OA 7 – CUSTOMER RELATIONS
MODULE 1: The Customer Service Profession and Contributing to the Service
Culture
LESSON 1: Defining Customer Service and Service Culture
Customer Service – actions and efforts of a company or employee to satisfy
customer needs and expectations.
1. Competent – knowledgeable about products and services.
2. Convenient – easy for customers to contact and get help.
3. Proactive – informs customers before problems happen.
The 3 Important Things in Customer Service
1. Practice Empathy
o Understand customers’ feelings, listen to their feedback, and respond
through their preferred channels to create a smooth and caring
experience.
2. Equip Agents with the Right Tools
o Provide customer service software, customer information, collaboration
tools, and automation so agents can solve problems quickly and
efficiently.
3. Show Customer Service Matters Across the Business
o Customer service is everyone’s responsibility—from marketing to sales
to product quality—so the whole organization focuses on a positive
customer experience.
Objectives of Customer Service
Customer Service Objectives
● The main goal of customer service is to support and advocate for
customers by answering questions, solving problems with empathy, building
relationships, and improving brand trust.
● Effective customer service also helps organizations to:
o Improve customer retention
o Boost customer loyalty
o Increase customer lifetime value
o Reduce customer churn
o Create a better overall customer experience
Customer-Focused Organization
A company that prioritizes customer needs and designs policies, systems, and
services to satisfy customers.
, Characteristics
● Has internal (people inside the organization and external (customers outside
the organization).
● Meets customer needs
● Easy access to information and services
● Employees are supported and rewarded
● Continuous improvement of systems
Customer Satisfaction
● The feeling of contentment after a service experience
● Based on expectations vs. actual experience
Why is Excellent Customer Service So Rare?
Customer service is rare because it requires 2 things that the average person or
organization are unwilling to commit to:
1. Spending money
2. Taking action
Five Basic Needs of Customers
1. Service
2. Price
3. Quality
4. Action (quick response)
5. Appreciation
Customer Attributes
● Demographic information
– age, income, marital status, education, sex, religion
● Psychographic information
– lifestyle, modes of living, needs, motives, attitudes, culture, social class,
family influence, hobbies, political affiliation
● Firmographic information
– characteristics about a company (how many employees they have, the kind
of business, hours of operation)
Cost of Losing a Customer
- Lose the current dollars
- Lose the jobs that our client(s) provide
MODULE 1: The Customer Service Profession and Contributing to the Service
Culture
LESSON 1: Defining Customer Service and Service Culture
Customer Service – actions and efforts of a company or employee to satisfy
customer needs and expectations.
1. Competent – knowledgeable about products and services.
2. Convenient – easy for customers to contact and get help.
3. Proactive – informs customers before problems happen.
The 3 Important Things in Customer Service
1. Practice Empathy
o Understand customers’ feelings, listen to their feedback, and respond
through their preferred channels to create a smooth and caring
experience.
2. Equip Agents with the Right Tools
o Provide customer service software, customer information, collaboration
tools, and automation so agents can solve problems quickly and
efficiently.
3. Show Customer Service Matters Across the Business
o Customer service is everyone’s responsibility—from marketing to sales
to product quality—so the whole organization focuses on a positive
customer experience.
Objectives of Customer Service
Customer Service Objectives
● The main goal of customer service is to support and advocate for
customers by answering questions, solving problems with empathy, building
relationships, and improving brand trust.
● Effective customer service also helps organizations to:
o Improve customer retention
o Boost customer loyalty
o Increase customer lifetime value
o Reduce customer churn
o Create a better overall customer experience
Customer-Focused Organization
A company that prioritizes customer needs and designs policies, systems, and
services to satisfy customers.
, Characteristics
● Has internal (people inside the organization and external (customers outside
the organization).
● Meets customer needs
● Easy access to information and services
● Employees are supported and rewarded
● Continuous improvement of systems
Customer Satisfaction
● The feeling of contentment after a service experience
● Based on expectations vs. actual experience
Why is Excellent Customer Service So Rare?
Customer service is rare because it requires 2 things that the average person or
organization are unwilling to commit to:
1. Spending money
2. Taking action
Five Basic Needs of Customers
1. Service
2. Price
3. Quality
4. Action (quick response)
5. Appreciation
Customer Attributes
● Demographic information
– age, income, marital status, education, sex, religion
● Psychographic information
– lifestyle, modes of living, needs, motives, attitudes, culture, social class,
family influence, hobbies, political affiliation
● Firmographic information
– characteristics about a company (how many employees they have, the kind
of business, hours of operation)
Cost of Losing a Customer
- Lose the current dollars
- Lose the jobs that our client(s) provide
