CUSTOMER RELATIONS

SELF - LEARNING MATERIAL 1

WEEK 1

Introduction to Customer Relations

Introduction to Customer Relations

INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the Self-Learning Material (SLM) for Customer Relations!
Developing a relationship with your customers is one of most effective strategies a
business can adopt. Studying customer relations strategy can help you deliver
tremendous ROI, boost customer acquisition, loyalty, and satisfaction.

This self-learning material was designed to provide you with fun and meaningful
opportunities for guided and independent learning at your own pace and time. You will
be enabled to process the contents of the learning material while being an active
learner. Further, this also aims to help learners acquire the needed 21st century skills
especially the 5 Cs, namely: Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, Critical
Thinking, and Character while taking into consideration their needs and
circumstances.

Read the simple instructions below to successfully enjoy the objectives of this
self-learning material. Have fun!

1. Read the lessons with understanding and comprehension for you to easily grasp
the topics.
2. If you have any questions or topics that you cannot understand, do not hesitate to
ask your subject teacher.
3. Activity Notebook is required for answering the exercises.
4. Do not forget to answer the pre-assessment before moving on to the lesson proper
and other activities included in the module.
4. Read the directions carefully before doing each activity.
5. Observe honesty and integrity in doing the activities.
6. Review your answers before passing.
7. Always submit the activities on time.
8. Have fun in learning and answering your self-learning modules. It will be easier for
you to absorb all the learnings that you will acquire if you are enjoying what you are
doing.

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If you encounter any difficulty in answering the tasks in this module, do not hesitate to
consult your teacher or facilitator. Always bear in mind that you are not alone. We hope
that through this material, you will experience meaningful learning and gain deep
understanding of the relevant competencies. You can do it!

PRE-ASSESSMENT

DIRECTIONS. Answer the following questions.

1. Base on your own understanding, what do you think is the role of Customer
Relations in an organization?

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2. Is their role important? Justify your answer.

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3. What do you think does this means regarding customer services and customer
relations?

“The key difference between the two is that customer service is reactive while
customer relations is proactive.”

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OBJECTIVES

At the end of the self-learning material, you should be able to:

➢ Define what is Customer Relations

➢ Distinguish Customer Relations from Customer Services
➢ Understand the Importance of Customer Relations
➢ Create a simple strategy on how customer relations can improve in the midst
of pandemic

LESSON 1.1 What is Customers Relations?

Developing an amazing product is one of the hardest challenges that a company can
overcome — but it's not the only factor that will determine the success of a business.
Today's consumers have more industry influence than they've ever had in the past,
allowing them to focus on more than just the product that you're selling them.

Now, consumers are interested in what you're selling them, how you're selling it, and
what happens after you've sold it to them. Businesses are facing the challenge of
creating an excellent customer experience that's consistent across every interaction.

To achieve this, many companies are now focusing on how they manage their
customer relationships. Building strong customer relations is a great way to develop
customer loyalty and retain valuable, long-term customers. If you're looking to improve
customer relationships at your company, it helps to understand what successful
customer relations look like and how you can create them with your clientele.

Customer relations describes the ways that a company will engage with its
customers to improve the customer experience. This includes providing answers to
short-term roadblocks as well as proactively creating long-term solutions that are

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geared towards customer success. It aims to create a mutually beneficial relationship

with the customer that extends beyond the initial purchase.

Difference Between Customer Relations and

LESSON 1.2
Customer Services

CUSTOMER SERVICE usually involves assisting customers when something goes

wrong. Businesses respond to customer issues or requests in-person or via
communication channels such as phone, email, chat, or social media.
Reactive functions are the efforts made by the customer service to solve issues that
are reported by customers. This includes tasks like responding to customer complaints
and solving problems with the support team. Being able to solve unexpected customer
roadblocks is essential for brands that are looking to build strong customer
relationships.

On the other hand, CUSTOMER RELATIONS uses a long-term approach. In addition

to encompassing all of the important functions that customer service performs,
customer relations also includes strategies to improve customers’ future experiences
and their overall journey with your brand.
Proactive functions are the measures taken to ensure a long-term relationship with
customers. These efforts are aimed towards fostering customer success by
consistently satisfying evolving customer needs. Customer success teams do this by
providing information about products and updates as well as by promoting discounts
and exclusive offers. This type of long-term customer relationship management helps
companies create lasting impressions on customers who eventually become loyal to
the brand.

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ACTIVTY 1.1
CUSTOMER RELATIONS VS. CUSTOMER SERVICES. CR if the situation is under
customer relations and CS if it is Customer Services. Justify your answer.
_____1. Taking note of your loyal customers
Explanation: ________________________________________________________
_____2. Addressing issues regarding the product before sending it to the customer.
Explanation: ________________________________________________________
_____3. Finding a way when stock outs happens.
Explanation: ________________________________________________________
_____4. Initiates refunds or replacement of products whenever a customer
dissatisfaction happens.
Explanation: ________________________________________________________
_____5. Automating consistent responses.
Explanation: ________________________________________________________

LESSON 1.3 Nature of Relationships

Any relationship involves human element. A human interaction can greatly affect the
business and its relationship with the customer. This fact is the back bone of the
services industry. The customer interaction can be one on one basis, over a phone,
email, chat etc. Hence these interactions are going to determine whether customer is
going to have any relationship with the customer. However human touch does not
necessary create problems for the company but can also serve as a base for strong
customer relationship.

Customer Relationship
Customer will enter in relationship with business only if they find value in company’s
offering. This value begins in the mind with perception about the product and the
company. Relationship can add value to customer through following:
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• The company needs to get closer to the customer and start interaction with
them. Through the interaction the company is going to understand needs and
requirements of the customer.

• By close interaction with the customer, company is going working to create a

relationship of trust and commitment. This will help both company and customer
make the right decision.

• As a company progresses it start to look at more standardization and reduce

customization. But through relationship marketing and human interaction this
standardization can be made more acceptable.

Positive Customer Relations

Positive customer relations is a long-term, mutually beneficial relationships between a
customer and a company. These relationships are built by creating a stable
environment of trust that results in the continued growth of both the customer and the
organization. Positive customer relations include consistent quality of what the
business is offering as well as how they are offering it the customer.

Top three benefits that positive customer relations can provide for your
company:

1. Customer Retention
Customer retention refers to a company’s ability to turn customers into repeat buyers
and prevent them from switching to a competitor. It indicates whether your product and
the quality of your service please your existing customers. It’s also the lifeblood of
most subscription-based companies and service providers.

2. Customer Loyalty

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Customer loyalty is an ongoing positive relationship between a customer and a

business. It's what drives repeat purchases and prompts existing customers to choose
your company over a competitor offering similar benefits.

3. Customer Satisfaction

Customer satisfaction is defined as a measurement that determines how happy

customers are with a company's products, services, and capabilities.

ACTIVITY 1.2
DIRECTIONS. Answer the following questions below.
1. Now that we are in a pandemic, what kind of strategy do you think an organization
should do to have a positive relationship with their customers that is related to our
current situation?
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2. It is said that customer relations uses long term approach. Do you think that short
term approach is also applicable for customer relations? Explain your answer.
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3. Since most of the transaction nowadays are done through online, how do you think
you can retain your customers? How can you assure that there will be a customer
retention from your consumers if you’ll only talk to them through calls or chats?
___________________________________________________________________
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4. From what brand or shop (may it be clothes, shoes, food, etc.) are you loyal?
Explain why do you feel satisfied every time you buy products from this specific
brand/shop.
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ASSESSMENT

I. MODIFIED TRUE OR FALSE. Write TRUE if the statement is correct and if FALSE,
underline the word(s) that make it wrong and write the correct answer on the blank.
__________1. Proactive functions are the measures taken to ensure a short-term
relationship with customers.
__________2. Building strong customer relations is a great way to develop customer
loyalty and retain valuable, long-term customers.
__________3. Reactive functions are the efforts made by the customer relations to
solve issues that are reported by customers.
__________4. Long-term customer relationship management helps companies create
lasting impressions on customers who eventually become loyal to the brand.
__________5. Customer relations involves continuous improvisation in your services
towards your customers.

II. SHORT CASE STUDY. Write a case study about: Effects of the Current
Pandemic to the Customer Relations.

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REFERENCE

Website:

Guide to Customer Relations: Definition, Benefits, Strategies & More. The Open
Jared Cornell.
https://www.proprofsdesk.com/blog/customer-relations/

What is Customer Relations? Everything You Need to Know. Clint Fontanella.

https://blog.hubspot.com/service/customer-relations

Guide to Customer Relations: Definition, Benefits, and Tips. Elizabeth Wellington.

https://www.helpscout.com/blog/customer-relations/

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