CUSTOMER SERVICE, SKILLS FOR SUCCESS, 4e - …novella.mhhe.com/olc2/dl/579165/Chap00… · Web view · 2008-03-25Globalization of the Economy, p. 15--Deregulation of Many Industries,

Chapter 01 - The Customer Service Profession

Customer Service: Skills for Success, 4th edition

INSTRUCTOR’S MANUAL

Chapter 1 The Customer Service Profession

LESSON OVERVIEW

The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the students to customer service functions.

Students will also become aware of how socioeconomic, demographic, and geopolitical

trends affect the way customer service is handled in the United States and how these

factors affect business in general. Many of the historical factors that have influenced

customer service are explored.

The features, interactive activities, and other materials such as the Study Guide and the

Test Bank are designed to help you further student comprehension. The PowerPoint

slides noted for each chapter can be used to help you guide discussions.

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CHAPTER OUTLINE

The textbook outlines the chapter with the following headings to focus and direct major

lecture topics.

Customer Service Interview, p. 2

Learning Objectives, p. 4

In the Real World Service AAA/CAA, p. 4

Quick Preview, p. 5

Defining Customer Service, p. 11

--The Concept of Customer Service, p. 7

--Post-World War II Service, p. 7

--The Shift to Service, p. 8

Growth of the Service Sector, p. 8

Impact of the Economy, p. 11

--Quantity of Jobs Being Created, p. 11

--Distribution of Jobs, p. 11

--Quality of Service Jobs, p. 12

Societal Factors Affecting Customer Service, p. 12

--Shifts in the Population and Labor Force, p. 12

--Increased Efficiency in Technology, p. 14

Globalization of the Economy, p. 15

--Deregulation of Many Industries, p. 15

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--Geopolitical Changes, p. 15

--Increase in the Number of White-Collar Workers, p. 16

--More Women Entering the Workforce, p. 16

--A More Diverse Population is Entering the Workforce, p. 17

--More Older Workers Entering the Workforce, p. 18

--Increased Numbers of Small Businesses, p. 19

--Growth of E-Commerce, p. 19

Consumer Behavior Shifts, p. 20

--Desire for Better Use of Leisure Time, p. 20

--Expectation of Quality Service, p. 21

--Enhanced Consumer Preparation, p. 21

The Customer Service Environment, p. 21

--Components of a Customer Service Environment, p. 21

The Customer, p. 22

--Internal Customers, p. 22

External Customers, p. 23

Organizational Culture, p. 23

Human Resources, p. 23

Products/Deliverables, p. 23

Delivery Systems, p. 25

Service, p. 26

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Addressing the Changes, p. 26

Summary, p. 27

Key Terms, p. 27

Review Questions, p. 27

Search It Out, p. 27

Collaborative Learning Activities, p. 28

Face to Face, p. 28

In the Real World, p. 29

Planning to Serve, p. 29

Quick Preview Answers, p. 29

Ethical Dilemma Summary, p. 29

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CHAPTER OBJECTIVES

The chapter learning objectives will help you and the students discover the concepts and

information that should be understood upon completion of the chapter. You may want to

access the PowerPoint (PPT) slides for Chapter 1 when you begin the study of the

Chapter and discuss each Learning Objective. Each Learning Objective will be discussed

separately in the Lecture Notes below, but are shown here in total as an overview of the

sections being presented in Chapter 1. Use PPT1 and PPT2 Chapter Objectives in

discussing the Chapter Objectives. You may want to refer back to PPT1 and PPT2 as

you discuss each objective in the next sections.

After completing this chapter, the students will be able to:

1 Define customer service.

2 Describe factors that have impacted the growth of the service

sector in the United States.

3 Identify the socioeconomic and demographic changes that have

influenced customer service.

4 Recognize the changes in consumer behavior that impact

service.

5 List the six major components of a customer-focused

environment.

6 Explain how some companies address the changes impacting

the service sector.

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KEY TERMS, p. 27

Key terms are posted in the student textbook margins and placed in bold in the copy.

They are listed alphabetically here for your quick reference.

Business-to-business (B2B), p.15 Learning organizations, p. 26

Cold War, p. 16 Networking, p. 12

Cottage industries, p. 6 North American Free Trade

Customer-focused organization, p. 6 Agreement (NAFTA), p. 16

Customer relationship management (CRM), p. 6 Organizational culture, p. 23

Customer service, p. 6 Outsourcing, p. 15

Customer service environment, p. 21 Product, p. 6

Deliverables, p. 23 Service economy, p. 8

Delivery systems, p. 25 Service industry, p. 6

Deregulation, p. 15 Service recovery, p. 26

Downsizing, p. 12 Service sector, p. 7

E-commerce, p. 19 Small Business

External customers, p. 23 Administration (SBA), p. 19

Globalization, p. 15 Telecommuting, p. 11

Human resources, p. 23 Y2K Bug, p. 21

Internal customers, p. 22

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LECTURE OUTLINE AND LECTURE NOTES

General Teaching Suggestions for Chapter 1:

This chapter sets the tone for understanding the nature, scope and history of customer

service. Depending on students’ level of knowledge or expertise, you may want to bring

in additional articles or information on the field of customer service. You may also want

to invite several speakers individually or as a panel for a group discussion.

Before the class convenes (one or two weeks before, as you are preparing to teach the

customer service course): Gather additional reference material to prepare to lead a

discussion on the topics covered in the chapter. These reference materials may be located

in newspapers (such as The Wall Street Journal or your local newspaper), as well as

various magazines. Before the class convenes, secure the 10 videos (1 video script for

each chapter is provided). Your students will enjoy and learn from these real-world

scenarios presented in the videos.

Additionally, before the class convenes: Contact local businesses of varying size to find

out if and how each of the reasons for the shift to service outlined in the chapter have

impacted their organization and industry. Use the results you obtain for an in-class

discussion or activity. This would be an ideal time to pose the topic of speaking to the

class or taking part in other activities. Be sure to get the name of the person and his or her

position and phone number (or e-mail) for future reference.

Here are some optional activities for Chapter 1 (you may also find them essential

activities for other chapters).

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Activity: Divide students into equal groups (3 or 4 people per group, depending on the

class size) and give each group a marker and sheet of newsprint (flipchart paper) to use as

they participate in the activities noted herein or in those that you develop.

Activity: Assign an out-of-class activity for learners to gather additional articles or

information about chapter-related topics. Have them write a brief (no more than one

typed page) summary of the article, properly documented.

Activity: Have learners conduct field research and write a brief report before the next

meeting. The focus might be to visit an organization or business to observe factors related

to chapter content (e.g. makeup of employees now—age, race, sex, forms of business,

products/services offered—as opposed to employee makeup in the past).

Activity: Have learners contact someone working in an organization for an interview.

They can report their findings to the class during their next meeting. The following

questions can be used as a basis for an interview or you can develop other questions

depending on your desired focus:

How long have you been in customer service?

Who makes up your primary customer base (internal, external or combination)?

For what product(s) or service(s) do you provide support?

How many customers do you (or your organization) service daily?

In your view, how important are basic communication skills in customer service?

Is most of your service provided over the phone or in person?

What has been your biggest customer service challenge in the past year? Ever?

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What trends are you seeing in customer service today?

What one piece of advice would you give someone starting out in customer

service?

Compare their findings with the chapter topic under discussion at the moment.

Before the students arrive: Write the terms that you will be emphasizing from this

chapter on the board. You may do a quick review of the terms by asking students to

provide an impromptu definition. This activity can to let you know what information

students remember from reading the chapter or from experiences in the business world.

First class: Take attendance and take care of other administrative duties or paperwork.

Since this is the first meeting of the class, you may want to do some type of creative, fun

activity as an icebreaker to help them get to know one another and to share their goals for

the class.

Activity : One such activity may be to go around the classroom, each student introducing

him or herself by giving his or her name and then selecting a word or concept that

describes his or her feelings about customer service (for example, one student, Sarah,

feels customer service should be honest and fair). The student may then discuss his or her

major, job (if he or she works) and the position held, and how customer service relates to

the position.

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Part One: The Profession , p. 2

Discuss the Customer Service Interview (pages 2-3) with the class by having them refer

to the questions discussed by Stephen Tanzer. Select three or four questions to which he

responded and compare the students’ responses to Mr. Tanzer’s.

Chapter 1: The Customer Service Profession , p. 4

A quote by Alan Greenspan begins the chapter. Ask students to think about careers of

people in business with whom they are familiar. Have those people succeeded in business

without leaving a trail of casualties? Have students write a few notes about their business

people; then, have them briefly discuss what they wrote about each person.

ASK: Who is Alan Greenspan? (Answer: Mr. Greenspan retired in 2006 as Chairman of

the Federal Reserve).

Note: If you want to start students on a research quest, have a small group research Mr.

Greenspan on the Internet (they can go to a computer lab or, if you have a computer in

the classroom, have them to do the research there quickly). You may also want to bring a

laptop for quick spur of the moment research activities in the classroom. Students will

love it, of course!

LESSON NOTES

The following are specific instructional strategies related to Chapter 1: The Customer

Service Profession.

Show PowerPoints [PPTs] 1 and 2 (Chapter Objectives) to briefly introduce students to

the topics in Chapter 1.

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Instructor Note 1:

Learning Objective 1: Define customer service.

Learning Objective Note: PPTs 1- 8 should be used with Learning Objective 1,

pages 6-8.

Students should understand the definition of customer service, since customer

service activities are in every organization they come into contact with in the

world today.

Show PPT3: What is Customer Service? Ask for opinions, beliefs and

experiences that explain students’ responses during a discussion of what

Customer Service means to them. Offer a brief working definition after the

discussion from page 6.

Activity : Review the In the Real World Service profile of AAA/CAA. Ask for a

show of hands: who are members of AAA? Ask them to define the three letters:

AAA (American Automobile Association).

Point out that AAA has a Website listed on page 5. Use the Activity In the Real

World, page 29, to further the discussion of AAA/CAA services. Review the

questions in the Activity on page 29: ask students to respond to each of the four

questions based on their experience with AAA or based on the experiences of

parents or friends. Lead the discussion, providing your experiences as pertinent to

AAA if you use or have used them or any similar automobile service agency.

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Quick Preview: Have students respond (orally or in writing) to the Quick Preview

questions. The answers are located in the student text on page 29. A show of

hands will give you an understanding of these questions. Tie the information to

the objectives and the material in the chapter.

DEFINING CUSTOMER SERVICE, p. 6

Learning Objective 1: Define customer service.

Review the concept of customer-focused organizations. Ask students what it

means to treat everyone with respect. The focus should be to determine and meet

the needs of customers. In doing this, it is important to understand that people

should be treated with respect. People respond better respectful treatment, giving

positive word-of-mouth publicity and likely returning for more service. This

exercise will emphasize to students the necessity to treat people with respect.

After all, they are special; they are your customers. And, the focus of a customer-

focused organization is to meet customers’ needs and to treat them with respect.

Instructor Note 2:

Use PPT 4: Customer-Focused Organizations to review the definition of a

customer-focused organization.

Activity: Divide students into equal groups (3 or 4 per group depending on the

class size) and have them work together to discuss how they feel about customer

organizations with which they are familiar (e.g. positive, negative, or neutral).

Provide flip-chart paper to each group to make notes for their discussions.

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ASK: Do you believe that most organizations are customer focused? After

approximately 15 minutes, bring the class together to compare responses.

Customer-focused organizations

Instructor Note 3:

Use PPT 4 again to review the definition.

Then use PPTs 5 and 6: Factors Related to Customer-focused Organizations

Review Figure 1-1 (page 6) with the class as well as the PPTs. Summarize the

following factors:

1. They have internal and external customers.

2. Their focus is on determining and meeting customer needs.

3. Information, products and services are easily accessible.

4. Policies are in place to allow employee decision-making.

5. Management and systems support and reward employees.

6. Reevaluation of business strategies and systems is ongoing.

Discuss what the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics typically

include in their reports and projections: transportation, communication and

utilities; wholesale trade; retail trade; finance, insurance and real estate; other

services; federal government; and state and local governments (page 7).

Before you end the discussion on customer-focused organizations, point out

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) programs to the class.

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Activity : Assign a team of three students to research this program and to report

back to the class with its findings in a week.

THE CONCEPT OF CUSTOMER SERVICE, p. 7

Spend some time discussing some of the historical trends in customer service:

Evolved from meager

beginnings.

Small artisans and business

owners served neighbors.

No multinational chains.

Many small towns had their

own service providers (e.g.

general store, blacksmith,

barber, boarding house, and

restaurant).

Peddlers went from town to

town.

Products were often bartered

and traded in “cottage

industries.”

Expanded transportation

systems started to change

patterns of service.

As larger cities and industries

developed and mail systems

improved, so did service

delivery.

Have students reflect on the historical perspective from their points of view.

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Have students view the photo on page 7, reflecting on the customer service being

provided in the photo. Lead a discussion on how the methods used then differ

from those used now. Students will likely say that home delivery was more

personal then and vendors probably knew their customers personally. Using the

Kroger grocery store chain as a historical example, ask students to research how

the Kroger stores started and where Mr. Kroger lived (Cincinnati, Ohio). Have

students make a report on the history of Kroger to present within the next week or

at a time you designate.

POST-WORLD WAR II SERVICE, p. 7

Briefly discuss some changes in the service industry following the World War II.

Some of the reasons for this were the large number of returning military and the

focus of the federal administration to provide economical housing. Customer

demand had been stifled during the war and its release spawned new industries

and development along with the need to provide services.

Note to students that from 2000-2010, virtually all non-farm and salary

employment is expected to be in the service-producing section, accounting for a

net increase of 8.9 million jobs.

Review Figure 1-2, page 8 to give students an idea of how people moved from

other occupations to join the rapidly growing ranks of service professionals.

THE SHIFT TO SERVICE, p. 8

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Instructor Note 4:

Use PPTs7 and 8: Shift to Service to show types of job shifts occurring since

WWII. Ask students if they have seen these or others occurring. Discuss any

examples they may provide.

Review the definition of service economy (page 8). Inform students that the

concept outsourcing of various functions, including customer service, will be

discussed later in the chapter.

Focus on the shift from manufacturing to a service economy. Also, relate

information about the development of international service standards. You may

want to gather information or have students research standards (e.g. ISO series

and related standards).

Instructor Note 5:

Before moving onto the next Learning Objective on page 8: Students should

read and reflect on the Customer Service Success Tip on page 7. You may

want to emphasize that this course should inform students of the trends and

enhancements being made by organizations and help should them develop

valuable personal and professional skills.

GROWTH OF THE SERVICE SECTOR, p. 8

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Instructor Note 6:

Learning Objective 2: Describe factors that have impacted

the growth of the service sector in the United States.

Students should understand this objective and how it relates to changes that have

taken place in the economy, in the labor market, and in other areas as noted in the

chapter.

Learning Objective Note: PPTs 9-13 should be used with Learning Objective 2,

pages 8-12.

Review the Concept on page 8 and lead a discussion on employment trends

looking at Figures 1.3, p. 9, 1.4, and 1.5, page 10.

Instructor Note 7:

Ask students: Do you think the number and type of customer service jobs will

continue to grow? Why or why not?

Ask students to reflect on any popular television programs that show customer

service-related scenarios.

Review the information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on pages 9 and 10

with the class. Ask them if they have seen these occupation growths take place in

their city or town.

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Assemble several groups of two or three students to review Work It Out 1.1, p.

11. Have them make brief presentations of their personal experiences of changes

in the business world. They should address the questions in the activity. Ask them

if these changes are for the better or worse. What would you do if you were asked

to improve customer service in your job or in one you know well?

IMPACT OF THE ECONOMY, p. 11

Instructor Note 8:

Use PPT9: Impact of the Economy on Jobs to lead a discussion on the quantity,

distribution, and quality of service jobs.

Then use PPT10: Factors that Impact Job Quantity to examine how interest

rates and consumer demands cause companies to evaluate how many people they

need and which jobs to establish or maintain. In addition, discuss how technology

has created a need for new technical skills in computer hardware and software

operation and maintenance. Note also that technology also created opportunities

for tasks once performed by employees to be transferred to automation.

Instructor Note 9:

Use PPT11: Parallel Trends in Job Development to lead a discussion of the

changes the economy has brought to the distribution of jobs. These changes

revolve around employees’ need to have access to networks and to engage in

collaborative exchanges. In addition, telecommuting has resulted from the ease of

transmission and exchange of information by means of technology.

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Instructor Note10:

Use PPT12: Quality of Service Jobs to discuss the increasing economic growth,

low interest rates and new job opportunities that have occurred since the late

1900s. Discuss how networking is used to build relationships inside and outside

of an organization. Emphasize how these networks can be built through meetings,

interactions and activities.

Discuss the Customer Service Success Tip (page 12):

Ask students: How do you think building an internal network of associates

within the organization can reduce the chances of layoff during downsizing?

Activity : Have students work in their groups to brainstorm and come up with

some reasons in addition to those listed in the Tip. After 3 or 4 minutes, bring the

class back together to discuss their reasons.

Instructor Note 11:

Use PPT13: What is Downsizing? Downsizing is a term applied to the situation

in which employees are terminated. Review with the class how relationships built

with associates inside the organization may help someone avoid being laid off.

Students may provide reasons other than those mentioned in the Tip, such as

sharing information and resources and adding to your personal power base. Other

preventative solutions could include educating yourself on products and services

your organization provides and volunteering ideas and assistance to show your

value to the organization. Summarize the class’ reasons and compare them to

those in the text.

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Activity : Assign the Collaborative Learning Activity Emphasizing Education on

page 28. Assign students to a group or let them form groups to identify and

discuss the role of school today and to rate how well schools are preparing young

people for work. After 10 or 12 minutes, bring the class back together to discuss

their opinions. Feel free to share your own personal background and education or

comment on that of someone you know.

SOCIETAL FACTORS AFFECTING CUSTOMER SERVICE, p. 12

Instructor Note 12:

Learning Objective 3: Identify the socioeconomic and

demographic changes that have influenced customer

service.

Learning Objective Note: PPTs 14-19 should be used with Learning Objective 3,

pages 12-19.

Review the Concept, p. 12, to help students understand Learning Objective 3 and

its impact on customer service.

Instructor Note 13:

Use PPT14: Factors that May have Caused the Economic Shift from

Manufacturing to Service as you lead a discussion regarding societal factors

affecting customer service. Discuss demographic shifts in population by

reviewing Figure 1-6, page 13. Review the figures cited by the Department of

Labor that will potentially have an impact in the U.S. labor force between the

years 2004-2014. (See Figure 1.7 on page 14).

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Instructor Note 14:

Review the Customer Service Success Tip with the class. Use PPT15:

Knowledge is Power as you ask students what it means to say “Knowledge is

Power.” Students may comment that knowledge regarding software, equipment

and emerging technologies may show your supervisor that you are willing to learn

and to apply new technology. This could help you get promoted or keep your job

during layoffs.

INCREASED EFFICIENCY IN TECHNOLOGY, p. 14

Talk about outcomes related to technology development:

1. Increase in the number of service organizations designed to care for

technology

2. Decrease in manufacturing and blue-collar jobs

Technology has brought about new jobs and hundreds of service opportunities in

computers and telecommunications. A driving factor, you might add, is the

implementation of technology-based services—50.5 percent of U.S. households

have and use Internet access.

Instructor Note 15:

Activity : As a special team project, assign students to update the statistics

regarding household Internet use from the 2000 US Census figures given on page

14. Have students report on their findings during the next class.

Globalization of the Economy, p. 15

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Discuss globalization of the economy and the lowering of trade barriers through

advances in technology, communications, diplomacy and transportation.

Instructor Note 16:

Ask: What do you think has been the most significant world event that has

influenced customer service in the United States. Why?

Relate this discussion to the variety of factors that contributed to expanded

international cooperation and competition after trade barriers came down. Many

companies have focused on business-to-business (B2B) initiatives.

Companies at some point make staffing and/or production decisions based on

bottom-line figures. This can lead to outsourcing to other countries in order to

save money on production costs, wages and benefits.

Activity : Have students in groups of 3 or 4 research the outsourcing of

technology to other countries. Have them draw on their own experiences in

talking with service providers, such as AOL, Microsoft and others that have Help

Desk functions. Allow 5 or so minutes for the discussion in the next class as a

recap and review of outsourcing.

Instructor Note 17:

Students should be encouraged to view the photo on page 15.

Ask students how they would stay abreast of technological changes. Replies

may include taking classes, conducting research on the Internet, and reading

technical magazines.

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DEREGULATION OF MANY INDUSTRIES, p. 15

Instructor Note 18:

Define Deregulation as shown on page 15 margin note.

Talk about the impact of deregulation on the development of new organizations

and customer service delivery. Solicit examples and ideas from students.

Instructor Note 19:

Ask students what impact they see deregulation having. One is competition.

Unfortunately, it has also led, in some cases, to a breakdown in customer service.

Instructor Note 20:

Have students complete the Work It Out 1.2 Personal Exposure to the Global

Trend on page 17. Give them about 10 minutes to work together in groups of 5 or

6. Once they have, collect their answers and record them on a flip chart for

comparison. Discuss the fact that they are typical of the consumers in today’s

workplace. Reinforce the concept that global competition has led to access to

many foreign products.

GEOPOLITICAL CHANGES, p. 15

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Instructor Note 21:

Use PPT16: Geopolitical Changes Caused by Various World Events to lead a

discussion on how oil embargoes, political unrest, and conflicts and wars have

reduced US business access and competition in some parts of the world. Ask

students: what affect does this have on trade and travel? Every closed port or

country border has a negative effect on travel and travel professionals.

Explain that the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

made it possible for many US companies to relocate and send jobs across national

borders to access less expensive labor, to increase profits, and to avoid unions.

This is another example of outsourcing.

INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF WHITE-COLLAR WORKERS, p. 16

Office workers or service workers now working traditional hours on a variety of

shifts services such as cleaners, home cleaning services, child care, and personal

shoppers (ask students for additional examples).

Instructor Note 22:

Ask: What changes have you seen in your lifetime in the number of white-

collar workers versus blue-collar (e.g., manufacturing, automotives, steel

workers)? Have students list some of the changes they have seen; appoint a

person to write on the board as the class calls out changes.

MORE WOMEN ENTERING THE WORKFORCE, p. 16

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Since more women have entered the workforce, the need for service providers

such as cleaners, cooks, child care attendants, etc. has increased and continues to

do so. Women’s share of the workplace is projected to increase from 47 percent in

2000 to approximately 48 percent in 2010. As a result, women as consumers have

more disposal income, leading to an increased need for more personal customer

service opportunities.

Instructor Note 23:

Again, involve students in a discussion of current occupations that were not

available to women 10 or so years ago. This could be a good time to acknowledge

and discuss the occupations women now hold in the military. Appoint a notetaker

to list occupations on the board as they are called out by the class.

A MORE DIVERSE POPULATION IS ENTERING THE WORKPLACE, p. 17

Review the U.S. Department of Labor statistics, noting that the workplace is

becoming more and more diverse. Students will study more about diversity in

Chapter 8.

Have students review Work It Out 1.2 (page 17) again and reflect on the

questions for class discussion.

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Instructor Note 24:

Lead a brief discussion on people of diversity in the workplace. Solicit views

of the impact of this trend on the workplace and in communities, government, and

the like. Ask students to think about the photo on page 18 and reflect on the

caption under it. Ask them to identify ways through which they would improve

their knowledge of different groups, so that they could better serve them. Typical

answers include reading about the different countries, reviewing case studies in

other classes regarding diversity, and perhaps talking to people from other

countries to share information.

MORE OLDER WORKERS ENTERING THE WORKFORCE, p. 18

Instructor Note 25:

Use PPT17: Increase in Older Workers in the Workforce to lead a discussion

about factors affecting the increase of older workers in the workforce. Mention

the lack of entry-level people in traditional pools of younger workers (due to

small birth rates in 1970s); therefore, companies are recruiting older workers.

Instructor Note 26:

Ask Students: Think about your position where you work (or companies you

are familiar with if you do not work). How many older workers are employed

there? What is the general age range? Are they new hires or have they been

with the company for some time? Create a flip chart summary of the input from

the class for review.

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Students should read the Customer Service Success Tip page 18.

Instructor Note 27:

Ask students: Why is it important to learn about different cultures and other

diversity issues? The workforce has changed. We all work with different

cultures, genders, age groups, religions, and other sections of a diverse

population.

Ask: How do you feel abut the changing workplace demographics? Why do

you feel this way? Lead a discussion about how students feel about changes in

the labor population. Create a flip chart summary of the answers from the class.

INCREASED NUMBER OF SMALL BUSINESSES, p. 19

Instructor Note 28:

Use PPT18: Small Business Numbers Increasing to show that more than 70

percent of all businesses are small. Discuss the types of small business present in

your city or town. Ask students how they recognize a small business. Would

they rather shop or get services from a small or a large business? Get a quick

consensus of opinion from the class and write it on the board.

The 2004 SBA report states that there are 24.7 million businesses in the U.S.

Small businesses with less than 500 employees represent 99.9 percent of those

24.7 million businesses. There are just 17,000 large businesses.

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Nearly half of all privately held US businesses are 50 percent or more woman-

owned. From 1997-2004, the number of companies 50% or more woman-owned

increased at nearly twice the rate of all companies, as did employment rates.

GROWTH OF E-COMMERCE, p. 19

Instructor Note 29:

Use PPT19: Growth of E-Commerce to lead a discussion, beginning with the

fact that e-commerce sales in 2003 increased 27.8 percent from the previous year.

Ask students: Do you surf the Net? Why and how often? Tabulate the answers

for discussion.

The new way of accessing goods and services through technology is called e-

commerce.

Ask: How many of you shop on eBay or Amazon.com? Compile a hand count

of students who shop on either one or both.

Activity : Students will enjoy the Ethical Dilemma 1.1, page 19. Have students

work in two or three groups to prepare the situation for a critique for the rest of

the class. Once they prepare and present, ask for input from the others in the class.

Refer them to the end-of-chapter possible solutions (page 29). Do they agree with

the possible solutions?

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR SHIFTS, p. 20

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http://www.Amazon.com/


Instructor Note 30:

Learning Objective 4: Recognize the changes in consumer

behavior that impact service.

Students should understand this Learning Objective since they are part of the

consumer population and their behavior impacts the service they receive and/or

give to consumers.

Learning Objective Note: PPT 20 should be used with Learning Objective 4,

pages 20-21.

Instructor Note 31:

Activity : Have students respond to a discussion about societal factors they see

facing people in the workplace today. Students will respond to questions about the

factors that have affected or continue to affect you or others. What type of factors

do you see? (e.g., more leisure time for television, sports, shopping, movies, night

clubbing, more part-time workers, a greater number of older workers, more

diversity in the workplace, and the like) Divide the group into several work

groups of 4 or 5 people. Give each group a sheet of flip chart paper on which to

write their impressions. What types of issues/problems are they observing? Why?

Write a summary of their list on the board. Review the factors that were just

discussed. Ask again: Are any of these players in your life or in your

workplace?

DESIRE FOR BETTER USE OF LEISURE TIME, p. 20

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Instructor Note 32:

Lead a discussion of the factors that drive more people to want to enjoy life,

thereby stimulating their need for service industries (e.g., a desire to relax, enjoy

children and grandchildren, and do the things one likes). Review the statistics that

show the types of industries or other materials that will help you understand these

societal issues. (Figure 1.9, page 20)

Review the information about changes in the workforce with the advent of

women, older workers and more diverse workers. Show the continued increase in

service jobs.

Activity : Have students review the daily or Sunday Classified advertisements in

your local paper. For the next class, bring in job ads that show the types of

businesses around the area and what type of occupational work people do.

Activity : Have students review Customer Service Success Tip on page 20. If

any want to own a service-oriented business, have them discuss ways to start a

business (e.g., small business with a partner, small business without a partner, or

work with someone to get some experience). Have them discuss what courses

would be good to take in preparation for owning a business (accounting, business

law, finance, customer service, marketing, or advertising to name a few).

EXPECTATION OF QUALITY SERVICE, p. 21

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Instructor Note 33:

Ask students: What do you expect from a customer service professional? If

you don’t get it, what do you do? People expect a fair dollar price to purchase a

quality product or service. Students may likely say that they expect a

knowledgeable worker who understands customer needs and who knows how to

explain an item and to compare it with one from a competitor—someone who

knows organizational policy and procedures and all the latest techniques of

quality service.

ENHANCED CONSUMER PREPARATION, p. 21

Customers expect more from customer service personnel because customers are

better educated. If expectations are not met, customers simply go to another place,

a competitor. Business owners find they have to prove the worth of the product

and service many times.

Instructor Note 34:

Use PPT20 to summarize the Shifts in Consumer Behavior as you review,

asking for examples of each on the slide.

Instructor Note: 35:

Learning Objective 5: List the six major components of a

customer-focused environment.

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Students should understand and relate to Learning Objective 5 in order to become

more customer-focused as they work with customers and also as they relate to

service providers in the business world.

Learning Objective Note: PPT 21 should be used with Learning Objective 5,

pages 21-26.

THE CUSTOMER SERVICE ENVIRONMENT

Instructor Note 36:

Review the Concept, p. 21. Use PPT21 to introduce the Components of a

Customer Service Environment (see pages 21-22). Discuss the internal

customer first (coworkers, employees of other departments or branches, others

who work in the same department or branch, or others who work in the same

organization). Quickly follow this discussion with the definition of external

customers on page 23 (people outside the organization who seek out, research,

buy, rent, or lease products or services offered).

Activity : Select various students to fill groups who will present Work It Out 1.3,

page 23, and 1.4, page 24. Have each group present their research and opinions

about each Work It Out. Students will likely say in Work It Out 1.4 that external

customers purchase products or services.

External customers may be current customers or clients. The organizational

culture is what the customer experiences. Ask Students: Think of your latest

shopping experience: what culture did you encounter during that visit?

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Organizations must take care in hiring people. The positions are often hired by

human resources.

Instructor Note 37:

Review Figure 1.11, pages 24-25 with the class.

Activity : Ask students to think about the qualifications of the employees who

fill these positions. Ask them to make notes and to summarize the information in

a one-page typed report. Students should make comments on people who work in

these jobs and whether they think these workers do a good job (ask students to

avoid mentioning specific names).

Activity : Have students access the Salary Wizard (See Customer Service

Success Tip on page 25) and research salary levels for 5 jobs; record these jobs

on the board. Give specific instructions as to which companies you do or do not

want students to research. The reports will be due the next class or at another time

you designate.

Activity : Work It Out 1.5 on page 26 can be assigned to a group of students who

may be interested in human resources positions. Have them research new

procedures being used to attract, hire and retain qualified employees. Ask the

class to verify if the group would be likely to successfully recruit employees.

The reports will be due at the next class or at another time you designate.

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Instructor Note 38:

Learning Objective 6: Explain how some companies

address the changes impacting the service sector.

Students should understand the impact of these changes on the service sector.

These changes may possibly impact jobs they now occupy or positions they may

secure after leaving school.

Learning Objective Note: PPT22 should be used with Learning Objective 6, pages

26-27.

ADDRESSING THE CHANGES, p. 26

Instructor Note 39:

Review the Concept, p. 26.

Discuss how some organizations address societal changes in order to provide

better service. Use PPT22: Addressing the Changes to Provide Better Service;

Customer-Based Organizations’ focus is to provide service excellence and an

environment in which customer needs are identified and satisfied or perish.

Peter Senge in his book The Fifth Discipline uses the term “learning

organization.”

Activity : Ask students to define this concept term. Review the term on page 26

in the text. Ask students to give at least one concept of the learning

organization. Ask one student to lead the group and put the ideas on the board or

other media.

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Ask students to respond to the statement: To excel, organizations must train

all employees to spot problems and deal with them before the customer

becomes aware that such problems exist. How would they develop this idea to

make customer service seamless? Take 10 or 15 minutes to let the class discuss

these concepts among themselves. Then bring them back together to finalize what

they believe will become customer service concepts in the future.

SUMMARY, p. 27

Review the key concepts and Key Terms in the chapter. You may want to go back

through the PowerPoint slides once more; quickly make a few comments related to each.

Spend some time, maybe 5-10 minutes, reviewing the key points in the chapter.

KEY TERMS, p, 27

Review the key terms. Students should have used the Student Study Guide to help review

and study the concepts.

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REVIEW QUESTIONS, p. 27

You may want to divide the class into small groups or conduct a class discussion of the

questions in the Review Section. Possible answers may vary, such as:

1. What is service?

Service is the ability of knowledgeable, capable and enthusiastic employees to deliver

products and services to external or internal customers in a manner that satisfies

identified and unidentified needs and ultimately results in positive word-of-mouth

publicity and return business.

2. Describe some of the earliest forms of customer service.

Neighbors took care of needs and often went around from farm to farm. Peddlers,

vendors, and others went house to house. Some small towns had their own rural shops

for their people.

3. What are some of the factors that have facilitated a shift to a service economy?

Many factors have contributed, including more women, more older people and more

diversity in the workforce. The economy and technology are two major contributors

to making a service economy. When people have enough disposable income, they can

relax and then want services they can buy.

4. What have been some of the causes of the changing business environment in recent

decades?

Some of the causes have been the advent and growth of technology; the economy;

societal factors; deregulation of many industries; geopolitical changes; the increase of

white-collar workers, women and older people in the workforce; a more diverse

workforce; and an increase in the number of small business.

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5. Describe the impact of a company’s culture on its success in a customer-focused

business environment.

It is the organizational service factor that the customer encounters and that contributes

to the overall service environment.

6. What role does the human resources element of the customer service environment

play in customer satisfaction?

Motivated, enthusiastic, knowledgeable and skilled employees drive the service

culture by providing quality service to the customer.

7. What two factors related to an organization’s products or deliverables can lead to

customer satisfaction or dissatisfaction?

Quality and quantity of service

8. When organizations select a delivery method for products or services, where do they

get information on the best approach to take?

Industry standards, customer expectations, evaluating capabilities and costs, and

current and projected requirements.

9. What are the six key components of a customer service environment?

Customer, organizational culture, human resources, products/deliverables, delivery

systems, and service.

10. Why are many organizations changing to learning organizations?

The organization values knowledge, education and employee training. They learn

from the competition, industry trends and other sources, and they develop systems to

support continued growth and development in order to remain competitive.

SEARCH IT OUT, p. 27

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Instructor Note 40:

Assign the Search It Out activity as an out-of-class project and have students bring in

their results to discuss during the next class.

COLLABORATIVE LEARNING ACTIVITIES, p. 28

Instructor Note 41:

Have students prepare the report as discussed in the activity. Bring it to class to share

with the rest of the class. You may share your own educational background or that of

someone you know well.

FACE-TO-FACE, p. 28

This is a growing business (PackAll is headquartered in Minneapolis) with franchises in

21 cities in the U.S. The main focus of the operation is shipment and mailing via parcel

post of nonperishable items. Short-term storage of personal items in air-conditioned

spaces and post office boxes are available for customers.

The company must train all employees and service delivery personnel consistently;

therefore, all owners or operators must sign an agreement stating that they will comply

before they can become a PackAll franchise. They must complete a rigorous eight-week

training program that focuses on key management and business skills needed to run a

successful business and educates employees on corporate philosophy and culture.

Management offers additional tips for guiding employee development. Owners or

operators must also attend a retreat every three and six months to receive additional

training.

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You, a new employee of PackAll, have joined the company and have your orientation

tomorrow. You will learn policies and procedures, techniques for handling customers,

and specific job skills.

You were told upon hiring that you would be responsible for serving customers,

providing information about services offered, writing up customer orders, collecting

payments, and packing and labeling orders.

Now you are ready:

Think about your skills:

1. What interpersonal skills do you currently have that will allow you to be

successful?

(Student answers may include: attention to detail, quick learner, eager to please,

excellent at learning and working with new techniques and equipment, good customer

service skills, and empathy and good personality.)

2. What general questions do you have about handling customers?

(Students may want to know how far they can proceed with a customer without

asking for management intervention.)

3. If a customer asks for a service the PackAll does not provide, how will you handle

the situation? Exactly what will you say?

(Students may say: Let’s see what we can do to help you with this. I believe we can

work it out for you with some input from the manager. Let’s get (him or her) over

here to explain the services we do offer and see what we can do to alter those services

to fit your needs.) Students may feel that they need management intervention unless

they have been given authority to go ahead and make decisions.

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Instructor Note 42:

Divide the class into equal sized groups (no more than 5-7 per group) and have them

review the situation. Have the groups discuss the situation and come to a consensus on a

course of action based on the questions at the end of the case study.

Give them approximately 20-25 minutes for discussion, then reassemble the class to

discuss their opinions. Add any points you feel are pertinent.

Note: students’ answers will vary for the questions. See above for possible solutions.

IN THE REAL WORLD, p. 29

Instructor Note 43:

Have the students prepare the information and then use it for solving the issues. Any

student may find different information by searching the Website. No final solutions are

given here.

PLANNING TO SERVE, p. 29

Instructor Note 44:

Have students complete this activity. Review the issues and strategies they list carefully,

making any comments or suggestions on their paper that you think will clarify the

concepts they should be learning.

QUICK PREVIEW, p. 29

The answers to the Quick Preview are provided.

ETHICAL DILEMMA 1.1, p. 29. Possible answers are provided in the text.

VIDEO NOTES:

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If you ordered the Videos for Customer Service: Skills for Success, 4th Edition, locate

Video 1 for Chapter 1: The Truth About Customer Service. This video presents a real-

world situation housed in a medical office environment. The video deals with the idea of

internal and external customers. Introduce the video to the students. Have them watch

and take notes about the attitudes and behavior of the staff in the video. Ask the class to

respond to the speech patterns, language and attitude of the players in the video. How do

they portray an office environment? What improvements would students recommend to

the staff? (The class may possibly comment on the use of slang language or the

supervisor’s mannerisms when speaking with Joe. They may likely comment on the body

language Joe demonstrates when talking on the telephone with Pamela.)

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Documents

CUSTOMER SERVICE, SKILLS FOR SUCCESS, 4e - …novella.mhhe.com/olc2/dl/579165/Chap00… · Web view · 2008-03-25Globalization of the Economy, p. 15--Deregulation of Many Industries,