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

Requirements of equalities legislation may include

• ensuring appropriate access for all customers e.g. ramps, rails
• provision of information in different formats to meet the needs of all customers
• access within the building e.g. lower counters, signs in braille, hearing loops
• data protection and confidentiality

Assessment Criteria

• 2.1
  Outline how organisations use policies and procedures to quality assure their 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 e.g. answering questions, listening to requests
• providing information using formats to meet the needs of customers
• effective body language and non-verbal communication
• positive and motivated attitude

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. 

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.