CHAPTER ONE

What isCustomer Service?

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LLEARNING EARNING OOBJECTIVESBJECTIVES

Define customer service

Identify socioeconomic and demographic changes

Recognize factors responsible for shift to a service culture

List six major components of customer-focused environment

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CCUSTOMER USTOMER SSERVICEERVICE

The ability of knowledgeable, capable, and enthusiastic employees to deliver products and services to their internal and external customers in a manner which satisfies identified and unidentified needs and ultimately results in positive word-of-mouth publicity and return business.

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DDEFINING EFINING CCUSTOMER USTOMER SSERVICEERVICE

Customer-focused organizations

Concept of customer service

Post-WWII service

Shift to service

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SSHIFT HIFT TTO O SSERVICE (1)ERVICE (1)Typical Former

Occupations

FarmerRanch Worker

MachinistEngineer

SteelworkerHomemaker

Factory WorkerMiner

TradespersonRailroad Worker

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SSHIFT HIFT TTO O SSERVICE (2)ERVICE (2)

Typical Service Occupations

SalespersonInsurance Agent

Food ServerAdministrative Assistant

Flight AttendantCall Center

RepresentativeRepair Person

Travel ProfessionalChild Care Provider

Security Guard

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IIMPACTMPACT OOF F EECONOMYCONOMY

Quantity of jobs

Distribution of jobs

Quality of service jobs

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AADDRESSING DDRESSING TTHE HE CCHANGESHANGES

Must provide service excellence

Must become “Learning Organizations”

Anticipate customer needs

Train employees

Give employees authority to resolve issues

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SSOCIETAL OCIETAL FFACTORS ACTORS AAFFECTING FFECTING CCUSTOMER USTOMER SSERVICE (1)ERVICE (1)

Shifts in the population profile

Increased efficiency in technology

Globalization of the economy

Deregulation of many industries

Geopolitical changes

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SSOCIETAL OCIETAL FFACTORS ACTORS AAFFECTING FFECTING CCUSTOMER USTOMER SSERVICE (2)ERVICE (2)

Increase in white-collar workers

Socioeconomic programs

More women entering workforce

More diverse population in workforce

More older workers in workforce

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SSOCIETAL OCIETAL FFACTORS ACTORS AAFFECTING FFECTING CCUSTOMER USTOMER SSERVICE (3)ERVICE (3)

Desire for better use of leisure time

Expectation of quality service

Better-educated customers

Increased number of small businesses

Growth of e-commerce

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CCUSTOMER USTOMER SSERVICE ERVICE EENVIRONMENTNVIRONMENT

CUSTOMER

Organizational Culture

Human Resources

Products/Deliverables

Delivery Systems

Service