UNIT 11 Customer Relations in Business

Learning outcomes On completion of this unit you should: 1 Know how customer service is provided in business 2 Be able to apply appropriate presentation and interpersonal skills in customer service situations 3 Understand how consistent and reliable customer service contributes to customer satisfaction 4 Know how to monitor and evaluate customer service within an organisation.

What is Customer Service? Customer service is the experience a customer gets when using products made by the business. Satisfied customers make repeat purchases and recommend the product to friends, leading to additional word-of-mouth sales.

Customer Customer: 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.goodserviceproductsellervendorsupplier

Internal Customers An internal customer is a customer who is directly connected to an organization, and is usually (but not necessarily) internal to the organization. Staff in other departments Other staff teams Managers Colleagues in own department Supervisors Own work team Stockholders Shareholders Creditors

External Customers An external customer of an organization is a customer who is not directly connected to that organization. Students Newly married couples Orderly couples Anyone who is not related to the business

P1 Different types of customer Individuals and groups People of different ages and cultures People with special needs and business people

Individuals The challenge when dealing with an individual customer is to tailor your business's facilities to their requirements. A customer in a restaurant might be allergic to nuts, a guest in a hotel may want a wake-up call at 4.30am, or a customer in a leisure centre may need to find out which fitness classes will best suit them.Happy customers are obviously more likely to return.

Groups Whether the group in question is a family or a group of football supporters, it is important to understand its requirements. The facilities that a group of pensioners needs may be very different from those required by a group of teenagers.

People of different ages Some areas of the industry are geared towards a specific age range. You might be employed in a crèche at a holiday resort or as a guide for a company that specialises in coach trips for the elderly More often, however, customer service requires having to deal with a whole range of ages and this means evaluating what requirements people are likely to have, as well as listening to their requests. Being able to anticipate what people want is a key way to achieve good customer service.

People of different cultures In China spitting is acceptable, while in Japan blowing your nose in public is one of the most disgusting things you can do. Sometimes, when people from different cultures seem odd or rude towards us it might be because they are expressing themselves in a way that we are not used to. Your role is to be open-minded – not to offend or be offended by cultural differences – and an awareness of what those differences are will definitely help.

Non-English speakers It is all too easy to treat people who don't speak English as though they are stupid. Remember not to shout. Shouting does not make things any clearer and may cause a sense of panic in those you are trying to help. Draw pictures, use your hands and speak slowly and clearly to try and make yourself understood.

TASK Scenario: You are working as a part-time shop assistant in a Fashion retailer store located in The Mall, Luton. The store manager is very concerned about the level of customer service in the store and ensuring that the customers’ needs are met at all times. The manager has asked you to investigate the different customer needs and expectations and the benefits good customer service can bring to the store.

Task 1 – A customer service essay Remember to use the provided checklist for this task to ensure you have met all the criteria before you hand in your work. 1. Produce an essay covering the following points: · A profile of at least three different types of customer that visit your store (students, elderly couple, newly married couple). You must outline the needs and expectations of each type of customer and explain how these different needs could be met. (P1) (M1) · A description of what good customer service is. (P2) · An outline of how good customer service would benefit your store (P2)

How to improve customer service Training so that staff understand their role and responsibilities. For instance, asking every customer if they are happy with their meal. Innovation or introducing new ideas and methods. For example, altering the menu every three months keeps customers interested and helps a café to stay one step ahead of the competition. Listening to customers helps a business adjust its products to better match consumer needs and respond to any problems.