RECENT ASSIGNMENT

Manage and develop the team
Submission details
Candidate’s name Phone no.
Assessor’s name Phone no.
Assessment site
Assessment date/s Time/s
The Assessment Task is due on the date specified by your assessor. Any variations to this arrangement must be approved in writing by your assessor.
Submit this document with any required evidence attached. See specifications below for details.
Performance objective
The candidate will demonstrate the ability to ensure delivery of quality service through handling customer complaints, monitoring team performance, and intervening to develop team abilities to overcome difficulties in providing quality customer service.
Assessment description
You will use scenario information (provided) to address customer service issues through:
? monitoring customer service team performance to identify causes of customer service shortfalls
? addressing a complex customer complaint
? coaching an underperforming customer service employee in a role-play.
Procedure
Part A
1. Review the information about Innovative Widgets that you gathered in Assessment Task 1.
2. Read the scenario provided in Appendix 1 of this task.
3. Review the customer service call data in Appendix 2 and analyse data to identify possible causes of customer service shortfalls.
4. Write a brief report (no more than 1 page) to the board of Innovative Widgets to:
a. summarise customer service team performance
b. identify possible causes of customer service shortfalls
c. identify options to address the problem/s.
5. Follow the customer complaints policy and procedures provided in Appendix 3 of this task to draft an email to Yore Mine Co. to clear up the misunderstanding and address their concerns. Ensure that your support of the customer provided is consistent with principles of customer service set out in the Innovative Widgets business plan and the customer service plan you develop in Assessment Task 1.
Part B
1. Prepare to participate in a role-play with Mary (your assessor) to address her performance issues. You need to prepare to:
a. run structured coaching session
b. ask questions to understand and clarify Mary’s perspective
c. describe the policy and procedures for handling customer complaints
d. outline techniques for dealing with different types of customers according to their needs(e.g. dealing with small customers compared to dealing with significant customers such as Yore Mine Co.)
e. explain techniques for solving customer complaints
f. document the coaching session and its outcomes in accordance with the recordkeeping policy and procedures developed in Assessment Task 1.
2. Arrange a time with the assessor to complete the coaching role-play and complete the role-play.
3. Submit the required documents for assessment as per the specifications below. Be sure to keep a copy for your records.
Specifications
You must:
? submit a customer service report
? submit an email to resolve a customer complaint
? participate in a coaching role-play observed by the assessor
? submit coaching documentation, e.g. coaching plan, notes, etc.
Your assessor will be looking for you to demonstrate:
? reading skills to interpret Innovative Widgets information
? writing skills to match your style of writing to the documents’ purpose and audience
? communication skills to:
? articulate organisational systems and policies
? use listening and questioning techniques to understand performance issues
? numeracy skills to interpret customer service data
? work skills to:
? apply Innovative Widgets organisational protocols to complaint resolution and coaching
? recognise and account for strengths and experience of others to achieve outcomes
? provide support to team member
? address complex difficulties using problem-solving techniques
? technology skills to prepare and present documents
? knowledge of organisational (Innovative Widgets) policy and procedures for handling customer complaints
? knowledge of techniques for dealing with customers with specific needs
? knowledge of techniques for solving complaints.
Adjustment for distance-based learners:
The role-plays can be adjusted for distance learning. The role-plays for this task can be varied to take place using Skype conferencing (or any other video conferencing tool available to the candidate). Candidates may also choose to video the role-play and submit electronically.

Appendix 1: Innovative Widgets scenario
You are a customer service manager. It is currently December, and over the last few months, you have been receiving feedback from customers that customer service is just ‘not what it used to be’. The board of Innovative Widgets has been made aware of the decrease in customer service quality and wants to know what you’re going to do to fix the problem.
Mary is a member of your customer service team at Innovative Widgets. Her role is to receive telephone enquiries and complaints.
You have observed the following:
? Mary has been rude to customers on several occasions. This behaviour contravenes company policy on the knowledge of the importance of friendly service to customers of Innovative Widgets.
? Mary has recently developed a habit of letting the phone ring and then placing customers on hold. This behaviour contravenes company policy on the knowledge of the importance of prompt service to customers of Innovative Widgets.
? Yesterday Mary received a complaint from a customer:
‘I work as a buyer for the state’s largest supplier of mining equipment, Yore Mine Co. We provide a lot of business to Innovative Widgets.
I ordered 1,000 x 7 mm widgets for delivery last Friday. I was promised that the delivery would arrive within three days. It’s now a week later and they still haven’t arrived. My production manager just telephoned me to say he might fail to deliver a major order unless the widgets arrive in the next four days.
A few weeks ago a consignment of widgets arrived from Innovative Widgets, but they were 6 mm widgets rather than the 7 mm I had ordered on that occasion.
I am considering going to another supplier for your widgets even though Innovative Widgets are the only Australian supplier. I could get them cheaper from China, but the saving isn’t great when you add in the extra shipping costs.
I’m going to begin legal action if the widgets don’t arrive today. I might order the widgets from China from now on.'
? Mary misunderstood and thought that the customer had ordered the products yesterday and argued with him. She accused the customer of being unreasonable as Innovative Widgets is an industry leader in guaranteeing three day delivery.
When the misunderstanding was eventually cleared up, Mary wasn’t sure how to track orders or reorder the products. She said there was nothing she could do as Innovative Widgets’ procedures didn’t seem to cover this issue.
As the customer service manager, you will need to write an email to Yore Mine Co. to clear up the misunderstanding and address their concerns.
You will also need to demonstrate your knowledge of how to develop team members and coach Mary to improve the quality of her customer service.
Use the Innovative Widgets Complaints policy and procedures document in Appendix 3 of this task to assist you.
The following is an excerpt from Innovative Widgets’ business plan.
Business plan excerpt
Vision statement
To keep every Australian business running smoothly using safe, quality widgets.
Mission statement
? Innovate new ways of manufacturing and testing widgets
? Deliver consistently high-quality customer service internally and externally
? Keep Australian businesses buying Australian widgets through quality products and second-to-none customer service
? Have the best safety record of any widget company.

Appendix 2: Customer service data
Call Frequency per month
Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Number of calls 1200 1150 1320 1300 1260 1320 1380 1350 1400 1480 1560 -
Variation in number of calls from previous year –2% –2% +3.5% –1.5% –0.5% +4% +4.5% +3.5% +7% +10% +12%
Customer service staff
Employee Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Supervisor John John John John John John John John John (Annual leave) (Annual leave) John
Customer service officer Mia Mia Mia Mia Mia Mia Mia Mia Mia Mia Mia Mia
Customer service officer Nitin Nitin Nitin Nitin Nitin Nitin Nitin Nitin Nitin Nitin (quit)
Customer service officer Jonas Jonas Jonas Jonas Jonas Jonas Jonas Jonas Jonas Jonas Jonas Jonas
Customer service officer Taya (new) Taya Taya
Customer service officer Mary (new) Mary Mary

Appendix 3: Complaints policy and procedures
Innovative Widgets
Complaints Policy and Procedure
Purpose The purpose of this policy is to ensure the management of complaints is carried out consistently, fairly and transparently and in accordance with organisational requirements.
Scope The scope of this policy covers the management of customer complaints by employees and contractors of Innovative Widgets.
Resources Specific procedures for the implementation of this policy are available below and on the company intranet.
Responsibility Responsibility for the implementation of this policy rests with employees and management of Innovative Widgets with responsibility for managing customer complaints.
Relevant legislation etc. ? Privacy Act 1988 (Cwlth)
? Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic)
? Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cwlth).
Updated/
authorised 10/2011 – John Doe CFO
To manage complaints – customer service representatives
1. Greet the customer courteously and give them your name.
2. Listen fully to what the customer is saying. Try to gather all the facts about the complaint and jot them down. Ask questions and summarise what they are saying.
3. Never argue with the customer.
4. Apologise for any product fault or poor service. Be sympathetic. Ask if the customer will allow us to send the faulty item to our quality department for testing.
5. When you have all the details about the complaint, ask the customer how they would like it to be resolved.
6. No product replacements are within all staff members’ authority.
7. All staff members can use their professional judgement and refund an additional 10% of the value of the faulty product up to a maximum value of $25.
8. Complaints involving damage to other property are covered by our insurance. Help the customer to complete the Claims Form and ask if the customer can obtain quotes for repairs.
9. All complaints involving injury must be referred to the Customer Service Manager. Agree a suitable time for the Customer Service Manager to call the customer.
10. Any complaint that is not covered in the above procedures must be directed to the Customer Service Manager. Agree a time for the Customer Service Manager to call the customer.
To manage complex complaints – customer service manager
1. Once you are alerted to a complex customer complaint, gather all the available details about the customer, and the problem being addressed.
2. Before contacting the customer, decide on what actions need to be taken to address the problem:
a. At a system level, to prevent similar problems occurring in the future
b. For the specific customer who has made the complaint
3. Once you have identified actions to be taken, contact the customer as soon as possible.
4. In your customer contact:
a. summarise the facts and the problem as you understand it and make an apology for the mistakes Innovative Widgets is responsible for.
b. describe what Innovative Widgets is going to do at a systems level to prevent or minimise these types of mistakes for all customers in the future.
c. Describe what Innovative widgets is going to do to solve the customer’s specific problem immediately
d. Describe when you will follow-up with the customer to see if their problem has been resolved
e. Ask if there is anything else the customer needs to resolve the situation or repair the relationship.