TOPIC 1
Customer Charter
What is a Customer Charter/Code of Practice?
The main purpose of a Customer Charter/Code of Practice is to improve access to an organization’s services and promote quality. It does this by telling customers the standards of service to expect, what to do if something goes wrong, and how to make contact. A Customer Charter/Code of Practice helps employees too, by setting out clearly the services their organization provides. Service charter is important because it is an ideal way of helping organization define what that service should be and the standard that should be expected.
Importance of Developing a Customer Charter/Code of Practice * helps an organization clarify what people want from their services and target resources accordingly * helps an organization and its employees look at the aims of that organization, and whether it provides value for money * focus an organization’s employees on the work to improve services and promote quality, and ensure that their knowledge and experience is put to good use * encourage customers to provide feedback on how an organization’s service is delivered * explain to customers how they can help an organization deliver the services they want * help drive and sustain a process of continuous improvement in service quality * help foster good relations with customers generally, most of whom will welcome an organization’s efforts to take account of their views contents of a customer charter/code of practice * spell out the standards of service customers can expect * tell customers how to complain if something goes wrong, or service is not met, or how to offer a suggestion for improvement * make clear how customers can contact an organization and get further information * make sure the information is accessible and easy to understand * fully involve customers and employees in its preparation * explain how an organization is planning for further improvement * assure customers that they will receive a fair service * say if there is any relevant legislation * make sure that the publication date is clearly visible, and ensure the content remains current

KEY FEATURES OF SERVICE OFFERED
Key features of service offered include: 1. quality of product/service 2. timescales for responses 3. guarantees 4. accessibility/equal opportunities 5. ethical promises 6. complaints procedure 7. refunds and compensation policy 8. Appeals procedure.
SERVICE LEVEL Agreement
An agreement with an individual customer group, covering all the services they use. Or A service-level agreement (SLA) is a contract between a network service provider and a customer that specifies, usually in measurable terms, what services the network service provider will furnish. example, an SLA between a supplier (IT service provider) and the finance department of a large organization for the services such as finance system, payroll system, billing system, procurement/purchase system, etc.
Some metrics that SLAs may specify include: * What percentage of the time services will be available * The number of users that can be served simultaneously * Specific performance benchmarks to which actual performance will be periodically compared * The schedule for notification in advance of network changes that may affect users * Help desk response time for various classes of problems * Dial-in access availability * Usage statistics that will be provided.

Advantages SLA 1. There is a clearly defined standard of service. 2. Breaches in services can be resolved by a credit system to the customer thereby maintaining the customer/supplier relationship if breaches occur. This helps to then avoid the customer having to resort to formal dispute resolution procedures (such as litigation) for breaches of the contract by the supplier. 3. They can be used by suppliers to break down and explain services to a customer. 4. The SLA can help a supplier 'sell in' extra services or standards A customer can also see what kinds of upgrades in services might be available.
Disadvantages of introducing an SLA 1. The time, effort and cost in negotiating an SLA is much. 2. Inviting the customer to demand higher quality services or standards in an SLA (which the customer may not have considered if the SLA had not been introduced by the Supplier). 3. The customer may ask the supplier to absorb any additional costs of performing and operating an SLA into the original price of the services quoted by the supplier. 4. Customer/supplier relationships can become strained and can deteriorate if talks become protracted in relation to service levels, service targets, service credits and other remedies. If talks do become protracted then this can lead to a lack of trust between supplier and customer Key Steps in Establishing a Service Level Agreement1. Gather background informationIt gives a solid basis from which to negotiate. Before eliciting commitments from their service provider, customers should carefully review and clarify their service needs and priorities. And before making any commitments to customers, service providers should examine their service history and determine the level of service they can realistically provide. In addition, service providers should assess customer satisfaction so as to clearly understand customer concerns and establish a baseline for assessing service improvements.2. Ensure agreement about the agreementThe two parties to an agreement often have different views about the role of the SLA and what it can realistically accomplish. Both sets of views may be valid, yet sufficiently different as to cause a breakdown in SLA negotiations. Before any SLA development work is done, it is advisable for the two parties to hold an open discussion to ensure that they have a basic level of agreement about the agreement. If they don't – and until they do – any further SLA effort may prove futile.3. Establish ground rules for working togetherIssues to be discussed include the division of responsibility for development tasks, scheduling issues and constraints, and concerns regarding potential impediments. In addition, the developers can benefit greatly by discussing their communication styles and preferences. By identifying similarities and differences right up front, they will be in an excellent position to minimize conflict.4. Develop the agreementthe two parties create a structure for the SLA document and then discuss, debate, negotiate and, over time, reach agreement about the contents of the agreement. In doing so, they may each solicit assistance, input or feedback from others in their own organization. 5. Generate buy-inBefore implementing an SLA, all members of both parties who have a stake in, or responsibility for, the success of the agreement should have an opportunity to review the draft, raise questions, and offer suggestions. Using this feedback, the developers can conduct further negotiations, gain the necessary approvals, and finalize the document. 6. Complete pre-implementation tasksThis step entails the identification and completion of tasks that must precede SLA implementation. Such tasks might include, for example, developing tracking mechanisms, establishing reporting processes, developing procedures for carrying out stated responsibilities, communicating expectations to staff, providing pertinent training.7. Implement and manage the agreementManagement responsibilities include providing a point of contact for problems related to the agreement, maintaining ongoing contact with the other party, conducting service reviews, coordinating and implementing modifications to the SLA, and assessing and reporting on how the two parties can further enhance their working relationship.
Factors to consider in creating service Level agreement 1. The service environment: The more services covered by an SLA, and the more complex these services, the longer it takes the two parties to discuss, negotiate and document the conditions of service delivery. 2. The proximity of the parties: Face-to-face negotiation is crucial in establishing an SLA. However, if travel is needed to enable this face-to-face contact, it can add significantly to the elapsed time. 3. The span of impact of the SLA: Establishing an SLA between two parties in a home office generally takes less time than establishing an SLA that spans regional, national or international boundaries. 4. The relationship between the parties: When the relationship is characterized by trust and respect, the effort proceeds much more quickly than when it is marred by distrust and dissatisfaction. In the latter situation, additional steps may be needed to begin to repair the relationship before undertaking the more formal SLA process. 5. The availability of a model: The first SLA in an organization usually takes the longest. Once it is completed and in operation, however, both the document and the process can serve as a model for subsequent SLAs. If the first SLA is successful, later ones usually proceed much more rapidly. 6. Prior SLA experience: The most expeditious SLA efforts are ones led by SLA developers who have had prior successful experience establishing an SLA. Conversely, if prior experience is lacking or failed to result in an effective SLA, the development process often hobbles along.Types of customer expectation * Promptness * We live in an era of impatience. Customers do not want to wait for service. Even a short wait will deter most customers in most situations. * Professionalism/ expect consulting * Customers want a customer service representative that is knowledgeable about products and services, skilled at dealing with people, and responsible in performing duties. Customers want to deal with a professional customer service representative. * Accuracy * Customers expect the CSR to get information and orders correct the first time. They do not want to have to deal with mistakes or correct the CSR’s errors. * Friendliness or seamless relationship * Customers expect to be treated respectfully and politely. Customers want to be liked and to be treated in a friendly manner. * Honesty * Customers want honest, straightforward information and responses. Most customers appreciate a CSR that will admit mistakes and work to correct them. A customer that believes he or she has been misled will stop doing business with the company and will likely complain. * Honesty also includes follow-through on promises. Broken promises anger customers. Customers expect to be informed if a promise cannot be fulfilled as stated. * Empathy * Customers expect understanding. They want a CSR who is willing to see their side of a situation, especially when there is a problem. They want a CSR that takes time to listen to them and hear them out. * communicationCustomer expectationTypes of customer expectation * Promptness * We live in an era of impatience. Customers do not want to wait for service. Even a short wait will deter most customers in most situations. * Professionalism/ expect consulting * Customers want a customer service representative that is knowledgeable about products and services, skilled at dealing with people, and responsible in performing duties. Customers want to deal with a professional customer service representative. * Accuracy * Customers expect the CSR to get information and orders correct the first time. They do not want to have to deal with mistakes or correct the CSR’s errors. * Friendliness or seamless relationship * Customers expect to be treated respectfully and politely. Customers want to be liked and to be treated in a friendly manner. * Honesty * Customers want honest, straightforward information and responses. Most customers appreciate a CSR that will admit mistakes and work to correct them. A customer that believes he or she has been misled will stop doing business with the company and will likely complain. * Honesty also includes follow-through on promises. Broken promises anger customers. Customers expect to be informed if a promise cannot be fulfilled as stated. * Empathy * Customers expect understanding. They want a CSR who is willing to see their side of a situation, especially when there is a problem. They want a CSR that takes time to listen to them and hear them out. * communication | |
Customer expectations of good customer service also play a part in customer satisfaction. These expectations typically include factors such as: * Safety and security * Clear and accurate information e.g. difference between black berry and android etc. * Legal rights to be upheld * Impartiality and objectivity * Complaint, enquiry and suggestion procedures * Special needs catered for (e.g. disability access) * Ethical delivery. * Some of the most common and basic expectations customers have for most businesses include: * • Fast, efficient and accurate service
• High quality products at a competitive price
• Friendly, helpful service staff to provide information and answer questions
• Prompt responses to their inquiries, whether online, by phone or in person
• Sufficient stock to meet their needs without long waits
• A trained staff that can handle their questions without referring them on
• A clean facility or easy to navigate website * All of these expectations comprise the minimum of what your top-notch service should look like. Additional expectations may arise from your customer research, which you can address on an individual basis.
Benefits of Meeting Expectations * customer service reputation will automatically be enhanced. * • Customers transform from first-time visitors to loyal clients
• Increased sales as customers feel more comfortable doing business with you
• More referrals from satisfied customers who bring in additional business by word of mouth * company is likely to enjoy happier customers and a healthier bottom line. * * Formation of customer expectation * Customer expectations are what people think should happen and how they think they should be treated when asking for or receiving customer service. * Expectations are formed by: * - what people hear and see
- what they read and what the organisation tells them
- what happens during the customer experience
- what has happened to them in other customer service experiences.
Generally customer expectations rise and organisations try to match that rise through continuous improvement in customer service. Here are several methods to help identify your customer expectations.
· Market research
· Contractual agreements
· Focus groups
· Phone calls
· Satisfaction surveys
· Site visits
· Warranty records
· Informal discussions
· News media · competitive benchmarking
So how do you improve customer service in your company?
Simply follow these practical tips to raise service levels quickly and easily: 1. Send staff out as ‘mystery shoppers’ to your competitors
Let them see for themselves what others are doing. Get them to share their experience and see what best practice you can adopt and what ideas you can steal. 2. Seek and analyse customer feedback
Don’t make assumptions; look for ways to find out what your customers think about the organisation. Be radical – invite them in to help you identify what you could be doing better. 3. Track and analyse errors and complaints
Get to the root cause to find out what’s going wrong and why. Involve people in improving processes to prevent recurrences. Undertake remedial training and coaching.
4. Go ‘back to the floor’
Shadow people in the organisation. See how your systems and processes affect the customer, and see what obstacles get in the way of good customer service. 5. Build your processes around the customer, not the organisation
Look for ways of streamlining end to end processes and reducing ‘handoffs’ to reduce errors. 6. Set and communicate clear standards in terms of quality, accuracy, behaviour, appearance and good customer service. Staff need to know what you expect from them. Ensure that the service is consistently good, in every location, from everyone, every day.
6.Capture and share examples of really great service in your organisation
This gives recognition to the individual who delivered it, and it also helps others to learn techniques and to build confidence. 7. Consider setting up customer service awards
Use an award scheme where individuals, colleagues and customers can nominate. 8. Treat staff as you treat your customers
Behaviour breeds behaviour and happy staff lead to happy customers. We’ve probably all experienced staff who look and sound completely fed up, and they’re the worst ambassadors. Motivate and retain good staff, because turnover is expensive, both in recruitment and training costs, as well as in respect of lost experience. Employees want to feel valued, so think about ways to give them positive feedback, especially when they demonstrate great customer service. Build a sense of pride in your organisation. 9. Pay attention to those who don’t serve customers directly
The chances are that if they’re not serving a customer, they’re serving someone who is, and these people are their ‘internal’ customers. 10. Build a team culture
Emphasise that everyone is a link in the chain and that everything they do should be focused on delighting the customer. 11. Set measurable objectives around improved customer service
Be sure to cascade them across the organisation. 12. Review individual performance regularly
Undertake performance reviews not just during the annual appraisal. Give feedback about what’s going well, as well as coaching for areas needing development. 13. Have regular customer service sessions with cross sections of staff
They are at the sharp end, and they’ll have lots of ideas on how things could be improved. Encourage them to think of what can be done to provide the ‘wow factor’ – use the creativity of the group to brainstorm and think outside the box for less obvious suggestions. 14. Recruit the right people
Use effective selection techniques, and invest in staff training. To the customer, whoever they’re dealing with IS your company. Are you measuring the right behaviours and attitudes that achieve high levels of customer service within your selection process? 15. Invest in customer service training
Choose a provider who will really get to know your business and who can support your business strategy and service standards. Develop your own short internal customer service training sessions to raise the importance and get your employees really involved.