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AOHT Delivering Great Customer Service

Lesson 3The Psychology of Customer

Service

Student Resources

Resource Description

Student Resource 3.1 Reading: Service Vignettes

Student Resource 3.2 Assignment: Service Diary

Student Resource 3.3 Notes: The Psychology of Customer Service

Student Resource 3.4 Reading: The Psychology of Customer Service

Student Resource 3.5 Assignment: Anticipating Needs

Copyright © 2007–2015 NAF. All rights reserved.

AOHT Delivering Great Customer ServiceLesson 3 The Psychology of Customer Service

Student Resource 3.1

Reading: Service VignettesStudent Names: Date:

Directions: With your partner, read one of these scenes out loud. After you finish, answer the questions at the end of your scene.

Scene #1: At the Mall (Shopper approaches the counter. Clerk is doing paperwork.)

Shopper

Excuse me?

Clerk

Yeah, just a second.

(Clerk keeps doing paperwork, ignores Shopper. Shopper waits for a minute, then speaks again.)

Shopper

Excuse me—I’m in a hurry.

Clerk

(Comes over to Shopper.)

Sorry—my boss asked me to finish some paperwork. He needs it for a meeting.

Shopper

Well, I’ve been standing here, waiting. I bought these designer jeans here, but they’re damaged. See? There’s a big rip in this pocket.

Clerk

(Doesn’t really look at the jeans.)

Do you have your receipt?

Shopper

No.

Copyright © 2007–2015 N. All rights reserved.


Clerk

Well, I can give you store credit.

Shopper

But I don’t want store credit. I want my money back. Your store has a terrible selection of designer jeans. I want to go to another store so I can get designer jeans.

Clerk

I’m sorry, but I don’t know how to do that type of return. If you go downstairs, they could probably help you. My boss is going to be back soon and he really needs that paperwork.

Shopper

Look, I’m on my lunch break and I have to get back. Can’t you just handle this?

Questions to DiscussHow would you describe the clerk’s attitude? Is that attitude helping or hurting this situation? Can you empathize with the clerk?

How would you describe the shopper’s attitude? Is that attitude helping or hurting the situation? Can you sympathize with the shopper?

If you were that shopper, would you go back to that store again? Why or why not?

If you were that clerk’s boss, would you give that clerk a promotion or a raise? Why or why not?



Scene #2: On a Cruise Ship(A guest is standing in the buffet line in a restaurant on a cruise ship. One of the ship employees comes

over to talk to the guest.)

Cruise Employee

Are you enjoying your trip?

Guest

It’s okay.

Cruise Employee

That doesn’t sound very convincing. Is there something I can do to make your trip more enjoyable?

Guest

I was seasick for the first couple of days, so I really haven’t done anything except hang out in my room. It’s a nice room, but I’m kind of bored. I need to find something to do, but nothing too energetic—I’m still

not feeling that great.

Cruise Employee

I understand. We have lots of activities on board, and I can help you pick something fun to do.

Guest

Well, first I need to try to eat something, but this buffet really doesn’t look that good.

Cruise Employee

I’ll be happy to show you where one of our other restaurants is. They have a breakfast special specifically designed for people getting over seasickness.

Guest

That could be a good idea. I don’t know, though. I’m beginning to think this cruise was a mistake.

Cruise Employee

Don’t give up on it yet! We only just got started. You might feel better after you eat something. Were you planning to eat with anyone here? I could let them know….



Guest

No, I don’t really know anyone on the boat.

Cruise Employee

I can fix that! As we walk to the other restaurant, let me fill you in on some of our group activities. If there’s one that sounds good to you, I’ll arrange for you to join in after breakfast.

Questions to DiscussHow would you describe the employee’s attitude? Is that attitude helping or hurting this situation?

How would you describe the guest’s attitude? Is that attitude helping or hurting the situation? Can you sympathize with the guest?

If you were that guest, would you take another cruise with this company again? Why or why not?

If you were that employee’s boss, would you give that employee a promotion or a raise? Why or why not?



Scene #3: At the Reception Desk of a Hotel(A guest comes to the reception desk.)

Clerk

Welcome to the Seaside Inn. How can I help you?

Guest

I need to check in.

Clerk

Of course. (Types something into the computer, waits for a moment, then bangs on the keyboard a few times.) I hate this thing! The computers here are about a thousand years old. They’re so slow! (Smiles at

Guest.) Sorry about this.

Guest

Is it going to take very long? (Yawns)

Clerk

I hope not. You look tired.

Guest

Yeah, I’ve been traveling all day. I really just need to get some sleep.

(Clerk hits the computer keyboard again.)

Clerk

Well, now the whole thing’s frozen up. I can’t process your reservation.

Guest

You mean I can’t get a room?

Clerk

We can get you one eventually, but I’m going to have to call my manager at home and get her to come in here… We should have a room for you in a few hours.



Guest

But it’s after midnight! Is the hotel that crowded?

Clerk

Oh no—we hardly get anybody staying here this time of year. But I have to inform my manager any time the computer breaks down. If you’ll just have a seat over there….

Guest

Look, I’m really hungry. Can I leave my bags here while I go get something to eat?

Clerk

I’m sorry, but I won’t be at the desk while I get this problem solved, so I can’t take responsibility for your bags.

Guest

Fine. I’ll take them with me. But I won’t be coming back to this hotel again!

Questions to DiscussHow would you describe the clerk’s attitude? Is that attitude helping or hurting this situation? Can you sympathize with the clerk?

How would you describe the guest’s attitude? Is that attitude helping or hurting the situation? Can you empathize with the guest?

If you were that guest, would you go back to that hotel again? Why or why not?

If you were that clerk’s manager, would you give that clerk a promotion or a raise? Why or why not?




Assignment: Service DiaryYour goal is to conduct observations of at least three different service encounters. A service encounter starts when a customer enters the business and/or first talks to an employee. The service encounter ends when the customer leaves the business.

You can document your own personal experience of getting service, or you can watch other people’s experiences. At least one of your observations must take place in a hospitality and tourism business. A list of possible places to observe is provided below.

You need to document at least one encounter that you feel shows good or acceptable customer service, and at least one encounter that shows weak or bad customer service.

These observations will help you to understand the psychology of customer service. You will be using your service diary in an upcoming lesson as the basis for an analytical essay. Therefore, it is important that you make thorough and detailed notes that fully document at least three service encounters from start to finish.

Possible Places to ObserveHospitality and Tourism Businesses

Fast-food restaurant

Coffee bar

Sit-down restaurant

Movie theater box office

Concession stand at movies, sporting events, or other attraction

Equipment rental stand at national park, beach, and so on

Hotel lobby

Airport or train station ticket counter

Travel agency

Amusement park

Non-Hospitality and Tourism Businesses Supermarket

Convenience store

Doctor’s or dentist’s office

Shopping mall

Superstore or warehouse store (Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, Costco, Target, Kmart, etc.)

Store (clothing, shoes, sporting goods, movies/music, etc.)

Ticket or toll booth for public transit

Bank

Reception desk at school or office

Gas station or car repair shop

Barber/hair salon/beauty shop/nail salon/tanning salon

Gym, athletic club, or YMCA facility



Questions to Think and Write AboutBasic Information

What is the day of the week, the time of day, and the location where you are doing the observation? Why did you choose that location?

How busy is the location? What are the employees doing?

Do the employees look happy to be there? What about them tells you how they’re feeling?

How are the employees dressed? How old are the employees?

What does the facility look like and sound like? Is it clean or dirty? Noisy or quiet?

Service Encounter When the customers arrive, are they greeted? Or are they left to wander around looking for help?

Describe the customer(s)—is it one person, or a group? How old are they? How are they dressed? Is there anything you notice about the customers that suggest they might need special assistance (for example, a mom with several small children, an elderly person, or a person in a wheelchair)?

How do employees speak to the customers? What words do they use? What is their tone of voice like?

How do the customers respond to the employee? What is the customers’ tone of voice like? What words do the customers use? (For example, is the customer very formal or does he or she use a lot of slang?)

How fast is the service? If the customer has to wait, do you think the customer waited a reasonable amount of time? Why or why not?

Was the customer happy with the product? How could you tell?

Did anything go wrong during the service encounter? If so, what?

Did the customer seem satisfied with the service encounter? Why or why not?

Did the employee seem to enjoy the service encounter? Why or why not?

Do you think this service encounter is typical of service at this business? Why or why not? (For example, did you see a different customer get better or worse service?)

Do you think this was good service? Great service? Terrible service? Why?

Sample Service Diary EntryLocation: Cucina Italia RestaurantDay/Time: Saturday, 6:30 pmWhy I Chose This Location: had to go out to dinner with my mom and stepdad for Mom’s birthdayBasic Information: The restaurant was really busy. The waiters were running around like crazy and there were lots of people standing around waiting for tables. The employees looked stressed out, not happy, but the lady who took everybody’s name was nice and smiled at everyone. The employees were wearing black pants and these matching shirts with the restaurant’s name on them. They were mostly grown-ups, maybe in their 40s, but the lady at the



front of the restaurant was younger, I think. The restaurant was mostly clean but noisy. It’s a small restaurant in a storefront, and they really crammed a lot of tables in there. When we sat down, there were crumbs on our table and my chair was kind of sticky.Service Encounter: We were greeted as soon as we walked in. We were a group of three people (two adults and one teenager) and we didn’t need any special assistance. The lady at the front smiled at us and looked each of us right in the eye, which made us feel welcome. But she also kept scanning the room. There was so much going on and she seemed to be trying to keep an eye on everything. Our waiter was also nice. He told us his name and asked if we had any questions about the menu. He got a little impatient with my stepdad because he asked the waiter a lot of questions about the daily specials. My stepdad wasn’t saying anything mean to the waiter—he just asked lots of questions. I could tell the waiter was getting impatient because his voice got a little higher and he started to make comments like, “As I mentioned before, Sir.” The service was slow, but I guess that was because it was so busy there. I didn’t think the wait was that bad, but my mom got upset about it. When the food finally got there, Mom was happy, though, because she thought the food was really good. Everybody liked the food.Something almost went wrong, because they were supposed to bring my mom a piece of cake and sing “Happy Birthday” and they forgot at first. But my stepdad whispered to the waiter and he fixed it. He brought out a piece of cake with a candle on it, and he and another waiter sang “Happy Birthday.” They seemed to kind of get into it; they smiled and then everyone in the restaurant clapped. My mom seemed happy with everything and said she really liked the cake and it was a nice way to celebrate her birthday. The employees didn’t seem to enjoy the service encounter very much, because they looked like they were just trying to get through the night and all the customers coming in. I think this was a pretty normal service encounter. I didn’t see anyone getting service that was much better or much worse than we got. I don’t think we got great service, but it was acceptable.




Notes: The Psychology of Customer ServiceStudent Name: Date:

Directions: Complete the table below as you view the presentation or read Student Resource 3.4, Reading: The Psychology of Customer Service. The first one is done for you as an example.

Psychology is…

the science of behavior.

It’s important to customer service because…

if you understand why your customers behave a certain way, you can give them better service.

Consumer motivation is… It’s important to customer service because…

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is… It’s important to customer service because…

Two needs not on Maslow’s Hierarchy are… They’re important to customer service because…

The Platinum Rule is… It’s important to customer service because…




Reading: The Psychology of Customer Service

Today we’re going to learn about psychology and the important role it plays in delivering great customer service.



Psychology is a field of study that some people pursue as a career. Psychologists study many different types of psychology. They specialize in working with specific groups of people. For example, developmental psychologists study children and how they develop; educational psychologists study how people learn.

Psychology plays an important role in customer service, because it helps to explain why people behave the way they do. If you can understand your customers’ attitude, behavior, and responses, you can provide them with better service.



Psychology has shed a lot of light on consumer motivation, which is extremely important to understand in hospitality and tourism and especially in customer service. Customer service can motivate a guest to keep coming back to the same place—or to leave a place and decide, “I’m never going back there again!”

Do you remember learning about Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs? It is one of the most well-known theories of consumer motivation. The Hierarchy of Needs was invented by the psychologist Abraham Maslow, and it is used to study the motives of people and organizations.



Maslow believed that people are motivated to fulfill their needs, which can be put into categories. He thought that needs have to be fulfilled in order, starting at the bottom of the pyramid. The need for self-actualization, or fulfilling your potential, cannot be met until all the others are because first people must concentrate on surviving (physiological needs), being safe (safety needs), interacting with other people (social needs), and strengthening self-respect (ego needs).



But some experts note that an activity or purchase can actually fulfill many needs at once. For example, imagine that a couple saves their money to take a romantic vacation together, and they stay at a luxury resort on the beach. That purchase (the reservations at the resort) fulfills many needs at the same time:

• Physiological—they will have food and a place to sleep.

• Safety—the resort will have good security and will protect them from being hurt or getting sick.

• Social—the resort will offer parties, events, and activities they can do with each other or with other guests.

• Ego—the resort employees treat their guests like celebrities, so the guests feel good about themselves, and they also take care of each other’s need to feel special and respected.

• Self-Actualization—some resorts offer opportunities for guests to pursue personal goals, like learning a new skill or doing volunteer work in the community.

The order of needs that Maslow lists is still a good one; if the resort doesn’t feed them, let them sleep, or keep them safe, the guests won’t care if they get to be social—but it’s important to remember that a purchase can satisfy more than one type of need.



Maslow’s Hierarchy is a “Western” idea—that is, it represents how Americans and other Westernized nations and cultures look at things. Other countries or cultures might prioritize needs differently.

For example, some cultures think self-actualization is a really important part of a well-lived life. They might put that right after physiological and safety needs, ahead of social and ego needs.

On the other hand, some cultures may have different expectations of the “basic” needs. People living in third world countries may have many more concerns about their physiological or safety needs because they live in a place without running water or sanitation, or because they live in a country that is dangerous and at war. Talking to them about ego or social needs is silly when they’re just trying to survive.

In spite of these differences, Maslow’s Hierarchy is still a good starting point for discussing the psychology of customer service.



Nowadays, people recognize other needs besides the ones on Maslow’s list. Three of those needs are the need for control, the need for choice, and the need for engagement. Many products and services are designed to appeal to people’s need for control. People want to do things on their own schedule, in the way that is most convenient for them. People also want choice. For example, people want lots of different channels on their TVs and different kinds of restaurants to choose from.

These needs play an important role in hospitality and tourism. People want to book their travel online and buy airplane tickets at midnight while in their pajamas, if they feel like it. They want control. People want to have choices about where to stay and how much to pay—think about sites like Priceline, where you “name your own price.” Or Expedia, a website where you can look at choices for hotels in a city by ratings, price, amenities, or customer reviews.

People today are also looking for interactivity and engagement, especially with technology. People want Wi-Fi access in hotel rooms. They use social media to learn what people think about a restaurant—and if they have a bad experience, they will warn others away! Engagement also means personal interaction—someone who pays attention when a customer walks in the door or who can answer a question.

Understanding what customers want and need is a key element of great customer service. In today’s economy, great customer service is more important than ever.



The study of psychology includes finding out how and why people build relationships. The psychology of customer service recognizes this need to connect with other people. Great customer service is about developing a relationship with customers and making them feel welcome and special. For example:

When you and some friends go to a local pizza place, the waiter greets you and shows you to a table. He notices your friend wearing a sweatshirt for the school basketball team and asks about the team. While you’re eating, he asks if you want to be able to watch the NBA game, and when you say yes, he changes the channel on one of the dining room TVs so you can see it. He refills your drinks as soon as they get low. When he brings you the bill, he also includes some coupons for a discount at an ice cream parlor down the street.

You decide to use the coupons and head to the ice cream parlor. The girl behind the counter doesn’t greet you or smile. She rolls her eyes when your friend asks for a free sample, even though a sign on the counter invites you to try it. You place your order, but she argues with you about using the coupons. You finally get your orders, but you have to pay full price for them, and when you ask for toppings, she says she’ll have to charge you extra.

Which place made a connection with you? Which place would you visit again?



Good customer service seems like a no-brainer. If you ask business owners or employees, “Do you think good customer service is important?” they of course will say “Yes.” But there are lots of places that still don’t have very good customer service. Why? Again, it has to do with customer service psychology. As human beings, we tend to get caught up in our own ideas, emotions, and experiences. We react to other people based on how we’re feeling and what is happening in our lives.

Picture this: you just got dumped by your boyfriend or girlfriend. You’re still really upset when you have to go to work at a bagel shop. You go to work, because you’re trying to be responsible, but your mind is on your own feelings. Now a customer comes up and starts complaining because there isn’t enough cream cheese on his bagel. Cream cheese? Who cares about cream cheese at a time like this? You just want to be left alone so you glare at him and toss a few packets of cream cheese at him.

Have you done something like that? Almost everyone has, at one point or another. But that’s not good customer service. Customer service requires you to think about the other person, no matter how your day is going.



Emotional labor means making eye contact, delivering smiles, showing sincere interest and engaging in friendly conversation with people who are essentially strangers. It may also require employees to suppress their real feelings if they are not feeling well or just having a bad day.

Waiters or waitresses have a lot of emotional labor in their jobs. They interact with customers all day long. Their purpose is to make their guests happy.

There are many hospitality and tourism jobs that involve emotional labor. Flight attendants, hotel desk clerks, tour guides, travel agents, and event planners may all have emotional labor as part of their work. But emotional labor doesn’t only happen in hospitality jobs. Doctors and nurses, police officers, teachers and school employees have emotional labor in their jobs.

Some people are more temperamentally suited to these types of jobs. They are more naturally comfortable with strangers or have an easier time controlling their own emotions. But everyone can learn to manage emotional labor more effectively. Successful businesses train their employees to handle emotional stress, helping them to develop skills in listening and problem solving.



If you thought one of the qualities listed above the red carpet means that a person automatically has one of the qualities listed below the red carpet, then you have fallen victim to the halo effect. The halo effect is the tendency of people to jump to conclusions about someone based on their perception of one quality. So, for example, we tend to think that good-looking people are also intelligent, or that an enthusiastic employee is also skilled at his job. But attractiveness does not mean a person is smart, and enthusiasm doesn’t mean a person knows what they’re doing!

Why is this important to think about in customer service? Because the halo effect is at work in every encounter with a customer. Being aware of our unconscious biases helps us to be welcoming and attentive to all customers, regardless of how different they might be from us or whether they’re short, tall, old, young, and so on. It takes effort to stay aware and is part of the emotional labor of customer service.

You can also make the halo effect work for you, because the customer is just as prone to it. If you greet someone with warmth and professionalism, the customer may well think that you are also responsible, trustworthy, and competent.



You’ve probably heard of the Golden Rule: treat others the way you would like to be treated. But for great customer service, you need to follow the Platinum Rule: treat others the way THEY want to be treated.

What’s the difference? Think about your family and friends. If you’re having some friends over, how would you treat them? How would you talk to them? Now, what if your grandmother is coming over? Would you treat her the same way? Talk to her the same way?

The Platinum Rule requires you to use psychology—to think about how the other person is feeling and why that person behaves a certain way. Remember the guy we talked about earlier, who was upset because there wasn’t enough cream cheese on his bagel? Maybe he’s had a bad day. Maybe he’s in a hurry. And maybe, if you smile, apologize about the skimpy cream cheese (even if it’s not your fault), and give him some more, you might make his day better. That’s really what he wants: he wants to be treated as if his problem is important.

There is a bonus for you, too. If you treat the customer this way, even though you’re upset about what’s going on in your personal life, you make yourself feel better. It’s psychological: smiling actually improves your mood. At the very least you’ve taken your mind off of your own problems and solved someone else’s!



The word hospitality comes from the word hospitable, which means giving guests a warm welcome. To offer hospitality is to provide whatever guests need to be comfortable and to enjoy themselves. In other words, the field of hospitality and tourism is all about fulfilling people’s wishes and needs, making them feel welcome and well taken care of.

The more we can learn about customer needs and wishes, the more hospitable we can be and the better customer service we can provide. Keeping these main points about customer psychology in mind will make a huge difference in our quality of customer service, in any business. Psychology can teach us a lot more about how to deliver great customer service; we have barely scratched the surface.




Assignment: Anticipating NeedsStudent Names: Date:

Directions: Look over your customer photo and description. Working together as a group, identify what you think the customer’s needs and priorities are. Before you begin, read through all of the instructions on this assignment sheet, and read the assessment criteria at the end of the sheet to make sure you understand how your work will be assessed.

Photo #:

Question Things to Think About Answer

How would you describe your customers?

How many people are there? How young/old? How are they feeling?

Which needs do you think are a priority for the customer(s) right now? Name at least two and explain why those needs are the most important.

The customer’s feelings will impact which needs are a priority. Also, older people and families with young children may be less willing to wait to have needs met.

If you work at the hospitality business described in the caption, how would you respond to the customer(s)? Include at least two specific steps you could take.

Remember the Platinum Rule.



Question Things to Think About Answer

What could you do to really wow the customer(s)—to go above and beyond and really impress them? Include at least two specific steps you could take.

What do you observe the customer will need that you can provide before being asked? Anticipating a need is one way to wow the customer.

Make sure your assignment meets or exceeds the following assessment criteria: The assignment accurately and thoroughly describes the customer(s).

The assignment clearly identifies at least two logical needs/priorities for the customer(s).

The assignment describes at least two appropriate suggestions to address the customer’s (or customers’) needs.

The assignment proposes at least two effective suggestions to wow or impress the customer(s).

The completed assignment is neat and uses proper spelling and grammar.


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