Working with Customers

Understand the importance of customer service.

Benefits of building positive relationships with customers may include:

• customer loyalty
• customer recommendations to new customers
• profitable
• effective communication ensures effective and efficient business

Ways interactions with employees can influence customer opinions may include:

• respect for each other and their opinions
• evokes the culture of the organisation
• customer will want to return or not

Assessment Criteria

• 1.1

  Explain the benefits to an organisation of building positive relations with its customers, both internal and external.

• 1.2

  Explain how interactions with employees influence a customer’s opinion of the organisation as a whole.

Know how organisations ensure effective customer service.

Ways to use policies and procedures may include:

• ensure all staff understand how to implement policies and procedures through training and supervision
• setting targets and measuring success
• use of different methods of customer feedback

Equalities legislation means that is it illegal to discriminate against anyone on grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity. Examples of these requirements when dealing with customers may include:

• ensuring appropriate access for all customers e.g. ramps, rails
• provision of information in different formats to meet reasonable needs of customers
• access within the building e.g. lower counters, signs in braille, hearing loops
• prayer rooms
• seating for pregnant women or the elderly

Assessment Criteria

• 2.1

  Outline how organisations use policies and procedures to ensure effective customer service.

• 2.2

  Outline the requirements of equalities legislation when dealing with customers.

Know about effective customer service.

Typical tasks may include:

• answering enquiries
• finding information or products
• responding to complaints
• carrying out tasks for the customer (service industries)
• problem solving

Ways to provide customer service may include:

• effective communication skills eg answering questions, listening to requests
• providing information using formats to meet the needs of customers
• meeting customer’s needs and wants
• effective body language and non-verbal communication
• positive and motivated attitude
• personal appearance

Assessment Criteria

• 3.1

  Describe typical customer service tasks and activities in a chosen sector.

• 3.2

  Outline how to provide effective customer service in a chosen sector.

Be able to interact positively with customers.

Learners need to provide sufficient and valid evidence to achieve this outcome. Through this learning outcome learners will apply the knowledge and understanding gained in LOs 1– 3.

Assessment Criteria

• 4.1

  Respond positively to customer queries and requests.

• 4.2

  Communicate appropriately with customers.

• 4.3

  Offer help, advice or guidance to customers.

• 4.4

  Follow given protocols for referring customers to colleagues, where appropriate.