Demonstrated knowledge required to complete the tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit:
principles of quality customer service
specific industry sector:
professional service standards for service industry personnel
attitudes and attributes expected by the service industries to work with customers
roles and responsibilities of management, supervisors and operational personnel in providing quality service
sources of information on current service trends and changes that affect service delivery
internal and external environmental changes and their effect on planning for quality customer service:
changes in the competitive environment
economic climate
introduction of new technologies or equipment
management changes and organisational restructures
recruitment practices
trends in customer service preferences
methods of formal and informal customer research:
analysis of competitive environment and industry service trends
customer service surveys
customer focus groups
qualitative or quantitative research
seeking feedback from service delivery colleagues
questioning customers
methods of implementing quality service provision:
developing, implementing and monitoring customer service policies and procedures
involving staff in the development of customer service practices
evaluating staff and customer feedback
methods of assessing the effectiveness of customer service practices:
examining overall business performance
monitoring the ongoing effectiveness of:
staff in meeting customer service standards
policies and procedures in explaining practices
reviewing numbers and nature of:
complaints
disputes
responses of customers
reviewing customer satisfaction survey statistics
methods of obtaining feedback from customers:
customer service discussions with employees during the course of each business day
discussions with customers
formal customer interviews
regular staff meetings that involve service discussions
seeking staff suggestions for content of customer service policies and procedures
surveys of internal customers, external customers and staff
improvements suggested by:
customers involved in complaints or disputes
suppliers
staff, supervisors and managers
industry schemes, accreditation schemes and codes of conduct aimed at improving customer service
areas where organisational policies and procedures assist in ensuring quality customer service:
acknowledging and greeting customers
complaint and dispute management
authority for different level personnel to resolve complaints, disputes, service issues and customer compensation
loyalty programs
presentation standards for customer environment and customer service personnel
pricing and service guarantees
product quality
refunds and cancellation fees
response times
staff training for:
customer service
technical skills
objectives, components and comprehensive details of consumer protection laws that relate to customer service, and the business’ responsibility for:
nominating and charging cancellation fees
providing information on potential price increases
providing refunds
supplying products as described or substituting suitable products when unable
formats for and content of policies and procedures.
Skills must be demonstrated in an operational business environment for which tailored customer service practices are required. This can be:
an industry workplace
a simulated industry environment.
Assessment must ensure access to:
current plain English regulatory documents distributed by government consumer protection regulators
codes of practice and standards for customer service issued by industry groups
sources of information on customer needs, complaints and feedback
customer surveys and feedback collection tools and templates
team members with whom the individual can interact; these can be:
staff in an industry workplace during the assessment process; or
individuals who participate in role plays or simulated activities, set up for the purpose of assessment, in a simulated industry environment operated within a training organisation.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations’ requirements for assessors.