Customer Service Delivery and Monitoring

BSBOPS304 Deliver and Monitor a Service to Customers

1. Overview of Customer Service

  • 1.1 Identify and clarify customer needs and expectations
  • 1.2 Evaluate customer needs and determine priorities for service delivery according to organisational requirements.
  • 1.3 Inform customers about available choices for meeting their needs and assist in the selection of preferred options.
  • 1.4 Identify limitations in addressing customer needs and seek assistance from designated individuals, where required.

2. Delivering a Service to Customers

  • 2.1 Provide service to meet identified customer needs according to organisational and legislative requirements.
  • 2.2 Establish and maintain rapport with customers.
  • 2.3 Manage customer complaints according to organisational and legislative requirements.
  • 2.4 Provide assistance and respond to customers with specific needs according to organisational and legislative requirements.
  • 2.5 Identify and use opportunities to promote and enhance services and products to customers.

3. Evaluating Customer Service Delivery

  • 3.1 Review customer satisfaction with service delivery using verifiable evidence according to organisational and legislative requirements.
  • 3.2 Seek and respond to customer feedback according to organisational policies and procedures.
  • 3.3 Identify opportunities to enhance the quality of customer service.
  • 3.4 Document recommendations for customer service improvements.
  • 3.5 Submit recommendations to relevant personnel according to organisational policies and procedures.

4. Performance Evidence

  • Candidates must demonstrate the ability to complete tasks including:
      - Delivering service to at least three different customers.
      - Using communication skills to establish rapport with customers.
      - Identifying customer needs using appropriate questioning and active listening skills.
      - Providing customer service according to organisational requirements.
      - Responding to and recording customer feedback according to organisational standards.
      - Producing a report identifying recommendations for service delivery improvement.

5. Knowledge Evidence

  • Candidates must demonstrate knowledge to complete tasks, including knowledge of:
      - Key provisions of customer service legislation and consumer law.
      - Organisational policies and procedures related to customer service, including complaints handling.
      - Common forms of verifiable evidence to review customer satisfaction.
      - Customer service standards and protocols, especially for customers with specific needs.

6. Topic Overview: Identify Customer Needs

  • 6A Identify and clarify customer needs and expectations
  • 6B Determine the urgency of requests.
  • 6C Seek assistance to meet customer needs.
  • 6D Match customer needs with appropriate products or services.

7. Learning Goals

  • Understand how to identify and clarify customer needs.
  • Success Criteria:
      - Distinguish between internal and external customers with examples.
      - Define customer service and customer satisfaction.
      - List essential interpersonal skills for customer interaction.
      - Explain how market research aids understanding customer needs.
      - Distinguish between primary and secondary market research.
      - Define open, closed, and probing questions with examples.
      - Explain the importance of active listening in identifying customer needs.

8. What is a Customer?

  • Customers are individuals or organisations using a company's products or services.
  • Types of customers:
      - Members of the public
      - Other businesses or organisations
      - Internal members of the organisation itself (internal customers)

9. Internal Customers

  • Definition: Anyone within an organisation dependent on others to perform their job.
  • Examples include:
      - Other teams or sections
      - Individual employees
      - Managers or supervisors
  • Importance: High-quality internal service is essential for delivering quality service to external customers.
      - Example: Warehouse staff depend on customer service teams to process orders timely.
      - Example: A CEO’s PA must complete tasks necessary for the CEO's performance.

10. Organisational Structure

  • Example of a flat organisational structure:
      - Manager A
      - Owner
      - Manager B
      - Manager C
      - Employees 1-6

11. External Customers

  • Definition: Individuals or entities purchasing products or services from the organisation.
  • Importance: They provide income to the business; knowledge about them assists in building effective relationships.
      - Types of external customers include:
        - Corporate customers
        - Individual members of the public (new, loyal, or repeat)
        - Government agencies
  • Importance of maintaining accurate data (Client Management System, CMS) to understand customer profiles.

12. What is Customer Service?

  • Definition: Any interaction that impacts customers positively or negatively.
      - Includes counter and face-to-face service, telephone support, complaint handling, assistance for special needs, and feedback usage.
  • Impact of Customer Service:
      - Good service fosters customer satisfaction, loyalty, and positive word-of-mouth which can lead to increased sales.
      - Poor service results in dissatisfaction, negative reviews, and loss of customers.

13. Understanding Customer Satisfaction

  • Formula: Customer Satisfaction = Measurement of customer happiness with a company's offerings.
  • Good vs. Poor Service Outcomes:
      - Good Service: Satisfied customers lead to loyalty, referrals, and increased profits.
      - Poor Service: Dissatisfied customers lead to attrition, negative reviews, and profit loss.

14. Interpersonal Skills for Customer Service

  • Key Interpersonal Skills Include:
      - Verbal Communication: Effectively convey messages.
      - Non-Verbal Communication/Positive Body Language: Communicate via body language, posture, and facial expressions.
      - Listening Skills: Interpret verbal and non-verbal messages.
      - Negotiation Skills: Collaboratively find solutions.
      - Problem-Solving Skills: Identify and define problems collaboratively.
      - Decision-Making Skills: Analyze options for sound decisions.
      - Assertiveness: Freely express personal values and needs.

15. Understanding Customer Needs

  • Customers base their decisions on:
      - Price
      - Quality
      - Customer service (courtesy, promptness)
      - Flexibility in products/services
      - Timeliness
      - Convenience

16. Finding Out Customer Needs and Expectations

  • Techniques to determine customer needs include:
      1. Customers express their needs.
      2. Directly asking customers (interpersonal skills critical).
  • Market research can supplement insight into customer preferences.

17. Market Research Overview

  • Purpose: To gather information regarding market, competition, and environment.
  • Market research informs business decisions and clarifies customer needs.
  • Types of Market Research:
      - Primary Research: Collecting first-hand data (focus groups, surveys).
      - Secondary Research: Using pre-existing data (government, academic studies).

18. Effective Communication Skills in Customer Service

  • Components Include:
      - Active Listening
      - Positive Body Language
      - Asking Questions
  • Effective communication is essential for understanding customer needs.

19. Active Listening Techniques

  • Characteristics of active listening:
      - Giving undivided attention
      - Verbal prompts
      - Paraphrasing
      - Asking questions
      - Summarizing
  • Role in Customer Service: Vital for identifying and understanding customer needs.

20. The Importance of Body Language

  • Non-verbal cues comprise over 65% of communicative impact.
  • Customer body language can reveal feelings (e.g., frustrated, happy).

21. Key Body Language Cues

  • Elements to observe:
      - Appearance
      - Facial Expressions
      - Eye Contact
      - Posture
      - Gestures

22. Clarifying Through Questions

  • Importance of asking questions to:
      - Confirm understanding
      - Verify customer comprehension
      - Accurately identify customer needs.

23. Types of Questions

  • Open Questions:
      - Encourage detailed responses (e.g., "What do you need?").
  • Closed Questions:
      - Require single-word answers (e.g., "Do you like this?").
  • Probing Questions:
      - Seek to elaborate details (e.g., "When do you need it by?").

24. Client Management System (CMS)

  • Purpose: Maintain accurate customer data, crucial for understanding external customers.
  • Data includes:
      - Customer contact details and business type
      - Payment preferences and history
      - Service records and special arrangements (discounts)
      - Personal details like birthdays and interests.

25. Lesson Summary

  • Customer Types:
      - Internal customers: Depend on each other within the organisation.
      - External customers: Purchase services/products for a fee.
  • Both types require high-quality service.
  • Customer Service:
      - Aiming to meet customer needs and expectations.
  • Interpersonal Skills: Critical for effective engagement with customers; includes verbal communication, active listening, and positive body language.
  • Research Methods: Both primary and secondary methods can aid in uncovering customer expectations and needs.

26. Assessment & Activities

  • Distinguish internal vs. external customers with examples.
  • Identify interpersonal skills required for customer service.
  • Define active listening and its benefits.
  • Explain customer satisfaction metrics and implications of both satisfaction and dissatisfaction.