SITXCCS003
Interact with customers


Application

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to deliver fundamental customer service to both internal and external customers. It requires the ability to greet and serve customers, and respond to a range of basic customer service enquiries, including routine customer problems.

The unit applies to frontline service personnel who operate under close supervision and with guidance from others. They provide routine customer service and would not be expected to respond to complex customer requests or complaints.

The unit applies to individuals working in a range of tourism, travel, hospitality and events contexts.

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. Greet and serve customers.

1.1.Prioritise customers ahead of other workplace duties.

1.2.Greet customers according to organisational customer service standards.

1.3.Communicate with customers in a clear and professional manner.

1.4.Explain and match products and services to customer needs.

2. Work with others to deliver service.

2.1.Identify personal limitations in serving the needs of customers and seek assistance from others where appropriate.

2.2.Follow directions of supervisors and managers to deliver quality service.

2.3.Resolve routine customer problems according to own level of responsibility and organisational policy.

2.4.Escalate other service issues to a higher level staff member for action in line with organisational procedures.

3. Provide feedback on customer service.

3.1.Report service issues and customer problems as they arise.

3.2.Provide customer feedback to relevant supervisors or managers.

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:

identify customer requirements and provide effective customer service to two different internal and two different external customers to meet requirements

interact with above customers in line with organisational customer service standards and within designated organisational response times

demonstrate procedures to respond to three different customer problems according to organisational policies and procedures

identify situations where problems are beyond own level of responsibility, and process to escalate in line with organisational policies and procedures

seek informal feedback from customers on above activities.


Evidence of Knowledge

Demonstrated knowledge required to complete the tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit:

importance of the customer in the service industries

customer service standards expected in the service industries

profiles of different types of customers:

external

internal

new

regular or repeat

visitors

value and role of customer feedback in improving service delivery

presentation standards for:

customer environment

customer service personnel

documents and promotional materials

customer service policies and procedures:

application of booking or cancellation fees

response times for acknowledging and greeting customers

response times for delivering products and services

customer service policies for resolving routine customer problems

policies regarding product pricing and quality

processing refunds and exchanges

empowerment of different levels of personnel to resolve complaints, disputes, service issues and customer compensation

policies for escalating and reporting service issues and customer problems

procedures for responding to routine customer problems:

incorrect pricing of products and services

delays or errors in providing products or services

misunderstanding customer requests.


Assessment Conditions

Skills must be demonstrated in an operational business environment where customers are served. This can be:

an industry workplace

a simulated industry environment.

Assessment must ensure access to:

organisational policies and procedures relating to:

customer service standards

designated response times

presentation standards

dealing with customer problems

recording and reporting customer feedback

internal and external customers with whom the individual can interact; these can be:

customers 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.


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.

SKILLS

DESCRIPTION

Reading skills to:

interpret sometimes detailed procedures documents.

Writing skills to:

record simple notes and basic information.

Oral communication skills to:

ask questions and actively listen to customers to determine their needs

discuss causes of customer problems with colleagues and supervisors in a professional manner.

Problem-solving skills to:

recognise customer problems and resolve or refer service issues.

Initiative and enterprise skills to:

recognise delays and deficiencies in customer service and rectify to customer satisfaction in line with own level of responsibility.


Range Statement

Specifies different work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included.

Range is restricted to essential operating conditions and any other variables essential to the work environment.

Ways to communicate with customers must include:

communicating:

by telephone

electronically

face-to-face

showing interest in customer needs and maintaining a welcoming customer environment during service delivery through the use of:

appropriate voice tonality and volume

basic gestures

product information sheets.

Others must include:

colleagues

managers

supervisors.


Sectors

Cross-Sector


Competency Field

Client and Customer Service