Application
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to communicate effectively with and provide quality service to both internal and external customers. It requires the ability to establish rapport with customers, determine and address customer needs and expectations, and respond to complaints.
The unit applies to those frontline service personnel who deal directly with customers on a daily basis and who operate with some level of independence and under limited supervision.
This includes 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. Communicate with internal and external customers. | 1.1.Communicate with customers in a professional manner within designated response times using appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication. 1.2.Observe and respond to non-verbal communication of customers. 1.3.Use active listening and questioning to facilitate effective two-way communication. 1.4.Select a medium of communication appropriate for the customer and situation. |
2. Follow defined organisational standards when delivering service. | 2.1.Practise high standards of personal presentation and hygiene according to organisational requirements. 2.2.Follow organisational customer service policies and procedures. 2.3.Adhere to professional standards expected of service industry personnel. |
3. Provide service to customers. | 3.1.Establish rapport with customer to promote goodwill and trust during service delivery. 3.2.Identify customer needs and expectations, including customers with special needs. 3.3.Promptly meet all reasonable customer needs and requests. 3.4.Identify and anticipate operational problems and take action to minimise the effect on customer satisfaction. 3.5.Recognise and act upon opportunities to deliver additional levels of service beyond customer’s immediate request. |
4. Respond to customer complaints. | 4.1.Proactively recognise customer dissatisfaction and take swift action to avoid escalation to a complaint. 4.2.Respond to customer complaints in a professional manner. 4.3.Identify solutions in consultation with customer. 4.4.Resolve complaints according to own level of responsibility and organisational policy. 4.5.Escalate complex service issues to higher level staff for action. |
5. Provide internal feedback on customer service practices. | 5.1.Provide ongoing internal feedback on service practices, policies and procedures, and suggest improvements. 5.2.Identify individual and recurring complaints and provide internal feedback to avoid future occurrence. |
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 quality customer service to three different internal and three different external customers to meet requirements
provide service to above customers in line with organisational customer service standards and within designated organisational response times
demonstrate procedures to respond to and resolve three different customer complaints according to organisational policies and procedures
demonstrate effective communication with the above internal and external customers, including any with special needs
seek formal and informal feedback from customers on above service.
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
appropriate non-verbal communication for customer service:
body language
culturally specific communication customs and practices
dress and accessories
gestures and mannerisms
use of space
voice tonality and volume
methods for enhancing service delivery in response to staff and customer feedback
specific industry sector:
professional service standards expected of service industry personnel
attitudes and attributes expected by the service industries to work with customers
standards of personal presentation and hygiene
different customer service and communication expectations, especially those with special service needs
particular organisation:
types of customers
external
internal
new
regular or repeat
visitors
designated response times for acknowledging customers and their enquiry
personal presentation and hygiene standards
customer service policies and procedures, in particular those for:
acknowledging and greeting customers
complaint and dispute management
empowerment of different levels of personnel to resolve complaints, disputes, service issues and customer compensation
loyalty programs
presentation standards for customer environment, customer service personnel, and documents and promotional materials
pricing guarantees
product quality
refunds and cancellation fees
response times
service guarantees
training staff for customer service and complaint handling
awareness of special needs, customs and practices of various social and cultural groups of customers in regards to:
modes of greeting, farewelling and conversation
body language and body gestures
formality of language
clothing
methods of collecting feedback:
formal:
surveys
interviews
structured questioning
informal:
observation
casual discussion
essential features, conventions and usage of different types of communication techniques and equipment.
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, procedures and templates relating to:
customer service standards
designated response times
presentation standards
procedures for dealing with customer complaints
customer surveys and feedback collection
recording and reporting customer feedback
internal and external customers with different cultural backgrounds and special service needs 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 messages, notes, letters, online communications, and policies and procedures. |
Writing skills to: | record clear and concise messages, notes, emails, faxes and letters. |
Self-management skills to: | deal with customer enquiries in a logical sequence while accommodating other work commitments. |
Technology skills to: | use electronic communication media. |
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. | |
Medium of communication must include consideration of: | assistive technology email or other electronic communication face-to-face communication fax written messages for restaurant bookings or phone messages standard forms and pro formas telephone use of interpreters two-way communication systems. |
Situation must involve consideration of the following factors: | access of the sender and receiver to necessary equipment and technology degree of formality required required format technical and operational features to fulfil the need technical skills required to use the medium urgency and timeframes. |
Sectors
Cross-Sector
Competency Field
Client and Customer Service