WELCOME TO UNIT 1
Customer Service MT 221
Marilyn Radu, Instructor
Marilyn D. Radu
• B.S. Corrections/Criminal Justice
• MBA - Marketing
• Over 3 years teaching Marketing, Customer
Relations Management, Professional Selling
Strategies, Strategic Marketing Decisions,
Competitive Market Planning, Advertising and
Promotion, Nonprofit Marketing
• 30+ years of sales and marketing
management experience
• Past President of the Cleveland Chemical
Association
Tonight’s Agenda
Tonight I am going to review the following
topics with you:
• The syllabus
• The expectations for the course
• We will define customer service, relationships,
theories, and definitions in customer service.
Let’s Review: Course Element Overview
Element
% overall grade
• Discussion response
36%
• Assignments
56%
• Reviews/Quizzes
Extra Credit is not offered
8%
Text
Your Textbook
Title: The World of Customer Service,
2e
Author(s): Pattie Gibson-Odgers
Publisher: South-Western CENGAGE
LEARNING
ISBN:
13-978-0-538-73046-4
10: 0-538-73046-3
Let’s Review: Working with the
assignments
• Start with the readings from the Unit
• Proof, proof, proof – grammar and spelling matters. Using APA is
recommended. See syllabus.
• Apply the concepts and language of the course
• Answer all the questions in terms of the key concepts of that unit
• Additional research may be used. For example, if you are working
with a video and wish to examine websites as well, that can only
enhance your work.
• Be thorough, especially when examining the website
• If something is confusing, check with me
Let’s Review: Discussions
• Opportunity to clarify
• Work with material
• Ask questions
• Get help from instructor and classmates
• Exchange ideas
• Get feedback
• And they are fun!
Let’s Review: How to do well in
discussions
• Pay attention to the rubric in your syllabus
• Post early
• Respond to at least two classmates
• Apply the language and concepts from your readings in your responses
• Interpret your own knowledge in terms of the course – personal experience is great, but
apply your reading to it
• Check out the key terms at the end of each unit – try to incorporate them
• Use web based research where appropriate to make a point
• Use material from previous units to link concepts
• Be thoughtful, thorough, and substantive
• Check frequently to see if anyone has asked questions
• Anytime you are at your computer, and have a couple of minutes, drop in!
Let’s Review: Quizzes
• Multiple choice quizzes
• Unit 5 and 8
• Think the question through
• Retake the quizzes as necessary
Let’s Review: Deadlines
• All units close midnight EST on Tuesdays
• If you are having a difficulty getting work in- Contact me BEFORE the
deadline.
• Discussion threads will be closed at that time and cannot be handed in late.
Plan appropriately.
• All unit reviews and projects are also due at that time
• See the syllabus for late policies for projects
1-7 calendar days late = 20% penalty
8-14 calendar days late = 30% penalty
more than 14 days = automatic zero
Let’s Review: Seminars
• Fun and helpful
• Rewarding part of the online experience.
• Opportunity to ask questions
• Opportunity to interact with classmates
• You can review the recording if you are unable to attend
Course Description
• Course Description - In this course, students will learn
how companies can develop customer loyalty and
address personalized customer needs. Students will
apply concepts learned to real world scenarios and
learn how to recapture previous customers and acquire
new ones through effective relationship-building
strategies. On-line communications tools and call
center strategies will also be examined.
Question
How would you define customer
service?
Customer Service
• The process of satisfying a customer, relative to a
product or service, in whatever way the customer
defines his or her need (Odgers, 2008)
• Anything we do for the customer that enhances the
customer experience (Harris, 2007)
• Examples
Question
So why do you think excellent
customer service is so rare?
Customer Satisfaction
• The customer’s overall feeling of
contentment with a customer
interaction (Harris, 2007)
• The state of mind that customers
have about a company and its
products or services when their
expectations have been met or
exceeded.
• 3 types of customer satisfaction –
Satisfaction, Dissatisfaction, over
joy and wow
Cost of Losing a Customer
• Lifetime customer worth
Are all customers created equal?
• Yes
• No
• Why?
• Why not?
• Tiered Service System
Relationships
• The relationship era
The Center of All Business
Activities
What does exceptional
customer service mean to
you?
1. The product or service was
delivered in the manner I
expected.
2. I got some money back or a
credit on my account without
any hassles.
3. I’ve never experienced
exceptional customer
service.
4. My expectations of the
company were exceeded by
the service I received.
Do you feel that customer service
has taken a back seat to
profitability in today’s business
economy?
• Yes
• No
Think about the last time you went
out to eat somewhere other than a
fast-food restaurant. What do you
remember most about the
experience—the food or the
service?
• Food
• Service
• Both
• Neither
Mission Statement,
Values, and Goals of Customer Service
• Examples of Mission Statements
– “Good service is good business”
– “We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen”
External and Internal Customers
• External customers
– Customers whose needs we traditionally think of serving, who
purchase and use a company’s products and services
• Internal customers
– People or departments within a company that rely on
colleagues to provide the support they need to serve their own
internal and external customers
Employment Growth for Customer Service
Representatives (CSRs)
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
– Service related jobs are expected to increase at a faster rate
than all other occupations.
– Specifically, the CSR occupation is expected to increase from
2,063,000 jobs in 2004 to 2,534,000 jobs in 2014.
The Evolving Role of
Customer Service
• The “New Customer Economy” is characterized as a
power shift from companies to their customers.
• Traditionally, customer service was delivered in the
Customer Service Department.
• Today, everyone in an organization must deliver
exceptional customer service to all customers.
Multichannel Customer Contact Points
• Customer contact occurs through many channels
–
–
–
–
In person
On the phone
Through written communications
Online
The Role of a CSR
• In general, the role of a customer service
representative is to
–
–
–
–
Answer questions
Solve problems
Take orders
Resolve complaints
Any Questions?
Thank you for attending!
See you next week!