Customer Care: Getting it Right

This lesson sets the scene for good customer care, and raises some of the important questions and issues you will need to consider.

Please now watch Video 1.1 (below) (duration 5m 13s) and then complete Exercise 1.1 in your Module Companion E-book.

Please now watch Video 2.1 and then complete Exercise 2.1 in your Module Companion E-Book.

Please now watch Video 2.2 and then complete Exercise 2.2 in your Module Companion E-Book.

‘Hands-on’ skills such as we explored in the previous lesson are only part of what constitutes good customer care. The values we hold, and how they impact upon our behaviour and how we treat people, are equally important. If, for example, we regard certain groups within the community as being in some way second -class citizens, then this attitude will inevitably affect how we treat them.

The huge topic of equality and diversity is an excellent example of how our values are so important to what we do. This lesson provides you with an opportunity to listen to a leading expert in this field, Dr Neil Thompson, who will explore with you some of the key themes you need to consider.

lease now watch Video 4.1 and then complete Exercise 4.1 in your Module Companion E-book.

Introduction

In this lesson we return to some of the core basic skills you need to get right in your role. We are going to focus on the important theme of telephone skills which are so necessary for good customer care. As you look at the video scenarios, think all the time about your own skills and ways in which you might need to sharpen and improve them.

Please now watch Video 5.1 and then complete Exercise 5.1 in your Module Companion E–book.

Please now watch Video 5.2. See how the team’s reactions compare with yours, and then watch the video to the end. After this please complete Exercise 5.2 in your Module Companion E–book.

We now move on to a series of video scenarios that illustrate some of the difficult situations you may have to deal with in your job.The scenarios you are about to see show a receptionist having to deal with a series of tricky, and at times really difficult, phone calls. The focus of this session is to look at the skills needed to deliver good customer care, and to transfer these to your own organisation. The scenarios are all very brief and are designed to be triggers to stimulate your thoughts and reactions.

This section in particular asks you to be honest and reflective about how you respond, and to note these in your Module Companion E-book. Please bear in mind that it is important to relate each scenario to your own setting which might well differ from the one being portrayed in the video.

VIDEO 5.3

Watch each scenario in turn. There will be a slide after each scenario asking you to pause and reflect on what you have seen.Exercsie 5.3 in your Module Companion E–book will aks you to identify what you think are theissues being raised; how you would respond; and what best practice in customer care would be like in the particular situation portrayed.

When you have completed all six scenarios, look at the Telephone Skills Scenario Comments in your Module Companion E-book. This will enable you to check your responses to the brief notes we have provided. There may be further issues you need to raise, or questions you feel have not been fully answered. Make a note of these, and decide who is the best person in your organisation that you can explore these issues further with.

Please now watch Video 5.4. After this you should then read the brief conclusion to this lesson.

Introduction

This lesson explores a number of issues about best practice in customer care. As before with the telephone skills, we ask you think about your own practice in an honest and reflective way, so that you can discover ways of improving the quality of customer care you deliver.

Please note that we have broken this lesson down into four sections, each one of which needs to be studied in turn before moving on to the next.

As with Lesson 5, you may find that some of the scenarios do not obviously apply to your own setting. Rather than just skipping these, however, we invite you to think about what some of the underlying issues are that these scenarios illustrate, and then to think about what might happen in your organisation with a similar scenario and how you would deal with it.

VIDEO 6.1 (overall duration 17m 5s broken down into several sections)

Please now watch video 6.1 and then begin Exercise 6.1 in your Module Companion E-book.

Please now watch Video 6.2 which brings back Dr Neil Thompson to talk to you about the importance of the language we use and its impact on our customer care. Once you have watched the video go to your Module Companion E-book to complete Exercise 6.2.

Please now watch Video 6.3

NBThis is an important issue around the duty of care you have towards yourself and the duty of care your organisation has towards you as an employee. It is important to look after yourself and to seek help and support and TLC when you are stressed. It is equally important that your organisation responds effectively.

When you are ready, complete Exercise 6.3 in your Module Companion E–book. Please note that these can be challenging and sensitive issues to explore, so it is important that you take your time with this worksheet in order to engage fully with the issues we raise. You may well have a lot of comments you need to make around these issues, some of which may need to be raised with your manager and/or supervisor at work.

Please now watch Video 6.4 and then complete Exercise 6.4 in your Module Companion E-book.

Please now watch Video 6.5 and then complete Exercise 6.5 in your Module Companion E-book.

Introduction

In your Module Companion E-Book you will find Exercise 7.2 which has been designed to reinforce your learning about complaints, the importance of your role, and how you regard, and respond to, people who wish to make a complaint.

If this is new to your organisation, how might you introduce this approach in your own workplace? To whom would you need to speak to raise these issues?