BSBCUS401 V3 Learner Resource

Coordinate implementation of customer service strategies Learner Guide
RTO No: 41257

CRICOS Code: 03622A
BSBCUS401
COORDINATE IMPLEMENTATION OF CUSTOMER

SERVICE STRATEGIES
LEARNER RESOURCE
LEARNER RESOURCE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS..................................................................................................................................... 3
UNIT INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................... 5
ABOUT THIS RESOURCE................................................................................................................................. 5
ABOUT ASSESSMENT..................................................................................................................................... 6
ELEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE CRITERIA..................................................................................................... 8
PERFORMANCE AND KNOWLEDGE EVIDENCE................................................................................................ 9
PERFORMANCE EVIDENCE............................................................................................................................. 9
KNOWLEDGE EVIDENCE................................................................................................................................. 9
ASSESSMENT CONDITIONS.......................................................................................................................... 11
PRE-REQUISITES.......................................................................................................................................... 11
TOPIC 1 – ELEMENTS................................................................................................................................... 12
Principles of customer service.......................................................................................................................13
THE LEVELS OF SERVICE............................................................................................................................................14
SO WHAT CONSTITUTES SENSATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE?...........................................................................................15
USE COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES TO ASSESS CUSTOMER SERVICE NEEDS.......................................................................15
Principles of communication.........................................................................................................................15
Active listening..............................................................................................................................................16
Assertive communication..............................................................................................................................16
BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION..................................................................................................................16
CUSTOMER NEEDS...................................................................................................................................................17
FEATURES THAT MAKE UP CUSTOMER SERVICE.............................................................................................................17
VARYING LEVELS OF CUSTOMER NEEDS.......................................................................................................................18
TECHNIQUES AND SOURCES OF INFORMTAION FOR DETERMINING CUSTOMER NEEDS..........................................................19
METHODS OF DETERMINING CUSTOMERS’ NEEDS.........................................................................................................19
Direct observation.........................................................................................................................................19
Survey questionnaires...................................................................................................................................20
Interviews......................................................................................................................................................20
Focus groups.................................................................................................................................................21
CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS........................................................................................................................................21
DEVELOP OPTIONS FOR IMPROVING SERVICE DELIVERY TO CUSTOMERS.............................................................................23
PROVIDE RELEVANT AND CONSTRUCTIVE ADVICE TO PROMOTE THE IMPROVEMENT OF CUSTOMER SERVICE
DELIVERY.................................................................................................................................................... 25
INSPIRING AND MOBILISING TEAM MEMBERS...............................................................................................................25
Inspiring and mobilising your team..............................................................................................................25
CULTURE...............................................................................................................................................................26
Examples of how customer service standards could be improved...............................................................26
USE BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY AND/OR ONLINE SERVICES TO STRUCTURE AND PRESENT INFORMATION ON
CUSTOMER SERVICE NEEDS......................................................................................................................... 28
METHODS OF COMMUNICATING INFORMATION...........................................................................................................28
RELEVANT BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY.............................................................................................................................28
TOPIC 2 - SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION OF CUSTOMER SERVICE STRATEGIES................................................30
ENSURE CUSTOMER SERVICE STRATEGIES AND OPPORTUNITIES ARE PROMOTED TO DESIGNATED

INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS......................................................................................................................... 30
PROMOTE CUSTOMER SERVICE TO INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS.........................................................................................30
INFORM THE GROUP................................................................................................................................................31
COMMUNICATION IS THE KEY....................................................................................................................................31
BARRIERS..............................................................................................................................................................31
IDENTIFY AND ALLOCATE AVAILABLE BUDGET RESOURCES TO FULFIL CUSTOMER SERVICE OBJECTIVES........32
RESOURCES............................................................................................................................................................32
PROMPTLY ACTION PROCEDURES TO RESOLVE CUSTOMER DIFFICULTIES AND COMPLAINTS WITHIN
ORGANISATIONAL REQUIREMENTS............................................................................................................. 34
Dealing with customer complaints...............................................................................................................35
FOUR MAIN STEPS WHEN DEALING WITH CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS...................................................................................35
USEFUL SKILLS FOR HANDLING DISSATISFIED CUSTOMERS...............................................................................................36
TRAINING AND MENTORING......................................................................................................................................36
Mentoring.....................................................................................................................................................36
Mentoring questions.....................................................................................................................................37
Giving practical feedback.............................................................................................................................39
ENSURE THAT DECISIONS TO IMPLEMENT STRATEGIES ARE TAKEN IN CONSULTATION WITH DESIGNATED
METHODS OF CONSULTATION...................................................................................................................................41
TOPIC 3 - EVALUATE AND REPORT ON CUSTOMER SERVICE..........................................................................42
REVIEW CLIENT SATISFACTION WITH SERVICE DELIVERY USING VERIFIABLE DATA IN ACCORDANCE WITH
ORGANISATIONAL REQUIREMENTS............................................................................................................. 42
USE DATA TO REVIEW CLIENT SATISFACTION WITH SERVICE DELIVERY...............................................................................42
Using data.....................................................................................................................................................43
Analysing your survey data...........................................................................................................................43
IDENTIFY AND REPORT CHANGES NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN SERVICE STANDARDS TO DESIGNATED
PRESENTING FINDINGS.............................................................................................................................................44
COMMUNICATING USING THE PROBLEM-SOLVING STEPS................................................................................................45
APPLYING THE STEPS FOR PROBLEM-SOLVING TO DEALING WITH A PERFORMANCE GAP.......................................................45
PREPARE CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM VERIFIABLE EVIDENCE AND PROVIDE
CONSTRUCTIVE ADVICE ON FUTURE DIRECTIONS OF CLIENT SERVICE STRATEGIES.......................................48
MAINTAIN SYSTEMS, RECORDS AND REPORTING PROCEDURES TO COMPARE CHANGES IN CUSTOMER
SATISFACTION............................................................................................................................................. 49
Techniques and sources for determining customer satisfaction..................................................................49
SUMMARY.................................................................................................................................................. 51
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................................ 52
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UNIT INTRODUCTION
This resource covers the unit BSBCUS401 - Coordinate implementation of customer
service strategies.
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to advise, carry out and evaluate
customer service strategies.
It applies to individuals who have well developed skills and a broad knowledge of
customer service strategies for addressing customer needs and problems, and who may
provide guidance or delegate work related tasks to others.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of

publication.
About This Resource

This resource brings together information to develop your knowledge about this unit.
The information is designed to reflect the requirements of the unit and uses headings to
makes it easier to follow.
You should read through this resource to develop your knowledge in preparation for
your assessment. At the back of the resource are a list of references you may find useful
to review.
As a student it is important to extend your learning and to search out textbooks, internet
sites, talk to people at work and read newspaper articles and journals which can provide
additional learning material.
Your trainer may include additional information and provide activities, PowerPoint
slide presentations, and assessments in class to support your learning.
About Assessment
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Throughout your training we are committed to your learning by providing a training

and assessment framework that ensures the knowledge gained through training is
translated into practical on the job improvements.
You are going to be assessed for:
 Your performance and knowledge using written and practical activities that
apply to a workplace environment.
 Your ability to apply your learning to the workplace.
 Your ability to recognise common principles and actively use these on the job.
You will receive an overall result of Competent or Not Yet Competent for the assessment
of this unit. The assessment is a competency based assessment, which has no pass or
fail. You are either competent or not yet competent. Not Yet Competent means that you
still are in the process of understanding and acquiring the skills and knowledge required
to be marked competent.
The assessment process is made up of a number of assessment methods. You are

required to achieve a satisfactory result in each of these to be deemed competent
overall.
All of your assessment and training is provided as a positive learning tool. Your
trainer/assessor will guide your learning and provide feedback on your responses to the
assessment. For valid and reliable assessment of this unit, a range of assessment
methods will be used to assess practical skills and knowledge.
Your assessment may be conducted through a combination of the following methods:
 Written Activity
 Case Study
 Observation
 Practical tasks
 Short answer questions
 Third Party Report
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The assessment tool for this unit should be completed within the specified time period
following the delivery of the unit. If you feel you are not yet ready for assessment,
discuss this with your trainer/assessor.
To be successful in this unit, you will need to relate your learning to your workplace.
You may be required to demonstrate your skills and be observed by your assessor in
your workplace environment. Some units provide for a simulated work environment,
and your trainer and assessor will outline the requirements in these instances.
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ELEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

CRITERIA
1 Advise on customer 1.1 Clarify and accurately assess customer needs using
service needs appropriate communication techniques
1.2 Diagnose problems matching service delivery to

customers and develop options for improved service
within organisational requirements
1.3 Provide relevant and constructive advice to promote

the improvement of customer service delivery
1.4 Use business technology and/or online services to

structure and present information on customer service
needs
2 Support implementation 2.1 Ensure customer service strategies and opportunities

of customer service are promoted to designated individuals and groups
strategies
2.2 Identify and allocate available budget resources to
fulfil customer service objectives
2.3 Promptly action procedures to resolve customer

difficulties and complaints within organisational
requirements
2.4 Ensure that decisions to implement strategies are

taken in consultation with designated individuals and
groups
3 Evaluate and report on 3.1 Review client satisfaction with service delivery using
customer service verifiable data in accordance with organisational
requirements
3.2 Identify and report changes necessary to maintain

service standards to designated individuals and groups
3.3 Prepare conclusions and recommendations from

verifiable evidence and provide constructive advice on
future directions of client service strategies
3.4 Maintain systems, records and reporting procedures to

compare changes in customer satisfaction
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PERFORMANCE AND KNOWLEDGE

EVIDENCE
This describes the essential knowledge and skills and their level required for this unit.
Performance Evidence
Evidence of the ability to:
 Identify the needs and priorities of the organisation in delivering services to

customers
 Diagnose problems in delivery of customer service
 Respond to and report on customer feedback and complaints
 Review client satisfaction using verifiable data
 Consult and communicate effectively with relevant people
 Develop and implement strategies and methods to improve customer service

delivery including:
o Budgeting
o Promotion to staff
o Documentation and follow up
Note: If a specific volume or frequency is not stated, then evidence must be provided at
least once.
Knowledge Evidence
To complete the unit requirements safely and effectively, the individual must:
 Outline the principles of customer service

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 Explain sources of information and techniques for identifying customer needs

and reviewing customer satisfaction
 Explain the organisational business structure, products and services related

to customer service
 Describe product and service standards and best practice models
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ASSESSMENT CONDITIONS
Gather evidence to demonstrate consistent performance in conditions that are safe and
replicate the workplace. Noise levels, production flow, interruptions and time variances
must be typical of those experienced in the customer service field of work and include
access to:
 Office equipment
 Business technology
 Organisational policies and procedures for customer service
 Examples of customer complaints and feedback
 Client satisfaction data
 Case studies and, where possible, real situations
 Interaction with others
Assessors must satisfy NVR/AQTF assessor requirements.
PRE-REQUISITES
This unit must be assessed after the following pre-requisite unit:
There are no pre-requisites for this unit.
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TOPIC 1 – ELEMENTS
Welcome the unit BSBCUS401 - Coordinate implementation of customer service
strategies.
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to advise, carry out and evaluate
customer service strategies.
It applies to individuals who have well developed skills and a broad knowledge of
customer service strategies for addressing customer needs and problems, and who may
provide guidance or delegate work related tasks to others.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of

publication.
In this unit, you will learn how to:
 Advise on customer service needs
 Support implementation of customer service strategies
 Evaluate and report on customer service
Let’s begin!
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Clarify and accurately assess customer needs

using appropriate communication techniques
and diagnose problems matching service
delivery to customers and develop options for
improved service within organisational
requirements
Principles of customer service
In business, we all need customers. They are the lifeblood of our business – providing us
with the income that we need to survive. In order to ensure that we are able to get and
more importantly maintain our customer base, it is vital that we have in place a solid set
of customer service policies and procedures. You have probably heard many times of the
importance of customer service to an organisation, but what exactly is customer
service?
Customer service is the set of activities and programs that is undertaken by an

organisation to make the experience more rewarding for their customers.
Customer Service Means:
 Doing ordinary things extraordinarily well
 Going beyond what is expected
 Adding value and integrity to every interaction
 Being at your best with every customer
 Discovering new ways to delight those that you serve
 Surprising yourself with how much you can do
 Taking care of a customer like you would take care of your grandmother
Behaviours for high quality Customer Service:
 Respect
 Listen to needs
 Honest information
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 Advise
 Quality products
 Quality services
 Complaints are handled fairly & promptly
The steps to effective customer service:
 Begin by determining exactly what your customer’s needs are
 Then set about developing and implementing strategies to ensure that their
needs are met
 Finally, monitor the service provided
As a manager you play an important role in guiding and mentoring your staff providing
customer service. Part of your role is to determine the needs of your customers,
implement appropriate customer service strategies and report on customer service.
The levels of service
LEVEL DESCRIPTION
Basic At this level, you are aiming to provide the customer with the minimum
acceptable standard of customer service that will meet their
expectations. These may be things taken for granted – you may not even
notice they are being provided to you. However, if this basic level of
service is taken away – it may result in customers not being willing to
shop with you again.
e.g. - ‘Of course the café will have a chair for me to sit on.’
Expected At this second level of service, you are dealing with what the customer
expects from you. If you provide this level of service your organisation
will be satisfactory – but if there are providers offering a higher level of
service they will be the preferred provider.
e.g. - ‘I expect that chair to be clean.’
Desired At the third level of customer service, you are dealing with the type of
service that the customer would like. At this level, once you satisfy the
need you are likely to find the customer will become a regular and shop
with your organisation on a preferential basis.
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e.g. - ‘I’d also like the chair to be comfortable.’
Sensational The highest level of service an organisation can provide. Here the
service that is being provided will impress the customer so much that
they will keep coming back, here you will win loyalty and build a solid
customer base through word of your service spreading by word-of-
mouth – the most potent form of advertising.
e.g. - ‘Someone holds the chair for me as I sit down, brings the food to
me, and treats me like royalty!’
So, what constitutes sensational customer service?

How customers perceive the level of service they receive is quite subjective. Whilst one
customer may be delighted, another may feel disappointed. What one person may view
as being acceptable may leave another dissatisfied. For this reason it is essential to
determine the needs of each individual customer. Understanding what the customer
views as good service is essential to the success of your business.
Use communication techniques to assess customer

service needs
Effective communication is one of the cornerstones of good customer relations. In this
topic we will explore many aspects of communication. You can reflect on your current
approach to communicating with your customers and how this may be improved.
Principles of communication
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Communication is a two-way process that involves the following steps:
 Thinking about what message needs to be sent
 Determining the most appropriate method of communicating the message
 Stating the message
 Listening for the response
 Processing the feedback
Active listening
Have you ever telephoned a company for service and found that the person on the other
end of the telephone doesn’t really understand the problem you have? Have you ever
felt as though they were not really listening? Miscommunication often occurs when
people aren't really listening. Often the way a person speaks gets in the way of
understanding what they're trying to say.
Assertive communication
It is important when negotiating with your customers to communicate assertively.
Sometimes it's hard to find a balance between being dominated by demanding
customers and offending your customers. You will need to practise your communication
techniques
Barriers to effective communication

There are many factors which can influence effective communication with your
customers. Barriers to communication can have a dramatic impact on how the customer
views your organisation. Barriers to effective communication may result from:
 Information which is too complex
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 Either party not understanding or misinterpreting technical information
 Poor communication techniques, or choice of words
 Differences in cultural background
 Language barriers
 Excessive noise hindering communication
 One party not actively listening to the other
 Lack of attention due to boredom
 Emotional states of either party
Customer needs
Customers’ needs are both tangible and intangible, that is, those that are concrete and
those that are abstract.
Tangible means real, able to be measured, obvious, material and certain. Tangible needs
include product, advice, information, lay-by, and holds.
Intangible means atmospheric, sensory measurable only with difficulty, generally linked
to feeling (often referred to as a ‘gut feeling’). Intangible needs include control, security,
belonging, understanding, comfort, and responsiveness.
Our customer’s tangible needs are often easier to satisfy than their intangible needs. As
a customer you will be much more aware of your intangible needs if they are not met,
rather than if they are. It is wise to consider the needs of your customer in light of their
tangible and intangible needs.
Features that make up customer service

DIMENSION DESCRIPTION
Access Approachability, ease of contact
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Responsibility Willingness to keep customers happy and

provide prompt service
Courtesy Politeness, respect, consideration, friendliness
Reliability Ability to perform the promised service

dependably and accurately
Security Freedom from danger, risk or doubt (e.g.

security of data, protection of health and
safety)
Communication Keeping customers informed, in a language

they can understand; listening to customers
Understanding Making an effort to know customers and

their needs
the customers
Tangibles Appearance of physical facilities equipment,

personnel and communication
Credibility Trustworthiness, believability, honesty of

service provider
Competence Possession of the required skills and

knowledge to perform the service
(Parasumanina A, Zeithamel VA & Berry LL 1994)
When managers understand the needs of customers, they have the ability to assess the
aspects of customer service that can be improved in their business.
Varying levels of customer needs

What affects these levels?
 Likes or dislikes
 Requests that exceed what you already provide
 Other experiences – external influences
 Special needs
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 Purpose behind a request – emotional response to needs
Adapting to customer needs:
 While adaptations to customer expectations may be beneficial to your

business it is important not to move too far away from your core service
delivery.
 Review the impact of such changes on recourses and the customer base a as
whole before implementing change
A business that is adaptable to change will have a clear advantage. It will:
 Pay attention the complaints and requests that it receives.
 Identify patterns
 Implement systems to collate data from customers
Customer service is only as good as the customer say it is. And customers only rate
service as ‘good’ if their needs are being met.
Techniques and sources of informtaion for determining

customer needs
Once aspects of customer service have been identified, you can then begin to determine
the actual needs of your customers. This can be achieved by:
 Observing the behaviour of your customers
 Seeking feedback via:
o Questionnaires
o Surveys
o Face to face discussions
o Interviews
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o Focus groups
These techniques can be used to collect valuable information about what your
customers actually require. They also provide information about whether their needs
are currently being met.
Methods of determining customers’ needs
Direct observation
Much information can be gathered by observing the interaction between your staff and
customers. For example, a customer who leaves a waiting queue indicating to staff that
they are not prepared to continue waiting, would indicate that you may need to review
the timeframe in which customers are served. Whilst one occurrence may not constitute
a need for change, if this happens repeatedly, then there may be a need for procedural
changes or perhaps extra staff.
When directly observing the interaction between staff and customers it is important to
remain objective. This method cannot be used to determine uncommon needs or
behaviours. The way that people behave can also be influenced by the fact that you are
directly observing.
Survey questionnaires
Surveys are a useful way of obtaining feedback from customers. They can be useful
when:
 Information about a large population is required
 Specific information is being sought
 Attempting to minimise customer research costs
Surveys do have their limitations. You must carefully develop your questions in order to
obtain the information you are seeking. Poorly designed questions may result in
irrelevant information. You should ensure that questions are
 Free of ambiguity and are not confusing
 Are not biased in the way they are presented

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 Are written in a way that does not suggest a ‘right’ answer — you want
respondents to answer honestly, not the way that they think they ‘should’
 Not closed questions (ones that can be answered with either ‘yes’ or ‘no’)
because these limit responses
 Presented in a way that the data can be tabulated and assessed
It is useful to conduct a test survey with a few individuals prior to the target population.
If there are any inconsistencies, biases or the survey is defective in some other way, this
can be identified and rectified prior to presenting your survey to the target audience.
Interviews
One of the best tools for gathering data relating to customer needs and the
organisation’s customer service is simply to talk to people.
Whilst conducting interviews may be a time consuming process, it is an excellent way to

gather information from your customers. Unlike questionnaires and surveys, interviews
reveal the feelings of your customers.
Face to face communication with customers can be helpful as it provides an opportunity

for the customer to express how they actually feel about the level of service being
provided. It may be that issues are revealed that you have not yet taken into
consideration.
Ideally interviews should be free of interruptions so that the interviewee has the
opportunity to fully express their views. When asking questions, ensure that they are
non-threatening. It is advisable to ask the easy questions first to put the interviewee
more at ease.
If you are going to record the interviewees responses, then they should be notified in
advance.
Focus groups
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Focus groups involve interviewing a small sample of the population. Generally they
involve discussing specific issues or topics. They usually appear quite informal, but this
is dependent to a large extent on the skills level of the facilitator in guiding the
discussion. Focus groups are a valuable way of seeking opinions, and determining what
is important to the customer.
Customer expectations
When operating your business it’s easy to lose sight of the customer's wants. Often your
operations will be based around what's easier or cheaper for you. You will need to make
decisions about the cost this may have for your business.
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You need to ask customers questions.
 How do they like to be treated?
 Telephone courtesy, e.g. what do they think of you using automated

answering machines?
 Promotional material, e.g. how would they react to you sending them
promotional material on a regular basis?
 How do they expect the goods or services to be represented?
 Is your distribution network satisfactory?
 What do they think of your sales people?
 Do your competitors use methods you don't, e.g. a website, free call phone
number, home demonstration etc.?
Develop options for improving service delivery to

customers
The cycle of service can be used to identify issues associated with matching the delivery
of service to the needs of the customer. Using the steps in the above diagram you can
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identify why the needs of the customer are not being met, and what changes may be
implemented to meet those needs.
Problems may be associated with:
 The service delivery lacking flexibility
 Further staff training being required
 Poor communication amongst team members
 Lack of direction or goal setting
 Not acting on customer feedback
Each of these problems can be controlled to some extent. Others that may be beyond
control:
 Global economic changes which restrict the availability of products and

services
 Unexpected events which increase or decrease demand
Once you have identified problems matching service delivery you customers to will need
to create a solution that fits within organisational requirements
Factors that guide or restrict proposed changes in service delivery
 Legal obligations
 OH&S policies
 Confidentiality and security requirements
 Company best practice policy
 Quality measures
 Continuous improvement processes
 Ethical standards
 Pricing and discount policies
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 Replacement and refund procedures
 Designated resource parameters
Explain the organisational business structure, products

and services related to customer service
It is important that you are able to explain your organisation’s business structure. Most
organisations are structured – that is, arranged or organised – in a hierarchy. In this
structure, there are more senior people and less senior people. See the following:
Senior Managers
Supervisors Advisors
Colleagues
Junior Staff
It is important to note that not all organisations are structured hierarchically. Some
have a ‘flatter’ structure, where all staff report to a single, or small group, of leaders.
It is also important to consider your organisation’s business structure. In Australia,

there are a number of recognised business structures – read the following:
 Sole trader - an individual trading on their own.

 Partnership - a number of people or entities running a business together, but not as
a company.
 Company - a legal entity separate from its owners.
 Trust - an entity that holds property or income for the benefit of others.
 Co-operative - member-owned business organisation with at least five members.
 Incorporated association - an entity usually established for recreational, cultural
or charitable purposes1
You can find out about your organisation’s structure by reviewing key organisational
documents, speaking with key people and observing organisational processes.
1
https://www.smallbusiness.wa.gov.au/business-advice/business-structure/business-structures
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In order to fulfil your customer service roles and responsibilities, you must be familiar
with the products and services your organisation offers for sale. Depending of the
nature of the organisation in which you work, it may offer for sale a variety of products
and services. You must be familiar with the key features of these products and services:
Feature Description
 Location It is important that you know where your organisation’s

products are located; this may include: (1) where different
products are displayed for sale, (2) where different products
awaiting sale are delivered / stored, (3) where different
products used in the services offered by your organisation are
stored, etc.
 Brand options You must be aware of the different brand options available for
different products; for example: if your organisation sells
and comparable
shampoos, it may sell brands such as Dove, L’Oreal,
types TRESemme, Palmolive, Head & Shoulders, Garnier or Pantene,
etc. You must be able to compare these products; this will be
described in detail in the following section of the unit.
 Purpose You must be able to explain the purpose of the different

products and services your organisation sells – that is, what
are they designed for? For example, a shampoo may have the
following purpose: to treat dry and / or damaged hair, and to
repair hair breakage / split ends.
 Features and It is important that you are able to describe the features and
benefits of the different products and services your
benefits
organisation sells – that is, what is good about the product?
For example, a shampoo may have the following features /
benefits: scientifically-proven to have effects within 10 days,
aromatic fragrance, comes in a click-lid bottle, cost-effective
when compared with other brands, etc.
 Ingredients, at a As you will see in greater detail later in this section of the unit,
the ingredients of a product are listed on a label on the
basic level of
product’s container. Products usually have one or more active
understanding ingredients – that is, ingredients which allow the product to
have an effect – and a variety of supplementary ingredients –
that is, ingredients which give the product its features (e.g.
colour, texture, aroma, etc.) plus chemical preservatives /
stabilisers, etc. It is particularly important that you have an
understanding of the active ingredients of the products your
organisation sells. For example, the active ingredient in many
shampoos is sodium laureth sulfate; this is a simple, common
detergent which acts to remove oils and dirt from the hair and
scalp.
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 Performance, as A product’s manufacturers will make various claims about its

performance; for example, the manufacturers of the
claimed by
TRESemme ‘Deep Cleansing’ shampoo claim that it “clarifies
manufacturer hair to remove build-up and residues, restoring [the] hair’s
natural vitality”. It is important that you are aware of the
manufacturer’s performance claims for different products –
these relate closely to the product’s purpose, as described
earlier in this section. As you will see in a later section of this
unit, the Australian Consumer Law carefully controls the type
of claims a manufacturer can make about a product.
 Directions for It is important that you are aware of the safe and effective use
of the different products your organisation sells. For example,
use
the manufacturers of the TRESemme ‘Deep Cleansing’
shampoo recommend it is used as follows: (1) applied to wet
hair, from roots to ends, (2) worked into a lather via gentle
scalp massage, (3) rinsed out thoroughly.
 Costs You must be aware of the costs of the different products and
services your organisation sells; this may include: (1) the
amount of money it costs the organisation to supply the
product / service, and (2) the amount of money for which the
product / service is offered for sale.
 Procedural It is important that you are aware of the procedural details for
services offered by your organisation; these may include, for
details for
example, times for delivering services, the location at which
services offered the service is delivered, and any terms / conditions associated
with the delivery of the service, etc.
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As described, it is important that you are aware of the details of your organisation’s
product and service range. You must therefore be aware of the various sources and
formats of current and accurate product and service information:
Source Description
 Manufacturer Manufacturer support materials may include: (1) product

leaflets, brochures, booklets, and / or (2) internet sites. These
support
provide a variety of information about the product’s purpose
materials (including claims), features and benefits, ingredients,
directions for use (including, if applicable, styling tips),
compatible products and safety information, etc.
 Product labels As you will see in greater detail later in this section, all
products sold in Australia must have a label on their
container; under Australian Consumer Law, this label must
include information about the product’s ingredients,
instructions for its use and relevant safety information. The
label may also include information on the product’s purpose
(including claims), features and benefits, and compatible
products, as well as other information to market the product,
etc.
 Price lists Price lists may be those: (1) provided by a product’s

manufacturer or distributor (to record the amount of money
your organisation pays to supply the product / service), or (2)
created by your organisation (recording the amount of money
for which the product / service is offered for sale by your
organisation).
 Products and Some products and services will come with manual; manuals
typically provide detailed information about the product’s /
service manuals
service’s purpose (including claims), features and benefits,
ingredients, directions for use, compatible products and
safety information, etc. Manuals may also include more
advanced information on using the product / service –
including, for example, tips to enhance the user’s experience,
troubleshooting guidelines, etc.
 Discussions with Customers, staff members and product suppliers can provide
you with a variety of different types of information about a
customers, staff
product – including, for example, anecdotes personal
members and experiences with using / selling the product / service, and
answers to specific questions you may have about the use,
product
purpose, manufacture or sale, of the product / service, etc.
suppliers
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Describe product and service standards and best

practice models
It is important that you are familiar with the standards for the products and services
your organisation offers for sale. Read the following about standards:
Standards (international, regional and national) are voluntary documents that set out
specifications, procedures and guidelines that aim to ensure products, services, and
systems are safe, consistent, and reliable. They cover a variety of subjects, including
consumer products and services, the environment, construction, energy and water
utilities, and more.
To ensure they keep pace with new technologies, standards are regularly reviewed by
Standards Australia technical committees.2
You must be familiar with the standards relevant to the particular products/services
your organisation offers for sale. These will be outlined in your organisation’s policies
and procedures documents. Your organisation may have copies of these standards;
alternatively, you can access these by visiting the website of the peak national body,
Standards Australia. Products/services offered for sale must meet relevant standards.
Consider the following example of an Australian standard: Your organisation sells fixed
platforms, walkways, stairways and ladders. It also offers construction and installation
services. It must work within Australian Standard AS 1657:2018 Fixed Platforms,
Walkways, Stairways and Ladders – Design, Construction and Installation.
It is also important that you recognise current best practice for your organisation’s
products and services. The term ‘best practice’ refers to the methods or techniques for
delivering products and services to customers, which are generally accepted as superior
to – or, simply, ‘better’ than – all others. Through experience and research, these
methods or techniques have proven to reliably lead to a desired and ideal result.
You can identify current best in a variety of ways – consider the following examples:
 From industry documents, such as standardised policies and procedures
 From Australian Standards (revise from the previous section now, if

required)
 From industry publications, such as journals or professional magazines
 From experts on particular products/services or within your industry

2
https://www.standards.org.au/standards-development/what-is-standard
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Consider the following example of a best practice model: Your organisation sells
confectionary products. Research shows that sales profits can increase by 50% if the
organisation also sells compatible products – for example: gift cards, fresh flowers,
candied fruits, etc. Your organisation decides to add these products to its inventory.
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Provide relevant and constructive advice to

promote the improvement of customer service
delivery
Determining the needs of your customers is essential for achieving high standards of
customer service.
This information should be communicated to all team members associated with the
delivery of customer service, and to management involved in the development of
customer service policies and business strategies.
Inspiring and mobilising team members

The way you communicate with others is largely influenced by the party you are
communicating with. Much of the communication a manager has with their team may be
verbal and relatively informal. Managers need to communicate the needs of customers
to team members during the induction process as well as conducting regular briefing
and training sessions.
The information staff receive needs to be relevant, constructive and aimed at improving
customer service. It is more about sharing information with the team rather than telling
them what to do. The way you approach your staff should inspire and mobilise them to
provide improved customer service.
Inspiring and mobilising your team

Staff can be inspired by:
 Recognising the contributions of team members
 Promoting the development of talents and abilities
 Stimulating their imagination
 Building enthusiasm within the team
 Providing opportunities for success
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Mobilising the team may be achieved by:
 Showing confidence in the abilities and skills of others
 Clear communication of the desired results
 Demonstrating genuine care for members of the team
 Advising members of their progress in attaining objectives
Culture
Culture may be defined as ‘the way we do things around here’. As a manager you will
need to ensure that processes, people and management are all focused on customers
and providing what they want. People must work well together, emphasising quality,
teamwork and continuous improvement. The quality culture must be accepted in the
whole organisation.
Examples of how customer service standards could be improved

STANDARD ORIGINAL STANDARD OPTION FOR IMPROVED
SERVICE
Customer - Open six days. - Open seven days.
Convenience - Customer reception area. - Comfortable reception area
which includes:
 Latest magazines
 Hot and cold drinks, etc.
 Your car serviced while
you wait.
Customer - Answer phone promptly. - Answer phone in 3 rings or

Communication - Consistent greeting. less.
- Accessible by phone (fixed and - Friendly and professional
mobile), email, fax, website and greeting. Use customers’ names.
post. - Free call phone number.
Product - Highly skilled and experienced - Fully trained and accredited

Knowledge staff. staff. Staff training prioritised to
- Work well under pressure. ensure being ‘first with the
- Customers are consulted about latest’.
work to be done. - Customers are advised of latest
trends.
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Customer - Guaranteed customer - Survey all customers with each

satisfaction satisfaction. service (e.g. phone follow-up –
- Warranties are given. were you happy with your
- Complaints acknowledged. service?)
- Warranties given for all work
with money back guarantee.
- Telephone support provided.
Quality - Qualified back-up support for - Quality assurance accredited.

excess work. - Complaints procedure part of
- Work to customer’s quality assurance.
requirements. - Use preferred quality assured
- Use quality suppliers only. suppliers.
System’s - Customer database. - Relational customer database

Effectiveness - Customer records maintained. used. All customer records relate
to database for ease of analysis.
- Customers’ correspondence
programmed, e.g. billing, advice
of next service, etc.
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Use business technology and/or online services

to structure and present information on
customer service needs
Methods of communicating information

Some methods that you can use to communicate information about customers and their
needs across your organisation include:
 Newsletters and brochures
 Posters
 Email
 Voicemail
 Popup computer screen messages on the organisation’s intranet
 Formal group presentations
The information collected on customer needs has to be accurately presented if the

message is to maintain consistency and structure. Technology will enhance this
information and provide clarity in presentation of data.
Relevant business technology

 Point-of-sale machines
 Computer systems
 Email
 Internet
 Fax machines
 Mobile phones
Some information that can assist with determining customer service needs are:
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 Sales history
 Service encounter numbers
 Compilation survey
 Product information
 Economic and customer trend data
 Customer transaction data
Customer information can be collected from existing data or from surveys or focus
groups, suggestion forms and/or mystery shoppers. The data can be displayed in
pictorial form as a graph or in tables where headings depict important customer
attitudes. Either way, computer spreadsheets and word processing provides a
professional presentation of the data.
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TOPIC 2 - SUPPORT
IMPLEMENTATION OF CUSTOMER
SERVICE STRATEGIES
Ensure customer service strategies and
opportunities are promoted to designated
individuals and groups
Whilst it is important to develop strategies to meet the needs of customers, it is
important to consider how the strategies are implemented to satisfy customer
requirements. This can be achieved by utilising available resources to maximise
opportunities. It is also important to develop strategies to deal with and resolve
customer complaints.
Promote customer service to individuals and groups

There are various methods you can use to promote customer service strategies. The
methods you use will depend and the structure and nature of your business but may
include:
 Newsletters and brochures
 Posters
 Email
 Voicemail
 Popup computer screen messages on the organisation’s intranet
 Formal group presentations
In a team environment, you may choose to make your communication more direct and
personal by promoting your service strategy:
 In induction sessions for new staff
 Training programs
 In coaching sessions
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It is important for the group or individual to clearly understand the service vision. A
service vision is a succinct representation of what the group should be aspiring to do
consistently. It describes not what service the group is producing now or today, but
what service the team could or should offer in the future.
Inform the group

Your proposed strategy may be simple or may involve the entire organisation. Either
way inform those that are involved of the following:
 Why the change is essential
 What, if any is their role in the change
 What, if any, training is needed
 How are customers likely to be effected?
Common errors when implementing new strategies:
 Decision makers have not expected the changes to effect certain parties
 Training is non-existent or very sketchy
 New staff are expected to have the same level of skill as the fully trained staff
 Responsible consultation is not undertaken & opposition is encountered
 Management has not counted the costs and resources are stretched or not
available
Communication is the key

When implementing any Customer Service Strategy having proper communication
procedures is vital. Lack of communication or poor communication can cause
irreparable damage to the reputation of your business and rifts in customer relations
Barriers
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It will be relatively easy to identify a service vision for the group and then measure the
gap between the vision and current performance. However, a much harder step is to
assess the barriers that may exist in the organisation to implementing service
improvements. These barriers may be ‘too much extra work’, ‘more paperwork created’,
‘against current rules’, ‘too costly’, etc. A plan should then be drawn up to tackle every
issue arising.
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Identify and allocate available budget resources

to fulfil customer service objectives
The primary goal of providing excellent customer service is to increase the profitability
of the business. Doing so has inherent costs. It is essential to ensure that the financial
rewards from customer service excellence outweigh the costs incurred. This means that
you must be aware of the costs necessary to implement changes in advance and whether
they will provide benefits to the business.
The costs associated with improving customer service need to be considered when
planning the business budget.
Once a budgeting process has been developed for income and expenditure, the
information can then be compared with the actual income and cost figures. You can then
monitor whether the desired results are being met.
Resources
Resources you may need to consider when developing the budget include:
 Management and staff consultation hours
 Staff required to implement changes
 The time required for implementation of changes
 Extra staff training required
 Staff hours spent in consultation
 Materials such as stationary and technology
 Travel expenses
 Specialist consultants
 Market research
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Promptly action procedures to resolve customer

difficulties and complaints within organisational
requirements
Every organisation encounters customer difficulties at some time or another. If a
customer does not feel adequately catered for there will usually be three outcomes – a
voice, an exit and retaliation.
What leads to complaints?
 Inconsistent service delivery
 Unforeseen technical difficulties
 Varying levels of customer expectations
Complaints may relate to:
 Administrative errors
 Warehouse or storeroom errors, such as incorrect product delivery
 Products or services nor delivered on time
 Damaged goods or goods not delivered
 Customer satisfaction with service quality
How you deal with complaints will have a large impact on your repeat business.
Complaints can be a chance for your company to improve the way things are done. They
also provide an opportunity for you to fix the situation and make your customer happy.
The most damage for your business is done by the customer who doesn't complain but
tells everyone they know how bad your service or product is. Only 4% of dissatisfied
customers complain. 91% of dissatisfied customers never come back and each
dissatisfied customer tells more than eight other people about their problem. On the
other hand, 95% of dissatisfied customers will return if the complaint is resolved on the
spot.
Ways of resolving customer difficulties:
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 Conflict managing techniques
 Refund of monies
 Item replacement or repair
 Referrals to supervisor
 Review of products or service
 External agencies such as ombudsman
Dealing with customer complaints

Businesses should make a concerted effort to try and met the needs of the customer the
first time. Lost customers can cost the business large sums of money. It is therefore
important that all complaints are resolved in a timely and professional manner.
How well a business handles complaints is often a key to their likelihood of success.
Organisations that have documented procedures for remedying problems & trains its
staff in these procedures has a distinct advantage over those who have a “we’ll cross
that bridge when we come to it” attitude.
It is important for there to be a designated chain of command for problem resolution so

that decisions are made by those that are authorised to do so. Staff who are unaware of
this chain of command can come across as unhelpful to customers.
 All organisations must have clearly defined responsibilities so that there is no

confusion over who must respond to customer complaints or special
requests.
 Delegated responsibilities will streamline conflict management and ensure

that difficulties are met with optimum professionalism and precision.
 Some complaints and requests must be referred directly to management.
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Four main steps when dealing with customer

complaints
 Actively listen to thwe complaint, and respond with sincerity and empathy
 Try to keep the customer calm, apologise for any shortcomings and
summarise their complaint
 Take responsibility for the complaint, and consult with appropriate personnel
 Follow up, to ensure that the complain has been satisfactorily managed.
Check that what was agreed on has actually taken place
Useful skills for handling dissatisfied customers

 Listening and showing empathy
 Gathering necessary information to follow up the complaint
 Be aware that upset customers may exaggerate or be offensive
 Follow-up concerns quickly and effectively without making unreasonable

promises
 Put into place a means to avoid the problem in the future
 Customers loathe a lack of sympathy and a failure to attempt to resolve their

complaints. While you may not agree with the customers’ point of view, you
must always explain how you are tracking their problem
Training and mentoring

You may find that staff require extra training in order to avoid and manage potential
problems. You may determine that knowledge or skill deficits are negatively impacting
on the provision of customer service. Staff may require further training in areas such as:
 Customer service
 Handling enquiries
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 Teamwork
 Complaint resolution
Consideration may also need to be given to what can and cannot be fixed. For example,
is it worthwhile spending large amounts of money on training if a staff member has a
poor attitude?
Mentoring
Mentoring may be a practical way of achieving customer service standards. Managers
may meet with staff on a one to one basis to provide them with coaching and advice.
This may be performed on a regular or an as needs basis. Buddy systems have also
proven to be an effective method of mentoring, by teaming up new employees with
more experienced personnel.
Obstacles staff may encounter can be due to:
 Lack of motivation or incentive
 Inadequate or non-existent training
 Need for ongoing support
 Misunderstanding of what is expected from them
 Changes in customer service delivery
To coach or mentor a colleague though their difficulty, you must first determine the
reason why they are not performing at their peak. There may be reasons that are not
immediately apparent or that are completely out of their control. Rather than chastising
then for their inadequacies, provide them with coaching and mentoring to empower
them to perform at their peak.
Mentoring questions
Questions you can ask them include:
 What frustrations do you have in your role?
 Do you feel that you are an important part of the team?
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 What areas do you feel that you need more training?
 What part of your job do you enjoy the most?
 Are there any areas that you would like to branch into?
 Do you have ideas on how we can improve customer service in this

department?
 Do you feel like you can approach your colleagues and supervisors for help if
needed?
By doing this you:
 Help the staff member to take ownership of their role
 Encourage the staff member to take pride in their work
 Assist in helping to develop a strong loyalty for your company
Giving practical feedback

 Providing feedback to staff gives valuable ‘food for thought’ and lays the
foundation for you to mentor or coach them.
 Feedback can be provided via:
 Forwarding copies of letters or emails
 Sending memos
 Speaking to individuals in person or on the phone
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Ensure that decisions to implement strategies

are taken in consultation with designated
A Customer Service Strategy is a deliberate plan of action designed to meet a specific
customer need, it can relate to:
 Product/ service availability
 Product/refund guarantee
 Merchandise/service characteristics
 Price offers
What will work?
 To know what will work for your organisation, you must consult the
individuals and groups that will be affected by your decision before you make
a move
 Consultation allows you to pool ideas and receive multiple ideas in one area.
Potential issues or problem areas are identified and examined
Process for Effective Consultation:
 Have a clear idea of why you want to consult
 Specify the group of people you want to consult
 State the precise objectives of the consultation.
 Set a timescale that is convenient to consultees and ensures the greatest

response
 Determine which method or methods should be used to best obtain the

information. e.g. (Questionnaires, (face-to-face, telephone, or postal)
 Carry out the consultation and record the results
 Evaluate the consultation
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 Ensure that the consultation is actively used to make decisions and inform
policy
 Ensure that those consulted are given feedback on results and the decisions
that were made
Methods of consultation
The depth of consultation you must undertake will be influenced by the customer
service need. Methods may include:
 E-mails, letters and faxes
 Market research
 Phone calls, either one-on-one or in conference
 Regular or impromptu meetings
 Internal reports
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TOPIC 3 - EVALUATE AND REPORT

ON CUSTOMER SERVICE
Review client satisfaction with service delivery
using verifiable data in accordance with
organisational requirements
In customer service it is a requirement that you evaluate and report on the service given
and the client’s satisfactions with the service delivery. This section will detail the
methods you might use to collect data and how to analyse and use that data.
Your organisation will have its own set method for collecting client data and you will
need to ensure that you are aware of the procedures that you organisation feels is
acceptable. You could find these method within the policies and procedures manual or
you could seek assistance from your manager or supervisor.
In many cases, accepted methods of collecting data include:
 Informal customer feedback
 Customer questionnaires/comment cards
 Staff feedback
 Mystery customers
 Complaints and compliment letters
Use data to review client satisfaction with service

delivery
As long as the organisation has planned and implemented a good documentation
process, the task of gathering together all relevant data should be a relatively easy one.
Collecting data entails at least two key tasks that need to be undertaken by the team:
 The analysis of all the raw data gathered, and the sorting, sifting and
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summarising into useful and useable information
 The determination of overall trend data, or data possible to produce at

various intervals, that can indicate how the team has performed against the
projected outcome of the improvement process
Using data
Care should be taken to ensure that data gathered are about all aspects of the process
improvement project. Therefore, data should be collected to show progress towards the
chosen improvement objective, as well as about the performance of the team in this
project.
When individual team members have been given sufficient time to review all the data, a
team meeting should be organised to assess the overall group performance and to
determine what was most effective in improving the process and why. A key goal of the
meeting is to reach a consensus on the implications of any data or information that has
been shared. The team needs to carefully assess which of their efforts made the greatest
contribution to customer satisfaction and not focus just on apparent success.
Ensure your survey data is collated and presented in a user friendly format. Results
need to be fed back into your business, otherwise why bother with a survey?
 Ensure the layout may be easily tabulated and analysed
 Spreadsheet formats, like Excel, are most suitable. They allow for conversion
of data into graphic form for easy evaluation
Analysing your survey data

In order to analyse the data, it needs to go into a table. Using excel is preferable, because
you can convert tables to graphs. Show the date in the tables as well as the graphs.
Results that are not measurable cannot be converted to graphs or charts, and are
therefore not desirable.
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Identify and report changes necessary to

maintain service standards to designated
A review of the standards for customer service will reflect valuable learning to benefit
organisation-wide customer service improvements. One of the best ways to ensure that
others benefit from the process improvement effort is to ensure that every step in the
measurement process is documented.
This documentation should detail:
 What the process improvement exercise set out to achieve
 What was tried
 What happened
Ask the following:
 What were the top five lessons learnt from the feedback?
 What was the overall cost benefit of the project?
 In what order should the service improvement steps be taken?
 Is this the best approach?
 What process improvement techniques could be used in other projects?
If this documentation phase is completed thoroughly and with the involvement of the
entire team, substantial benefits will be derived in the executing phase of improving
customer service.
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Presenting findings
When you have found out what your customers want you will need to be able to present
these findings to the relevant people in your business before change can be negotiated.
Ways of presenting findings of customer service surveys vary depending on the type of
survey and the depth and breadth of information you have to present. Findings are best
keyed into a computer program like Excel, and then converted to statistical tools, i.e.
charts or graphs.
Formal or long reports are used when it is necessary to communicate more complex
information. There are several sections of a report. The findings would appear in the
body or the main part of the report. In this section you will outline the way the research
was carried out, the results and a discussion of the findings. Figures, tables, charts and
graphs clearly and succinctly portray survey findings. When writing reports, be concise
and specific.
Communicating using the problem-solving steps
You need to be able to describe the performance gap identified in your service standards
and discuss it with your team. Often these situations become difficult because people’s
emotions and feelings of self-worth come into play. One way to keep a positive focus is to
think of this as a problem-solving activity.
-“Problem-Solving Steps.” Web. 26/5/2015.
<https://nationalvetcontent.edu.au/alfresco/d/d/workspace/SpacesStore/daff9ff0-293e-4667-8f60-
2b94740b4517/601/toolbox_601/lo/2003_237_010/documents/2003_237_010_reading.doc.>
Applying the steps for problem-solving to dealing with a

performance gap
3
“Problem-Solving Steps.” Web. 26/5/2015.
<https://nationalvetcontent.edu.au/alfresco/d/d/workspace/SpacesStore/daff9ff0-293e-4667-8f60-
2b94740b4517/601/toolbox_601/lo/2003_237_010/documents/2003_237_010_reading.doc.>
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Problem-solving Problem-solving skills Talking to your team

step member about improving
customer service
1. PROBLEM Describe the problem Describe the performance

gap.
Identify the outcome you
want Explain exactly what
standard of customer
Ask for help service is required.
Explain why it’s important

that the team reaches the
customer service standard.
Find out what’s preventing

the team from reaching the
standard.
Ask for the team’s point of

view and listen without
interrupting
2. SOLUTION Develop options Develop options for

reaching the customer
Consider the service standard with the
consequences team.
Make the decision Discuss the merits of the
Develop an action plan various options and agree
on a solution.
Develop a clear action plan

that states who does what,
and by when.
3. REVIEW Ask yourself how it’s Measure the performance.

going and when it’s
finished, how it went. Has the customer service
performance gap increased
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or decreased?
Is the team implementing

the agreed solution?
Prepare conclusions and recommendations from

verifiable evidence and provide constructive
advice on future directions of client service
strategies
All of the data that has been collected and analysed has had the necessary changes
identified. Your next task is to make recommendation for how the organisation can
achieve those changes.
Your proposed changes need to be made based on the verifiable evidence and data that
was collected. Your proposed changes need to be of a constructive nature and should
revolve around addressing the established problems.
This data can also be used to establish and modify the future direction or vison of the
organisation. The organisational customer service vision should be revisited every 2-3
years, the organisation and the individual teams need to revert to the planning phase
and revisit the service vision to establish if it still reflects the organisations goals and
policies.
To revisit the vision is not necessarily to change it. This will depend upon its continued
relevance and applicability to the organisational circumstances and climate of the time.
However, even if the words of the vision prevail, the organisation needs to set new
targets to improve customer service levels even further. Any new targets and goals that
are established should go well beyond the original goals that were set when there would
have been a lot more to learn and do.
Teams should also not forget to involve their customers in the new vision or target-
setting process. This will ensure that a positive and cooperative relationship is
established from the outset.
4
"Steps for Problem Solving." Web. 26 May. 2015
<http://sielearning.tafensw.edu.au/MBA/bsbcus401a/bsbcus401a/lo/7555/documents/75>.
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Maintain systems, records and reporting

procedures to compare changes in customer
satisfaction
Techniques and sources for determining customer satisfaction
In order to compare changes in customer satisfaction in the future you need to record
and document the data you collect now. This data must be collated and stored to
become data that can be analysed and interpreted for the purposes of planning in the
future. Maintaining records and reports in an efficient and accessible way will help you
to support service strategies as:
 Adjustments and changes can be continually made in order to meet current

customer needs and market circumstances
 Keeping records of various service improvement initiatives means that you

can also keep track of what has been tried and compare the success of
different initiatives.
 You can determine what information you need and obtain and keep only that
information that is appropriate for reliable decision-making.
 Organisations usually work well where a common base of information is

available
To follow up the implementation of your customer service strategy, you will need to
ensure that the systems, records and recording procedures in your organisation are able
to track changes in customer satisfaction levels.
Systems may include:
 Departmental reports on customer requests and complaints
 Market research, focus groups/surveys
 Follow up phone calls or feedback forms
 Phone, e-mail or face-to-face contact between staff
 Sales statistics and refund, return and replacement statistics
 Periodic staff/management meetings
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These monitoring methods are an essential part of your long-term business plan
because they will help you to do the following:
 Determine whether feedback is positive or negative
 Distinguish any shift in purchasing patterns & profit turnover
 Highlight any unexpected demands on resources
 Pinpoint any short-term or long-term adjustments that need to be made to

your approach
When looking at ways to improve or expand your business, ask yourself these questions:
 Who is keeping records of customer service?
 How are they keeping these records?
 Who organises this data in are viewable format?
 How are they organising the data?
What is the chain of accountability for passing on the information to responsible groups
and individuals?
 Who evaluates this information and responds to it appropriately?
 Who consults with and informs designated groups and individuals?
 What needs to be modified or introduced to streamline the process?
These systems, records and procedures should be part of all staff job descriptions and
training to ensure that the entire organisation is aware of information handling
procedures.
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SUMMARY
Now that you have completed this unit, you should have the skills and knowledge
required to advise on, carry out and evaluate customer service strategies, including the
design of improvement strategies based on feedback.
If you have any questions about this resource please ask your trainer. They will be only
too happy to assist you when required.
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REFERENCES
Websites:
"Retail Industry." n.d. Web. 29 Mar 2019. http://retailindustry.about.com
"Prenhall." n.d. Web. 29 Mar 2019. http://www.prenhall.com/dwyer_au
"Service Skills." n.d. Web. 29 Mar 2019. http://www.serviceskills.com.au
"Consumer." n.d. Web. 29 Mar 2019. www.consumer.gov.au
"CSIA." n.d. Web. 29 Mar 2019. www.csia.com.au
"Service." n.d. Web. 29 Mar 2019. www.service.wa.gov.au
"Standards." n.d. Web. 29 Mar 2019. www.standards.com.au
Books:
Dwyer, Judith, The Business Communication Handbook, Pearson Education, 6th edition.
Devyre, Catherine, Good Service is Good Business, Pearson Education, 2nd edition, 2000.
Egan,G., 1982, Adding value – A Systematic Guide to Business Driven Management and
Leadership, New York: Jossey-Bass, 1993.
Gerson, Richard,F., Great Customer Service for your Small Business, Crisp Publications
USA, 1996
Jackson, Pamela, Co-ordinate Implementation of Customer Service Strategies, Pearson

Education, 2002.
Dwyer, J (2002) Communication in business: strategies and skills, (2nd edn), Pearson
Education Australia, Sydney, NSW.
Hardman, L S (1997) Interacting with customers and clients: a foot in the door,
Longman, Melbourne, VIC.
Johnson, S (2001) You, your team
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Rosehill College

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Coordinate implementation of customer service strategies Learner Guide

RTO No: 41257

COORDINATE IMPLEMENTATION OF CUSTOMER

ENSURE CUSTOMER SERVICE STRATEGIES AND OPPORTUNITIES ARE PROMOTED TO DESIGNATED

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of

About This Resource

Throughout your training we are committed to your learning by providing a training

You are going to be assessed for:

The assessment process is made up of a number of assessment methods. You are

Your assessment may be conducted through a combination of the following methods:

ELEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

1.2 Diagnose problems matching service delivery to

1.3 Provide relevant and constructive advice to promote

1.4 Use business technology and/or online services to

2 Support implementation 2.1 Ensure customer service strategies and opportunities

2.3 Promptly action procedures to resolve customer

2.4 Ensure that decisions to implement strategies are

3.2 Identify and report changes necessary to maintain

3.3 Prepare conclusions and recommendations from

3.4 Maintain systems, records and reporting procedures to

PERFORMANCE AND KNOWLEDGE

 Identify the needs and priorities of the organisation in delivering services to

 Diagnose problems in delivery of customer service

 Respond to and report on customer feedback and complaints

 Review client satisfaction using verifiable data

 Consult and communicate effectively with relevant people

 Develop and implement strategies and methods to improve customer service

o Documentation and follow up

 Outline the principles of customer service

 Explain sources of information and techniques for identifying customer needs

 Explain the organisational business structure, products and services related

 Describe product and service standards and best practice models

 Organisational policies and procedures for customer service

 Examples of customer complaints and feedback

 Client satisfaction data

 Case studies and, where possible, real situations

 Interaction with others

Assessors must satisfy NVR/AQTF assessor requirements.

There are no pre-requisites for this unit.

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of

In this unit, you will learn how to:

 Advise on customer service needs

 Support implementation of customer service strategies

 Evaluate and report on customer service

Clarify and accurately assess customer needs

Customer service is the set of activities and programs that is undertaken by an

Customer Service Means:

 Doing ordinary things extraordinarily well

 Going beyond what is expected

 Adding value and integrity to every interaction

 Being at your best with every customer

 Discovering new ways to delight those that you serve

 Surprising yourself with how much you can do

Behaviours for high quality Customer Service:

 Complaints are handled fairly & promptly

The steps to effective customer service:

 Begin by determining exactly what your customer’s needs are

 Finally, monitor the service provided

The levels of service

e.g. - ‘I expect that chair to be clean.’

e.g. - ‘I’d also like the chair to be comfortable.’

So, what constitutes sensational customer service?

Use communication techniques to assess customer

Communication is a two-way process that involves the following steps: