ELM 1013 - Customer Service
Clock Hours: 18
Industry Certifications ETA CSS certification http://www.eta-i.org/additional_certifications.html#CSS
Course Description:
The Customer Service Specialist (CSS) is a certification that validates one’s work skills through employability concepts. Though developed to meet the role of an evolving service-oriented electronics technician, CSS is relevant to every industry, employer and employee. Topics included are safety, ethics, respect, teamwork, communication, telephone and email techniques, problem solving, interpersonal relationships, and sales and marketing.
Student Learning Outcomes:
1.0 Objectives and Values of World Class Customer Service
1.1 Explain the importance of CSS qualities, skills, relationships and abilities listed below which the certifying individual must recognize:
1.1.1. Honesty and Integrity: Act in an accurate, professional, prompt, caring and respectful manner while safeguarding the assets of the organization
1.1.2. Trust and Respect: Base relationships with coworkers, departments, customers and vendors on trust and mutual respect
1.1.3. Service: Strive to identify and focus on the needs of each customer and stakeholder with “world class” service
1.1.4. Teamwork: Work together to accomplish tasks and deliver prompt, accurate services. Hire for attitude, train for skill
1.1.5. Communication: Communicating with others is a primary factor in a customer service world. Open communication with all customers, vendors, fellow employees and employers is vitally important and promotes good relationships
1.1.6. Creativity and Innovation: Cultivate a workplace that embraces inspiration and resourcefulness, while adopting new approaches and technologies as appropriate
1.1.7. Responsibility: Always give first consideration to the objectives, policies, and missions of the organization, while striving to maintain the maximum return for each dollar of expenditure
1.1.8. Lifelong Learning: Counsel and encourage individuals to embrace learning and to enhance their personal and professional growth through individual or class training
1.1.8.1. Be receptive to new approaches and technologies to facilitate innovation and productivity
1.1.9. Speed and Accuracy: Recognize that customers, coworkers and managers expect quick and accurate service
1.1.10. Accountability and Flexibility: Accept responsibility and adapt to change to enhance efficient and accurate “world class” service
1.1.11. Continuous Improvement: Have a commitment to quality workforce readiness skills and customer involvement with an attitude of consistently striving to improve
1.1.12. Diversity: Recognize everyone’s potential for excellence based on the strengths and diverse talents that each individual possesses
1.2. Describe the principal objectives of a CSS to:
1.2.1. educate
1.2.2. inform
1.2.3. relate
1.2.4. deliver
1.2.5. support
1.3. List the techniques for World Class Customer Service:
1.3.1. Commitment to quality
1.3.2. Focused customer service
1.3.3. Customer involvement
1.3.4. Continuous improvement
1.3.5. Integrity
1.4. Describe the values and functions as associated with:
1.4.1 proper customer service
1.4.2 improper customer service
2.0 Customer Service Quality and Techniques
2.1 Explain what is meant by a customer service person doing “more than expected”
2.2 List examples of how completed service products’ appearance can show quality
2.3 Describe traits of successful customer service specialists
2.3.1 Explain the importance of a positive employee attitude as a component of workplace success - Positive Attitude
2.3.1.1 Explain how a positive attitude for a CSS can lead to potential promotion
2.3.1.2 What are some strategies for turning negative thinking and action into positive
thinking and action
2.3.2 Describe why genuine enthusiasm is an important trait for all employees, especially a CSS - Enthusiasm
2.3.2.1 Explain why enthusiasm and a positive attitude are often referred to as an “I can” attitude
2.3.3 Explain why persistence and belief in oneself and one’s abilities is important to success - Persistence
2.3.4 Describe why employees who can motivate others are valuable to employers - Motivation
2.4 Describe effective personal rules for success in customer service to include:
2.4.1 ‘Always do the best possible job you can’ - Presence
2.4.2 ‘Know what you need to know’ - Intellectual Competence
2.4.3 ‘Keep current’ - Aspire To Learn
2.5 Present an example of double-checking which could save a recall service event or head off a customer problem
2.6 List reasons good customer service can cause customers to choose one business over another
2.6.1 Identify how an employee can make a difference in the success or failure of a company
2.6.2 Describe how customer retention can expand a client base
2.6.3 List reasons why a customer may be ‘turned off’ from doing business with a company, and what a CSS might do to help rectify these conditions
2.7 Identify and explain the three distinct customer service functions
2.7.1 Providing front-line assistance and addressing customer needs - General Customer Support
2.7.2 Keeping up-to-date on technical products, accessories, and services - Technical Support
2.7.3 Monitoring customer satisfaction via surveys, contact logs - Follow-up
2.8 Describe why customer feedback is essential to your business including:
2.8.1 the use of surveys to encourage customer feedback
2.8.2 the three parts of a working feedback system:
2.8.2.1 gathering information
2.8.2.2 documenting information
2.8.2.3 analyzing and acting on information
2.8.3 additional methods a CSS can use to collect customer feedback
3.0 Communications
3.1 Identify Modes of Communications and how they work
3.1.1 Presentation Mode - one way communication to others
3.1.2 Interpretive Mode - what others understand about what they see, hear or read
3.1.3 Interpersonal Mode - two-way communication usually between individuals
3.2 Describe the model for communication (sender, transmit, receiver)
3.3 Identify the types of Communication including:
3.3.1 Written -
3.3.1.1 List positive replacements for common negative words and comments
3.3.1.2 List the three essential parts of an email communication
3.3.1.3 Explain the importance of proofreading your message at least twice before sending
3.3.1.4 List examples where direct letterhead mail should be used rather than email
3.3.1.5 Explain how Live Chat is different than email, text, or social media
3.3.2 Verbal -
3.3.2.1 List requirements and techniques of becoming an effective speaker
3.3.2.2 Identify the importance of listening
3.3.2.2.1 Describe the importance of feedback in listening and understanding what is heard
3.3.2.2.2 Explain why it is important to summarize what you thought you heard
3.3.2.2.3 Discuss the qualities and filters a listener brings to a conversation
3.3.2.3 Explain the detrimental effect of sales and service personnel doing “all of the talking” to a customer
3.3.2.4 Describe the importance of being prepared before the telephone is first answered
3.3.2.4.1 Describe techniques for effective telephone listening
3.3.2.4.2 List examples of telephone conversations in which security should be a consideration
3.3.2.4.3 Describe proper etiquette in taking phone calls for and relaying calls and messages to other people
3.3.3 Non-Verbal -
3.3.3.1 Explain the importance of nonverbal communication and how it relates to client relationships
3.3.3.2 List some tips for interpreting body language
3.4 Workforce and Organizational Communication
3.4.1 Describe organizational communication standards
3.4.2 Present examples of acronyms used in a business and discuss how these should be explained or defined for coworkers and customers
3.4.3 Explain the importance of communication and the role it plays in today’s organization
3.4.4 Discuss the directional flow of organizational communication
3.4.5 Identify barriers that impair communication
3.4.6 Describe how poor communications and record keeping can negatively affect the company’s profit
3.4.7 Describe an example of communication with a coworker or non-technical employee, using words which they might not understand
3.4.8 Contrast the difference between good and poor communications of CSS principles to employees and customers
3.4.9 Explain why employers consistently rank good communications skills at the top of the list for potential new employees across industry sectors
3.4.10 Describe why is it important to learn the particular communication styles of others, especially supervisors and coworkers
3.4.11 Describe why it’s important to know how and when to share your ideas or concerns
3.5 Communicating with Customers
3.5.1 Identify the five basic categories of information that must be known to satisfy a customer service situation and how that information is used:
3.5.1.1 Who
3.5.1.2 What
3.5.1.3 When
3.5.1.4 Where
3.5.1.5 Why
3.5.2 Describe the guidelines for effective communication
3.5.3 List communication methods to attempt to gain a customer’s confidence including:
3.5.3.1 Direct approach
3.5.3.2 Indirect approach
3.5.4 Present examples of communicating to a customer’s level of comprehension including:
3.5.4.1 explaining a highly technical subject to a customer by referring to well-known common topics
3.5.5 Describe a case where a service/sales person can reduce customer tensions caused by the customer’s lack of knowledge, price or extent of a service function
3.5.6 Describe how formal company-customer relations initiatives can be communicated to customers
3.5.7 List communications methods that might aggravate or exasperate a customer service problem rather than reducing it
3.5.8 Explain the differences or liberties a CSS can take when dealing with known acquaintances as compared to someone the CSS meets for the first time
4.0 Using Social and Professional Media Sites Responsibly
4.1 Discuss the implications of the global knowledge and information explosion from 1945 to 1970 and then it’s acceleration from 1970 to today
4.1.1 Explain why the global knowledge and information explosion has occurred
4.1.2 Describe how today’s average personal electronic device has more computing power than a large mainframe of 45 years ago and the implications for a CSS
4.1.3 Discuss why techno-literacy is important to today’s successful CSS
4.2 Differentiate between Social media versus Professional media
4.2.1 Identify types of social media sites and how they can enhance business opportunities
4.2.2 Identify types of professional networking media and how a CSS can use them to:
4.2.2.1 connect to other professionals
4.2.2.2 obtain feedback and advice on a particular topic
4.2.2.3 discover similar companies in your line of business
4.3 Describe how websites and social media function as a customer service including:
4.3.1 characteristics of a professional website (e.g. simplicity of use, accessibility, etc.)
4.3.2 importance for a CSS to be knowledgeable about the company or organizational:
4.3.2.1 website(s)
4.3.2.2 other social media
4.3.3 how online self-service functions can enhance customer service
4.3.4 ways that a website and other social media may be used to collect customer feedback
4.4 Explain how to manage social media
4.4.1 Describe some of the management planning considerations for using social media:
4.4.1.1 use of personal information
4.4.1.2 lack of space to adequately describe business practices
4.4.1.3 Internet of Things (IoT) data management
4.4.1.4 empowering customers
4.4.1.5 positive/negative comments
4.4.2 Explain the basic rules of social media etiquette
4.5 Identify some of the risks of using social media
4.6 Describe social media legal and ethical issues
4.7 Explain what “Going Viral”, means and whether it is good or bad?
4.7.1 Identify viral media successes
4.7.2 Identify viral media pitfalls
4.8 Describe how mobile customers/coworkers using social media have changed real time service
4.9 Describe the convergence of social media mobile advertising trends from the perspective of customer locality, cloud-based information and global expectations
4.10 Differentiate between and explain the concepts:
4.10.1 SoMoLo (Social, Mobile, Locality)
4.10.2 SoMoClo (Social, Mobile Cloud)
4.10.3 SoMoGlo (Social, Mobile, Global)
5.0 Marketing
5.1 Define the function of marketing in business
5.1.1 Describe the need for demographic marketing information
5.1.2 List examples of marketing strategies
5.1.3 Explain why marketing strategies are important to a company’s growth
5.1.4 Describe the concept of market and market identification
5.2 Explain the function of customer service in creating a market and generating sales
5.3 Describe the business life cycle (marketing, sales, customer purchase, customer application, customer service, and customer follow-up)
5.4 Describe the relationships a company’s service department should have with the:
5.4.1 sales department of the company
5.4.2 marketing department of the company
5.4.3 company’s engineering/product design department
5.5 List marketing tools that can be used to identify the customer’s needs and a viable market price for the company’s products
5.6 List sales marketing methods used to reach a customer audience including:
5.6.1 types of advertising
5.6.2 marketing strategies (premium and incentive)
5.7 Differentiate between voluntary and involuntary sales
5.8 Explain the marketing importance of product/ service training to sales/customer service personnel
5.9 Explain the importance of keeping a satisfied customer
5.9.1 Calculate the cost of losing a loyal customer
5.9.2 Calculate the (marketing) cost of reaching a new customer
5.10 Explain how “World Class Customer Support” is supported through sales marketing
5.10.1 Identify the importance of sales or service follow up in a business model
5.10.2 Explain the benefits of service personnel actively supporting product sales efforts
5.10.3 Explain why sales, service and marketing personnel must be able to educate customers on the use of company products and services
5.10.4 Contrast the marketing difference between employees well informed of company products and services and those who are not
5.11 Explain how to utilize the consumer perception of the company effectively to improve interaction
5.12 List several ways to keep up-to-date on your company’s products and services
6.0 Safety, Environmental and Health
6.1 Describe what the CSS must know about safety
6.2 List common safety rules for employees
6.3 Discuss the correlation of human error and on-the-job accidents
6.4 Explain the importance of safety in the use of equipment and on-customer premises
6.4.1 Describe the importance of caution when climbing is required on the job
6.4.1.1 Identify specific safety equipment required for climbing
6.4.2 Describe following key principals to safely accomplish heavy lifting
6.4.2.1 List some of the particular heavy lifting dangers that must be avoided
6.5 Discuss the basics of safely packaging items for shipping
6.6 Explain reasons for some safety rules that at first may not seem reasonable
6.7 Describe environmental conditions that might present safety hazards under certain circumstances
6.8 Describe situations in which special care must be exercised by personnel:
6.8.1 work vehicle
6.8.2 company site
6.8.3 in-home, customer site
6.9 List examples of local, state, or federal regulations meant to prevent accidents
6.10 Explain the role of the Infrastructure Health and Safety Association and what they enforce in the business community including the Occupational Health and Safety Act
6.11 List some of the major positive good health habits:
6.11.1 importance of good personal hygiene for employees
6.11.2 how positive effects of good health habits make a CSS better
6.11.3 maintaining a clean and neat appearance
7.0 Professionalism and Ethics
7.1 Identify important attributes of a professional employee and why they are important
7.1.1 Ability to prioritize tasks
7.1.2 Maintaining high quality work standards that indicate an employee is:
7.1.2.1 honest
7.1.2.2 practical
7.1.2.3 cooperative
7.1.2.4 trustworthy
7.1.3 Working effectively with peers and supervisors including:
7.1.3.1 communicating efficiently and appropriately
7.1.4 Dressing appropriately for the workplace and/or task
7.1.5 Taking individual responsibility and accountability including:
7.1.5.1 arriving to work/job site on-time each day - Punctuality
7.1.5.2 self-motivation - Work Management
7.1.5.3 managing time effectively - Time Management
7.1.6 Contrast the difference between people you can count on and those who are undependable
7.2 Explain the three levels of ethics listed
7.2.1 Individual
7.2.1.1 Discuss influences that might contribute to an individual’s ethics
7.2.1.2 Define personal integrity and behavior
7.2.1.3 Identify how taking responsibility for your behavior earns respect
7.2.1.4 Describe basic ethical skills needed in the workforce
7.2.1.5 Describe how individual ethics reflect responsibility for community interests
7.2.2 Business
7.2.2.1 Describe how a business leader’s individual ethics impact the ethics of the business
7.2.2.2 Contrast an ethical customer service decision with an unethical one
7.2.2.3 Describe how respect for a customer (appearance, attitude, fears, choices, style, etc.) makes for a good business relationship
7.2.2.4 Explain the need to infuse multicultural awareness into professional interaction with the customer and organizational employees
7.2.3 Organizational
7.2.3.1 Explain how the ethics of an organization might improve industry standards and performance
7.2.3.2 Explain the importance of taking an active interest in the civic, cultural, social and ethical welfare of the organization.
7.2.3.3 Explain how a worker’s taking a leadership position in an association, union, company, social club, etc. can make him/her more valuable to the company
7.3 Describe the underlying concepts of technology and ethics to convey a potential impact on customers and organization
8.0 Workplace Interpersonal Relationships, Emotions and Conflict
8.1 Relationships
8.1.1 Describe how interpersonal skills help a CSS gain and solidify relationships including:
8.1.1.1 CSS to customer
8.1.1.2 CSS to coworker
8.1.1.3 CSS to chain of command authority
8.1.1.4 CSS to other business
8.1.1.5 CSS to organizations
8.1.2 Describe how CSS relationships thrive and are maintained
8.1.3 Define steps a company can take to promote good coworker relations
8.1.3.1 Explain why having good people skills is important in the workplace
8.1.4 Describe the important steps of good customer/client relations
8.1.5 Discuss the processes for building and maintaining various types of business related relationships within an organization.
8.1.5.1 Describe the internal and external forces that affect organizations, managers, supervisors, groups, and workers
8.1.5.2 Describe ways relationships among organization members can influence
interpersonal relationships with others
8.1.5.3 Identify possible disadvantages of employee/coworker dating
8.1.5.4 Explain the characteristics and consequences of healthy and unhealthy relationships within the workplace
8.1.6 Contrast how an enthusiastic versus a disgruntled employee influences a company’s success
8.2 Emotions
8.2.1 Identify reasons a customer or coworker may become highly emotional
8.2.1.1 Explain ways to respond to highly emotional people to help reduce negative reactions
8.2.1.2 Contrast the response of a sympathetic person to that of unsympathetic treatment of an emotional person
8.2.2 Explain the benefits of understanding your personality type and the types of the people you encounter
8.2.3 Describe advantages created by displaying proper work emotions
8.2.3.1 Describe the disadvantages of displaying improper emotions at work
8.2.4 Explain a good method for taking the emotions out of decision making
8.2.5 Discuss strategies for managing and alleviating emotional stress in the workplace
8.2.6 Explain how attitudes toward change can increase or decrease emotional stress
8.2.6.1 Identify the differences between embracing change and resisting change
8.2.6.2 List some different types of resistance to change that you might encounter
8.2.6.3 List several guidelines for effectively managing change
8.2.6.4 Explain key components in a model of organizational change
8.3 Conflict
8.3.1 Explain why different viewpoints or a conflict of ideas is often needed and encouraged in business
8.3.2 Describe some different types of workplace conflict and violence
8.3.3 Describe the process to properly assess conflicts for optimum resolution
8.3.4 Explain the importance of applying effective methods of conflict resolution including:
8.3.4.1 how to use accommodations and compromise
8.3.4.2 methods of handling irate customers
8.3.4.3 how listening can lead you to amicable resolutions
8.3.4.4 steps involved in arriving at a solution to a customer service problem
9.0 Teams and Teamwork
9.1 Explain why many employers highly value teamwork in their organizations
9.2 List benefits of teamwork over an “every man for himself” attitude including:
9.2.1 the importance of being a team player for individual, business and CSS success
9.2.2 overcoming project constraints of time, budget and resources
9.2.3 employee buy-in
9.3 Describe the logical steps involved in a team’s problem solving
9.4 Describe the critical features of a high-performance teams including:
9.4.1 embracing the team’s diversity of ideas
9.4.2 working cooperatively
9.4.3 communicating with other team members
9.4.4 contributing ideas, suggestions, and efforts
9.4.5 respect for other team members opinions and suggestions
9.4.6 willingness to compromise and/or reach consensus
9.4.7 ability to successfully work together to achieve needed results
9.5 List requirements for identifying effective team goals
9.5.1 Explain the hierarchical structure of a typical business team
9.5.2 List organizational constraints on a team
9.5.3 Describe how teamwork principles can be adapted and applied to organizational/ workplace teams and used to develop new ideas
10.0 Business Leadership
10.1 Explain the importance of being success-oriented in becoming a business leader
10.2 Describe why it is important to understand the power structure in the company
10.3 Describe traits a successful CSS will display in a leadership role
10.4 List motivation techniques
10.4.1 Identify a supervisor/leader’s role in the motivational process
10.4.2 Identify team members’ roles in the motivational process
10.4.2.1 Individual roles
10.4.2.2 Collaborative roles
10.5 Explain contingency and situational approaches to leadership
10.6 Explain the benefits of allowing employees to make routine decisions on their own
10.6.1 Identify some possible disadvantages of those decisions
10.7 Explain how work efficiency/productivity affects company profit
10.7.1 Identify factors affecting efficiency and productivity
10.7.2 Explain how employee turnover affects morale, costs and productivity
10.7.3 Identify why it is important to provide consistent efficiency/ productivity feedback
11.0 Company Policy, Rules and Loyalty
11.1 Identify tools that can be used to help understand company rules and policies
11.2 Describe a basic company dress-code policy
11.3 Describe commonly observed business rules
11.3.1 Explain how a rule can be avoided with no harm to the company, employees, or the customer
11.3.2 List methods to take action with a company’s “bad rule(s)”
11.3.2.1 Explain why it is appropriate to leave an employer if the rules cannot be followed
11.3.2.2 Describe the detriment to morale of employment rules that do not apply to everyone equally
11.4 Explain how policies protect the business or its workers
11.4.1 State reasons why an employee should follow the company’s rules
11.4.2 Explain why a company tends to establish more rules the longer they are in business
11.5 List features that give you pride in your company
11.5.1 List factors you consider good about your company, office or products
11.5.2 List the aspects you consider good about your job at the company
11.6 Describe how a worker’s failure to understand the mission of his employer could be detrimental
11.7 Explain the negatives associated with a worker who has no loyalty to his company or its products
11.8 Contrast maximum on-the-job time versus absenteeism
11.8.1 Describe the detrimental results of worker absenteeism
12.0 Association Membership and Certification
12.1 Explain the function and benefits of participation in recognized local and national Business Associations for companies and professional associations for individuals
12.2 Explain how your company benefits from your own personal association memberships
12.3 Identify what “networking” is and why it is important to a CSS
12.3.1 Explain where networking can occur, both in and outside of work
12.3.2 List good networking skills that a CSS should learn and master
12.3.3 Explain why devel. of a wide-ranging professional network is important to a person’s personal career devel.
12.4 Describe the benefits of technical certifications to the public and industry
13.0 Record Keeping and Documentation
13.1 Describe business areas where record keeping is required by law
13.1.1 Describe the benefits of database record keeping
13.1.2 Explain why some databases must have very limited access
13.2 List examples of good and bad records management
13.3 Describe the importance of keeping detailed records of a customer’s complaint
13.4 Explain how proper documentation can legally benefit a company
13.5 Describe some of the important factors to consider when it comes to developing and implementing a records disposal system
13.5.1 Provide reasons why companies need a defined records disposal policy
13.5.2 Describe methods of disposal for different types of records
14.0 Employee Job Description, Career Plans and Evaluation
14.1 List reasons a job description can benefit a CSS
14.2 Describe the difference between a career and a job
14.2.1 Describe why a career might be preferable to a job
14.2.2 Describe various employee benefits
14.3 Describe what is meant by a career pathway
14.3.1 List the steps included in a career pathway and a training plan
14.3.2 Explain why a career pathway often may need to be flexible with the passage of time, career experience, and changes in individual interests or goals
14.4 List items of importance in a proper employee evaluation
14.5 Describe how an employee’s attitude can affect his/her evaluation
14.6 As an employee grows in knowledge and skills describe how records of his/her accomplishments and training might affect evaluation
14.6.1 Explain why it is important for an employee to actively participate in his/her evaluation and employee record
15.0 Independent Contractor Status
15.1 Explain the difference between Independent Contractor and employee status
15.1.1 Describe the benefits to a company by hiring an independent contractor instead of an employee
15.2 List reasons for an individual to contract as an Independent Contractor
15.2.1 Compare the advantages to disadvantages of a worker of being classified as an independent contractor rather than an employee
15.3 List reasons a company might be at risk by incorrectly classifying a worker as an independent contractor instead of employee
16.0 Workers Legal Responsibilities
16.1 Explain why it is important that the company is not violating any laws
16.2 Describe how another employee’s draining the company’s resources can affect you
16.2.1 Describe how shoplifting and ‘shrinkage’ affect a company
16.3 Explain how a company’s providing insufficient or untrained help-desk workers can defraud the customer
16.4 List CSS actions that positively affect the company’s success
16.5 Discuss negative employee actions that could result in a lawsuit for the employer
16.6 Describe methods of dealing with customers who do not pay their accounts in a timely manner
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