Application
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to use communication skills to engage with diverse customers to determine their needs, take opportunities to enhance the quality of service provided and promote additional services. It requires the ability to respond to difficult behaviour and complaints. Service provision could be face-to-face, via electronic means or over the telephone.
This unit applies to those frontline service personnel who deal with customers on a daily basis. They work with some independence, under limited supervision and guidance from others but ultimately under the supervising pharmacist.
No occupational licensing, certification or specific legislative requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENTS | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Communicate with internal and external customers. | 1.1.Communicate with customers in a polite, professional and friendly manner within designated response times. 1.2.Use appropriate language and tone in both written and spoken communication. 1.3.Observe, respond to and use appropriate non verbal communication. 1.4.Use active listening and questioning to facilitate effective two way communication. 1.5.Select and use communication medium and format appropriate to the situation. |
2. Provide service to customers. | 2.1.Respect and respond to diverse customers and their varying needs. 2.2.Establish rapport with customers to promote goodwill and trust during service delivery. 2.3.Identify customer needs and expectations using tact and discretion. 2.4.Recognise and respond to customers with special needs, and adapt communication style accordingly. 2.5.Anticipate customer questions and provide appropriate scope and depth of information to meet their needs. 2.6.Provide appropriate service time and special assistance to customers with special needs. 2.7.Monitor time and proactively communicate with customers to manage competing customer service priorities. 2.8.Identify high-risk customers and refer to relevant colleagues when services needs go beyond scope of own job role. |
3. Enhance and promote services. | 3.1.Identify and take opportunities to enhance service quality beyond immediate requests of customers. 3.2.Use communication skills to engage with customers and anticipate broader customer needs. 3.3.Consider full range of products and services offered when providing services. 3.4.Recognise potential health care support needs and provide current and accurate information on options. 3.5.Regularly obtain information to update knowledge of current and new pharmacy health care support services. |
4. Respond to behaviours of concern. | 4.1.Identify potential for conflict and take swift and tactful action to prevent escalation. 4.2.Deal with behaviours of concern firmly and diplomatically using resolution techniques to manage challenging circumstances. 4.3.Take action discreetly to minimise impact on other customers. 4.4.Prioritise safety of self and others, identify threats and request assistance. |
5. Respond to customer complaints. | 5.1.Recognise customer dissatisfaction and take swift action to avoid escalation to a complaint. 5.2.Respond to customer complaints positively, sensitively and politely. 5.3.Seek solutions by consulting the customer. 5.4.Resolve complaints according to individual empowerment and organisational policy. 5.5.Refer complex service issues to relevant colleagues according to organisational procedures. 5.6.Maintain a positive and cooperative manner at all times. |
Evidence of Performance
Evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit in the context of the job role, and:
communicate effectively and provide quality customer service to customers of diverse ages, physical wellbeing and cultural background
manage six customer interactions using the following communication methods:
face-to-face (at least four)
telephone
respond appropriately to:
two complaints
two situations where customers exhibit behaviours of concern.
Evidence of Knowledge
Demonstrated knowledge required to complete the tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit:
principles of quality customer service and positive communication
communication techniques:
open and closed questioning
active listening
verbal and non-verbal cues
voice tonality and volume
body language
methods for conveying information clearly and concisely
essential features, conventions and usage of these types of communication media:
telephone
general characteristics of the main social and cultural groups in Australian society and key aspects of their cultural and religious protocols and preferences for service and communication
professional service standards expected of pharmacy service industry personnel; expected attitudes, attributes and ethics to work with customers:
discretion
patience
respect
sensitivity
tact
tolerance
community pharmacy industry and organisational:
types of internal and external customers; their service and communication expectations
types of high risk customers
designated response times for acknowledging customers and their enquiry
personal presentation standards
customer service policies and procedures including those for handling complaints and difficult customer behaviour
basic aspects of stresses faced by customers with special circumstances, their potential needs, and communication techniques to manage these types of customers, including when referral to the pharmacist is indicated:
alcohol and/or drug affected
people with disabilities
people with mental health issues
the elderly
the physically unwell
those with special language or cultural needs
basic causes and types of behaviours of concern exhibited by community pharmacy customers:
aggression and verbal abuse
confusion and cognitive impairment
intoxication and influence of illicit drugs
intrusive behaviour
manipulation
noisiness
wandering
conflict theory:
signs
stages and levels of escalation
types of resolution or result
complaint and conflict resolution and communication techniques:
assertiveness
active listening
empathy
non
language style
negotiation
key provisions of the Community Pharmacy Service Charter
sources of information on pharmacy health care support services:
Commonwealth Government Department of Health
Current Community Pharmacy Agreement
in-house information system
industry associations
online and printed brochures
types of health care support and professional services offered by pharmacies, including the basic features, benefits, administration and service requirements of:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Programs; those relevant to customer interaction
Australian Needle and Syringe Program
blood glucose testing
blood pressure testing
obstructive sleep apnoea services
supply and hire of home health care aids and equipment
Medicines Use review (MUR)
Home Medicines Review (HMR)
Diabetes Medication Management Service
provision of Dose Administration Aids (DAAs)
a range of formats for and inclusions of information presented to customers.
Assessment Conditions
Skills must be demonstrated in a community pharmacy customer service environment. This can be:
an industry workplace
a simulated industry environment.
Assessment must ensure use of:
information technology hardware and software
online information systems
telephones
community pharmacy industry policies and procedures:
customer service
complaint handling
handling behaviours of concern
current Community Pharmacy Service Charter
online and printed brochures describing pharmacy health care services
customers with whom the individual can interact; these can be:
customers in an industry workplace who are served by the individual 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
assessment activities that allow the individual to work with commercial speed, timing and productivity to provide information and advice to customers within acceptable industry and organisational timeframes.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisation’s requirements for assessors, and:
have worked in the pharmacy sector for at least two years.
Foundation Skills
Foundation skills essential to performance in this unit, but not explicit in the performance criteria are listed here, along with a brief context statement. | |
Reading skills to: | interpret written customer communications of varying complexity. |
Technology skills to: | use online information systems operate telephone equipment. |
Sectors
Community Pharmacy
Competency Field
Client and Customer Service