CRVA - Customer Service Management Procedure Guide template – Version CSMPGT01
March 7, 2013
Customer Service Management
Caravan parks are a complex management environment requiring a broad range of skills, financial, maintenance,
marketing and community sensitivity skills. Parks may have all these systems in place, but can still be confronted with
an area of considerable unpredictability, the customer!
A well-run caravan park must also manage the customer!
This accreditation program is all about benefiting your business and your customers. Accreditation indicates your
business has the high standards of service that the customer looks for when booking a holiday. You will need to be
prepared to meet these expectations.
Requirements of accreditation define standards and require policies for staff to follow and ask for you and your staff to
think through the elements of good service, and to continuously improve the presentation, responsiveness, and
professionalism of your business. The outcome should be a high return patronage, and new customers and business
referred to your park through valuable word of mouth advertising.
Involve your staff in planning for good service. Gaining employee “buy in” creates a sense of ownership and they will
feel more confident when facing your customer. The first point of contact with the customer is vital - your telephone
answering, booking and reception procedures must be organised, consistent and welcoming. Your cancellation policy
(terms and conditions) must be both provided and documented.
If an issue arises with a customer, you should have procedures in place for recording customer complaints and feedback
whilst incidents are managed within your Risk and Safety Management Plan. Research indicates that a well-handled
complaint can lead to return business and improved customer relationships. Remember, feedback can be left through
different modes of communication channel such as social media (i.e. Facebook, Tripadvisor, blogs etc.) so your plan
needs to incorporate these channels and how you can monitor them.
Know What Your Customer Thinks of Your Business
Do you know what your customers think about your park, staff and service? If you don’t, ask them!
You can use surveys, comments compendium, suggestions box, informal discussions, structured “focus groups”, or
feedback from the local/ regional tourism organisation or visitor information centre.

Assess the gaps in your current level of service, such as: high turnover of staff resulting in inconsistent service
(e.g. at reception or on the telephone)

some staff more trained or capable than others

staff not really listening to customers

office or kiosk not open when needed
The key outcome of this element of the program is a set of written procedures which are implemented in the park. Hold
a staff meeting, obtain that all important employee buy in or get-together with other accredited operators and develop
procedures for your park. It is important to trial them and make sure they work for you and your staff and make
changes as you see appropriate.
Good customer management will help you achieve your business’s Vision and the Strategies set out in your business
plan. For each strategy, ask yourself questions concerning the way in which you can improve your response to customer
CRVA - Customer Service Management Procedure Guide template – Version CSMPGT01
March 7, 2013
needs, improve service, increase return patronage and cater for new market segments that may make quite different
demands on your staff.
Make your procedures as clear to the customer as they are to your staff. Your customer will be reassured by the
prominent display of your ‘Code of Conduct’ and noticing that your park service is well organised and not haphazard or
reliant on “who’s on duty that day”.
Policy Documentation
To help you with the process of documenting a Customer Service Management policy/procedure CRVA has provided a
template which can be adopted and/or amended to fit the circumstances of your park. The template is a guide and is to
help you should your park have no policy currently in place. As it is a guide only, the contents must reflect the Customer
Service Management needs of your business.
CRVA - Customer Service Management Procedure Guide template – Version CSMPGT01
March 7, 2013
Customer Service Procedure Guide (Template)
(This template can be utilised and adapted to suit your business)
Customer Service Philosophy – (Insert your park’s name here)
(This is a sample of a customer service philosophy which can be adopted or use your own wording)
Our customers are our number one priority for they are the basis of our business. Therefore our attitude toward providing good customer service is of paramount importance.
Management and staff need to be fully aware of our customer’s needs, and must respond sympathetically and professionally to their reasonable demands. Knowing our customers, and
their requirements, will enable us to provide the appropriate facilities and services, and create repeat business and good word of mouth publicity.
The Customer Service Procedure Guide below is produced to ensure all our staffs are providing an exceptional level of customer service each and every time we have contact with our
customers. All staff are trained and observed using the procedures and skill sets required to ensure any customer contact we have is aligned to our customer service philosophy.
Customer Contact
Element
(Use the elements
below or add what is
pertinent to your
business)
Telephone
Procedures and Skill Sets Required
(Procedures and skill sets should reflect your business needs and align with your customer service philosophy)

All staff must be conversant with the phone operations such as: (below are some suggestions, you may wish to add your
own or utilise some of these)
 Hold and transfer
 Intercom operation
 Retrieving messages
 Auto redial
 Speed dial

Any staff member answering the phone must use this standard greeting: (below is a suggestion, you may wish to add
your own or utilise this one)
o “Welcome to (you park’s name), this is (your name) how may I help?”
A courteous and pleasant disposition must be portrayed on the phone at all times to all customers, speaking clearly and
evenly.

Initials of staff deemed
competent
(This is a simple way to
record the observation of
staff who have competently
performed the duties
outlined)
Competent
Further
Training
Required
CRVA - Customer Service Management Procedure Guide template – Version CSMPGT01
Face to Face

When dealing with complaints or difficult customers staff will display appropriate empathetic behaviour, actively
listening to the customer, providing a solution and asking the customer if the solution is satisfactory. If a satisfactory

Paraphrasing of important aspects of the phone conversation to ensure the customer is satisfied they have been heard
and details recorded correctly, such as: (below are some suggestions, you may wish to add your own or utilise some of
these)
 Confirming back to customer the arrival and departure dates required
 Type of accommodation booked
 Any special requirements the customer has asked for and we have agreed to provide

Before ending the call be sure to ask the customer if you can be of any further assistance

End the call thanking the customer for their custom and advise them that you are looking forward to seeing them on…
(mention the arrival date once more)

solution cannot be met the complaint must escalate up to the park manager

All staff who converse with customers face to face must be groomed in appropriate attire, specifically: (below are some
suggestions, you may wish to add your own or utilise some of these)
 Park uniform (if this is available)
 Smart casual or business attire for office personnel
 Hair and facial jewellery/ piercings tidy and non-conspicuous
 Name tags are attached to clothing and visible to customers (if applicable)

A courteous and pleasant disposition (smile) must be portrayed at all times to all customers, ensuring you speak clearly
and evenly.

If a customer is checking in staff must ensure they welcome them to the park and to use the customer’s name at least
once during the conversation

Clearly communicate the park features and benefits to the customer when they are checking in, such as: (below are
some suggestions, you may wish to add your own or utilise some of these)
 Facilities and their locations
 Parking services provided by staff
 Tour booking services provided by the park staff
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CRVA - Customer Service Management Procedure Guide template – Version CSMPGT01

E-mail
Bookings, Refunds
and Cancellations
 Summary of attractions and services located nearby
Give clear instructions directing the customer to their site using the park map handout using a highlighter to direct them
(this is a suggestion, you may have your own way or instructing such as physically showing the customer their site)

When dealing with complaints or difficult customers staff will display appropriate empathetic behaviour, actively
listening to the customer, providing a solution and asking the customer if the solution is satisfactory. If a satisfactory
solution cannot be met the complaint must escalate up to the park manager

Customers can visually access the following information in the reception area or a suitable
prominent place and staff have the appropriate knowledge to answer any questions the customer may have: (add to list
additional information that may be relevant to your park)
 Code of Conduct (after gaining accreditation)
 Business registration certificate
 Occupational Health and Safety Policy
 Reception or office hours of operation
 After hours contact system (if applicable)
 Emergency procedures
 Temporary Hazards advice
 Park rules and any relevant statutory requirements
E-mail communication with customers should mirror the same professional and courteous procedure as displayed when
conversing over the phone or face to face


All communications to customers should begin with: (below are some suggestions, you may wish to add your own or
utilise some of these)
 Dear (Mr, Mrs, Ms, Dr or other appropriate salutation) if the communication is of a formal nature such as
confirming a booking
 Hello (using the customer’s first name) if the communication is of less formal nature

The body of the e-mail communication should be clear in its message and portray a professional and courteous tone
ensuring grammar and spelling is correct

All e-mails are to end with the approved signature block (you can insert the format and wording of the signature block
here)
Bookings (the following are suggestions and ideas, please add the booking procedures relevant to your park)
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CRVA - Customer Service Management Procedure Guide template – Version CSMPGT01

All bookings are to be made using the “caravan park booking request” form (this may be an online booking program for
some parks)

When credit card details are taken from the customer (if booking over the phone) repeat the number, expiry date and
CCV number back to customer to confirm all is correct

It is essential for staff taking a booking to ask the customer how they heard about (insert your park’s name here):
 Magazine
 Website
 Word of mouth
 (add whatever is applicable for your park)
Cancellations (the following are suggestions and ideas, please add the cancellation procedures relevant to your park)

The cancellation policy, terms and conditions are prominently displayed in reception area

All staff are knowledgeable in the cancellation procedure and at the time of booking inform the customer of the
cancellation policy (or direct them to the website for further information)

Information relating to cancellations is sent to the customer on request and with any confirmation of bookings (either by
mail or via e-mail)
Refunds (the following are suggestions and ideas, please add the refund procedures relevant to your park)
Customer Security

The refund policy is prominently displayed in reception area

All staff are knowledgeable in the refund procedure and at the time of booking inform the customer of the refund policy
(or direct them to the website for further information)

Information relating to refunds is sent to the customer on request and with any confirmation of bookings (either by mail
or via e-mail or alternatively direct the customer to the website for refund policy)

Customers are informed of the security features of the park to help them feel secure and relaxed during their stay (this
could be given verbally and/or as a handout listing the park security and/or tips for customers to secure their property
when they are away from the park)

Bring to the customer’s attention the emergency evacuation plan and where the evacuation meeting point is should the
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CRVA - Customer Service Management Procedure Guide template – Version CSMPGT01
unlikely situation of an evacuation arise (evacuation plan can be displayed prominently at reception and should also be
displayed in all of the cabins)
Customer Feedback

Customer feedback forms are prominently displayed in the reception area and all cabins

Feedback forms are collated for entering into the Customer Feedback Register

Staff encourage customers to provide their feedback on all aspects of their experiences from their stay in the park

Any feedback, whether recorded on the customer feedback form or provided verbally should be registered in the
Customer Complaints and Feedback file as close to verbatim as possible

Customer Complaints and Feedback file is utilised by park management to:
(below are some suggestions, you may wish to add your own or utilise some of these)



Further improve facilities, processes or procedures to enhance customer experiences
Praise the work of staff who have provided exceptional service
Gain statistical data as to the overall performance of the park against customer service benchmarks
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