L4 Personal Assistance Module 3

Personal Assistance 4 Downloaded from hlayiso.com

Module 3:Customer complaints Downloaded from hlayiso.com Personal Assistance – Level 4 Future Managers 2

Module 3: Customer complaints • After completing this module, you will be able to: – Identify customer’s problems – Communicate with all stakeholders – Commit to solving the customer complaint – Apply correct planning and solution to the customer’s complaint Downloaded from hlayiso.com Personal Assistance – Level 4 Future Managers 3

Customer complaints • Worst: Customer takes business elsewhere and tells everyone • Second worst: Customer takes business to another firm • Second best: Problem is dealt with • Best: They tell everyone how well the complaint was dealt with Downloaded from hlayiso.com Personal Assistance – Level 4 Future Managers 4

Customer complaints Downloaded from hlayiso.com Personal Assistance – Level 4 Future Managers 5

Activity 1 • Imagine you have bought an iPod ™ MP3 player and you find that you need to take it back to the store for any one of the following reasons: – It doesn’t play at all. – It doesn’t hold enough tunes. – Your mom says you have wasted your money and you must take it back and get a refund. • You go back to the store and the person at the counter is : – a. Very polite and friendly. – Rude to you. • Whatever the treatment, you leave the store: – Very satisfied. – With the reputation of being an impossible customer. • On the flow chart, trace the route your complaint followed for each of the combinations of “reason for going back”, “treatment you received” and the “way in which you left”. Downloaded from hlayiso.com Personal Assistance – Level 4 Future Managers 6

1.1 Identify and assess the nature of the complaint • Customers complain for the following reasons: – They are not happy with the product that they bought – The are unhappy with the treatment they received – They are just unhappy Downloaded from hlayiso.com Personal Assistance – Level 4 Future Managers 7

Activity 2 • When you think about complaining, it could be about the product or the service you received. But what happens if the product is a service itself? • Think of situations when the product is a service itself and you are satisfied with it but are not happy with the service received. Downloaded from hlayiso.com Personal Assistance – Level 4 Future Managers 8

1.2 Define the origin of the complaint •Doesn’t work properly •Won’t switch on Product •Is broken •Won’t do what the customer wanted •Is not what the customer wanted •Staff were rude •Phone calls weren’t answered Service •Customer kept waiting •Promises were made and not kept •Customer felt she was not listened to properly •Complaint was ignored •Made a mistake Customer •Realises that she couldn’t really afford it •Is just a plain complainer. Downloaded from hlayiso.com Personal Assistance – Level 4 Future Managers 9

1.3 Take responsibility for action to solve the problem • Tell the customer that you will take responsibility • Do something about it Downloaded from hlayiso.com Personal Assistance – Level 4 Future Managers 10

1.4 Document the problem • Information that needs to be documented could be: – Complainant’s details – Information relating to the complaint – Actions to be taken by the person receiving the complaint – Signature of the person receiving the original complaint Downloaded from hlayiso.com Personal Assistance – Level 4 Future Managers 11

Activity 3 • Pick any one of the twelve scenarios in Activity 1 and create a sample complaint receipt form on which you can list the information that you think could have been put into it. Downloaded from hlayiso.com Personal Assistance – Level 4 Future Managers 12

2. Communicate with all stakeholders • Notify relevant internal parties of the complain and its routing • Notify immediate superior of the customer’s complaint for further action • Communicate to the customer regarding the outcome and progress of the solution Downloaded from hlayiso.com Personal Assistance – Level 4 Future Managers 13

3. Commit to solving the customer complaint • Demonstrate commitment to resolve the complaint • Satisfy the customer with the progress of the complaint to date Downloaded from hlayiso.com Personal Assistance – Level 4 Future Managers 14

4. Apply correct planning and solution to the customer’s problem • When you have completed this subject outcome, you will be able to: – apply the correct solution to solve the customer’s problem – apply the correct solution to the customer’s complaint within the agreed time frame – maintain contact with all relevant stakeholders. Downloaded from hlayiso.com Personal Assistance – Level 4 Future Managers 15

4.1 Apply the correct solution to solve the customer’s problem • The correct solution will depend on: – The nature of the problem and its origin – What your employer allows Downloaded from hlayiso.com Personal Assistance – Level 4 Future Managers 16

4.2 Apply the correct solution to the customer’s complaint Downloaded from hlayiso.com Personal Assistance – Level 4 Future Managers 17

4.3 Maintain contact with relevant stakeholders • External stakeholders – Suppliers – Trade unions – Competitors – Investors – Government – Special-interest groups – The media – Financial institutions – Customers / consumers – Shareholders – General community – International community • Internal stakeholders Downloaded from hlayiso.com Personal Assistance – Level 4 Future Managers 18

5. Are you listening ?!!? Downloaded from hlayiso.com Personal Assistance – Level 4 Future Managers 19

5.1 Communication Downloaded from hlayiso.com Personal Assistance – Level 4 Future Managers 20

5.2 Communication barriers Individual Filtering Emotions Jargon differences Reference Non-verbal Physical Fear group signals environment Time Fatigue Not listening pressure Downloaded from hlayiso.com Personal Assistance – Level 4 Future Managers 21

5.3 Listening Downloaded from hlayiso.com Personal Assistance – Level 4 Future Managers 22

Activity 4 • Are you an effective listener? First answer the questions for (about) yourself and then ask a friend who you know will answer honestly to respond “yes” or “no”. • You may be surprised at the difference We often view ourselves as great listeners when, in fact, others know that we are not. Downloaded from hlayiso.com Personal Assistance – Level 4 Future Managers 23

Question You Friend 1. During the past two weeks, can you recall an incident where someone might have thought you were not listening to them? 2. When people are talking to you, do they feel relaxed at least 90 percent of the time? 3. When people are talking to you, do you maintain eye contact with them most of the time? 4. Do you get defensive when someone tells you things with which you disagree? 5. When someone is talking to you, do you often ask questions to clarify what they are saying? 6. In a conversation, do you sometimes overreact to information? 7. Do you ever jump in and finish what someone else is saying? 8. Do you often change your opinion after talking something over with someone? 9. When someone is trying to communicate something to you, do you often do too much of the talking? Downloaded from hlayiso.com 10. When someone is talking to you, do you often play with a Personal Assistance – Level 4 Future Managers 24 pen, pencil, your keys, or something else on your desk?