The Customer is Always Right
1470 Introduction to Finance
TOPIC OR UNIT OF STUDY
Customer Service & Difficult Customers
CONTENT STANDARD(S) AND OBJECTIVE(S)

Explain the responsibilities of finance professionals in providing client services
(Activity 1)

Demonstrate a customer-service mindset
(Activity 1)

Reinforce service orientation through communication
(Activity 1)

Respond to customer inquiries
(Activity 1)

Write informational messages
(Activity 1)

Adapt communication to the cultural and social differences among clients
(Activity 1)

Interpret business policies to customers/clients
(Activity 1)

Handle difficult customers
(Activity 1)

Handle customer/client complaints
(Activity 1)

Demonstrate appropriate creativity
(Activity 1)

Identify company’s brand promise
(Activity 2)
INTRODUCTION
We have all heard the phrase “The customer is always right”? Well in this unit we are going to deal with
that very situation. We will deal with how to deal with difficult customers, and how to improve
customer service through communication. Be ready to jump into this unit with your acting face on. You
will need it!
ESSENTIAL QUESTION
How do you deal with difficult customers, and how do you improve customer service with
communication?
INTEGRATION OF ACADEMICS, TECHNOLOGY, ENTREPRENEURSHIP
To complete this project, students will use basic terms and concepts, to complete the following
academic, technology, and entrepreneurship activities:
 Academic activities –website research, critical thinking and writing skills;
 Technology activities – website usage and interactive loan calculator use, & use of MOS Word;
 Entrepreneurship activities – building beginning understanding of how owners & management
need to promote customer service and deal with difficult customers.
STUDENT INVOLVEMENT IN PLANNING PROCESS
Students will be involved with the evaluation of group skits and giving feedback that will help with
grading.
TASK(S)
 Role play 2 scenarios demonstrating content knowledge in Activity 1
360 min
 Discover brand promises and how companies meet them in Activity 2
90 min
 Reflect on activities from this unit in Activity 3
90 min
RESOURCES
websites: http://www.bankrate.com/calculators/auto/auto-loan-calculator.aspx
http://blog.herodesignstudio.com/brand-promise-the-foundation-of-content-strategy/.
TECHNOLOGY USE
Computers, Word software, and the Internet
EVALUATION
 Activity 1 – Role play 2 scenarios demonstrating content knowledge
50 pts
 Activity 2 – Discover brand promises and how companies meet them
25 pts
 Activity 3 – Reflect on activities from this unit
30 pts
Total Points
105 pts
Authentic assessments will be evaluated with the rubrics that are located on each activity.
TIMELINE
Block scheduling-6 days, periods-12 days. This does not include time for lecture, textbook readings, and
discussions. Depending on student’s ability, extended time may be needed on some projects.
Day 1
Build Role play skits with 2 groups in Activity 1
90 min
Day 2
Continue building role play skits in Activity 1
90 min
Day 3
Start practicing role play skits to perform in Activity 1
90 min
Day 4
Perform Role play 2 scenarios demonstrating content knowledge in Activity 1
90 min
Day 5
Discover brand promises and how companies meet them in Activity 2
90 min
Day 6
Reflect on activities from this unit in Activity 3
60 min
30 min
CONCLUSION
At the conclusion of this unit students will understand how to deal with difficult customers, and how to
improve customer service with communication.
Role Play
Each student will be assigned or choose a role to play in this activity. Each role has a role card
explaining their part in this role play scenario. There are two different scenarios, and each group
will watch the other one perform theirs, evaluate them, and provide feedback.
Scenario 1 – Best Bank has a new special auto loan rate – 3.25%. They are trying to appeal to all
customers, but their policies require that customers have a credit score of 700 or higher. All group
members must create an informational message for the paper & fliers that appeal to different cultural &
social qualities.






Loan Officer
A - Customer 1 & 2
Show responsible behavior
 Husband works, wife babysits
with privacy & reprimand
part time
secretary when she doesn’t
 You are trying to buy a
Provide best customer service
$12,000 used SUV to haul all
possible
your kids
Use an online loan calculator
 You want a payment of $270
for no more than 4 years
Couple A has score of 630 and
only A spouse works – they
 You have had trouble paying
are denied for low rate but
your bills but are good honest
can get 12% rate
people
Couple B has score of 750,
 Husband has a quick temper
both work & want payment of  You will be a difficult couple if
$500 – they get rate of 3.25%
things don’t go your way
Handle difficult customers &
 You know that the “customer
explain business policies
is always right”!
Narrator
You start the segment by explaining terms & showing Ad created
to communicate special rate to all customers
You must explain the following terms during the skit:
o Responsibilities of finance professionals
o Customer-service mindset
o Communications to cultural & social differences
amount clients
o Explain what your skit showed using proper terms
B - Customer 3 & 4
 You both work good jobs and
pay your bills on time
 You are buying a 1 yr old
sport car to treat yourselves
for paying off your school
loans. You plan to borrow
$25,000 and can pay $500 per
month.
 You overhear the secretary
talking about couple A’s
credit score – so you tell your
loan officer. You understand
privacy laws.
Secretary

 You are new on the job and
not careful with private
information.

 You are overheard talking
about couple A’s credit score
of 630.
 The loan officer reprimands
you and makes you apologize
to couple B
Loan Calculator - http://www.bankrate.com/calculators/auto/auto-loan-calculator.aspx
Scenario 2 – Best Bank has developed some new policies. The board of directors mailed a copy of these
policies to all CD holders letting them know that CD’s will be renewed automatically from now on, even
though they will be renewed at a lower interest rate. Customers must come in to the bank before the
renewal date if they choose not to renew. Due to the poor economic times, this policy is to help reduce
paperwork and therefore costs that would be put through to the customer.
All group members will create one of the following letters: the informational letter sent to bank
customers, the complaint letter sent by customer 2, or the response to customer 2 from the head teller.
Letters will be written using templates.
Head Teller
Teller 1
 It is your job to handle
 You meet customer 1 first and
customer complaints and
try to explain the new policy
reinforce service orientation
to them.
through communication
 When customer 1 will not
stop making a scene, you take
 You handle customer 1 when
passed on to you
them to the head teller.
 You provide Teller 1 with
 You explain policies to
response letter sent to
customer 2 and remember to
customer 2 that he did not
keep a customer-service
get.
mindset until they are happy.
Narrator
 You start the segment by explaining skit & showing the
informational letter that was sent by the bank
 You must explain the following terms during the skit:
o Responsibilities of finance professionals
o Customer-service mindset
o Importance of service through communication
o Explain what your skit showed using proper terms
Customer 1
 You received your letter but
too late to come in and stop
the automatic renewal.
 You are mad and feel that the
bank should give you the old
higher rate or give your
money back without the
penalty of withdrawal.
Customer 2
 You received the letter also,
but mailed a complaint letter
to the bank.
 You did not get a response
from the bank so you come to
the bank to ask why they did
not respond.
 You are angry at first, but
accept the answer
understanding the current
poor economy.
Evaluation Rubric: to be completed by teacher & peers:
Topic
7-10 points
4-6 points
Narrator role
Clearly explained terms not
covered in skit or
needed explanation
Started skit, spoke clearly,
helped transition
between parts of skit
Explained the terms as
directed, but missed a
few that needed more
Started the skit, somewhat
soft-spoken, worked
between parts
Actor roles
Each actor played their role
convincingly and
worked as a team no
interrupting
Showed creativity with
props and acting.
Created their own plot,
incorporating the notes
on the card.
Demonstrated
understanding of terms
in script
All students created forms
Used accurate technique
Professional looking
All students participate
throughout the process
Most actors played their
role convincingly as a
team.
Some props used and
creativity shown with
acting.
Followed directions on
card, but did adlib some
in creation of parts
Some use of terms in script,
but mostly just on
cards.
Most students used letters/
documents
Proper technique used
Most students participated
at some point in process
Creativity of skit
Document creation
Participation
Total points
1-3 points
Read the term definitions,
but did not cover other
terms needing more
explanation
Started skit, but did not
work transitions during
parts
Only a few actors played
their role convincingly
Did not work as a team
No props used & little
creativity
Followed directions on the
card and did not adlib
Did not use terms very well
in the script.
Some students did not
create
letters/documents
Few students fully
participated, grudgingly
______ of 50 pts
Brand Promise
Most of us have a favorite product and understand that creating brand loyalty is something businesses
do through customer service. Think of a brand that you feel loyal to, and why you feel that.
1. Write a paragraph on the brand and why you are loyal to them. Use an example of their
customer service and/or news article about their devotion to keeping a brand promise. (5 pts)
Read the article at the following link - http://blog.herodesignstudio.com/brand-promise-the-foundationof-content-strategy/.
2. What is Nike’s brand promise?
(2 pts)
______________________________________________________________________________
3. How do they keep that promise?
(3 pts)
______________________________________________________________________________
4. Compare what you have read in the article to what you have felt about your brand loyalty. Can
you determine what your company’s brand promise is? Is that promise published online?(5 pts)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
See if you can find brand promises for any of the following company’s: (2 pt ea up to 10 pts)
1. Johnson & Johnson ____________________________________________________________
2. A T & T ______________________________________________________________________
3. Gerber ______________________________________________________________________
4. Philips electronics _____________________________________________________________
5. Fisher Price ___________________________________________________________________
6. Kimberly-Clark ________________________________________________________________
7. Sony ________________________________________________________________________
Total Points _______ of 25
Reflection
Based on the role play activity and the brand promise research, reflect on the activities participated in
during this unit. Write a 1 ½ - 2 page paper reflecting on your thoughts about the activities and the
following 3 topics:
o
o
o
Having a customer service mindset
Handling difficult customers
Handling customer/client complaints
Read the grading rubric before completing the paper to be sure all requirements are met.
Topic
Exceeds Standard
5 pts
Components
• Reflection reveals
exceptional insight and
introspection.
Length & Format
• Exceeds minimum of 500
words
• Adds title page, page
numbers, and other
professional formatting
Organization
• Structure is obvious, logical
and complete.
• Structure fits topic and
content.
• Components are seamlessly
woven through piece while
easily identifiable.
• Words convey exceptional
sense of personality.
• Creative use of analogies,
metaphors, humor, etc., to
describe personal learning
Word Choice & Voice
Question coverage
Conventions
• Effective answered all three
questions during the
reflection and expounded
personal thoughts with it.
• Minimal errors in
punctuation, spelling and
grammar
Meets Standard
3-4 points
• Description of the
Culminating Project
summarizing what was
created or accomplished
• Describes new skills learned
or advanced
• Describes challenges and
obstacles
• Explains personal growth
• Describes modifications
that the student would
have done differently
• Minimum of 500 words
• One-inch margins
• Double spaced
• Font: Times New Roman or
Arial
• Size: 12 font
• Organization shows
planning with a clear
beginning, middle and end
• Logical or chronological
order is functional.
• All components are easily
identifiable.
• Written in standard English,
less formal and more
personal than the scholarly
paper
• Few redundancies in word
selection
• Voice is appropriate and
functional for audience and
purpose.
• Answered all three
questions fully but did not
connect those thoughts
with the reflection.
• Few errors in punctuation,
spelling and grammar
Total points
Does Not Meet Standard
1-2 points
• Lacks reflection about one
or more of the
components
• Less than 500 words
• Did not use one-inch
margins
• Not Double spaced
• Font is not Times New
Roman or Arial
• Size is not 12 font
• Organizational scheme not
apparent
• Detracts from readability
• Some components missing
or difficult to find
• Uses slang, inappropriate
language
• Redundant use of limited
vocabulary
• Voice inappropriate for
audience and purpose
• Did not answer all three
questions fully, or did not
answer all questions.
• Many errors in
punctuation, spelling, etc.
• Seriously affects readability
______ of 30 points