Syllabus/Schedule
Spring 2006
ATC 183
Customer Care
“I’m tempted to suggest you simply reread the Golden Rule.
It remains the best short description of customer service ever written.”
Paul B. Brown “For Service, Please Hold” (Inc. 5/89)
Course Information
ATC 183 Customer Care
Wednesdays 12:30 pm - 3:40 PM
Instructor
3 units
Room TE2-206
Kathleen Reiland
Office Hours
Office voice mail: (714) 484-7411
Email: KReiland@cypresscollege.edu
Office TE 2, Room 210
Monday 10:00 AM – 12:30 AM
Tuesday 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Wed.
10::00 AM – noon
Additional times available by appointment.
Required Text
Customer Service: Career Success Through Customer Service: Prentice Hall
ISBN 0-13-085981
Supplemental and Optional Reading: Corporate Reports and Course Reader (provided in class)
Nuts: Southwest Airlines’ Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal Success by Kevin Freiberg.
Dell: 1998. ISBN 0767907843 (optional reading)
Catalog Description
This course examines the priority of customer service and satisfaction in the competitive airline/travel industry.
Topics include the safety regulations and service standards of the Federal Aviation Administration, the
Department of Transportation, and the airlines themselves. Students will study these standards in relation to
current performance, public opinion, and service ideology. Students will “shop” airlines and service related
businesses to gain tools for developing a personal approach to customer care.
Objectives
Upon completion of the course the student will be able to:
 Identify how the FAA and DOT develop and monitor safety regulations/service standards
 Identify who a given company’s customers are, what they look for, why they choose one company over
another, where they operate, when they do the most business, and how satisfied the customers are with the
services they receive.
 Categorize airlines and travel companies by their competitive strengths and weaknesses.
 Identify how surveys and focus groups influence corporate strategies.
 Demonstrate knowledge of what customers expect by “shopping” service industries.
 Research, develop, and present a strategic plan for improving customer care at a company.
 Produce a customer service research paper that demonstrates subject matter proficiency and progression in
the key basic skills of written and oral communication, math and technology skills, legal/safety
understanding, and critical thinking.
Class Format
Class format includes lecture, films, reading, written assignments, student discussion, projects, and examinations.
Class Expectations
 Students should complete reading assignments before attending class.
 Professional behavior is expected during all class activities.
 Business dress code is recommended for any class field trips and guest speakers.
 No food or beverages except water are allowed during field trips and guest speakers
 Turn off pagers and cell phones during class.
 Find a “contact person” within the class for the purpose of exchanging class information.
 Abide by the Cypress College policies outlined in the Catalog regarding Academic Honesty.
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Attendance
A major portion of this class involves class participation; more than three (3) absences may be sufficient cause to be dropped, but it is
always the students’ responsibility to drip a class they are no longer attending. To check the drop dates for “late-start” classes, look in the
current schedule under the specific course.
Academic Accommodation
Students who need additional time to complete a test or require any special accommodation must notify the instructor in a timely manner.
Students will otherwise be expected to adhere to the information included on this course syllabus.
Academic Advising/Counseling:
Jane Jepson is your vocational counselor, but you may see any counselor if she is not available.
Cypress College Library Learning Resources:
The Library WebPage provides access to an online catalog listing which includes the library holdings from Cypress, Fullerton, Goldenwest,
Orange Coast, Cal State Fullerton and Cal State Long Beach. You will need your campus ID card to check books out from these libraries.
There ‘s also a periodical database of 3000 magazines and journals (half of which have full texts) available online through the library. You’ll
need a user ID and password to access the periodical database.
Writing Assignments:
All work must demonstrate an understanding of the subject under consideration and an ability to write in a clearly organized, wellsupported, and coherent manner. Essays must be free of major sentence level errors in grammar, usage, and punctuation. Please include
a heading at the top of your first page on the left hand side (MLA format) and always include the course and the assignment:
Samantha Lopez
Professor Reiland
ATC 174: Destinations
April 1, 2010
Date Online Writing Lab (OWL):
As a former English teacher, I am a strong advocate of the Writing Center and extra credit is available to anyone in any of my classes who
uses their services. OWL brings the writing center services to cyberspace. Besides a host of links and downloadable handouts for writers,
the OWL also offers interactive exercises, Power Point lessons, tutor email and a tutor chat room. OWL is located at:
www.cypresscollege.edu/~writing.
Grading Policy
Point
Value
500
 Assignments and Exams
Track Your
Points
Grade Distribution
Customer Service Research Paper*
1000 – 900 points = A
(Essay, Fact Sheet, Oral Presentation, Research)
C.S. Research Fact Sheet and Oral Presentation*
200
899 – 800 points = B
Service Audits (10 @ 10 points each)
100
799 – 700 points = C
Quizzes (10 @ 10 points each)
100
699 – 600 points = D
Group Activity
100
Below 599 points = F
Final Examination
100
Writing Center Visit: (25 Bonus Points per visit)
(+Bonus)
Extra credit assignments will be available.
Total Points
1000
Late assignments will not be accepted.
A student may withdraw from the class with a “W” grade anytime on or before the “drop with a W” date posted in the schedule.
* Customer Service Research: A substantial portion of your grade is based upon your research project. No passing grade will be issued
without submission of this important project.
***A Note About Plagiarism: Using someone else’s ideas or written work as your own, intentionally or accidentally, is plagiarism. It can appear in
various forms, but it is always grounds for expulsion.
***Hot Tips: Always print a hard copy of your papers the day before they are due. Always back up your work on an extra disk that you carry in a
hard case. Use a spell-check program. Read your work aloud as you proof it. Find the Library, Computer Labs, and Writing Center to take
advantage of your resources. By keeping up with the reading and by splitting difficult writing assignments into workable sections, the work will be
less overwhelming. Remember that I am here to help you, and you are welcome to stop by anytime during my office hours or you may make an
appointment for an individual conference if you prefer.
I welcome your inquiries and look forward to learning more about your personal travel goals!
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Assignments and Projects
1. Customer Services Research Paper
500 points
Prepare a Research Paper about a customer service related opportunity as identified in class.
Professional presentation must include:
 Include a cover page with report title, your name, date, and class information
 Report should be word processed, double-spaced, with correct grammar and spelling
 Report should be bound without page protectors
 Include a final page with research source information and attach all Internet research
2. Fact Sheet
 Prepare a one-page typed fact sheet of your Research Paper:
 Prepare an oral summary of your fact sheet to share with the class.
 Conclude with your analysis.
 Distribute one copy of your fact sheet to each class member.
50 points
3. Oral Presentation of Research Project
 Prepare a 10-15 minute oral presentation of your findings.
 Use creative techniques and visual aides to engage the audience
50 points
4. Service Audits
 Complete 10 Service Audits that may or may not be used with your project.
100 points
5. Group Activity
 Develop role-playing scenarios demonstrating Customer Recovery Skills.
100 points
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Customer Care Research Project
Fact Sheet and Oral Presentation Grading Criteria
Student Name
Topic
Fact Sheet
Presentation
50 points
 Prepare a one-page typed Fact Sheet identifying key points from your Research Paper.
Suggested topics listed with the assignment sheet.

Provide a copy of your Fact Sheet to each of your classmates to review as you present your findings.
Oral Presentation
start
end
Oral Summary (10 – 15 minutes) Distribute Fact Sheet to classmates.
25 points

Presentation should demonstrate a good understanding of the material in your own words.

Demonstrate eye contact with class, strong voice and professional dress.
Creative Presentation Technique

25 points
Utilize a creative presentation technique. Suggestions include: poster, handout,
overhead transparency, white-board, Power Point presentation, video, flip-chart.
Total Possible
100 points
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Professor Reiland
Name_________________________
Customer Service Research Paper Evaluation
Points
TITLE PAGE and Overall Presentation (10 points)
______
TABLE OF CONTENTS (and table of contents for each section) (10 points)
______
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION The Problem and Its Setting (90 pts)
• Introduction:
• The Research Question
• Statement of the Problem (and any sub-problems)
• Hypothesis
• Organization of the Research
• Definition of Terms and Abbreviations
• Assumptions
• Importance of the Study
• Limitations and Considerations
______
CHAPTER TWO: RESEARCH Review of Related Literature (90 pts)
• Introduction
• Literature Review
• Summary
• Bibliography for Research Section
______
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY Gathering the Data and the Treatment of the Data (90 pts)
• Population Source and Description
• Research Design
• Instrumentation (Service Audit or Questionnaire)
• Procedure
• Treatment of Data
______
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS Presentation of the Data (90 pts)
• Introduction to the Findings
• Results
• Summary
• Table/Graph of Results
______
CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION Interpretations and Suggestions for Future Research (90 pts)
• Review of the Problem
• Discussion of the Results
• Conclusion and Significance of the Study to the Industry
• Suggestions for Future Research
______
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND WORK CITED (20 points)
APPENDIX ONE Responses to Research Survey (5 points)
APPENDIX TWO List of Subjects (5 points)
INTERNET/LIBRARY RESEARCH (bonus points)
______
______
______
______
TOTAL POINTS (500 possible): ________
500 – 450 points = A
449 – 400 points = B
399 – 350 points = C
349 – 300 points = D
Below 299 points = F
Written Research Project Grade: ________
5
Intentionally left blank.
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Schedule
Spring 2006
ATC 183 Customer Care
Spring Break: April 10-16 2006
Week
Wed
12:30
Subject
1
02/01
Welcome and Orientation
Research Project
2
02/08
3
Reading
Assignments/Exams
(complete reading
before class)
Preface
Service Audit—In class (Cypress)
Introduction: Fostering Positive Attitudes
Professionally, Personally and the Cost
Select Research Topic
Chapter 1
Service Audit Due on any service
company.
02/15
Recognize and Deal with Customer Turnoffs
Research Paper: Chapter 2 & 3
Research and Methodology
Chapter 2
Typed Draft of Research Topic,
Question, Hypothesis, Subjects
Quiz on Chapter 1
4
02/22
Deal With Dissatisfied Customers
Group Activity
Appendix
(page 210)
Quiz on Chapter 2
5
03/01
Group Presentations
Research Paper: Chapter 4 Results
Chapter 3
Group Activity Due
All Service Audits Due for Project
6
03/08
Exceed Customer Expectations
Research Paper: Chapter 5 Conclusion
Chapter 4
7
03/15
Use Behaviors That Win Customer Loyalty
Chapter 5
Quiz on Chapter 3
Writing Center Documentation of
Research Paper Review of # 2
Quiz on Chapter 4
8
03/22
Get Others To Give Great Service
Chapter 6
Quiz on Chapter 5
9
03/29
Winning Telephone, E-mail, Web-site Techniques
Chapter 7
Quiz on Chapter 6
10
04/05
Use Written Messages
Chapter 8
Quiz on Chapter 7
11
04/19
Bibliography Review
Chapter 9
Quiz on Chapter 8
12
04/26
Understand the One-to-One Customer Future
Quiz on Chapter 9
13
04/27
14
05/03
Conferences
Research Paper Review
Peer Critique: Research Project Presentations
Final Research Paper Due
15
05/10
16
First Draft of Research Paper Due
05/17
Research Project Presentations
Review for Final Exam
Final Written Exam 12:30 noon
Oral Presentations Due
Final
Written Exam Due
05/24
Final Practical Exam 12:30
Final
Group Practical Final Exam
Additional reading and assignments may be assigned. Course schedule is subject to change.
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