests. If
you sell to other businesses, it helps to have an understanding of what their business is
trying to achieve.
3. Why they buy
if you know why customers buy a product or service, it's easier to match their needs to
the benefits your business can offer.
4. When they buy
if you approach a customer just at the time they want to buy, you will massively increase
your chances of success.

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5. How they buy
For example, some people prefer to buy from a website, while others prefer a face-to-face
meeting.
6. How much money they have
you‘ll be more successful if you can match what you're offering to what you know your
customer can afford.
7. What makes them feel good about buying
if you know what makes them tick, you can serve them in the way they prefer.
8. What they expect of you
For example, if your customers expect reliable delivery and you don't disappoint them,
you stand to gain repeat business.
9. What they think about you
if your customers enjoy dealing with you, they're likely to buy more. And you can only
tackle problems that customers have if you know what they are.
10. What they think about your competitors
if you know how your customers view your competition, you stand a much better chance
of staying ahead of your rivals.
Our information is provided free of charge and is intended to be helpful to a large range of UK-
based (gov.uk/business) and Québec-based (infoentrepreneurs.org) businesses. Because of its
general nature the information cannot be taken as comprehensive and should never be used as a
substitute for legal or professional advice. We cannot guarantee that the information applies to
the individual circumstances of your business. Despite our best efforts it is possible that some
information may be out of date.
As a result:
 The websites operators cannot take any responsibility for the consequences of errors or
omissions.
 You should always follow the links to more detailed information from the relevant
government department or agency.
 Any reliance you place on our information or linked to on other websites will be at your
own risk. You should consider seeking the advice of independent advisors, and should
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always check your decisions against your normal business methods and best practice in
your field of business.
 The websites operators, their agents and employees, are not liable for any losses or
damages arising from your use of our websites, other than in respect of death or personal
injury caused by their negligence or in respect of fraud.
1.9 Strategies for Identifying Customer Needs

Strategies for identifying customer needs are an integral element of a company‘s marketing
program. Understanding customer needs helps refine product development projects, marketing
communication programs and distribution choices. Companies that launch products without
researching and taking account of customer needs run a high risk of failure.
Research
Carrying out customer research as part of your marketing strategy provides a broad view of
customer needs. Review published market research on the sectors that you target to identify
trends or changes in purchasing patterns. Visit customers‘ websites to assess their product and
market strategies and identify opportunities to meet their current or future product needs.
Customer Feedback
A strategy that encourages customer feedback will provide you with insight into customers‘
attitudes toward your products and services, helping you identify how well you are meeting their
needs. Set up a forum or poll on your website or on a social media site where customers can post
reviews or leave comments. Encourage customers to join a user group or other community where
they can share their experience in using your products and make recommendations for changes
or improvements. Acknowledge the feedback from customers and respond to requests for
improvements.
Social Media
Incorporating social media in your communications strategy enables you to track discussions on
your products and those of your competitors. Input from social media adds further insight to
complement the information you get from customer feedback. Monitor social media that mention
your company and respond to comments to engage customers and prospects in dialog.

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Collaboration
Building collaboration with customers into your new product development strategy ensures that
products reflect customers‘ needs. Involve representatives of key customers in your product
development project team, asking them to provide input on product requirements or feedback on
product proposals. Set up a panel of customers to test or evaluate new product prototypes. In the
software industry, for example, publishers release beta versions to selected customers for
evaluation before finalizing products for general release.
Customer Relationship Management
A customer relationship management strategy enables you to develop insight into customer
needs from your own records. CRM systems collect data on all customer contacts and
transactions, providing information on purchasing and service history, product inquiries,
complaints, communication channel preferences, and response to marketing campaigns. By
analyzing the data in a CRM system you can build a picture of individual customer‘s needs and
preferences.
Identifying Customer Needs
"You cannot manage a quality service organization unless you understand the nature of what you
are providing; fully realize what your customers want from you and how they perceive you from
the start." Once you have identified who your customers are, you need to assess what they need
from your product or service.
Most customer needs can be divided into four basic categories:
1. The need to be understood

Customers need to feel that the message they are sending is being correctly
received and interpreted
2. The need to feel welcome
Customers need to feel that you are happy to see them

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3. The need to feel important
Customers like to feel important and special
4. The need for comfort
Customers need physical and psychological comfort
Identifying Customer Needs: Not identifying customer needs correctly is just like building a
house on a weak foundation. Why would you knowingly do that? A good builder will consult an
expert that then conducts soil surveys and engages contractors to properly set a solid foundation.
Your customers are looking for businesses that understand their requirements. They are the
experts on their problems and you need to ask about these, before you develop new offerings.
Are you listening to your market?
The importance of market research cannot be underestimated. With so many new products and
services failing, we need to establish a solid foundation as early as possible. Of course, poor
market acceptance can happen for many different reasons.
Just look at the product development and launch cycle and you‘ll see that at any of these points
there are challenges: gaining customer insight, understanding the competitive landscape, design
and development you products or services, channel alignment, rollout planning and execution,
and promotion.
But you need to start with a sturdy foundation prior to concept development. Proper customer
data mining is the key.
Voice of the Customer

It's an obvious statement to say that market research is about listening to your customers. When
identifying customer needs it is very important to ask the right questions, listen, and ask more
questions based on the answers. Then absorb what you hear.
"I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that
what you heard is not what I meant."

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This quote is attributed to a U.S. State Department spokesman when answering a reporter‘s
question at a press briefing. It nicely sums up the problem we have in getting to the root of what
customers want. Some of this is because we have biases and preconceived ideas on what they
need.
Asking great questions and listening carefully helps to overcome this. Identifying customer
needs this way sounds simple doesn‘t it? But is it?
Keys to Identifying Customer Needs
Here are the three keys to fully know your customers and set your foundation on solid footing:
1. How and Why – this is the wants and needs analysis. It goes well beyond asking what
kind of features they‘d like to see. You need to find out how they currently operate and
why. Also find out how they measure success and why they do it that way. By the way,
don‘t confuse needs and wants – you may find out there is a need for your offering, but
providing it is no guarantee you'll find demand;
2. Core Values – the next step in customer data mining is determining what would make
their life easier. The natural assumption here is that it is related to the product you are
proposing, but dig deeper. Find the emotional connections that will allow you to see how
your product can fit into their personal lifestyle and if selling to businesses, life within
their company. You may be surprised what you discover that will help you improve your
product and position it in the market;
3. Through Your Customers’ Eyes – certainly you‘ve done a competitive analysis but the
best sources of information are your target customers. An understanding of the
competitive landscape from the expert, your potential customer and user, is a great way to
gather information on the competition. You‘ll discover their strengths and weaknesses
and what customers would like to change.
The importance of market research in identifying customer needs before your go to market is
critical. Let your prospects and customers be your secret weapon.

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LO2 Deliver a service to customers
 Providing prompt service to customers to meet identified needs
 Establishing and maintaining appropriate rapport with customers to ensure completion of
quality service delivery
 Sensitively and courteously handle customer complaints in accordance with
organisational requirements
 Providing assistance or responding to customers with specific needs
 Identifying and using available opportunities to promote and enhance services and
products to customers
2.1 Deliver, Monitor and Evaluate Customer Service to Internal Customers
Identify quality standards for own organization and work
Quality is very important when it comes to anything, be it for personal reasons or professional.
When completing a piece of work, or a project or products, quality is more important than
quantity. Every organization has quality standards for the services they provide or the products
they sell, and have quality standards for the work that the employees complete.
Our organization has quality systems and standards that are integrated into the working of our
organization to deliver quality services and products. This also helps the employees to enhance
their work experience. These standards imply the meaning of quality, why it is important and
also the effects it has on the organization. When we pay attention to quality, it means that we
have set a high standard to deliver service in a consistent manner. This also saves cost on doing
things over a second or third time.
Our directorate which is Adult social care has its own standards that are expected of all staff
working within that directorate and of the organization.
 Providing equitable service to all residents in the community and meet the legislations,
government guidance, regulations and local policies and procedures
 Assess needs without delay and record all information relevant to the assessment and
services thereafter

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 Respect peoples‘ choices, privacy, dignity, personality and confidentiality of the
information they provide
 Value partnership working with individuals, families, community workers and agencies
 Be customer centered and consider their overall safety and welfare through regular
reviews and visits or calls.
 Promote independence and protect them from harm or danger by creating a safe living
environment
 Protect the rights of customers and ensure that they do not harm themselves or others
 Be accountable for one‘s own work
 Respect equal opportunities and diversity.
 Be reliable and dependable and honor work commitments
 Adhere to policies and procedures and report dangerous, abusive or discriminatory
behavior
 Meet relevant standards of practice by maintaining clear and accurate records, work
openly and take necessary training and guidance where necessary to improve knowledge
and skills
 Quality control methods are in place to monitor levels of performance
 Deliver service in the agreed specification, budget, timescale and quality
 Practicing teamwork, develop good communication skills and building a balanced
workforce
 Provide and receive feedbacks on a regular basis and conduct audits on a regular basis
2.2 What is customer service?

Customer service is the service provided to customers before, during and after purchasing and
using goods and services. Good customer service provides an experience that meets customer
expectations. It produces satisfied customers. Bad customer service can generate complaints. It
can result in lost sales, because consumers might take their business to a competitor.
Good customer service involves developing bonds with customers, hopefully leading to long
term relationships. It creates advantages for both customers and the business alike. Customers
benefit because the business is providing a service that meets their needs. The business benefits
because satisfied customers are likely to be repeat customers. They will stay with the business.

Page 19
However, good customer service is not easily achieved. It takes time to establish. It requires
investment to deliver consistent standards.
First directs mission statement is 'pioneering amazing service'. This means that customer service
is used to set the direction for the business. In other words, customers come first. This is not an
empty slogan. Market research shows that, in terms of customer satisfaction, first direct is the
UK's number one bank. It confirms that the bank has a reputation for quality customer service.
This has also been demonstrated by comparative studies. The bank was the leading performer in
the Top 50 Call Centers for Customer Service benchmarking programme and it came top in the
Finance Sector in the Institute of Customer Services (ICS) Satisfaction Awards.
At the heart of providing customer service is the notion of 'respect'. This involves respecting the
business' employees, as internal customers within the organization, as well as external customers.
Using this concept influences how colleagues and individuals at first direct act towards each
other as well as how they deal with customers.
To achieve customer satisfaction, first direct sets and monitors service standards. For example,
four out of five calls are answered within 20 seconds. On average a customer's call is answered
in 13 seconds. Customer service representatives are available around the clock. This means that
customers always get to talk to a real person not a machine and they never have to push buttons
before they get to talk to someone.
The focus in all operations is on providing quality customer service. This helps first direct in the
marketplace. It means that even though it is an online bank, it can provide a personal service
missing in many other banks. The intention has been to avoid becoming a faceless call centre.
Individuals are well trained and are empowered to act on customer issues. This means that
customers are not passed from one person to another. The same customer representative will
phone to deal with an issue, so that the customer is not always dealing with different individuals.
In this way, first direct gets to know its customers. It can even provide a personal touch, like
occasionally sending flowers to a customer or their partner to mark a birthday.
To maintain these standards first direct identifies what customers expect from banks in terms of
customer service provision. It then builds these customer expectations into the services it
provides. For example, this involves:
 ensuring first direct colleagues are courteous and informed that they know about the
bank's products and services
Page 20
 dealing with any complaints promptly and fairly
 following up sales
 Offering informed guidance on any products that are available (subject to financial
regulations).
At its most basic level, Customer service is an organization's ability to supply their customers'
wants and needs.
You can say, for instance, that a warehouse model business, where goods are laid out and
customers choose items themselves and carry them to a checkout, supplies a customer‘s need for
a product or products (assuming the customer finds what he wants), but from the customer‘s
point of view, there‘s no customer service involved in such a model.
Customer Service
Customers assume that customer service involves an interaction with another human being,
whether that person helps them find something, choose something or buy something. (How to
Help a Customer takes a closer look at the basic customer service transaction; if your business
deals with customers face-to-face, you may want to use this article to educate your staff.)
For businesses, then, a more useful definition is that customer service is a business‘s ability to
satisfy its customers.
Companies can have all the elements of customer service in place, from wait-staff through return
policies, but if customers are not satisfied with the way their transaction was handled or its
results, they won‘t be back.
And that‘s the core of good customer service – bringing old customers back (and attracting new
ones through the ―good news‖ that current customers are spreading about your business).
Customers and business managers alike like to talk about what good customer service is (and
isn't), but I think this definition by ACA Group sums up what excellent customer service is
beautifully: "excellent customer service (is) the ability of an organization to constantly and
consistently exceed the customer's expectations."
Accepting this definition means expanding our thinking about customer service; if we're going to
consistently exceed customers' expectations, we have to recognize that every aspect of our
business has an impact on customer service, not just those aspects of our business that involve
face-to-face customer contact.
Page 21
Improving customer service involves making a commitment to learning what our customers'
needs and wants are, and developing action plans that implement customer friendly processes.
2.3 Customer Service Is Critical to Small Businesses

For small businesses, committing to continually strive to provide the best customer service
possible is especially important because:
1) Small businesses can’t survive long-term bad press.
Customers judge the customer service of every business they deal with – and they‘re much more
likely to share bad ratings with other people than good.
Happy customers who have their issues resolved tell between 4-6 people about their experience.
Meanwhile, a dissatisfied customer will tell between 9-15 people about their experience - and
about 13% of dissatisfied customers tell more than 20 people about their poor experience,
according to the White House Office of Consumer Affairs.
2) Providing top-notch customer service is one of few ways small businesses can compete
with larger retailers.
In fact, as Daniel Butler, vice president of Retail Operations for the National Retail Federation,
points out, this ―buyer experience‖ is where owners of small stores have a big advantage over
their chain-store counterparts. ―They can actually be in touch with their customers and make a
personal connection.‖
So for small businesses, the watchwords for customer service should be assessment and
improvement. My Customer Service Makeover will show you how you can improve the basic
elements of the customer service your small business provides.
Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a
purchase. "Customer service is a series of activities designed to enhance the level of customer
satisfaction – that is, the feeling that a product or service has met the customer expectation."
The importance of customer service may vary by product or service, industry and customer. The
perception of success of such interactions will be dependent on employees "who can adjust
themselves to the personality of the guest," according to Micah Solomon. From the point of view
of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an
organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service
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should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. A customer service
experience can change the entire perception a customer has of the organization.
Some have argued that the quality and level of customer service has decreased in recent years,
and that this can be attributed to a lack of support or understanding at the executive and middle
management levels of a corporation and/or a customer service policy. To address this argument,
many organizations have employed a variety of methods to improve their customer satisfaction
levels, and other key performance indicators
Explain the value of agreeing quality standards and timescales

In order to achieve best provision of quality service and consistency of service, quality, quantity,
the price and timescales have to defined, agreed and implemented. Agreeing quality standards
and timescales are the commitments an organization makes to its customers and it clearly tells
the customers what they can expect and when.
Customer Service Skills for Success
The value of agreeing quality standards and timescales are:
 It sets the expectations with internal and external customers and with colleagues
 It helps the organization to focus on the needs of the customers, as they know what needs
to be done, to what standard and when.
 It encourages improvements in service and also ensures consistency in service
 All steps involved in the process are accurate and quick
 There is a standard or measure against which the product or service can be measured and
monitored.
 They follow the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound)
objective.
 Helps to focus on the needs of service user, set and maintain standards for each service
provided
 Helps one to close voids in the service process or performance and also look for areas of
improvements
 Develops trust between customers and organization and communication improves
 There is team building spirit and the approach from and between partnership companies

Page 23
Explain how to set and meet quality standards and timescales with internal customers
Setting quality standards and timescales are important for a business or an organization, without
which one will be putting tasks aside without getting them done. Setting these motivates the
customers and the person working on it. It helps to focus on a task or project.
Quality standards and timescales can be set in the following ways:
 Focus on the customer and find out what the customers expect, or what the customers‘
needs are and what matters the most to the customers, and by what time
 Find out any voids in service quality and close the gaps, as these will lead to poor quality
standards and will be time consuming during rectification process
Quality standards and timescales can be met in the following ways:
 Improving trust between the organization and the customer

 Improved communication with customers
 Joint working and team building which in turn boosts the spirits and motivation
 Approaching partnership companies and internal customers with greater openness
2.4 Five Ways to Deliver Excellent Customer Service

In fact, delivering excellent customer service is one of Zappos‘ company values. There are
thousands of negative customer service stories on the web, but very few great stories, yet it‘s the
great stories that stand out the most.
Here are five ways to stand out from the crowd and deliver excellent customer service.
1. Respond as quickly as possible
One of the biggest factors in good customer service is speed, especially when a client is
requesting something that‘s time sensitive.
STELLA service conducted a response time report in 2011 and found that the average email
response time for the to 100 Internet companies was 17 hours. Frost reported that 41% of
consumers surveyed listed being put on hold as their biggest frustration. Make sure you don‘t
leave customers waiting.
Page 24
In 2006, Lexus recalled a series of Lexus ES 350 sedans and asked car owners to visit a
dealership and bring their cars in. Instead of having to sit in a waiting room watching their cars
being worked on, customers were given a brand new Lexus instead.
2. Know your customers
Great interactions begin with knowing your customers wants and needs. Customers love
personalization. Get to know your customers, remember their names and previous conversations.
If needed, make a note of what was discussed previously so you can refer to it the next time you
meet.
In March 2012 Starbucks launched a new campaign focusing on improving relationships
between their staff and customers. Each person who introduced themselves by name received a
free latte and in total, more than 350,000 free drinks were given away.
3. Fix your mistakes
Not taking responsibility of your mistakes is a sure fire way to getting a bad reputation.
Transparency is important in business and customer service is no different. Always strive for a
high quality output as it shows you have a high level of standards.
In 2007, an Amazon customer ordered a new PlayStation for his son for Christmas. When the
shipping company delivered the parcel, the customer was away and had a neighbor sign for the
package. The neighbor left the package outside the customer‘s house (in which it soon
disappeared). When the customer realized what had happened, he was left in complete shock.
Even though Amazon was not to blame for this mistake, they were quick to resolve this by not
only sending a new PlayStation in time for Christmas, but did not charge for the extra shipping.
4. Go the extra mile
Going the extra mile will not only result in an indebted and happy customer, it can also go a long
way in terms of keeping yourself on their radar for future business.
In May 2011, a three year old named Lily Robinson wrote a letter to Sainsbury‘s, a UK grocery
store a letter asking why ‗tiger bread was called tiger bread and not giraffe bread?‘. To Lily‘s
surprise, Chris King, the customer service manager of Sainsbury‘s responded with ―I think
renaming it to giraffe bread is a brilliant idea!‖. In January 2012, the bread was renamed to
giraffe bread.

Page 25
5. Think long term – A customer is for life
Think long term when dealing with customers. By keeping customers happy, they will be loyal
and through word of mouth, will do the marketing for you. In fact, according to author Pete
Black Shaw, a satisfied customer tells at least three friends (whereas an angry customer tells
3,000!)
In August 2011, author and business consultant Peter Shank man was ready to board a flight
before tweeting ―Hey, @Mortons – can you meet me at Newark airport with a porterhouse when
I land in two hours? K, thanks. :)‖. As soon as Peter landed a gentleman wearing a tuxedo was
holding a bag that contained porterhouse shrimp, napkins and silverware. Knowing that Peter
was a regular customer and having tracked down his arrival details, Morton‘s traveled more than
23 miles to deliver excellent service.
2.5 How important is it to deliver an excellent service?
Customer service has an impact on both existing customers and potential customers. A recent
survey found that 68% of consumers would react by telling family and friends about a bad
experience by posting it on a social network. And as each Face book profile has an average of
229 friends, the reach of this experience can quickly reach thousands.
However, there is great value in ensuring you deliver a positive customer service. Right Now
Technologies 2011 Customer Experience Report found that 86% of U.S. adults are willing to pay
more for a better customer experience and 73% of U.S. adults said a friendly customer service
made them fall in love with a brand. Not only will brands get happy, loyal customers but will see
increased business.
Business should be built around how to deliver excellent customer service. It‘s easy to forget its
importance when you are building your brand‘s web presence and marketing your website. These
five examples above provide truly excellent customer service.
2.6 How to Deliver Great Customer Service

Follow these 10 tips, and your customers will be very, very happy.

Page 26
A widely quoted statistic gets to the heart of the value proposition behind customer service: The
cost of acquiring a new customer is five times that of retaining an existing one. For businesses
that succeed by forming a bond with the customer, the disparity is surely even greater.
Good customer service is essentially a variation on the golden rule: You want to meet the same
expectations you would have if you were the customer. "The basic things will never change,"
says Tony Maggiotto, an adviser at the Buffalo State College Small Business Development
Center in New York. "If people believe that they're being remembered and are known to the
business that will have a positive impact on their disposition toward your business."
Providing good customer service is often a matter of common sense, but that doesn't mean it
comes naturally to all business owners. For some, in fact, it means behaving differently than they
do in other business situations, says Richard Proffer, a counselor at a University of Missouri
Small Business & Technology Development Center. If you are used to fighting about every
detail of a business deal, say, you may have to adjust your attitude. Ditto if you feel that selling is
a zero-sum game; to win customers, you will sometimes have to make them feel they have won,
too. The pages that follow are a guide to providing excellent customer service.
2.7 Caring for Customers

1. Great Customer Service Begins With you
simply put, the most inspiring leadership is by example. If you show indifference to your
customers, your employees will mimic it. If you are enthusiastic and courteous, your troops are
more likely to be so as well.
2. A Culture of Customer Service Must Be Codified

Start by hanging on the wall a set of core values, 10 or fewer principles that include customer
service ideals, suggests Susan McCartney, Maggiotto's colleague at the Buffalo SBDC. "Share
them during the training, have employees sign them, and evaluate employees based on the
values," she says. "But don't call them rules."

Page 27
Employee training on customer service precepts should be intensive: written materials, verbal
instruction, mentors, and on-the-job demonstrations all ought to be part of the coursework, says
McCartney.
3. Employees Are Customers, Too

Companies renowned for their customer service -- the online shoe retailer Zappos, for example --
treat employees as they would have their employees treat their customers. "Employees take on
more responsibility because they know they are appreciated and an important part of the team,"
says the University of Missouri's Proffer. "People who don't feel like they're part of the bigger
picture, who feel like a small cog in a big machine, are not willing to go the extra mile."
Not every business can afford to shower staff with generous pay and benefits, but not every
business has to. Small companies, says McCartney, can show "intense interest" in employees, in
their welfare, their families, and their future -- what McCartney calls the family model. It's also
important to recognize an employee -- publicly -- for a job well done. Some companies also offer
incentives for exceptional customer service, but if you can't spare the cash, you might throw an
office party or offer another token of appreciation. When he was a manager at cable provider
Tele-Communications Inc., for instance, Proffer personally washed the cars of notable
employees.
4. Emphasize the Long Term

Short-term sales incentives can sometimes undermine long-term customer satisfaction. Prevent
that by building short-term programs atop an ongoing program that rewards broader
improvements, says Paula Godar, brands strategy director for Maritz, a sales and marketing
consulting firm based in St. Louis. Moreover, winner-take-all incentives "can drive a lot of
unhealthy competition and disengage the rest of the sales force," says Godar. "We've improved
sales performance by much greater percentages when we've improved the performance of the
large group in the middle of the bell curve."
5. Build Trust
Use your customer's name whenever you can. And sometimes you have to give to get. In his
book The Knack, Inc. columnist Norm Brodsky relates how he won a sale against long odds by
Page 28
venturing his time and expertise to help a prospect cut costs. "I was showing him not only that
we could help him save money but that we cared about saving him money," writes Brodsky.
6. Listen
"The best salespeople spend 80 percent of their time listening, not talking," says Marc Willson, a
retail and restaurant consultant for the Virginia SBDC network. Ask open-ended questions to
elicit a customer's needs and wants. "Once they've identified what they're looking for, use their
words throughout the process," suggests Proffer. "That way, they've sold it for you."
If the prospect is "just looking," don't press further. But be discreetly nearby. "Straighten the
racks, or dust something," says Willson. "You need to be within earshot or eyeshot, because
every retail sale involves a re-approach."
7. Sometimes it’s the Little Things That Matter

Small gestures that anticipate customers' needs or attend to their comforts -- such as offering a
cold glass of water on a hot day or a children's area with toys -- go a long way toward winning
them over.
8. If You Can't Help a Customer, Point to an Establishment That Can

And saying "You might try Smith's, on Main Street" won't make nearly as strong an impression
as confirming that Smith's has the item in question and giving directions to Main Street. "This is
the ultimate in customer service," says Tom Maydew, regional director of the SBDC in
Pocatello, Idaho. "That customer will be back."
9. Show Your Appreciation

One important element of retaining customers is communication. Willson suggests a
personalized thank-you note after a deal or sale -- "If Nordstrom's can do it, everybody can do it"
-- and even a follow-up phone call a month or so later. In a retail business, loyalty programs or
rewards cards drive repeat business (as well as help you collect information about what your
customers are buying). Many businesses send out birthday and holiday cards; Proffer prefers
marking the anniversary of a client's or customers first purchase.

Page 29
10. Treat Your Best Customers better
if your company relies on a relatively small number of clients to provide a disproportionately
large share of revenue, it makes sense to devote a disproportionate amount of time and energy to
serving them. (Think of airlines and the escalating benefits in their frequent-flier programs.)
Some luxury retailers and services practice "clienteling," by which all of the activity around
every customer -- every conversation, every visit, and every transaction -- is logged with contact
management software. Most businesses need not go that far, but it's well worth keeping your best
customers informed. You might, for example, keep track of their preferences and let them know
when new merchandise arrives that they are likely to be interested in. You might also organize
appreciation days just for those clients, or invite them to private pre-sales in advance of the
public.
2.8 Describe the types of problems that internal customers may have
An organization has to keep its internal customers happy by taking care of them, just as it takes
care of its external customers. There should be systematic way of processes in place and training
need to be provided to apply the services available for the internal customers. Every organization
has a system which is used to accomplish any task or get any work done. When internal
customers are satisfied, it leads to the success of the organization.
Internal customers can have the following types of problems at work place
Problems related to work:
 Not enough knowledge of the internal processes or work systems which leads to them not
being able to get the work done properly.
 Not knowing what their job roles are or deviating hugely from their job role, as
sometimes they are expected to agree to any demands from higher management or not
knowing what to do as they have not been briefed about the job
 Not enough support from the human resource department for motivation and
developments within the organization.
 Lack of training required to complete the job / tasks / projects
 Lack of encouragement, recognition and appreciation of one‘s work
 Lack of Health and safety procedures that have to be in place for the customer to carry
out the job and also checks to see if the workplace is suitable for the work being done.
Page 30
 Not using latest technologies to keep up with the advanced systems in place which can
highly disrupt the workflow with partnership companies that are way ahead in the use of
technology
 Not having standards set up for services, record management, data storage and retrieval,
trading standards etc.
 Not having performance goals, performance indicators and timescales for achieving tasks
 Work not complying with the SMART objective
 Lack of communication / information sharing which is a major fact in most organizations
that need to be considered
 Lack of help and advice from higher management
Problems those are personal:
 Not giving choices but delegating work to certain people without getting their consent or
input
 Unfair treatment
 Not giving equal opportunities
 Discrimination
 Safeguarding issues
 Making racial remarks or remarks about appearance
 Not being included in the processes within the team
 Sense of being ignored
2.9 Explain ways of dealing with problems
Problems happen everywhere and are there in every organization. Problems exist in personal and
professional life, but the important fact is to not run away from problems, but to face them and
deal with them. Minor problems are most of the time ignored in the sense that they will go away,
but any problems that occur, be it major or minor, have to be analyzed and resolved otherwise it
will hinder your progress. Minor issues can pile up if not dealt with and cause huge obstacles.
Dealing with problems strengthens ones personality and teaches lessons. You gain a lot of
experience dealing with problems.

Page 31
Problems have to be dealt with as soon as possible, otherwise they grow bigger and bigger and
will be harder to solve later. We should not get accustomed to a life with problems and be
convinced that we have to live with it. This will have serious effects on the quality of life and the
performance at work. Leaving a problem unresolved will open doors to many other problems or
will lead to many other problems.
Ways of dealing with problems are:
When problems are your own:
 Changing the way we think about problems. Rather than thinking that problems are a part
of daily life, we need to think that we need to live problem free. This will motivate you to
deal with the problem.
 Always focus on what solution you need out of the problem. Focussing on the problem
can make you stressed and overwhelmed and will not let you look for a solution. So focus
on how it will feel if the problem is solved and get yourself motivated to deal with it
 Look at the problem as another person‘s problem and this will make it easier for you to
deal with it. When you have the feeling that it is yours, it drags you down. Thinking it the
other way round helps you come up with ideas to deal with the problem.
 You need to accept the fact that there is no problem that cannot be solved. This will free
your mind, give you hope and help you deal with it effectively.
 Be confident that the problem can be resolved and stay focussed on the solution rather
than the cause.
 Consider the problem as an opportunity to learn new things, because as you deal with the
problem, you will learn a lot and gain a lot of new experiences. It helps you to grow up as
a strong person and have strong will power.
 When problems of the same kind are repetitive, it is good not to deal with it the way it
was dealt with before, but to take advice from others and use a different procedure to deal
with it, so that it does not repeat in the future.
When it is a customer‘s problem:

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 Put yourself in the situation and mindset of the customer and set aside the feeling that you
were not responsible for the problem. Focus on the client and their situation. Stay calm.
 Listen to them actively as they want you to listen to them. Ask them why they are upset
and what the problem is and how it happened.
 Do not jump into conclusions instantly, but listen to them completely and wait for them
to finish. Do not interrupt either
 Watch their body language
 Repeat to them what you have heard to confirm you have heard it right
 Be empathetic and show them that you have understood why they are upset.
 Apologies if it was your mistake or the organization‘s mistake acknowledge and accept
their concerns and present them with a solution. Provide them with choices of solutions if
possible.
 Take actions and follow-up on the problem also making them aware of the steps that will
be taken to resolve and how it will be resolved.
 Once resolved, contact the customer to say that the problem that was being dealt with has
now been resolved. This will make the customer happy and show that you genuinely care.
Explain the purpose and value of a complaints procedure, if applicable
A customer complaints procedure is a systematic method used by any organization to receive

record and respond to complaints made by the customers. It also helps to efficiently and
effectively monitor the status of the complaint. This is used to also improve the working of the
organization.
The purpose and value of a complaints procedure are:
 Provides a formal route to address concerns and any problems

 Ensures that complaints are considered fairly, dealt with at once within the agreed
timescales
 Helps resolve complaints constructively without damaging relationships
 Helps with confidentiality
 Helps with an appropriate response
Page 33
 Promotes good employment practices
 Encourages harmony at work place
 Helps reduce bullying, harassment and victimization at work
 Improves customer retention and gives a good reputation to the organization
 Helps the organization decide on appropriate actions regarding the complaint
 Helps the organization identify its areas of weakness thereby helping with improvement
and development
LO3: Monitor and report on service delivery

 Reviewing regularly customer satisfaction with service delivery using verifiable evidence
 Identifying opportunities to enhance the quality of service and products
 Monitoring procedural aspects of service delivery for effectiveness and suitability to
customer requirements
 Seeking regularly customer feedback and use to improve the provision of products and
services
 Incorporating evidence of customer satisfaction in decisions to modify products or
services
 Ensuring clear and detailed reports focused on critical aspects of service delivery
3.1 Explain the purpose and benefits of monitoring internal customer

satisfaction and how to do so
Customer satisfaction has to be monitored to improve the performance of the organization. There
are many indicators that can be used to monitor internal customer satisfaction and the quality of
internal customer service provided by the organization. This can be done by:
 Receiving feedback from staff and taking surveys from them from time to time
 Checking on the time it has taken to respond to enquiries
 Gathering information about how they found out about this organization and what made
them want to work with the organization
 Monitoring sales and other accounts
 Statistics of customers staying with the organization and leaving the organization

Page 34
 The number of complaints received and the number of complaints resolved
 The awards received or nominated for in a particular year or period of time
 Performance against a standard target for improvement
 Checking how services and products were delivered
 Check for any requests in service improvements
 Monitoring service delivery
 Monitoring customer perception of the organization
The purpose and value of monitoring internal customer satisfaction are:
 It helps with improving customer service skills within the organization

 Will help the organization improve its working standards and service delivery
 Internal customers have a feeling of security and will know that the organization cares for
them
 The customers feel valued
 Improves performance of the organization
 Improves the profit for the organization
 Internal customers when cared, will care for the organization and bring in more external
customers
 The organization learns a lot through internal surveys and feedback
 Customers know that their thoughts are listened to
3.2 Describe techniques for collecting and evaluating customer feedback
Feedback is a process through which an organization receives reactions from customers

regarding their products and services or performance of a particular task. It is an essential part in
any business or organization. Feedback helps with making future plans and progress in business.
Some techniques for collecting and evaluating feedback are:
 Suggestion box – This box can be kept at reception or near the entrance in an
organization and customers can drop in suggestions anonymously into the box about any
issues, enquiries or improvements necessary. These can be collected on a regular basis
Page 35
and discussed in meetings to decide on the best possible results. Our organization has a
suggestions box at the entrance of the building
 Comments book – This is not something everyone will like to use, but still can be left in a
corner at reception for customers to write in comments and suggestions. In our
organization we have comments book for building maintenance issues
 Feedback or evaluation sheets – These sheets can be sent out to customers or kept
available on the intranet, so that customers from various departments can answer
questions in that form or write down suggestions based on their experience with the
service, performance of the organization and the way they feel or are treated by the
organization in every aspect
NEW - Secret Service: Hidden Systems That Deliver Unforgettable Customer Service
 Questionnaires – These can be again sent out by email or by post or on phone, or face-to-
face or made available on the Intranet. Customers can choose to anonymously answer
these questions just giving information about the department or directorate they work for.
Our organization does this every year through a link on the intranet. Most people will
hesitate to complete this face-to-face or over the phone, so the best method would be the
intranet
 Complaints procedure – This is another process through which customers‘ point of views
and their problems can be heard. It is a process through which customers can voice their
thoughts.
 Focus groups and participative evaluation processes can also be used to monitor customer
satisfaction. Our organization has an day every year, where we get a chance to
participate in discussions and evaluations on company‘s progress, projects being worked
on or to be started and any effects of organization‘s performance on customers, and how
the customers feel about the organization. There are also various activities to help
improve communication and relationships between the internal customers and between
the customers and the organization.

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While all the above are different techniques to evaluate customer satisfaction, care has to be
taken in order not to burden customers asking for feedback. The organization has to make sure
that customers are not pressurized and interested candidates can be asked to participate in focus
groups and participative evaluation.
3.3 Explain the benefits of continuous improvement
Continuous improvement helps an organization to gradually gain skills to find problems and
solve them so that the organization‘s policies are followed and objectives are fulfilled. It is done
by using techniques in a systematic manner and methods that are proven to improve efficiency.
This helps with improvement in products and services. The process involves identifying the
problem, defining the problem and analyzing ways to solve it, exploring ways to solve the
problem, selecting the best way or method to solve the problem, implementing the best method
to solve the problem and finally reviewing the results.
The benefits of continuous improvement are:
 It leads to better results in the business when it comes to cost, productivity, timescales,
profit and delivery
 It improves customer satisfaction
 Helps customers improve performance and helps the organization to improve its
performance
 Encourages customers to take ownership of their work
 Helps teamwork and team building
 Motivates work within the organization
 Overall the organization and its customers flourish
3.4 5 Ways to Monitor Your Customer Service
Customer service managers can provide all the training and incentives they want, but if they
don‘t have an effective method of monitoring their customer service staff, they may see the same
mistakes arise in their department over and over again. Monitoring methods ensure consistency

Page 37
in customer service and offer important feedback on problem areas that need to be addressed. We
have five effective ways to monitor your customer service to raise the bar on your service level.
Reviewing Written Correspondence

All types of written correspondence, including letters, emails and live chat records, can provide
important information about how your CSRs are handling customers. Let your employees know
that their interactions could be monitored prior to doing so, which will ensure a better attitude
from your staff about the process.
Collect these pieces of correspondence weekly or monthly, and create a chart for results, so you
can easily compile relevant data. Use your results to identify potential problem areas and train
your employees in more effective service methods.
Monitoring Phone Calls

Everyone has called a business, only to hear, ―Your call may be recorded for quality purposes.‖
This mode of monitoring customer service is a common one that can be highly effective in
teaching employees better service techniques. When CSRs actually hear how they sound to
customers, they can use that knowledge to make corrections to their service methods in the
future.
Asking Customers for Feedback
Some managers find that simply asking customers what they think of the service is an effective
way to pinpoint potential problem areas. You can apply this technique casually, chatting with a
customer after a transaction is complete. A more formal approach is to call a customer after the
fact with a scripted questionnaire, or ask customers to complete a survey form that gives
information about the quality of service they received.
Use Mystery Shoppers
Some companies employ mystery shoppers to perform transactions and then report on the level
of service they received. The advantage of this monitoring technique over customer feedback is
that the mystery shopper knows what to look for the moment he sets foot in the business. These
shoppers typically complete a questionnaire right after their transaction that provides specific,
measurable information about the transaction.

Page 38
3.5 Resolving Customer Disputes
It's bad enough when a customer is unhappy with your product or service. But if the attempt to
redress the problem is frustrating or fruitless, it makes matters much worse. A satisfied customer
may tell one or two friends about your company, says Richard Proffer, but "an angry customer
might tell a dozen." Some aggrieved customers can never be placated, but, more often,
successful dispute resolution lies in a business owner's hands.
Solve the problem when it occurs. It's always best when people on the floor or in the field are
the first line of response, say Proffer and Marc Willson. Vest them with authority to resolve
certain types of problems themselves.
Don't greet agitation with agitation. "Our first tendency is to match our tone to their tone, but
you don't want to do that," says Proffer. "If we stay calm, their voice will start coming down, and
they'll begin to relax."
The Five A’s Proffer says it's helpful to think of resolving a dispute as a five-step process called
the Five A's: Acknowledge the problem. Apologize, even if you think you're right. Accept
responsibility. Adjust the situation with a negotiation to fix the problem. Assure the customer
that you will follow through.
Don't forget salesmanship. The skills and techniques of good selling discussed earlier are even
more valuable in difficult situations. Address customers by name, and repeat what they've said.
"Whether you resolve the issue or not," says Willson, "they'll see that you have their best interest
in mind."
3.6 Hiring for Service

For employees who interact with customers, technical proficiency at the job isn't enough. Nor is
passion for your product or service. Staff members who deal with customers ought to be
intuitive, empathetic, and good listeners. Here are tips for vetting those traits.
Interview in a neutral, public place, Tony Maggiotto suggests meeting the prospect in a café or
restaurant to see how he or she interacts with other people -- like the wait staff.

Page 39
Ask the right questions. Ask questions about how the applicant reacts to a situation. For example:
"Tell me about a recent situation in which you had to deal with a very upset customer." Check
references in the same fashion. You should also ask questions to see how well the interviewee
listens and processes information. "Outline a problem and ask them to respond to that," suggests
Susan McCartney. "Even if they ask you questions to clarify, I would give those points for that."

Page 40

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TVET PROGRAM TITLE: Accounts and Budget Support Level –III

MODULE TITLE: Delivering and Monitoring a Service to Customers

Delivering and Monitoring a Service to Customers

Delivering and Monitoring a Service to Customers

1.1 Use appropriate interpersonal skills to accurately identify and clarify

Delivering and Monitoring a Service to Customers

Delivering and Monitoring a Service to Customers

1.3 Use effective communication to inform customers about available choices

Delivering and Monitoring a Service to Customers

1.4 Identify limitations in addressing customer needs and seek appropriate

1.5 What is customer?

Delivering and Monitoring a Service to Customers

A customer (sometimes known as a client, buyer, or purchaser) is the recipient of

 An intermediate customer or trade customer (more informally: "the trade") who is a

Delivering and Monitoring a Service to Customers

 An external customer of an organization is a customer who is not directly connected to that

Delivering and Monitoring a Service to Customers

 Why do your customers need you?

1.7 Why do your customers need you?

Delivering and Monitoring a Service to Customers

1.8 What do you know about your customers?

 who they are

The customer's current supplier

Ten things you need to know about your customers

Delivering and Monitoring a Service to Customers

1.9 Strategies for Identifying Customer Needs

Delivering and Monitoring a Service to Customers

Customer Relationship Management

Identifying Customer Needs

Most customer needs can be divided into four basic categories:

1. The need to be understood

Delivering and Monitoring a Service to Customers

Are you listening to your market?

Voice of the Customer

Delivering and Monitoring a Service to Customers

Keys to Identifying Customer Needs

Delivering and Monitoring a Service to Customers

2.1 Deliver, Monitor and Evaluate Customer Service to Internal Customers

Identify quality standards for own organization and work

Delivering and Monitoring a Service to Customers

2.2 What is customer service?

Delivering and Monitoring a Service to Customers

2.3 Customer Service Is Critical to Small Businesses

Explain the value of agreeing quality standards and timescales

Delivering and Monitoring a Service to Customers

Quality standards and timescales can be set in the following ways:

Quality standards and timescales can be met in the following ways:

 Improving trust between the organization and the customer

2.4 Five Ways to Deliver Excellent Customer Service

Delivering and Monitoring a Service to Customers

2.5 How important is it to deliver an excellent service?

2.6 How to Deliver Great Customer Service

Delivering and Monitoring a Service to Customers

2.7 Caring for Customers

2. A Culture of Customer Service Must Be Codified

Delivering and Monitoring a Service to Customers

3. Employees Are Customers, Too

4. Emphasize the Long Term

7. Sometimes it’s the Little Things That Matter

8. If You Can't Help a Customer, Point to an Establishment That Can

9. Show Your Appreciation

Delivering and Monitoring a Service to Customers