customer service chapters 1 & 2

customer-focused organization

A company that spends energy and effort on satisfying internal and external customers by first identifying customer needs, then establishing policies, procedures, and management and reward systems to support excellence in service delivery.

feel, felt, found technique

A process for expressing empathy and concern for someone and for helping that person understand that you can relate to the situation.

service culture

A service environment made up of various factors, including the values, beliefs, norms, rituals and practices of a group or organization.

customer-centric

A term used to describe service providers and organizations that put their customers first and spend time, effort, and money identifying and focusing on the needs of current and potential customers. Efforts are focused on building long-term relationships and customer loyalty rather than simply selling a product or service and moving on to the next customer.

service economy

A term used to describe the trend in which businesses have shifted from primarily production and manufacturing to more service delivery. As part of this evolution, many organizations have developed specifically to provide services to customers.

RUMBA

An acronym for five criteria (realistic, understandable, measurable, believable, and attainable) used to establish and measure employee performance goals.

customer service environment

An environment made up of and influenced by various elements of an organization. the key components are the customer, organizational culture, Human Resources, products, delivery systems, and service.

mentors

Individuals who dedicate time and effort to befriend and assist others. In an organization, they are typically people with a lot of knowledge, experience, skills, and initiative and have a large personal and professional network established.

internal customers

People within the organization who either require support and service or provide information, products, and services to service providers. Such customers include peers, co-workers, bosses, subordinates, and people from other areas of the organization.

Employee Expectations

Perceptions about positive and negative aspects of the workplace

skype

Refers to a software application that is a division of Microsoft and provides free or paid service that allows people to connect with other Skype subscribers anywhere in the world with voice, video, or text messages.

broadband internet access

Refers to a very fast connection to the Internet that is made possible by technology that can communicate up to 40 times the amount of data or information possible with old phone dial-up Internet connections. With broadband, users can download images, video clips, and music; send e-mail; and perform other functions at a much faster speed.

service sector

Refers to organizations and individuals involved in delivering service as a primary product.

churn rate

Refers to the number of customers who leave a supplier during a given time period.

employee roles

Task assignments that service providers assume.

Service Measurement

Techniques used by organizations to determine how customers perceive the value of services and products received.

service philosophy

The approach that an organization takes to providing service and addressing the needs of customers.

customer satisfaction

The feeling of a person whose needs have been met by an organization.

cottage industries

The term adopted in the early days of customer service when many people started small businesses in their homes or cottages and bartered products or services with neighbors.

what customers want

Things that customers typically desire but do not necessarily need.

external customers

Those people outside the organization who purchase or lease products and services. This group includes vendors, suppliers, people on the telephone, and others not from the organization.

learning organization

a term used to describe organizations that value knowledge, education, and employee training. They also learn from their competition, industry trends, and other sources. and they develop systems to support continued growth and development in order to remain competitive.

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

a trade agreement entered into by the United States, Canada, and Mexico to help, among other things, eliminate barriers to trade, promote conditions of fair trade across borders, increase investment opportunities, and promote and protect intellectual property rights.

Telecommuting

a trend seen in many congested metropolitan areas and government offices. To reduce traffic and pollution and save resources(rent, telephone, and technology services) many organizations allow employees to set up home offices and from there electronically communicate and forward information to their corporate offices.

vision statement

a vision statement communicates an organization's values and purpose and explains what the organization wants to be.

ethical behavior

acting in a manner that sends a message of positive morality and good values when confronted with a customer situation or problem.

Mission Statement

an organizations mission statement defines its purpose or objectives and how it will attain them. it is committed to writing and is publicly shared with employees and customers.

attitude

emotional responses to people, ideas, and objects. they are based on values, differ between individuals and cultures, and affect the way people deal with various issues and situations.

demand curves

graphic representation of expected behaviors in the real world that economists and business can use to predict coming trends or shifts in consumer needs or wants, or expectations.

organizational culture

includes any element of an organization that a customer encounters.

deregulation

occurs when governments remove legislative or regulatory guidelines that inhibit and control an industry (ex. transportation, natural gas, and telecommunications.)

deliverables

products or services provided by an organization.

instant messaging

refers to a form of internet communication where users can transmit text messages or chat in real time via the internet to one or more people. More advanced forms allow voice calling, video chat, and hyperlinks to various media.

Business 2 Business (B2B)

refers to business to business customer service

Human Resources

refers to employees of an organization.

offshoring

refers to relocation of business services by an organization from one country to another. (services, production...) The work may be kept in another entity of the organization that is located in another country or contracted to a third party.

e-commerce

refers to the entire spectrum of companies that market products and services on the internet and through other technology and the process of accessing them by consumers.

out sourcing

refers to the practice of contracting w third part companies or vendors outside the organization to deliver products and services to deliver products and services to customers or to produce products.

customer friendly systems

refers to the processes in an organization that make service seamless to customers by ensuring that things work properly and the customer is satisfied.

telework

similar to telecommunicating. this term applies to people who work in an office but also conduct work from a remote location.

product

something produced or an output by an individual or organization. In the service environment, products are created to satisfy customers needs or wants.

downsizing

term applied to the situation in which employees are terminated or empty positions are left unfilled once someones leaves an organization.

networking

the active process of building relationships and sharing resources.

mission

the direction or focus of an organization that supports day-to-day interactions with customers.

service delivery systems

the means by which an organization effectively get its products and services to customers.

delivery system

the methods used by an organization to provide services and products to its customers.

insourcing

the opposite of outsourcing, this occurs when organizations decide to have internal employees assume functions and perform work instead of contracting it out to third parties or outsourcing it.

service recovery

the process of correcting something that has gone wrong involving provision of a product or service to a customer. the concept involves not only replacing defective products but also going the extra step of providing compensation for the customers inconvenience.

ethics

the term comes from the greek word ethos meaning character. Ethics is involved with right and wrong or good and evil and is illustrated by the way one responds to situations or acts.

empowerment

the word used to describe the giving of decision making and problem resolution authority to lower level employees in an organization. This precludes having to get permission from higher levels in order to take an action or serve a customer.

globalization

this term applies to an ongoing trend of information, knowledge, and resources sharing around the world. as a result of a more mobile society and easier access to technology, more people are traveling and accessing products and services from international sources than ever before.

protege

typically less experienced recipients of the efforts of mentors.

Small Business Administration (SBA)

us government agency established to assist small business owners.

social media

websites through which users come together as communities of friends, relatives, and like minded individuals for social networking and microblogging and to share ideas, content, and personal and other information. Examples are Facebook, twitter, instagram, etc..