Apprenticeship Training Manual Level 2
Customer Service Practitioner
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Contents
Using this manual How the Customer Service Practitioner programme works Customer Service Practitioner standards How the standards map to the tasks Task progress checklist Reflective practice – making the most of your learning Task 1: Induction part one – Understanding organisation types Task 2: Induction part two – Understanding customer expectations Task 3: Creating a Personal Development Plan Task 4: Presenting a professional image Task 5: Using feedback from colleagues Task 6: Organising, prioritising and monitoring your workload Task 7: Using organisational systems and resources Task 8: Meeting legislation and regulations Task 9: Treating all customers with equality and as individuals Task 10: Interacting effectively with customers Task 11: Providing a customer-focused experience Task 12: Knowing your products and services Task 13: Using digital media Task 14: Improving your customer service offer Task 15: Dealing with conflict Glossary of key terms
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Welcome to the City & Guilds Apprenticeship Training Manual
Using this manual This training manual is designed to help ensure that learners gain experience in each of the standards required of a Customer Service Practitioner, and it should be seen as a supporting resource. Use of the manual will aid employers and training providers in delivering the 20% off-the-job training requirement that is part of every apprenticeship programme, because the tasks can be completed away from the workplace. The manual is not designed to be used for assessment, although completing the tasks correctly should, in many cases, produce evidence that might be used for independent end point assessment (for example, the Apprentice Showcase). By design, the knowledge, behaviours and skills required of a Customer Service Practitioner should be demonstrated on the job as learners progress through their programme. Simply completing the tasks in this manual without appropriate context or application will not be sufficient to prepare learners for the end point assessment. Suitable evidence As learners work through both the manual and their programme they should be looking out for opportunities to collect workplace evidence for the Apprentice Showcase. Learners should be sure to keep suitable evidence in a safe place. In some tasks examples of suitable evidence that will help demonstrate the achievement of the key outcomes are outlined in boxes like the one shown below. However, these are not meant to be exhaustive lists, and there might be other forms of evidence that learners can collect to support their achievements. Distinction As part of working towards distinction level, the Customer Service Practitioner standards require you to be able to explain how your organisational policies and procedures impact on the delivery of customer service.
Suitable evidence Suitable evidence to support the achievement of these outcomes could include: ■ witness statements ■ written and/or digital communication ■ coaching/observation ■ mystery shop reports.
Distinction level Some of the Tasks will help learners in working towards distinction level. These tasks will contain boxes like the ones above which will contain information on what a distinction-level learner will need to demonstrate. Tasks in which there are no boxes with the distinction symbol do not directly contribute to working towards distinction level. Please note that completing these distinction-level tasks correctly does not guarantee that a learner is working at distinction level, but only serves to provide guidance on the level required. Learners will still need to sufficiently demonstrate the level at which they are working as part of the independent end point assessment. 4
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How the Customer Service Practitioner programme works
A brief guide to the Level 2 Customer Service Practitioner programme is outlined below.
Timeframes The whole programme should be completed in no less than 12 months. In agreement with the learner, employer and training provider (if applicable), the learner may enter the Assessment Gateway at the earliest after 12 months on the programme.
Entry requirements Learners are required to have or achieve Level 1 English and Mathematics (or relevant equivalent), and to have sat Level 2 English and Mathematics qualifications (or relevant equivalent) during or before completion of their apprenticeship.
Link to professional registration Completion of this apprenticeship will mean that learners are eligible to join the Institute of Customer Service as an Individual member at Professional level.
Assessment method The programme is assessed through a synoptic end point assessment which will take place at the end of the learner’s development (after a minimum of 12 months’ on-programme learning). The employer and training provider (if appropriate) will formally sign off that the learner has met the minimum requirements for the knowledge, skills and behaviours listed in the standards and confirm they are ready to enter the Assessment Gateway, and be put forward for the end assessment. This should happen during a meeting involving the learner, their line manager and the trainer.
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Customer Service Practitioner standards
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1. Use a range of questioning skills, 1.1 Demonstrate effective interpersonal skills that achieve positive including listening and responding customer engagement using: in a way that builds rapport, - effective use of open and closed questioning skills relevant determines customer needs and to the situation expectations and achieves positive - effective use of active listening skills when communicating engagement and delivery. - effective use of body language when interacting with customers - working with others and sharing good practice when performing duties
Interpersonal skills
1.4 Build and maintain a rapport with customers.
1.3 Respond to customer needs and manage expectations in a professional and timely manner.
1.2 Recognise customer needs and expectations.
1.3 How do you update and maintain your knowledge of your organisation’s products and/or services?
Distinction criteria
Explain how to build trust with customers and the importance of doing so.
Show willingness to work with others and share ideas where appropriate.
Work with customers to build a rapport, recognising and where possible meeting their needs and expectations.
Demonstrate willingness and ability to engage with customers in a positive manner using relevant interpersonal skills.
Describe how to maintain knowledge of the organisation’s products and/or services.
Proactively work with others to ensure efficient customer service delivery.
Demonstrate ability to balance the needs and expectations of the customer with that of the organisation.
Demonstrate ability to adapt interpersonal skills when working on meeting the needs and expectations of different customers, showing knowledge of the application of the Equality Act when communicating (verbally or non-verbally).
Explain why it is important to update knowledge on the organisation’s products and/or services.
Explain how an understanding of the Explain how to respond to facts can be used to create a customer customer needs and requirements focused experience. positively.
Describe how to achieve the agreed targets and goals.
Explain how the actions taken in the context of the job role and responsibilities impact on others in the organisation.
Pass criteria
Explain the difference between the features and benefits of products 1.2 What is the difference between providing a product and providing and/or services in relation to the a service? organisation.
1.1 What are your organisation’s products and/or services?
2.2 How would you start to build trust with your customers?
2.1 Why is building customer trust important?
1.3 How do you use the facts create an appropriate response?
1.2 How do you establish the facts to create a customer focused experience?
1.1 What is meant by a customer focused experience?
2.2 How do you achieve your targets and goals?
1. Understand the products or services that are available from your organisation, and keep up to date
2. Understand how to build trust with a customer and why this is important
1. Understand how establishing the facts enable you to create a customer focused experience and appropriate response
2.1 Identify the targets and goals for your role.
1.2 How do your actions impact on others in your organisation?
1.1 What is your job role and responsibilities within that role?
Coverage
Product and service knowledge
Customer experience
1. Understand your role and responsibilities within your organisation and the impact of your actions on others
Your role and responsibility
2. Know the targets and goals you need to deliver against
Standard
Module
How the standards map to the tasks
Creating a Personal Development Plan
Presenting a professional image
Using feedback from colleagues
Understanding the organisation
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Induction part 2 – understanding customer expectations
Modules Knowing your customers
Induction part 1 – understanding organisation types
Tasks
1.1–1.3, 2.1–2.5, 3.1–3.8 –
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Meeting regulations and legislation
1.1–1.3, 2.1–2.5, 3.1–3.3 –
Systems and resources
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Your role and responsibility
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Customer experience
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1.1, 1.2, 2.1–2.3 –
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Product and service knowledge Interpersonal skills Communication Influencing skills Personal organisation Dealing with customer conflict and challenge
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Developing self
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2.2
Being open to feedback Team working
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Equality – treating all customers as individuals
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Presentation – dress code, professional language ‘Right first time’
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Task progress checklist
You can use this checklist to tick off each task as you complete it so you can see how you are progressing through the manual. Task list Reflective practice – making the most of your learning
Completion date
✓
Task 1: Induction part one – Understanding organisation types
Task 2: Induction part two – Understanding customer expectations
Task 3: Creating a Personal Development Plan
Task 4: Presenting a professional image
Task 5: Using feedback from colleagues
Task 6: Organising, prioritising and monitoring your workload
Task 7: Using organisational systems and resources
Task 8: Meeting legislation and regulations
Task 9: Treating all customers with equality and as individuals
Task 10: Interacting effectively with customers
Task 11: Providing a customer-focused experience
Task 12: Knowing your products and services
Task 13: Using digital media
Task 14: Improving your customer service offer
Task 15: Dealing with conflict
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Reflective practice Making the most of your learning
Reflective practice involves reflecting on your learning. It’s a really important part of learning, because studies have shown that experience does not necessarily lead to learning unless you have taken time to actually think about the experience. Reflective practice brings together theory and practice, forcing you to take a conscious look at your emotions, experiences, actions and responses. You can then use that information to add to your existing knowledge base and reach a higher level of understanding. Reflective practice is part of the ‘Consider’ step of the PACT Learning Cycle: ■
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Procure – acquire new knowledge (theory), or an ability (skill). For example, understand what language is appropriate for speaking to customers. Apply – practise the new knowledge or skill in some way. For example, make calls to customers using appropriate language. Consider – evaluate and/or assess the results of the practice. For example, how did the calls go? Did you use any inappropriate language? This is where you would use reflective practice. Transform – modify the original knowledge or ability according to the results of your evaluation. For example, refining the list of what you can and can’t say to customers.
You will use reflective practice in completing each of the tasks in this manual, considering what you have learned and how you will apply the learning. When completing this task, you will need to: ■ ■ ■
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research some of the more famous reflective practice models consider the sorts of resources you might use to do reflective practice explain why reflective practice will be useful to your learning evaluate different reflective practice models and decide which is the best one for your own use.
Reflective practice
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Reflective practice Making the most of your learning
2. Resources that can help you reflect or get a new perspective on your learning include: ■ written journals, notes or diaries ■ sketches, pictures and diagrams ■ social media ■ academic study. Consider the pros and cons of each resource and write these in the table below. Resource Written journals, notes or diaries
Pros
Cons
Sketches, pictures and diagrams
Social media
Academic study
Reflective practice
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Reflective practice Making the most of your learning
Knowledge application You will be carrying out reflective practice as part of each of the tasks in this manual. To prepare for this, think about two learning experiences you have had in the past (eg learning to drive, learning a language or learning an instrument), and use two different reflective models that have been considered here to consider each of these learning experiences. One example has been completed for guidance. Example learning experience Context: Using
correct tone in dealing with customer emails.
Chosen model: Gibbs
model
Reflective practice:
Description: I received an angry email from a customer, which used very aggressive language. Their order had been processed wrongly. I had nothing to do with the mistake, but was simply the person who was given the complaint to handle. When I replied to their initial email explaining the situation, they sent me a second email blaming me for the mistake and using personal language – calling me ‘incompetent’ and ‘stupid’ and so on. I wrote back in similarly personal terms and the situation got quite heated. Feelings: I was really angry about what the customer was saying and what they were calling me. It made me upset and I lashed out. Evaluation: My response was completely inappropriate and it was a bad way to handle the situation. Analysis: I reacted badly and didn’ t think through my actions and the consequences properly before sending the reply. Conclusion: I should have been more calm and professional, in spite of my feelings. Action plan: Next time, I would use a strategy to calm myself down before replying. Or I would write a reply but not send it, and come back to it later to see if I need to re-write it rather than send it in the heat of the moment.
Reflective practice
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Task 1: Induction part one – Understanding organisation types
Relation to the standards In this task, you will carry out research into the organisation you work for. As part of this task you will be working towards demonstrating the following skills, knowledge or behaviours: Knowledge: By completing this task you should be able to: ■ ■ ■ ■
state the aims of your organisation in relation to its sector state what is meant by your organisation’s ‘brand promise’ explain how your organisation’s core values relate to its service culture state the purpose of different organisational policies and procedures that affect your customer service role.
Skills: By completing this task you should demonstrate personal organisation through your research by motivating yourself and managing your workload.
Behaviours: By completing this task you should be working towards showing you can uphold the organisation’s core values and service culture through your actions.
Suitable evidence Suitable evidence to support the achievement of these outcomes could include personal research resulting in any of the following: ■ Reflective statement. ■ On-programme workbooks. ■ Presentation. ■ Formal organisation induction. ■ Examples of own and other organisations’ brand promise. ■ Examples of complaint procedures including own organisation. ■ Recorded discussion with relevant member(s) of staff of organisation.
Distinction As part of working towards distinction level, the Customer Service Practitioner standards require you to be able to: ■ explain how your organisational policies and procedures impact on the delivery of customer service. Task 1: Induction part one
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Task 1: Induction part one – Understanding organisation types
3. Explain one key similarity and one key difference between private and third sector businesses. Similarity:
Difference:
4. Identify which one of the sectors listed your organisation exists in.
5. Based on your answers to the above and by taking account of current events, carry out a SWOT analysis on your organisation’s sector: Strengths Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
Task 1: Induction part one
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Task 4: Presenting a professional image
Case Study 2 You receive a telephone call from a customer complaining that a product which they purchased from your organisation didn’t perform according to expectations. When you investigate further, you find that there have been a series of similar complaints where the instructions in this product’s box have been for an earlier model, which operates differently. This problem was obviously caused by the manufacturer. What would be your organisation’s procedure for dealing with this situation?
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What could you tell the customer over the telephone to demonstrate a positive attitude and welcoming approach?
Task 4: Presenting a professional image
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Task 5: Using feedback from colleagues
To complete this task you will seek constructive feedback from relevant people within your organisation and reflect on how you can use this feedback to develop your customer service knowledge and skills. When completing this task, you will: ■ consider a range of statements to help you decide what counts as constructive, positive or negative feedback ■ list the people in your organisation you can seek feedback from ■ describe how you can use this feedback in your personal development ■ collect and record constructive (or useful) feedback and reflect on it.
Key terms Constructive feedback – feedback that is given to help you improve. The best constructive feedback is honest, clear, specific, action-orientated and respectful. Constructive feedback can be positive or negative. Positive constructive feedback tells you what you have done well and why it was good, so you know what to keep on doing. Negative constructive feedback tells you what you can do better and how to improve.
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Destructive feedback – feedback that is hurtful and is not intended to help you improve. Destructive feedback is often accusatory, personal and subjective (as opposed to objective).
Task 5: Using feedback from colleagues
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Task 8: Meeting legislation and regulations
Relation to the standards In this task you will be considering which legislation and regulations have an impact on your customer service. As part of this task you will be working towards demonstrating that you have the following skills, knowledge or behaviour: Knowledge: By completing this task you should be able to: ■ explain how the relevant legislation and regulations affect your organisation’s customer service provision ■ state your responsibilities for keeping information confidential and in the organisation ■ state the responsibilities of employees and employers under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
Skills: By completing this task you should be demonstrating personal organisation in your research by motivating yourself and managing your workload.
Behaviours: By completing this task you should work towards demonstrating that you can take responsibility for keeping your knowledge up to date, as well as knowing how to treat customers correctly while complying with legal requirements. You should also be working towards demonstrating that you can uphold your organisation’s values, ethical standards and service culture through understanding and complying with legislation, regulations and codes of practice.
Suitable evidence Evidence provided must reflect the scope of regulations and legislation used in your area of work, eg workplace policies, procedures and ethical codes.
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Distinction As part of working towards distinction level, the Customer Service Practitioner standards require you to be able to: ■ explain the potential impact on your organisation if it fails to adhere to each of the relevant pieces of legislation and regulations ■ explain how your code of practice or ethical standards affect your customer service.
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Task 8: Meeting legislation and regulations
Preparatory activities 1. Research the following regulations, which may apply to your organisation. Write a couple of sentences to explain your rights and responsibilities for each Act: a) The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations
b) The Consumer Protection Act
c) The Consumer Credit Act
d) The Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations
e) The Consumer Rights Act
f) The Data Protection Act
Task 8: Meeting legislation and regulations
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Task 15: Dealing with conflict
2. Whichever communication method you use with customers, choosing the right language is important in handling complaints. You always need to be positive and professional. Look at the comments below and write an alternative comment in the right-hand column that would have the same meaning, but would be more positive and professional. Original comment All right, darling? What can I do you for?
Positive and professional comment Good morning, madam. How can I help you today?
No worries, love!
Sure thing, mate. Anything else?
I’ve got no idea what you’re on about.
No, sorry. Not following. Slow it down a touch, will you? That’s not my problem though, is it?
Don’t shout at me, it’s not my fault the system mucked up your order ... !
3. Research different strategies for remaining calm in difficult situations. Write a paragraph summarising the most useful strategies here.
Task 15: Dealing with conflict
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Equality laws – these are laws that try to ensure everyone is treated fairly and equally. Currently, the Equality Act 2010 is the main law that serves to legally protect people from discrimination as customers. It replaced previous anti-discrimination laws with a single Act, making the law easier to understand, and strengthening protection in some situations. The Act sets out the different ways in which it’s unlawful to treat someone. Before the Equality Act 2010 came into force there were several pieces of legislation to cover discrimination, including the following: ■ Sex Discrimination Act 1975 ■ Race Relations Act 1976 ■ Disability Discrimination Act 1995 Equipment – the resources or tools needed for a specific purpose or to complete a specific task. Equipment might be very basic (eg a pen and paper) or extremely sophisticated (eg a PC and software). Ethical standards – moral principles that promote values such as trust, fairness and kindness. Evaluation – the action of assessing the worth or value of something (eg a process) or someone. External customer – someone outside the organisation who buys, or receives, their products or services. External customers, except customers of organisations in the public sector, often have a choice, and if they don’t like your product or service they can take their business elsewhere. Features – key characteristics of a product or service that delivers benefits to customers. Essentially, what a product or service does. Formal feedback – input received through ‘formal’ means such as customer surveys and other specific research tools. Goals – observable and measurable targets made up of one or more objectives that need to be achieved within a fixed timeframe. Informal feedback – input received through ‘informal’ means such as casual conversations between staff and customers.
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Internal customer – a colleague, another department or a distributor you provide products or services to, which are then used to create a deliverable for the external customer. Usually, internal customers don’t have a choice of suppliers because they will be required to use the organisation’s own products or services. Learning log – a written record of what you have learned, how you put your learning into practice, and reflections on how it went and what you might change next time. Legislation – a law, or group of laws, agreed by Parliament and enforced by the justice system. Open question – a question that cannot be answered with ‘Yes’ or ‘No’, or ‘True’ or ‘False’, but requires a fuller answer. For example, ‘How did that make you feel?’ Organisational culture – the way in which members of an organisation relate to each other, their work and the outside world in comparison to other organisations. Personal Development Plan – a written document that is a record of the skill areas you need or want to develop (also known as goals) and how you are going to achieve them. Positive language – language that is helpful and encouraging, and focuses on actions that can be carried out to help a situation. Positive language often includes suggestions for possible solutions and how these can be achieved in a timely and effective manner. Prioritisation – the arrangement of items or tasks that need completing in order of relative importance. Tasks can move up or down in importance and priority as objectives and situations change. Private sector – the part of a country’s economic system that is run by individuals and companies, rather than the government. Most private sector organisations are run with the intention of making profit for the organisation and its shareholders. Products – commercially distributed goods that are the result of a fabrication, manufacturing or production process. These goods are then sold to customers before being consumed or used.
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125006123 TL060000
ISBN 978-0-85193-386-3
9 780851 933863
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