Comm 100 - Week 11: Knowledge Check

It is advisable for you to make personal interpretations of your organization's customer-service policies and procedures, especially in situations with legal repercussions. T or F

False

When responding to customer concerns, it is suggested that you talk at the customer and not with the customer. T or F

False

You should always assume that the customer-service procedures recommended by your organization are infallible. T or F

False

If the complexity of a customer request clearly requires a face-to-face exchange, suggest that a visit would be more productive and arrange for the customer to meet with you. T or F

True

Listening is an important employability skill when you are working with customers. T or F

True

When responding to customer concerns, you should only respond in those areas in which you are qualified. T or F

True

In a business environment characterized by limited contact with external customers, an employee addressing a customer by name will cultivate a negative customer-service image. T or F

False

Which of the following statements regarding technology and customer satisfaction is NOT true? A. Customers using e-mail do not expect a quick response. B. Sometimes technology increases customer frustration. C. Organizations improve customer service by hosting websites. D. Many organizations solicit feedback on social media.

A. Customers using e-mail do not expect a quick response.

Jenny, the receptionist at an organization, is talking to a visitor. The visitor would like to meet one of the senior executives but does not have an appointment. Jenny decides that a senior client support executive is most likely to be able to help the visitor. When she conveys the message to the executive, he says he is happy to meet the visitor immediately. Assuming that the visitor's name is Wilson Matthews and the executive's name is Peter Rogers, which of the following is the best way for Jenny to A. Mr. Rogers, this is Wilson Matthews. B. Mr. Matthews, this is Mr. Rogers. C. Mr. Rogers, please meet our respected visitor. D. Wilson this is Peter.

A. Mr. Rogers, this is Wilson Matthews.

Gloria is the front desk executive at an organization. Her colleague, Liam, handles customer complaints. Liam has requested Gloria to answer all incoming calls while he is in a meeting. The first call Gloria receives is from a customer complaining about the delayed delivery of a product. Gloria is not sure about the organization's policies toward delayed deliveries. To cultivate a good customer-service image, what would be the best action for Gloria to take? A. She should respond only in those areas in which she is qualified, and quickly refer the customer to someone who can help. B. She should promise the customer a 50 percent discount on his purchase to get the customer off the telephone as soon as possible. C. She should get Liam on the line after the meeting and make the customer repeat the entire story. D. She should blame the organization's logistics department for this problem, and let the customer know that she is only a helpless front desk employee.

A. She should respond only in those areas in which she is qualified, and quickly refer the customer to someone who can help.

Catherine works as a receptionist at a library. A rare-books collector visits the library and asks Catherine if the library might be interested in buying his books. In this scenario, what is the best action for Catherine to take? A. She should reply that she cannot make decisions about purchases, but she will contact someone in the library who can. B. She should allow the visitor to directly meet the library owner without asking for permission. C. She should provide complete information about the library's business and personnel to help the visitor assess the library's possible interest in buying the products. D. She should ask to see the books and should provide a positive opinion about the books.

A.She should reply that she cannot make decisions about purchases, but she will contact someone in the library who can.

Which of the following is NOT a professional guideline to use when answering the telephone? A. Identify your organization or department. B. Identify yourself first. C. Answer the phone within three rings. D. Use a greeting such as "Good morning."

B. Identify yourself first.

Which of the following scenarios is the best example of indiscretion while interacting with customers? A. Derek, the front desk executive at a hotel, tells a salesperson that he cannot make decisions about purchases but will contact someone who can. B. Rebecca, a flight attendant, makes conversation with a passenger about the failing financial prospects of the airline. C. Jack, the receptionist at an office, apologizes to a visitor that the manager is late for the appointment, and offers the visitor coffee and magazines. D. Janet, a receptionist at a doctor's clinic, informs a patient that the doctor is delayed in surgery and will be an hour late for the appointment.

B. Rebecca, a flight attendant, makes conversation with a passenger about the failing financial prospects of the airline.

Which of the following is NOT a purpose of the order confirmation function? A. Allowing a customer to estimate the time required to receive a product B. Assuring a customer that the online purchase he or she made has been confirmed C. Allowing a customer to confirm that a product has satisfied his or her needs D. Enabling a customer to track the shipment of a purchased product

C. Allowing a customer to confirm that a product has satisfied his or her needs

Which of the following behaviors will NOT help an employee cultivate a positive customer-service image for his or her organization? A. Making notes each time he or she visits a customer B. Addressing external customers by their names C. Getting to know his or her customers by being intrusive D. Greeting customers in their native language

C. Getting to know his or her customers by being intrusive

When an organization has a visitor who does not have an appointment, the organization's front desk staff should: A. ask the security personnel to escort the visitor out of the office. B. allow the visitor to directly meet the concerned staff member. C. be discreet in his or her comments to the visitor. D. provide complete information about organization's business or personnel.

C. be discreet in his or her comments to the visitor.

Charlie owned a landscaping company and often got paid with a personal check when the job was complete. Charlie would lay the check on the seat of his truck, open his banking app on his phone and take a picture of the check. The check would be automatically deposited into Charlie's bank account and he could transfer the money to another account using the same banking app. This is an example of: A. a referral. B. an auto responder. C. going mobile. D. an order confirmation function.

C. going mobile.

In the context of customer service, referrals for a business are: A. complaints and suggestions from unsatisfied customers. B. suggestions from sales personnel to customers about which products to purchase. C. recommendations from satisfied customers to potential customers. D. guidelines to be referred to in order to improve customer relations.

C. recommendations from satisfied customers to potential customers.

When handling customer transactions by telephone, which of the following should be avoided? A. Answering the telephone within three rings B. Redirecting the customer to other staff members if necessary C. Being discreet in giving any opinions solicited by the customer D. Accepting the customer's first request as the primary motive for calling

D. Accepting the customer's first request as the primary motive for calling

Which of the following statements about customer service is true? A. Customer service is a problem-solving function that should exist only when a customer reports a problem. B. Customers must initiate the requirement that customer-service procedures be implemented throughout an organization. C. An excellent customer-service reputation cannot give the organization a competitive edge in the marketplace. D. Customer service will not receive the attention it deserves without the support of the organization's top management.

D. Customer service will not receive the attention it deserves without the support of the organization's top management.

Which of the following statements is NOT true with regard to customer complaints? A. Top management must set the standards for good customer service throughout the organization. B. Employees should use their e-mail's auto-responder function when they are unavailable to answer customer e-mails. C. The best way to curb customer complaints is to prevent them. D. If an organization tries really hard, it can completely eliminate customer dissatisfaction and complaints.

D. If an organization tries really hard, it can completely eliminate customer dissatisfaction and complaints.

Melissa is one of the new customer-service executives at a retail organization. She receives a call from a customer wanting to repair a purchased product, even though the product is no longer manufactured by the organization. Melissa is still unfamiliar with the organization's policies on this issue. In this scenario, how should Melissa deal with the customer in order to cultivate a positive customer-service image? A. She should let the customer know that she is a new employee at the organization, and hence cannot fix the customer's problem. B. She should keep the customer waiting for a response as customers expect to have delays when requesting information. C. She should promise the customer whatever she can and get the customer off the telephone as soon as possible. D. She should tell the customer that she will find out about the organization's policies on such issues and get back to the customer in a day.

D. She should tell the customer that she will find out about the organization's policies on such issues and get back to the customer in a day.

Which of the following is an ineffective customer-service practice? A. Teaching employees that customers do not depend on a business as much as a business depends on customers B. Focusing on retaining a current customer rather than attracting a new customer C. Training employees at all levels of an organization to communicate with customers D. Viewing customer service as a problem-solving function that comes into play only when there has been a complaint

D. Viewing customer service as a problem-solving function that comes into play only when there has been a complaint

In which of the following situations is it most appropriate for an employee to explain his or her manager's delay to a visitor who has an appointment with the manager? A. When the manager is late returning from lunch B. When the manager is meeting an unsolicited visitor at the appointed time C. When the manager is going to be late to work D. When the manager is delayed at another meeting

D. When the manager is delayed at another meeting

An organization can cultivate a good customer-service image by: A. focusing on attracting new customers, not on retaining current customers. B. limiting the development of good customer-service skills to sales representatives. C. using a problem-solving approach to customer service. D. maintaining frequent contact with customers even after sales have been made.

D. maintaining frequent contact with customers even after sales have been made.

George, a customer relationship manager, is going to be away on vacation for a week. During his absence, he will continue to receive e-mails from customers. In order to maintain a positive customer-service image, George should use his e-mail program's auto-responder function to: A. categorize all customer complaint e-mails as spam. B. tell his customers that they cannot be helped. C. delete all e-mails addressed to him while he is away. D. refer the customers to a staff member who can help.

D. refer the customers to a staff member who can help.

A customer-focused organization makes customer service a problem-solving function. T or F

False

As a representative of an organization, a basic procedure for receiving a visitor is making conversation about the organization's business or personnel with the visitor. T or F

False

Customer service as a proactive function comes into play only when there has been a complaint. T or F

False

If a company and its website is said to be "mobile friendly", people are referring to the company's generous free shipping policy. T or F

False

If a visitor to your organization has no appointment, taking his or her name, the name of the organization he or she represents, or the purpose of the visit is not required. T or F

False

In a highly competitive world, outstanding customer service helps you retain your current customers but not attract new ones. T or F

False

Communication is vital to any effective customer-service program. T or F

True

When you use your e-mail program's auto-responder function to ensure that all e-mails received during your absence are replied to, customers infer that your organization is not simply ignoring their message. T or F

True

Customer service as a/an ________ function comes into play only when there has been a complaint. A. problem-solving B. pre-emptive C. proactive D. ongoing

A. problem-solving