Customer Service Module

Lesson Plan
Purpose: To examine the components of customer service, discuss how customer
service pertains to the students current employment as well as future job
opportunities, and encourage students to commit to providing top-quality customer
service.
Learning Outcomes:

Students will understand that our common purpose is to serve students.

Students will be able to identify at least 3 key components of excellent
customer service.
Students will identify at least 3 negative outcomes from poor customer
service.
Students will consider how they can improve customer service in their current
position.

Program Agenda:
1. Introduction (15 min). Welcome participants, introduce presenter(s).
Presenters will share their background in customer service and explain how it
relates to their current position.

Ice Breaker: Have students introduce themselves and respond to questions

such as:
Name?
Current position and school?
How does customer service pertain to your job? Who are your customers?
What do you hope to learn today?
Pre-Assessment .

2. Defining Customer Service as our Common Purpose (15 min).

Small group activity - Divide students into small groups and give each group a
sheet of chart paper. Have groups discuss what customer service is, then come
up with their groups definition on chart paper (encourage creativity, such as
illustrations, not just lists). Have a volunteer from each group share their chart.
Whole group discussion Building on the various groups definitions, create a
consensus on the definition of customer service. Then ask & discuss:
* Within ACUI/School , who are our customers?

* Whichever department you work for, what is our common purpose in

ACUI/School? To serve our customers?
* If each one of us employed in ACUI/School is committed to our common purpose
of serving students and the ACUI/School community, and we work together to
achieve this purpose, how will this affect customer service?
3. Examples and Implications of Poor Customer Service (15 min). Show
video clip (on You Tube, search for Bon Qui Qui Mad tv King Burger OR go to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZdcYlOn5m). Have students describe what went
wrong in the video. Ask: How did poor service make the guests feel? Ask students
to share stories of their own bad customer service experiences. Discuss: What are
the large scale implications of poor customer service? Explain the 3 times Rule:
For every one positive guest service experience we encounter and share, we are
three times more likely to share a negative experience -- with 3 or more people!
4. Examples and Effects of Excellent Customer Service (15 min). Have
students share examples and experiences of great customer service. For each
example, have the group discuss what it was that made the service great (list these
characteristics on white board). Ask: How does word of mouth affect a business?
Have students discuss how they can apply the characteristics of great customer
service (listed on board) in their current job? Ask: What can you do in your current
job to improve customer service?
5. Basic Etiquette (15 min). Explain/discuss the following:
* First impressions matter! Welcoming and greeting a customer sets the
tone for service. Follow the 7 or 7 rule: If someone is within 7 feet or 7 seconds,
greet them!
* Importance of positive body language (eye contact; smile; etc.).
* How to ask appropriate questions (You are? Youre here to see?
Regarding?). You may need to GO FISHING for information so you can better
help the guest, but do so without ruffling their feathers (read the guests reaction).
* If the guest must wait, explain why and what they are waiting for.
* Telephone courtesy greetings, directions, messages, smile with your
voice. Pass out Telephone Etiquette hand-out (attached; print double-sided).
* Never say, No, sorry or I cant help you. Dont leave customers
hanging or fending for themselves. Use your creativity and come up with
alternatives to help the guest. Commit to resolving the problem.

* Avoid giving guests the administrative run-around. Collaborate with others

in your department, in ACUI/School, and in the campus community to help a
customer.
* Always treat the customer with civility, even when there is controversy.
When you encounter a difficult customer, remain calm and polite. Tell them and
show them that you are trying to resolve the issue. Find a supervisor, if
appropriate.
* Guests are always watching!
- Avoid gossip and idle banter.
- Use the computer only for work purposes (follow internet policy,
dont play games, no hiding behind your screen).
- Set the right tone with your wardrobe. Dress appropriately for your
job.
6. Role-Playing: How to Handle a Difficult Situation (10 min). Three
different scenarios are attached to this document. Use one, two, or all three,
depending on the time available. Divide students into pairs or groups of three,
depending on the size of the whole group. Explain that one student will be the
customer and one student will be the employee in a scenario and they will each
receive a different description. If there is a third person in the group, that person
can act as the manager and should watch how the employee handles the situation
and intervene if/when the manager deems appropriate. Pass out the description of
the roles and give the students a few minutes to act out the situation.
7.

Wrap-up (10 min). Show video clip: http://www.stservicemovie.com

Post-assessment.

ROLE-PLAYING SCENARIOS

Situation # 1 Computer Problem:

Customer

You just bought a new computer; then you proceed to set it up. You did not bother
to read the directions it is a simple process. You turn on your new computer, and
the monitor remains black. You turn the computer and monitor on and off several
times and are getting very frustrated and angry. Obviously, the store sold you a
defective machine.
You call the store and chew out the store manager at 4:30 p.m. and then insist
that they send out a technician immediately to fix the computer. The store
manager told you that the technician was out on a service call and that they would
send him/her out as soon as he/she came in. The technician finally arrives at 6:00
p.m. You are furious now because not only did the store sell you a broken
computer, but they took over an hour and a half to come service it.

Situation #1 Computer Problem: Service Technician ( Employee)

You have had a very long day making service calls, and even had to work through
lunch to get to them all. You are looking forward to going home, getting dinner, and
then going to your basketball game at 6:30 this evening. You come in to the shop at
4:30 only to have your manager tell you that you have to make one more service
call. This wouldnt bother you much if it were on your way home, but instead it is
45 minutes away in the opposite direction. Knowing that service is what your
company has been built on, you take a deep breath and start out on the call. When
you arrive, you find that you are greeted by an angry and hostile customer. You sit
down at the machine and discover that they forgot to adjust the brightness on their
monitor. If they had simply read the directions, they would have been able to figure
this out for themselves.
How do you deal with this customer?

ROLE-PLAYING SCENARIOS

Situation #2 Seat Assignment Mix-up:

Customer

You have an assigned seat in first class on a flight to Disney World. When you
arrive at the airport check-in counter, you find that your seat has been deleted from
the computer. Normally this wouldnt bother you; you could take a seat in coach or
take the next flight, but today both the flights before and after yours were canceled.
Consequently, seats on your flight are filling up quickly. You must make it to Disney
World this afternoon for a very important meeting.

Situation #2 Seat Assignment Mix-up:

Airline Agent (Employee)

You realize that the passenger should be on the flight and that it was the airlines
fault that your seat assignment was deleted from the system. The seats are filling
up quickly and this passenger has flown with your airline many times.
What can you do to help this passenger?

ROLE-PLAYING SCENARIOS

Situation #3 Wrong Order:

Customer

You order a Big Mac hamburger with no onions and a strawberry shake from your
local McDonalds restaurant at the drive-through. When you open your order, you
find that they gave you a fish sandwich and a vanilla shake. This is simply
unacceptable. You park your car and go in to complain, which makes you late for
your next appointment.

Situation #3 Wrong Order: Order-Taker (Employee)

You took the customers order. The trainee you are working with filled the order
wrong because s/he mistakenly looked at the wrong register and order.
How are you going to handle this situation?

TODAYS TELEPHONE ETIQUETTE FOR THE

WORKPLACE
Although new technologies have changed the face of business, the need for proper
workplace telephone etiquette has not changed. Every time you answer the phone,
you not only represent your organization, but you may be the first or only
contact a caller has with your firm. That person will remember the impression long
after the call is over. Good telephone technique conveys enthusiasm and attention
and makes the experience both positive and beneficial. Here are some basic tips:

Pick up by the third ring, if possible.

Calls that get answered on the 7th ring send a message: callers are not
important to your organization.

Treat each call as if its the most important call of the day.
Dont allow yourself to be distracted by someone standing at your desk or an
e-mail message on your computer screen.

Never interrupt.
Listen closely to callers in order to understand their requests and problems.
Give each person time to explain his or her situation. Listening makes callers
feel that their problems are important.

Dont sound bored or indifferent.

If you are bored, you will sound bored. Put energy into your voice. Smile
and that will come through over the phone.

Speak slowly and clearly.

Dont slur or mumble your words. Be prepared to adjust your rate of speech
to your callers cues. If you are asked to repeat yourself, youll know you
need to slow down. Recognize that your voice may sound muffled when you
are speaking through a telephone headset.

Dont eat, drink, or chew gum.

Aside from being extremely rude, these sounds become magnified over the
phone and make your words difficult for callers to understand.

Dont cough, sneeze, or clear your throat into the phone.

If you must sneeze or cough, move the mouthpiece away and cover it with
your hand. Or, put the phone on mute for a moment.
Source: American Society of Administrative Professionals, March 24, 2010

Let callers know whom they have reached.

Answer with a phrase, like Good Morning, XYZ Incorporated, Sarah speaking,
how may I help you? You might also include your department (This is Mark
in shipping, how can I help you?)

Ask for permission to put a caller on hold.

Then wait for a response. If a caller does not wish to be put on hold, give a
specific reason why its necessary ( youre waiting for an answer from a
colleague or pulling up a computer file). Callers like to know why they are
being made to wait. On the other hand, no one needs to know your boss is in
the restroom; just say he or she is away from the desk.

Keep the person on hold updated on the status of his or her call
every 60 seconds, even if you dont have an answer.
This tells callers you have not forgotten about them. People appreciate
having their time acknowledged. Ask if the person would like to continue to
hold or would prefer to leave a message on voicemail.

Be polite if a caller has reached the wrong department.

He or she may have been transferred many times before reaching you. If you
can, determine whom they need to speak to.

Dont let angry callers get to you.

Stay calm. Remain polite and diplomatic. Remember that the caller could be
having a bad day and anger on your part will exacerbate the situation. Show
the caller you are willing to take the time necessary to resolve his or her
problem. After a difficult call, center yourself by taking a deep breath. Be
prepared to be upbeat and helpful to the next caller. Dont, however, let
yourself be verbally abused. Follow your organizations rules for those
situations.

Make sure the callers needs have been met before hanging up.
Is there anything else I can help you with?

Leave brief, to-the-point voicemail messages.

Speak clearly and slowly. Say your name and # at the beginning and end of
the message. If the voicemail system lets you play back your message, do so
to make sure your message is clear.

If you get a wrong number, dont just hang up.

Apologize to the person who answers. This is especially important now that
everyone has caller ID and instantly knows who just hung upon them.
Source: American Society of Administrative Professionals, March 24, 2010

Customer Service Module Pre- Assessment

1. Identify three key elements of excellent customer service.

2. Identify three implications of poor customer service.

3. Name two things you can commit to do to improve customer service in your
job.

Customer Service Module Post- Assessment

1. Identify three key elements of excellent customer service.

2. Identify three implications of poor customer service.

3. Name two things you can commit to do to improve customer service in

your job.