SITXCCS014 - Student Guide.v1.0

Contents
1: Communicating with internal and external customers 5

2: Standards to follow when delivering a service 16
3: Providing a service to customers 22
4: Responding to customer complaints 28
5: Providing internal feedback on customer service practices 33
Southern Academy of Business and Technology | Level 2,95 Bathurst Street Sydney NSW 2000
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SITXCCS014 Provide service to customers
Application
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to communicate
effectively with and provide quality service to both internal and external customers. It requires the
ability to establish rapport with customers, determine and address customer needs and
expectations, and respond to complaints.
The unit applies to those frontline service personnel who deal directly with customers on a daily
basis and who operate with some level of independence and under limited supervision.
This includes individuals working in a range of tourism, travel, hospitality and events contexts.
It applies to individuals.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Prerequisite
Nil
Learning goals
 Communicate with internal and external customers.
 Follow defined organisational standards when delivering service.
 Provide service to customers.
 Respond to customer complaints.
 Provide internal feedback on customer service practices.
1: Communicating with internal and external
customers
Timely and professional communication with customers

Providing a service to customers relates to the provision of products and/or services provided by a
business before, during and after the purchase.
 Excellent customer service is a critical aspect of a successful business.
 It can help to attracting new customers.
 It can support keeping existing customers.
Customer service involves identifying customer needs, matching products and/or services to meet
these needs and then providing the products and/or services including after care services as required.
Principles of quality customer service:
 Understand what a customer expects in terms of good customer service.
 Welcome positive and negative feedback received from customers.
 Focus on building relationships who require a business’ products and services, not endlessly
hounding those who are clearly not interested.
 Identity ways to improve the level of customer service provided and implement these.
There are five main types of customers that a business will engage with:
 external
 internal
 new
 regular or repeat
 visitors.
Effective communication with these customers can help to ensure a professional service and should
encompass the following characteristics:
Clear Brief Customised Explanatory Positive
There must It must be to Communication It should give The

be no the point needs to be the rationale communication
ambiguity succinct crafted to suit for directions, should seek to
without being the person or instructions or encourage and
curt or rude audience to information enthuse, where
The message
whom the provided possible
must not be
message is sent
open to
interpretation
Professional communication with customers includes the way in which forms of communication are
carried out and how they are done. This can be both verbal, non-verbal, written and visual, and can
be according to organisational guidelines, standards, policies and procedures. For example, the way
in which emails are sent, how you answer the phone to customers or the way in which you interact
with a customer when you meet them face to face or how information is written and presented. The
following factors contribute to effective professional communication with customers:
 Presenting information according to organisational standards
 Upholding organisational standards during communication
 Abiding by policies and procedures for communication
 Knowledge of the organisation’s product or service
 Providing accurate information
 Actively listening
 Being patience
 Being proactive
 Being attentive
 Avoiding interrupting
 Being honest.
Timely communication is another important factor to providing an effective service to customers. Why
is this so?
 It supports a customer receiving a prompt service
 It keeps the customer informed about the service being delivered
 It can establish trust and reliability
 Engages the client
 It builds a good customer relationship
 Can help to keep a customer satisfied
 Can show transparency
 Demonstrates a high level of professionalism
 Can stop a customer from leaving or being dissatisfied.
Each type of customer will have designated response times for acknowledging communication such
as requests, enquiries, queries, or problems. In the service industry, timely responses to a customer’s
request ensures that they are receiving good customer service. Poor response times can lead to
customers leaving and loss of revenue. This can range from a face to face enquiry such as asking for
a menu, an email reply, or an online request for information.
Having a standard response time can support effectively communicating with the customer. A
business may outline this in their customer service policies such as:
 Answer the phone within three rings
 Respond to emails within 24 hours

 Reply to an online enquiry within two days.
LIFT THE LID
Read the following:
 Why it is important to have timely communication:
https://unpaper.com/blog/why-is-it-important-to-have-timely-communication-with-the-client/
 The 7Cs of Effective Communication:
https://www.toolshero.com/communication-skills/7cs-of-effective-communication/
Take notes about what you learn.
Communication techniques
Communication is not just about how you talk to someone or an email that you send. It is about
interactions, how you use language, the way in which your organisation is represented, or the
standards upheld by an organisation.
Techniques for effective communication includes the way in which you verbally and non-verbally
communicate and the listening techniques used.
Positive communication is a technique that can be used to ensure quality customer service:
 Asking questions
 Using effective listening skills
 Letting the customer speak and not interrupting
 Being positive and cheerful
 Showing empathy
 Using non-verbal communication skills.
Asking questions is a type of communication technique that involves constantly asking both open and
closed questions. Closed is designed to get a simple yes or no answer, whereas open will provide a
broader, more comprehensive answer.
Developing listening skills is an important communication technique that enables a person to
understand the others' intention, motivations, and capabilities. Features include not interrupting,
paraphrasing to demonstrate that you were listening and understand.
Body language is a non-verbal communication technique that can greatly determine a conversation.
Key features of good body language include leaning in to demonstrate that the speaker is being
listened to, using the appropriate facial expressions and relevant hand gestures where necessary.
Feedback is another communication technique that involves being timely, respective, specific and
giving both constructive and positive feedback.
Feedback methods should be appropriate and analysed in a timely manner.
WHAT’S COOKING?
Read the following article: Communication skills for workplace success
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/communication-skills-list-2063779
Complete the following in pairs:
Student A gives the following information to Student B:
 A short description of a special’s menu.
 A short description of services provided for a hotel.
Student B is required to listen carefully so they can recall the information later and tell the class.
Then Student B gives their information to Student A.
Your trainer will then facilitate a presentation given by each group, recalling the information of the
partner.
Now reflect upon how well you listened and how well the information was communicated to you.
What worked and what didn’t? Write a summary of the exercise and provide constructive feedback
to your partner.
Your trainer will then facilitate a discussion where you can both share your feedback in your
groups.
Non-verbal communication
Verbal communication is mainly the spoken word however, the spoken word does not occur in
isolation when communicating.
Non-verbal communication is anything you do that assists with verbal communication. You need to be
aware of the non-verbal communication that can take place and learn how to control and interpret it as
well as use effective techniques when communicating yourself.
There is a phrase “It’s not what you say that counts, but how you say it”, this relates also to the non-
verbal communication that takes place, often referred to as body language.
Some factors of verbal communication relate to:
 the choice of language used
 the level of formality or familiarity used
 choice of words
 abbreviations, colloquialisms, jargon or industry terms used.
When communicating you need to be aware of these factors as they have an effect on how messages
are interpreted and whether or not they are believed.
Some techniques used to support the way in which you communicate verbally include:
 the rate at which you speak
 pauses you take
 the emphasis given to certain words
 the pitch and tone of your voice
 5how loudly or softly you speak.
Some non-verbal communication include:
 gestures used during verbal communication
 facial expressions used
 how close you stand to people when you talk
 the amount of eye contact used
 how you show you understand.
For verbal communication to be believed, there needs to be alignment between the words used and
the non-verbal communication displayed. Where there is no association between the verbal and non-
verbal communication, the other person will usually believe what they have seen from the non-verbal
communication rather than what they have listened to from the spoken word.
The following are non-verbal communication appropriate when engaging with customers for each of
the non-verbal communication behaviours listed:
Non-verbal communication Appropriate for customer service
Body language Positive, open
Culturally specific communication Avoiding eye contact for cultures who do not use eye
customs and practices contact
Dress and accessories Avoid skimpy clothing
Gestures and mannerisms Using gestures to facilitate understanding such as

pointing.
Use of space Maintaining personal space
Voice tonality and volume Using a warm friendly tone
LIFT THE LID
Read the following:
 Difference between verbal and nonverbal communication:
https://difference.guru/difference-between-verbal-and-nonverbal-communication/.
 Managing nonverbal communication in the workplace:
https://roubler.com/au/nonverbal-communication-workplace/.
 Nonverbal communication in the workplace:
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/nonverbal-communication-in-the-workplace-1918470
LIFT THE LID
Watch these videos:
 How to read body language (02:33)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nmp_-JByPaY
 True hospitality service skills, attitude and lasting impression (05:24)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ueyZ2zUDP8
 Hospitality service and sales Part 1 Body Language (05:59)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFRPeE7Lwvc
Your trainer will facilitate a class discussion about the outcomes from the videos.
Active listening and questioning

Active listening skills are essential skills in relation to providing effective customer service.
Active listening means paying attention to the speaker using both verbal and non-verbal cues.
We can often be distracted by our own thoughts, emotions and opinions and so tend to hear what we
want to hear or expect to hear.
Active listening requires us to pause on our internal thinking to give your full attention to the speaker.
If we are in a conversation with someone and we let our minds wander, we may miss an important
piece of information which can be embarrassing later or even damaging for the business.
Active listening skills include:
 facing the other person so they can read your facial expressions and you can see and read theirs
 paying attention to the other person and avoiding distractions and interruptions – focussing on
what is being said
 asking questions to show you are engaged, encourage the other person to continue talking and
obtain more information
 encouraging them to keep talking through a variety of strategies – such as smiling, nodding,
saying ‘I see’, ‘Interesting’ or ‘Go on’
 taking notes to demonstrate you are paying attention
 leaning slightly forward and making eye contact to show interest
 paraphrasing what the other person says to prove you have heard and understood
 not interrupting
 empathising with the other person – factoring in how they are feeling as well as what they are
saying
 not being judgemental about what the other person is saying
 forming visualisations of what they are talking about
 looking for emphasis they pace on certain words – or how they state certain facts or phrases
 factoring in their body language
 reading between the lines.
LIFT THE LID
Watch these videos:
 Effective listening skills (05:26)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwWj_SfDpzg
 Listening for specifics (01:13)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/skillswise/listening-for-specifics/zrfqrj6
Your trainer will facilitate a class discussion about the outcomes from the videos.
Questioning is also a key communication skill and there are different techniques that you can use to
find out information and communicate information.
One method used in questioning is using closed and open questioning.
Closed questions can simply require a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ answer, for example: ‘Would you like to be
seated?’, ‘Is this the room you booked?’, ‘Would you like a sugar with your tea?’
Closed questions can also require that a choice is made from a list of possible options, for example:
‘Would you like beef, chicken or the vegetarian option?’, ‘Did you travel by train or car today?’
Closed questions can also be asked to identify a certain piece of information, again with a limited set
of answers, for example: ‘What is your name?’, ‘What time are you checking out?’, ‘Where did you
arrive from?’
 Closed questions invite a short, focused answer.
 They are usually easy to answer, the choice of answer will be limited
 Can be effectively used early in conversations to encourage participation
 Useful in fact-finding scenarios (https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/question-types.html).
In contrast, open-ended questions require more effort and time to answer although they can provide a
deeper level of questions. It is open-ended questions that are more likely to be used for interviewing
or gathering information.
Open questions allow for much longer responses and therefore potentially more creativity and
information.
Here are some examples of open-ended questions:
 Where are you planning to visit today?
 Did you like your visit at our hotel?
 How can we help you today?
 Are you interested the workshops at the event?
 Do you think your wedding will need styling? (http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-

open-ended-and-closed-ended-questions.html)
LIFT THE LID
Divide into pairs. Ensure you divide the work equally.

Read the following scenario then undertake the tasks that follow:
Scenario: You are employed by Ocean Tours Australia as a customer service advisor. They hold
three whale-watching trips per day:
 ‘Sunrise and Champagne’ from 5am–9am at a cost of $200, which includes a light breakfast
buffet champagne and coffee.
 ‘Lunchtime Cruise’ from 11am–2:30pm at a cost of $250, which includes buffet lunch and a
drink.
 ‘Sunset and Cocktails’ from 4pm–7pm at a cost of $290, which includes a light snack and a
cocktail.
A client would like to book a whale-watching trip. You need to telephone them back and must
prepare a list of questions to ask to find out further information.
In your pairs, one person should be the client; one should be the customer advisor; however, you
can work together on the task.
 The customer advisor should list down one open question for each word listed.
 For each question, explain your reason for asking it – how is it likely to assist in finding out
customer needs that might otherwise go undiscovered?
Word Question Reason
What?
Who?
Why?
Where?
When?
How?
 For each question the client should provide a realistic answer.
Question Answer
 Using the information provided from the answers given you should now think of 2-3 closed
questions that the customer advisor would then ask.
Answers Closed questions
Submit all work as professionally written documents within the timeframe allocated. Your trainer will
provide your group with feedback.
Mediums of communication and when to use them

There are different mediums of communication that are appropriate for the customer and situation.
Mediums of communication can be:
 social media networks
 email
 assistive technology
 face-to-face
 simple written messages, such as restaurant bookings or phone messages
 standard forms
 telephone
 interpreters
 video
 video, telephone conferencing or online video conferencing.
It depends upon the situation, urgency and platform being used as to what mediums are appropriate.
For example:
 the access or availability of the sender and receiver to necessary equipment
 the degree of formality required
 the required format
 any technical and operational features required to fulfil the need
 technical skills required to use the medium
 timeframes, timing, deadlines and so on.
The conventions used by an organisation can also affect the communication medium and how it is
used.
For example, the protocols used, documents, style, response times, formality, authority levels,
professional conduct, procedures for communication and equipment being used.
LIFT THE LID
Work in pairs.
Using the table below, research and discuss the essential features, conventions and usage of
different types of communication techniques and equipment that relate to the hospitality industry.
Techniques and Features of Conventions that may Usage

equipment communication be used
Face to face when a

customer makes a
request
Mobiles for
communicating with
a customer
Computers
Wifi
An online request for

information about
hotel services
A social media post
asking about
accessibility options
at a venue
Your trainer will facilitate a class discussion about the outcomes from the research
LIFT THE LID
Divide into a group of three. Ensure you divide the work equally.
You are going to participate in a role play and should remain in this group for any future activities
relating to this role play. You will base your role play on the following business:
http://www.theweddingshed.com.au/venues
You work for the wedding shed as part of a team and have to provide efficient customer service to
both internal and external customers. Your job is to coordinate staff for wedding services requested
by clients.
The following requests have been made by internal customers.
1. One of the personal planning consultants has requested information on local produce in the
area for a wedding.
2. Your supervisor would like you to send an email to him summarising one new venue that could
be used for a wedding for a famous couple.
3. The team that manages the restaurant has informed you that the dining equipment is old and
looking out of date and needs replacing or updating.
The following requests have been made by external customers.
1. An online client request has been made to send information regarding styling for a wedding.
2. A customer has left a message to phone her back regarding a venue mix up.
3. A local florist has sent an email offering her services for the business.
Your group must contact each of the customers using an appropriate method, equipment or
platform to resolve the request.
Your communication with the client should incorporate effective verbal and non-verbal
communication and listening techniques.
You must comply with the following:
 Provide quality customer service
 All communication must be professional
 All communication must use standard business documentation styles and conventions and
must follow the style of the role play business.
 All responses must be timely (deadlines given by your trainer).
Submit all work as professionally written documents within the timeframe allocated. Your trainer
will provide your group with feedback.
2: Standards to follow when delivering a service
Personal presentation when representing your organisation

Practicing high standards of personal presentation and hygiene is not only about how you present
yourself within the workplace, but also its how you represent an organisation when interacting face to
face with clients.
Personal presentation is about your:
 Appearance
 Personal hygiene
 Body Language
 The way you communicate with others
 Professionalism
The way you present yourself to others represents who you are as well as the organisation you
work for!
Most organisations will have some type of dress code and professional standards to uphold in the
workplace. This could include the way you:
 dress, including what is acceptable and what is not
 wear jewellery
 should communicate and interact with colleagues, supervisors and customers.
Personal hygiene can include:
 ensuring that you wash everyday
 brushing your teeth
 combing or keeping your hair tidy
 changing your clothes everyday
 being aware of your own body odour.
If you are working in the hospitality industry you may have to wear a uniform, this would be part of the
dress code and professional standards. Furthermore, there would be policies and procedures for
ensuring hygiene and appearance is to a high standard if you had a lot of interaction with customers
or were involved in food service delivery.
Working in the food and beverage service industry would also include ensuring staff uphold
cleanliness and personal hygiene as part of their workplace health and safety compliance and
regulations.
There may also be specific clothing that protects an employee from burns, spills or splashes, falling
on slippery floors or hats to prevent hair falling in food.
LIFT THE LID

Read the following:
 Dress for success: The importance of your workplace attire:
https://www.challengeconsulting.com.au/announcements/dress-for-success-the-importance-of-
your-workplace-attire/
 Macquarie University Uniform, dress code and appearance:
https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/diversity-and-community/sexual-and-gender-diversity/
Q1.10d_Uniform-Dress-Code-and-Appearance-Policy.pdf
 The importance of appearance in hospitality:
https://innotio.eu/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/INNOTIO_KnowBrainer_024-1.pdf
Think about the way you dress and present yourself at college. What image are you representing?
What would you do differently if you had to go for an interview for a job?
LIFT THE LID
Find a workplace policy or code of standards relating to the hospitality industry that includes the
standards of personal presentation and hygiene. Select a job role that you can focus on such as
chef, bartender or front of house.
Complete the following table:
State the sector of hospitality you are

researching:
What is the job role?
What is the dress code?
Why is there a dress code? (State the

reasons the give).
Is there a code of conduct for hair,

jewellery?
Is there a code of conduct for personal

hygiene?
Include anything specific to the industry

or job role.
Include a copy of the code of conduct or policy, or a link to the source.

Your trainer will facilitate a class discussion about the outcomes from the research.
Following organisational customer service policies and
procedures
Customer service policies and procedures are documents that provide guidelines, standards,
regulations, codes and compliances that an employee must follow in order to conduct themselves in
the workplace including expected standards of customer service.
These policies and procedures will be specific to the industry and sector within which you work,
however, there are certain general areas that companies use as best practices to provide standard
customer service.
As an employee in the hospitality industry, your behaviour and conduct can greatly affect the way in
which the company is perceived and as your role you would be required to uphold standards that
ensure you are representing them according to their organisational policies and procedures.
As an example, a customer service policy may include:
 characteristics of what the organisation expects as good customer service
 reasons why the customer service policy and procedures are used
 what the policies and procedures are
 the provision of goods and services and how it is applied within the organisation
 principles, codes of conduct, appearance and behaviour expectations
 any applicable laws or regulations
 employee standards.
The following are some examples of behaviour and the importance for providing a high standard of
customer service.
Behaviour Importance for customer service
Important to establish a consistent greeting for

Acknowledging and greeting customers
customers
Important to have a clear procedure that describes

Complaint and dispute management
complaints and disputes
Important to have a clear procedure that describes

Empowerment of different levels of
complaints and disputes and responsibilities across all
personnel to resolve complaints, disputes,
levels of the organisation
Important for customers to know that they can address

Service issues and customer compensation
any issues with you and be compensated if needed.
Loyalty programs are vital as they encourage repeat

Loyalty programs
business
Presentation standards for customer Important to establish consistent standards for these
environment, customer service personnel,
and documents and promotional materials
Pricing guarantees are vital as they encourage repeat

Pricing guarantees
business and encourage customer loyalty
Product quality is vital to ensure repeat business and

Product quality
encourage customer loyalty
Important for customers to know about refund and

Refunds and cancellation fees cancellation fees so they know what to expect if they are
not happy with a product or service.
Important for customers to know when you will respond

Response times
to them.
Service guarantees can enhance customer’s experience

Service guarantees
and therefore build customer loyalty
Training staff for customer service and Important to establish a consistent approach to customer
complaint handling service.
LIFT THE LID
Find an example of a customer service policy for an organisation in the hospitality industry used to
guide employee’s behaviour and conduct. You can use an organisation that you are familiar with or
research one on the internet.
Provide a link to the source or a summary of what the policy contains.
Using the Ocean Tours Australia example, or an organisation you are familiar with, answer the
following question:
What specific standards or codes of practice would you need to consider with respect to providing a
high standard of customer service for this business?
List some policies and procedures that would be appropriate to this organisation, with regard to
customer service.
Professional standards that you should meet
Professional standards expected of employees in the service industry will vary according to what
sector and job role they are in and also the expectations of the organisation.
Broadly, professional standards may include:
 behaviour
 code of conduct
 how to communicate with colleagues and customers
 ethics that should be adhered to
 accountability
 privacy and confidentiality
 performance
 responsibilities
 upholding industry standards.
The standards provide a guideline for employees of what the organisation expects from them
professionally. It can provide consistency, compliance, a public statement or image, protection from
misconduct practices or compliance for legislative regulations. It can prevent illegal behaviour,
misconduct, misrepresentation and uphold reputation and professionalism of the organisation.
Examples of professional service standards:
 How to communicate with customers
 How to handle complaints
 The way in which customers are greeted on the phone
 The way in which you should complete documentation, forms or organisational records
 Response times for customers
 Email etiquette
 Social media etiquette.
Being able to uphold these professional standards and provide a high standard of service to
customers, require a number of attitudes and attributes such as:
 being a good listener
 attentiveness
 having emotional intelligence
 being able to multitask
 patience
 empathy
 a positive attitude
 a good communicator.
LIFT THE LID
Read the following:
 Employee handbook and standards of work (Paradise Resort Gold Coast):
https://paradiseresort.com.au/images/userimages/cms/pdfs/Employee%20Handbook%20&
%20Standards%20of%20Work%20-%20March%202015.pdf
 Key customer service skills and how to develop them:
 https://www.helpscout.com/blog/customer-service-skills/
What is your experience of customer service? Reflect on a trip, meal, club or event that you
attended recently where you were provided with a service. What made it a good or bad
experience? Would you go back? (Explain why or why not).
LIFT THE LID
Source four professional service standards that could be used by the Ocean Tours business for
their employees. Using the website www.seek.com, find a position for each of the following:
 front of house hotel receptionist
 chef
 bartender
 tour guide.
For each, list the attitudes and attributes that has been included in the job description as
requirements for the role for working in customer service.
3: Providing a service to customers
How to establish good rapport with customers

If you can establish a good rapport with customers, they will in turn have more trust in you during the
service delivery. This can help with any issues that arise and can also help to avoid these escalating
further.
Furthermore, showing goodwill can also build on a customer relationship, especially if they think that
you have their best interests at heart.
Building a good rapport can be through using a process provided as a framework from your employer.
For example, a script when answering the phone or what you must say to a customer when you first
take their order.
A customer will put their trust in you to deliver a good service. Some things that you can do to
establish that trust and to create a good rapport are:
Get to know your customer but don't

Greet with positivity
be too familiar
Create shared experiences
Treat the customer with respect
Rapport
Read a conversation and show

emotional intelligence Use effective communication skills
Show empathy Show goodwill when opportunities
Be considerate of a person's needs arise
Be sincere
What are customer needs and expectations?

But what are the customer expectations and needs? Understanding these can help to provide a high
standard of customer service delivery.
There are some common types of customer needs and expectations and this changes according to
the type of customer service, the communication expectations and any special requirements of the
customer.
Customer needs can range from the functionality of a product to the performance, experience or
reliability of a service.
Some typical needs of customer are:
 Am I getting a good service or product?
 Is it at a fair price?
 Is it good quality?
 Do I feel valued?
Customer expectations includes all that a customer is expecting from the service. This is what they
have in mind to be delivered based upon past experiences, knowledge or reviews from others.
A customer will anticipate what they expect. For example, if they are told by the organisation it is fast
service then this is what they expect; or if a review shows excellent customer service then this is what
they expect.
In order to provide a high standard of service to customers, you have to know what these needs are
and how to meet their expectations. Some tips for meeting customer expectations from Business
Queensland:
 Know your customers
 Understand your customers’ needs
 Meet your customers’ needs
 Improve the service if expectations are not being met (https://www.business.qld.gov.au/running-

business/consumer-laws/customer-service/improving/expectations)
The way you communicate with customers will also vary. It may be via email, a telephone call, social
media post or face to face.
Method of communication Expectations of customer
Email Polite, clear, concise, professional, provides information or

addresses questions.
Telephone To be spoken to professionally, in an appropriate language and

with two-way communication etiquette
Social media Quick response times, professional, being personally addressed
Face to face Greeted positively, treated with respect, seeing positive body
language.
All customers are different with varying needs, requirements, expectations and preferences. They
can also come from diverse backgrounds or have special service needs. Special service need could
be due to a dietary requirement, cultural belief, disability, a health condition or a mental health
condition.
For example:
 someone who is deaf may need an interpreter or instead of verbally communicating what they
need, they may write this down
 a person requiring a ramp for a wheelchair for entry to a restaurant
 someone who has a nut allergy may need to confirm the ingredients of a meal.
An awareness of special needs, customs and practices, preferences of various social and cultural
groups of customers may require meeting their needs and expectations through:
 adjusting a service to cope with a special need
 using body language to support communication
 using different modes of greeting, or conversing to be mindful of a different culture, language or

disability.
 changing the formality of language to suit the customer
 wearing appropriate clothing to support a religious or cultural belief.
LIFT THE LID
Identify the needs of the following customers:
 A kayaking tour to see dolphins
 A couple eating at a 5 star restaurant
 Customers at a busy bar
 People booking in at a hotel.
What do you think their expectations are?

How would you meet their needs?
Each customer has one of the following special needs:
 A kayaking tour to see dolphins
A customer is severely overweight.
 A couple eating at a 5-star restaurant
One has cerebral palsy, the other a wheat allergy.
 Customers at a busy bar
Three customers arrive at the bar and are deaf with no interpreter.
 People booking in at a hotel
One customer uses a wheelchair.

How can you now meet their needs?
Being prompt to meet customer needs and requests, within reason
If a customer has a particular need or a request that you need to meet, then it should be done so
promptly so that they are satisfied in a timely manner.
The last thing a customer wants is to be waiting a long time for a service. Response times in the
service industry are particularly important. For example, taking an order, taking a booking, making
food, changing an order, putting a customer on hold and finding out information from a supervisor. If a
customer is dealt with promptly, they know that they are receiving a good service in that regard.
 Customers want to feel valued.
 Poor response times can lead to loss of business.
 Customer service quality should include designated response times for acknowledging
customers and their enquiry.
 If a customer does not get a timely response they may go elsewhere.
 It can lead to bad reviews.
However, a customer’s needs and requests should also be reasonable and be within the limits or
boundaries of the customer service delivery. If it is not within the scope, policy or ability of the service
delivery then it is important to quickly get back to the customer to inform them of the outcome,
whether it can be met or not.
LIFT THE LID
Read this article:

Why every organisation needs a standard response time policy:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/cherylsnappconner/2013/08/16/why-every-organization-needs-a-
standard-response-time-policy/#4b6ebf922e02
Minimising operational problems

Operational problems can be quite a common issue in the service industry sector. It can be caused
from staff calling in sick, external service disruptions, natural disasters, late deliveries, changes in shift
work, people leaving, employee conflict, unexpected issues such as oven’s failing, electricity failure or
a mistake made in production.
The best way to deal with these problems is to identify and anticipate what they might be and have an
action plan in place to minimise the effect on customer satisfaction. This is otherwise known as:
 Plan B
 contingency planning
 risk assessment.
This includes looking at what could happen, the consequence of it happening and control measures to
reduce the risk of it occurring.
LIFT THE LID
Review how to develop a risk matrix that can help to minimise operational problems:
https://www.business2community.com/strategy/how-to-develop-a-risk-matrix-02234010
Consider the following operational problems, the effect on the customer and the action that could be
taken to minimise this effect.
Problem Effect on the customer Action
It is a busy morning at a café. Slow service or may not Always ensure the machine is
One of the coffee machine get coffee. consistently serviced and
breaks down. checked before each shift.
They may leave and take
their custom elsewhere, Provide a discount, a voucher
dissatisfied for next time or politely explain
the problem and what the
options are for the customer.
A hotel has received notice of They may not get a Policy should be implemented to
an extra 100 guests arriving in quality customer service ensure that staff do not make
the afternoon. as there are less staff. bookings unless they can cope
with demand.
They will be understaffed. Customer service may be
slow. Extra staff should be called in, or
the customer told that because
The rooms may not be
its last minute there will be a
cleaned in time leading to
delay in the room availability.
a delay in check in.
LIFT THE LID
Watch this video:

A comedic look at customer service: Fawlty Towers: Satisfied customers (02:14)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_uDB-0iBR8
Your trainer will facilitate a class discussion about the outcomes from the video.
LIFT THE LID
Consider the following has occurred:

Ocean Tours Australia has a fully booked day with three whale trips. Three issues have occurred:
 There is predicted heavy rain in the morning.
 One of the tour boats was due for a service and is needed for one of the trips.
 Two members of staff have called in sick.
Identify the issues associated with these problems. How can these be anticipated? What action can
you take to minimise the effect on customer satisfaction?
You can make any reasonable assumptions.
Opportunities to deliver additional levels of service

Recognise and act upon opportunities to deliver additional levels of service beyond customer’s
immediate request.
You may find that when you are dealing with a customer, there could be an opportunity to deliver
additional levels of service that are beyond their immediate request. This could be due to changes in
bookings, a request that has been made, which originally could not be met, providing a better
alternative if the first option was rejected by the customer.
If you can recognise these opportunities and act quickly, this could make a difference to the way the
customer perceived the service, which can have a positive effect if done timely and effectively.
Furthermore, there may be an opportunity to upsell or cross-sell to a customer, providing another level
of service beyond what they originally requested. If they don’t know what is available, then they
cannot be provided with it.
The more knowledge you have about your organisation and the services available, the better informed
and equipped you are to offer these to customers.
LIFT THE LID
Read the following:
 Business Victoria has some tips on how to keep customers with customer service excellence:
https://www.business.vic.gov.au/marketing-and-sales/increasing-sales-through-marketing/
customer-service-excellence
 The relationship between service and upsell opportunities:
https://www.helpspot.com/blog/customer-service-upsell-opportunities
 Factors that improve customer service in the hospitality industry:
https://empowers.brother.com.au/2019/05/02/factors-that-improve-customer-service-in-the-
hospitality-industry/
4: Responding to customer complaints
Strategies to avoid escalation of complaints

Working in the service industry you find that you have to deal with difficult issues, for example,
complaints or customer questions you are not sure how to handle.
Managing a complaint will depend on organisational policies and procedures and their complaint
process. However, it is important to try to avoid the escalation of complaints. This will mean that a
customer is not pleased with the way in which you handled their problem and has requested that
someone a higher level above your position is called in to resolve it.
If it comes to escalation it means that your customer is not happy, they will be agitated, your
supervisor will be dealing with an irate customer.
Some strategies to avoid escalation of complaints could be:
 listen carefully
 clarify understanding
 explain the process
 explore different options
 show empathy
 apologise
 do not blame
 reassure
 conduct in a timely manner
 try to finalise or solve the issue through negotiation.
A written complaint handling policy is a good way to ensure that complaints are taken seriously and
dealt with appropriately and consistently.
If you are not sure you should always follow your organisational procedures or ask for assistance from
your supervisor.
LIFT THE LID
Read the following:
 How to develop a customer complaint policy:
http://www.eoc.sa.gov.au/eo-business/shops-and-services/shops-and-services-toolkit/
developing-your-customer-complaint-policy
 An example of a customer complaints policy:
http://www.afta.com.au/file/uploads/304/atas-complaint-handling-brochure.pdf
Responding professionally to customer complaints and coming to
solutions
Some basic steps for responding to customer complaints are:
 listen
 respond
 resolve.
The customer service provider should try and resolve the complaint before escalating it themselves.
There are five common types of complaining customers:
 meek
 aggressive
 high Roller
 rip off
 chronic complainer.
It is your job as a professional to conduct yourself in a manner that meets company expectations in
managing complaints. This can mean:
 following organisational policies and procedures for dealing with customer complaints
 using effective communication skills
 using negotiation skills
 understanding the organisation and how it works.
Finding a solution can of course be the best solution!
LIFT THE LID
Read the following example of how complaints are handled.

The Ombudsman of WA reviews complaint handling. See in particular Step 2 – Responding to
Complaints:
http://www.ombudsman.wa.gov.au/Publications/Documents/guidelines/Effective-handling-of-
complaints-made-to-your-organisation.pdf
LIFT THE LID
Watch this video and answer the questions. These will be discussed at the end of the video:
The Lounge (Virgin Blue) (02:00)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5ZYALO1jOQ
 Identify the types of customers that were unhappy with the Virgin Blue room.
 State what Virgin Blue did after they listened to the needs and wants of their customers.
 How did the new Virgin Blue Lounge come into being?
Resolving complaints within your job role

You may find that when you are dealing with a customers’ complaint it may not be within your own job
role to resolve it. Complaints that you come across must be resolved only within the authority or level
of responsibility that you hold with the organisation.
A job role defines what you are able to carry out as part of your duty as an employee. If you go
outside these boundaries it could cause a number of problems. For example, you may give a
customer a free night at a hotel because they had a bad experience and you thought that this was the
best solution. However, this may not be the policy of the hotel. It could lead to other customers
wanting the same result.
Any issues that are beyond your job role should be dealt with by your supervisor or further advice
sought.
When to escalating complex service issues

Escalating a complex service issues to higher level staff for action may be dependent upon the
complaints policy. Normally it would be escalated to the next level above your role and responsibility,
however, organisational guidelines should provide a clear process for you to follow.
When should you escalate:
 The process within the complaints handling or policy has been followed
 The customer requests it
 You can see that you will not be able to resolve the issue without further advice or support
 The requests being made are unreasonable
 Your safety is at risk
 The customer is causing other customers to doubt the service
 The customer has become aggressive
 You cannot resolve the problem or come to a reasonable solution that suits both parties.
What you don’t want to happen is for the situation to get out of control. You always want to ensure
that the customer is going to be provided with the best service possible, within the boundaries of the
organisation.
LIFT THE LID
Watch this humorous video, which is a compilation of varying customer complaints.

Complaint Handling and Service Recovery (04:31)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGyMGRc32QI
WHAT’S COOKING?
Divide into small groups. You should refer to the Ocean Tours Australia scenario so you can base
the organisation on the following: https://www.whalewatchingsydney.com.au
You are playing the role of an admin clerk who deals with bookings and customer service. You
have three customer complaints to resolve:
There is a double booking for a trip meaning that the tour has been overbooked. You emailed one
of the attendees who has emailed back complaining it wasn’t fair and they had planned the trip as
part of a birthday celebration and had to drive four hours to get to the tour.
A member of staff who organises refreshments for the whale tours has complained to you that after
each trip, her colleagues are taking home the leftover food and drink, and thinks it could be saved
for at least one more day. She does not want them to know that she complained.
A customer who recently returned from a whale watching trip didn’t see any whales. They use a
wheelchair and could not access the upper deck where most of the viewing was taking place. They
have come into the office and complained to you. (Your trainer will role play this part in a face to
face discussion.)
You must resolve the complaint using the following policy:
All complaints are to be dealt with by the customer service provider dealing with the initial issue.
Follow the complaints procedure below:
 Listen to the customer complaint
 Record the details
 Get all the facts
 Discuss options for solutions
 Aim to resolve the complaint
 Follow up with the customer
If the issue cannot be resolved it is to be immediately escalated to your supervisor.

You can make any reasonable assumptions as required.
Work through the policy and procedures to support solving the complaints.
You must show effective communication skills including active listening, clear and concise written
emails, positive body language and effective questioning techniques.
Draft an email to the supervisor explaining the complaint.
The supervisor will then email you back with the customer’s response.
Submit all work as professionally written documents within the timeframe allocated. Your trainer will
provide your group with feedback.
5: Providing internal feedback on customer service
practices
Providing internal feedback and suggested improvements

Internal feedback is the response that you receive from people within the organisation such as
colleagues, other functional units, vendors, supervisors.
The feedback received can support employee retention, streamline processes, increase collaboration,
provide transparency, increase cohesiveness and above all:
Increase customer satisfaction!
But how do you get feedback?
 Formal and informal methods
 Telephone interviews
 Questionnaires and surveys
 Focus groups
 Point of contact questioning
 Post contact questioning
 Observation or casual discussions.

Some examples would be:
 Sending out a web-based survey via the intranet
 Including a feedback survey in every monthly newsletter
 Providing a survey each time a complaint has been resolved
 Organising a regular focus group to discuss any issues or to provide an open forum for
discussing areas for improvement
 Requesting customer testimonials
 Seeking informal feedback from discussions with colleagues
 Using incentives for the exchange of feedback
 Providing an online portal for posting anonymous feedback.
As a member of staff, you should be able to provide feedback and suggest improvements so that any
issues, processes, problems, internal systems or customer complaints can be addressed.
It is important that the organisation then ensures that the feedback is responded to and suggested
improvements are discussed and if appropriate implemented. Receiving feedback from staff and
customers can be used to enhance customer service as the opinions received from customers about
their experience with the business can be used to adjust a business to fit customer needs more
accurately.
This feedback from both customers and staff can also help to improve products and services to meet
customer expectations, helps a business to measure customer satisfaction, demonstrates to
customers and employees that the business values their opinions, and gives the business data and
information to help with business decisions.
SHARE PLATE
As a group, identify the benefits as well as some disadvantages to using the following feedback
methods: formal and informal methods including questionnaires and surveys, focus groups and
online.
Your trainer will facilitate a class discussion about the outcomes.
LIFT THE LID
Read the following:

Customer feedback: Why it’s important and ways to collect it:
https://www.helpscout.com/blog/customer-feedback/
LIFT THE LID
You have been asked to seek formal and informal feedback from customers on the whale watching
service.
Using the following website www.surveymonkey.com create a short survey that could be used for
addressing the following:
 They want to find out if the whale watching trips are providing customer satisfaction and if not,
why not.
 They would like you to provide some suggestions for collecting informal feedback from
customers.
Submit your responses, along with a link to the survey, to your trainer for feedback.
Identification of recurring complaints and how to avoid them in
the future
It is important to identify any recurring complaints and deal with these accordingly so that they can be
avoided in the future. A recurring complaint could mean the:
 complaint was not addressed or resolved in the first instance
 solution did not work
 complaint was not heard properly
 complaint was not addressed according to policies and procedures.
But how to you avoid this occurring in the future? There may be a number of factors that can prevent
a complaint being solved. For example, an employee may avoid a complaint to avoid getting into
trouble, the complaint may be forgotten about, the organisation may not take the complaint seriously,
the complaints procedure or policy may not work.
Some strategies to avoid this could be:
 clearly communicated organisational standards, policies and procedures, including a clear

procedure for solving complaints.
 a complaint system that is user-friendly for customers, visible and easily accessed by the public
 using a formal method of recording complaints through either forms, registers or email
 having clear lines of authority to define responsibility for dealing with complaints at every level
 customer service staff trained in solving complaints, grievances, negotiation skills and dispute
resolution.
LIFT THE LID
Read the following:
 A look at customer complaints and how to handle them:
https://www.aptechaviationacademy.com/common-customer-complaints-in-the-hospitality-
industry-and-the-tricks-to-handle-them
 Tips for preventing customer complaints:
https://fonolo.com/blog/2015/12/10-tips-for-preventing-customer-complaints-for-the-coming-
year/
LIFT THE LID
There has been another complaint with a double booking for one of the whale watching tours.
The booking staff are complaining that the system does not work properly and that’s the reason.
It is come to your attention that some members of staff are not using the system to its full potential.
You have been asked to provide some internal feedback on how this could be avoided in the future.
Discuss in your group and come up with a solution.
Your trainer will facilitate a class discussion on each group’s response.

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Contents

1: Communicating with internal and external customers 5

 Follow defined organisational standards when delivering service.

 Provide service to customers.

 Respond to customer complaints.

 Provide internal feedback on customer service practices.

Timely and professional communication with customers

 Excellent customer service is a critical aspect of a successful business.

 It can help to attracting new customers.

 It can support keeping existing customers.

 Understand what a customer expects in terms of good customer service.

 Welcome positive and negative feedback received from customers.

Clear Brief Customised Explanatory Positive

There must It must be to Communication It should give The

 Presenting information according to organisational standards

 Upholding organisational standards during communication

 Abiding by policies and procedures for communication

 Knowledge of the organisation’s product or service

 Providing accurate information

 It supports a customer receiving a prompt service

 It keeps the customer informed about the service being delivered

 It can establish trust and reliability

 Engages the client

 It builds a good customer relationship

 Can help to keep a customer satisfied

 Can show transparency

 Demonstrates a high level of professionalism

 Can stop a customer from leaving or being dissatisfied.

 Answer the phone within three rings

 Respond to emails within 24 hours

LIFT THE LID

Read the following:

 Why it is important to have timely communication:

 The 7Cs of Effective Communication:

 Using effective listening skills

 Letting the customer speak and not interrupting

 Being positive and cheerful

 Using non-verbal communication skills.

 A short description of a special’s menu.

 A short description of services provided for a hotel.

 the choice of language used

 the level of formality or familiarity used

 abbreviations, colloquialisms, jargon or industry terms used.

 the rate at which you speak

 pauses you take

 the emphasis given to certain words

 the pitch and tone of your voice

 5how loudly or softly you speak.

Some non-verbal communication include:

 gestures used during verbal communication

 facial expressions used

 how close you stand to people when you talk

 the amount of eye contact used

 how you show you understand.

Non-verbal communication Appropriate for customer service

Body language Positive, open

Dress and accessories Avoid skimpy clothing

Gestures and mannerisms Using gestures to facilitate understanding such as

Use of space Maintaining personal space

Voice tonality and volume Using a warm friendly tone

Read the following:

 Difference between verbal and nonverbal communication:

 Managing nonverbal communication in the workplace: