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LO5 – Customer service
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Customer service policies

Role of the administrative assistant

Communication

Benefits of effective customer service

Effects of poor customer service
By the end of this lesson you should be able to:
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Identify policies which exist to help ensure
customer loyalty.
Apply research skills to customer service in the
business world.
Identify methods of gaining information from
customers.
Demonstrate understanding by answering exam
question.
Mission statement
An outline of the organisation’s main aims and focus
– what does the organisation stand for?
Customer service strategy
Written statement of principles relating to
organisational customer service.
Covers:

the statement to the customer – what level of
service can they expect?

standards that can be expected

loyalty schemes

formal complaints procedure - organisational and
customer.
Loyalty schemes
Reward customers for loyalty, eg points can be
gained by spending in store and exchanged for
goods.
Complaints procedure
Guide for customers and the organisation.
Covers:



market research
– customer focus groups
– customer satisfaction surveys
mystery customer
quality management systems (total quality
management.

Face-to-face meetings where customer gives
feedback.

Provides feedback on products and service.

Organisation can adapt products based on
feedback.

Used for feedback on product on service.

Example: restaurants on level of service, choice
of menu.

Allows the organisation to build on strengths and
address weaknesses.

People employed to act as public in stores,
restaurants, hairdressers.

Allows organisation to gather information on levels
of service.

Can report on areas such as how complaints were
handled and whether staff follow procedures.

Allows the organisation to notify customers of how
to make a complaint.

Allows employees to identify the correct way of
dealing with complaints.

Ensures complaints are dealt with efficiently and in
a consistent manner.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Have a procedure in place.
Make sure staff and customers know the
procedure.
Record all complaints.
Train staff in dealing with complaints.
Track the process.
Deal with complaints quickly and maintain
communication.
8.
9.
Let the customer know progress.
Establish timelines to deal with complaints – let
the customer know of any deviation.
10.
Communicate results quickly.
11.
Review complaints to identify patterns.