CLASS ORIENTATION
Institution: Samuel Christian College of General Trias, Inc.
Location: Navarro, General Trias City, Cavite
Course: OACC 110: Customer Relations
Instructor: Ma. Teresa Belo
LESSON 2: KNOWING YOUR COMPANY AND ITS BUSINESS
Lesson Objective:
Topics Covered:
Merchandise Knowledge
Commandments of Customer Service
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) including:
Definition and identification
Benefits
Technology
Challenges
Management tips
Stress Management tips for Customer Service Representatives
Expected Outcomes:
Define Merchandise Knowledge and its elements.
Know the commandments of Customer Service.
Define and identify CRM, its benefits, technology, challenges, and management tips.
Know Stress Management Tips for Customer Service Representatives.
UNDERSTANDING YOURSELF AND OTHERS' VIEW OF YOUR BUSINESS
Managerial Leadership:
Managers must review their attributes to determine if they contribute to problems or solutions.
Important traits include:
Enthusiasm
Leadership
Sympathy
Ethical and managerial knowledge.
Continuous improvement of personnel management is essential.
Policy Implementation:
Owners/managers should establish policies that cultivate good relations.
Salespeople must reflect the company's image; hence, training is crucial.
Importance of Employee Performance:
Employees are influenced by management; they will perform as well as management allows.
CUSTOMER SERVICE AND MERCHANDISE INTINERARY
What is Merchandise?
Definition: Merchandise refers to goods a company sells; any product available for customers to buy or sell.
Examples:
Groceries in supermarkets
Clothing in retail stores
Electronics online
Raw materials in manufacturing.
Key Concept: If an item can be bought or sold, it qualifies as merchandise.
Importance of Merchandise:
Merchandise is crucial as it drives today's economy and businesses.
The primary objective for companies is to meet customer’s wants and needs through product sales for profit.
Overview of Merchandising
Definition: Merchandising is both a practice and a process of displaying and selling products to influence customer purchases.
This can occur both digitally and in-store.
Aims to promote sales and sustain customer activity.
Fundamental goal is to stimulate customers’ purchase behavior.
Techniques for Effective Merchandising:
Promotions can include price changes, attractive displays, special offers, etc. to influence buying decisions.
Merchandising aims to present products effectively:
Right price
Right time
Right place
Right quantity.
Goals of Merchandising:
Increase sales
Develop customer loyalty
Boost foot traffic
Raise brand awareness.
Categories of Merchandise:
Convenience Goods:
Products purchased frequently with minimal effort (e.g., groceries, gas).
Less emphasis on salespeople due to quick purchase nature.
Shopping Goods:
Products that require comparison and shopping around (e.g., clothing, home furnishings).
Salespeople should have a deep understanding of the merchandise to assist customers effectively.
Specialty Goods:
High involvement purchases (e.g., jewelry, luxury items).
Customers expect significant information and advice from salespeople.
Popular Merchandising Techniques (Traditional Retail):
Window displays
In-store displays
Interactive displays
Signage
Product placement
Stocked shelves and displays
Thematic presentations
Creative bundling
Demonstrations
Giveaways
Popular Merchandising Techniques (E-Commerce):
Prominent placement of the search bar
Effective product organization
Live chat support
Free shipping offers
Progress status bar during checkout
Seasonal or holiday collections
Product descriptions including images
Customer recommendations and reviews
Bundling and cross-selling strategies.
Benefits of Merchandising:
Main goal: Increase product sales, leading to:
Higher sales volume
Increased profits.
Enhanced shopping experience may yield:
High customer satisfaction
Increased engagement
Customer loyalty and brand recognition
Faster inventory turnover.
Merchandisers' Role:
In retail, merchandisers optimize displays, selling floors, etc., to boost sales.
Duties include:
Analyzing sales data
Creating sales projections
Ordering products
Negotiating with suppliers
Supporting promotional campaigns.
Merchandising vs. Sales:
Merchandising sets the stage for sales by enticing customers to purchase.
Example of merchandising: A display attracting customers' attention.
Sales: Completing the transaction when customers purchase the product.
Merchandising Company vs. Service Company:
Merchandising companies focus on tangible products (e.g., supermarkets, clothing stores).
Service companies focus on offering non-tangible services (e.g., insurance, consultancy).
Both types aim for profitability through sales.
COMMANDMENTS OF CUSTOMER SERVICE
Know Who is Boss: Understand customer needs through active listening.
Be a Good Listener: Identify customer needs by focusing on communication.
Identify and Anticipate Needs: Customers seek emotional solutions, so anticipate their needs.
Make Customers Feel Important: Use names and express appreciation sincerely to build trust.
Help Customers Understand Your System: Clearly explain your processes to avoid confusion.
Appreciate the Power of Yes: Seek to accommodate reasonable customer requests.
Know How to Apologize: Address mistakes promptly and sincerely.
Give More Than Expected: Exceed customer expectations to enhance value.
Get Regular Feedback: Create channels for customer input to improve services.
Treat Employees Well: Happy employees foster excellent customer experiences.
Closing Notes
Activity: Create a review based on provided YouTube links to understand CRM better.
Links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbNPq-ZLzMM, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlhESAKF1Tk
Considered as QUIZ: Attendance to activity is essential for assessment.
Closing Prayer
Acknowledgment and Closing: Thank you very much and God bless!