Unit 1
INTRODUCTION TO CUSTOMER SERVICE

Good customer service is of vital importance for all businesses, large or small. It can have a direct impact on customer loyalty and where potential customers choose to spend their money. Simply put the higher quality customer service you provide, the higher level of customer satisfaction you will enjoy, and that will translate into repeat business. This course introduces the basic concepts of customer service and then delves into effective customer service techniques and practice. Learners will gain a thorough knowledge and understanding of the important aspects of customer service and become confident in their handling of enquiries, complaints and communications. This course is ideal for anyone who deals directly with a business or organisation’s customers.

“There is only one boss, and whether a person shines shoes for a living or heads up the biggest corporation in the world, the boss remains the same. It is the customer! The customer is the person who pays everyone’s salary and who decides whether a business is going to succeed or fail. In fact, the customer can fire everybody in the company from the chairman (CEO) on down, and he can do it simply by spending his money somewhere else.

Literally everything we do, every concept perceived, every technology developed and associate employed, is directed with this one objective clearly in mind- pleasing the customer.”

Sam M. Walton, CEO Wal- Mart

Credo from Sam Walton the owner and CEO of Wal- Mart- an international chain of department stores and the most successful company in retailing in the world

Ask any CEO of a company, president of a bank, manager of an office, minister of staff person and they will tell you HOW IMPORTANT the customer is to their operations and success. In meeting after meeting, heads of industry, the service sector, utilities and government try to convince the audience how much they believe in customer service.

“It is our mission, it is our number one priority, it is our goal, it is why we are in business etc…,” often prove to be mere epitaphs. Unfortunately, these same “customer friendly” executives go back to their offices, de-employ office staff, fail to initiate a customer service improvement plan and send memos out saying customer complaints are unjustified and overblown.