ANSWERS
KEY TERMS
The answers to the statements (Key Terms) are placed below the statements:
customer-centricmission
customer-friendly systemsRUMBA
employee expectationsservice culture
employee rolesservice delivery systems
empowermentservice measurement
feel, felt, found techniqueservice philosophy
menteeswhat customers want
mentors
- A process for expressing empathy and concern for people and for helping them understand that you can relate to their situation.
Answer: feel, felt, found technique
- Things that customers typically desire but do not necessarily need.
Answer: what customers want
- The mechanisms or strategies used by an organization to provide service to customers.
Answer: service delivery systems
- Refers to the processes in an organization that make service to customers seamless by ensuring that things work properly and the customer is satisfied.
Answer: customer-friendly systems
- The word used to describe the giving of decision-making and problem-resolution authority to lower-level employees in an organization.
Answer: empowerment
- Individuals who dedicate time and effort to befriend and assist others.
Answer: mentors
- Typically less experienced recipients of the efforts of mentors.
Answer: mentees
- Techniques used by organizations to determine how customers perceive the value of services and products received.
Answer: service measurement
- Task assignments that service providers assume.
Answer: employee roles
- Perceptions about positive and negative aspects of the workplace.
Answer: employee expectations
- An acronym for five criteria (realistic, understandable, measurable, believable, and attainable) used to establish and measure employee performance goals.
Answer: RUMBA
- A term used to describe service providers and organizations that put their customers first and spend time, effort and money identifying and focusing on the needs of current and potential customers.
Answer: customer-centric
- The direction or focus of an organization that supports day-to-day interactions with customers.
Answer: mission
- The approach that an organization takes to providing service and addressing the needs of customers.
Answer: service philosophy
- A service environment made up of various factors, including the values, beliefs, norms, rituals and practices of a group or organization.
Answer: service culture
ASSESSMENT CHECK
Learning Objective 1
Explain the elements of a service culture.
- What is a service culture in an organization?
Answer: It is different for each organization. No two organizations operate in the same manner, have the same focus, or provide management that accomplishes the same result.
- Why is it important for successful companies to be customer-centric?
Answer: Customer-centric describes service providers and organizations that put their customers first and spend time, effort and money identifying and focusing on the needs of current and potential customers. Efforts are focused on building long-term relationships and customer loyalty rather than simply selling a product or service and moving on to the next customer.
- Explain the mission or service philosophy of an organization. From where is it driven?
Answer: The mission is the direction or focus of an organization that supports day-to-day interactions with customers. The approach that an organization takes to provide service and address the needs of customers is its service philosophy. An organization’s approach to business, its mission or service philosophy is driven from the top of the organization. Without a clearly planned and communicated vision, the service ethic ends at the highest level. Leadership, real or perceived, is crucial to service success.
- What gives employee roles and employee expectations their definition?
Answer: Depending on the job, the size and type of the organization, and the industry involved, the roles and expectations may be similar from one organization to another, and yet they may be performed in a variety of different ways.
- Explain the key roles of a manager, supervisor, and/or team leader.
Answer: That role is to provide effective, ongoing, coaching, counseling and training to you and your peers. By doing this, management can pass on valuable information, guide employees, and aid in employee professional development.
Learning Objective 2
Define a service strategy.
- What are the first steps a company can take in creating or redefining its service environment?
Answer: The company should do an inspection of its systems and practices to decide where the company is now and where it needs to be competitive.
- What is the best way to create a service culture?
Answer: The best way is to get everyone in the organization involved in planning and brainstorming. Everyone should be encouraged to share ideas about how and where internal changes need to be made to be more responsive to customer needs.
- What questions should a service provider ask in determining needed approaches for service success?
Answer: Who is my customer?
What am I currently doing or what can I do to help achieve organizational excellence?
Do I focus all my efforts on total customer satisfaction?
Am I empowered to make the decisions necessary to serve my customer?
If not, what levels of authority should I discuss with my supervisor?
Are there policies and procedures that inhibit my ability to serve the customer? If so, what recommendations about changing policies and procedures can I make?
When was the last time I told my customers that I sincerely appreciated their business?
In what areas of organizational skills and product and service knowledge do I need additional information?
Learning Objective 3
Recognize customer-friendly systems.
- What are the components of customer-friendly systems?
Answer: Advertising, complaint resolution, and delivery systems
- How do managers lead by example?
Answer: They lead by demonstrating their commitment to quality sincere efforts. It’s not enough to authorize glitzy service promotional campaigns and send out directives informing employees of management’s support for customer initiatives; managers must get involved.
- Name some customer-friendly systems that can send positive messages that “we care” or “you’re important to us.”
Answer: Part of the effectiveness of serving customers can be accomplished through policies and practices, such as advertising and complaint resolution. The way in which a company handles complaints or problems can signal the organization’s concern for customer satisfaction.
- Explain the use and importance of delivery systems.
Answer: Two key factors involved in delivery are transportation modes (how the products/services are physically delivered) and location (facilities located centrally and easily accessible by customers). There is a delicate balance in selecting a service delivery system because each customer is unique and has personal preferences. Some prefer a hands-off, self-service approach; others resent and often interpret the lack of personal attention as a loss of caring.
- Why is it important to constantly gauge service effectiveness?
Answer: Organizations have a number of ways to find out how well they are or are not doing (e.g., focus groups, mystery shoppers, surveys, comment cards, profit and loss statements or management reports, exit interviews, audits, and management visits and inspections). Once they find out the results of the data collection, the results should be shared. Each employee has a vested interest in improvement.
Learning Objective 4
Implement strategies for promoting a positive service culture.
- Why is it necessary to have a plan to perform effectively in customer service?
Answer: Twelve strategies for building service success are:
Explore your organization’s vision.
Help communicate the culture and vision to customers—daily.
Demonstrate ethical behavior.
Identify and improve your service skills.
Become an expert on your organization.
Demonstrate commitment.
Partner with customers.
Work with your customer’s interest in mind.
Treat vendors and supplies as customers.
Share resources.
Work with, not against, your customers.
Provide service follow-up.
You need to do the above to help your company become an excellent, rather than an average, company.
- On what is ethical behavior based?
Answer: It is based on values—those of society, the organization and its employees. These values are a combination of beliefs, ideologies, perceptions, experiences, and a sense of what is right (appropriate) and wrong (inappropriate).
- Why is service follow-up an important component?
Answer: It is one of the most important service components. Service does not end when the service encounter or sale concludes.
- What are some opportunities for follow-up?
Answer: To ensure customer satisfaction, telephone callback or formal customer service surveys can be conducted. An informal process such as thank-you cards, birthday cards, special sale mailings and other efforts take little time and may reap long-term benefits by letting customers know you want to keep them.
Learning Objective 5
Separate average companies from exceptional companies.
- In determining the service environment of a company you are considering for employment or are currently employed, there is an important characteristic to find out about? Explain it.
Answer: You may ask to find out (or observe if on an internship or if you already work there) if executives spend time with customers and employees, if innovation is encouraged and rewarded, if training is provided, and if technology is widespread. These answers can help determine the customer service function and if you want to be there. Finding these items out will help you determine how it treats its customers and on what its service philosophy is based.
Learning Objective 6
Identify what customers want.
- Explain what customers want from an organization.
Answer: Personal recognition, courtesy, timely service, professionalism, enthusiastic service, empathy and patience.
- What seven common things do customers want?
Answer: They want the seven items shown in # 1, and they also want value for their money and efficient, effective service.
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS
Learning Objectives 1, 2, 3
- How does the definition of a service culture contribute to the service philosophy or mission of an organization and its recognition of customer-friendly systems?
Answer: Service culture is different for every organization, since no two have the same focus, operate in the same manner, or provide management that accomplishes the same results. The approach to business, the mission or service philosophy is driven from the top of the organization. Upper management sets the vision or tone and direction of the organization. Without a clearly planned and communicated vision, the service ethic ends at the highest level. Leadership, real and perceived, is crucial to service success. Customer-friendly systems are composed of advertising, complaint resolution and delivery systems components. A service culture starts at the top and filters down to the front-line employees. By demonstrating their commitment to quality service efforts, managers lead by example.
Learning Objective 4
- What plan or strategy do you need to perform effectively as a customer service professional? You need a plan.
Answer:Twelve strategies for success will help you plan for success:
Explore your organization’s vision.
Help communicate the culture and vision to customer—daily.
Demonstrate ethical behavior.
Identify and improve your service skills.
Become an expert on your organization.
Demonstrate commitment.
Partner with customers.
Work with your customer’s interests in mind.
Treat vendors and suppliers as customers.
Share resources.
Work with, not against, your customers.
Provide service follow-up.
Learning Objectives 5, 6
- Show the relationship between an exceptional company and understanding what customers want.
Answer: It is important to understand what makes an organization successful in serving customers. Ask yourself questions about the service environment to determine how the company views customer service and its customers.
Customers expect effective, efficient service and value for their money. How a company views its customers and even how it handles returns will help move it from an average company to an exceptional one.
PRACTICE TEST ANSWERS
Multiple- Choice / Learning Objectives / Page1. B / LO1 / 34
2. D / LO1 / 34
3. D / LO1 / 35
4. A / LO1 / 36
5. C / LO1 / 37
6. D / LO1 / 38
7. A / LO1 / 42
8. D / LO1 / 42
9. B / LO1 / 43
10. C / LO2 / 44
11. D / LO3 / 44
12. B / LO3 / 48
13. B / LO4 / 49-52
14. C / LO5 / 52
15. D / LO6 / 52-54
True-False / Learning Objectives / Page
1. T / LO1 / 31
2. T / LO1 / 32
3. F / LO1 / 33
4. T / LO1 / 33
5. T / LO1 / 34
6. F / LO1 / 34
7. F / LO2 / 44
8. T / LO2 / 44
9. F / LO3 / 44
10. F / LO3 / 44
11. F / LO3 / 46
12. T / LO4 / 49
13. T / LO5 / 52-53
14. F / LO6 / 53
15. T / LO6 / 53
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