BUS151 People Skills
Chapter 1
What is Customer Service?
Customer Service
The ability of knowledgeable, capable, and
enthusiastic employees to deliver products
and services to their internal and external
customers in a manner that satisfies
identified and unidentified needs and
ultimately results in positive word-of-mouth
publicity and return business.
Impact of the Economy
Quantity of Jobs Being Created
•
•
•
Interest rates and consumer demand
New technical skills needed in computer hardware,
software, and maintenance
People being replaced by machines - thus eliminating need
for staff (downsizing)
Distribution of Jobs
•
•
Regular access to personnel and professional networks
Telecommuting eliminates need to daily travel to work
Quality of Service Jobs
•
Measured differently by people: Pay – benefits – job security –
growth – travel – work environment – structure of job –
occupational safety
“Learning” Organizations

One that uses knowledge as a basis for
competitive advantage.
This means providing ongoing training and
development opportunities to employees so that they
can gain and maintain cutting-edge skills and
knowledge while projecting a positive can-do
customer-focused attitude.

Ensures that there are systems that can
adequately compensate and reward employees
based on their performance.
Societal Factors Affecting
Customer Service

Shifts in the population growth
Less children; 2/3 not US citizens ; more mobilization

Increased efficiency in technology
Machines work 24 hours a day;
Internet access available in most homes

Globalization of the economy
More competition worldwide for foreign products/services

Deregulation of many industries
Removal of government restrictions on industry
Societal Factors Affecting
Customer Service (cont’d)

Geopolitical changes
Political unrest; conflicts/wars

Increase in the # of white-color workers
Movement out of factories and farms; creation of new jobs

Socioeconomic programs
Provides job seekers with a wide range of services


More women entering the workforce
A more diverse population is entering the
workforce
Societal Factors Affecting
Customer Service (cont’d)

Older workers entering the workforce

Desire for better use of leisure time

Expectation of quality service

Better-educated customers

Increased number of small businesses

Growth of e-commerce
Components of a CustomerFocused Environment
The customer
– Key component in a customer-focused
environment
– All aspects of the organization resolve around the
customer
– Internal (coworkers, employees) and external
customers (current or potential customers or
clients)
Organization culture
– What the customer experiences
Human resources
– Must recruit and train qualified people
Components of a CustomerFocused Environment (cont’d)
Products/Deliverables
– Actual product or service provided
– Two areas of customer satisfaction/dissatisfaction:
quality and quantity
Delivery system
– Methods by which the product or service is
delivered
Service
– Manner in which you and other employees teat
customer – and each other – as your company
delivers product or service.