Download Marketing 202 Foster positive relationships with customers to

Marketing 202 Foster positive relationships with customers to enhance company image.
a. Identify beliefs held by employees who have a customer-service mindset.
1 talk more about positive customer interactions than negative ones
2 view negative customer interactions as a chance to learn more about customer’s needs
3 view your work from the customer’s perspective
4 define your function with the customer in mind
b. Describe the importance of exhibiting a customer-service mindset.
1 Profits are directly tied to customer satisfaction. Happy customers return to purchase
as well as send friends and acquaintances to purchase
2 Goodwill is developed (positive feelings towards the business)
3 Information from customers helps with buying decisions
4 Avoid loss of sales due to customer dissatisfaction
5 Avoid markdowns and loss of profit due to returns
6 Avoid delays in sales that result in longer interest payments on loans to purchase store
items for resale
c. Identify occasions when marketing employees can exhibit a customerservice mindset.
When a customer is upset and angry, the employee should act quickly to correct the
mistake.
Employee should demonstrate a focus of attention on the customer when there is a
problem.
d. Describe guidelines for exhibiting a customer-service mindset.
1 Measure regularly by gathering constant customer feedback
2 Measure internally for employee satisfaction
3 Link bonuses to customer satisfaction
4 Link customer satisfaction back to other business goals
e. Demonstrate a customer-service mindset.
Employee shows clear relentless unwavering focus on customer. Also evidence of
internal customer (co-workers) satisfaction is important
Activity
Select an employee whom you can observe to identify that person’s efforts in
exhibiting a customer-service mindset. Record your observations, and share
them with a small group of classmates. As a group, create a list of the five
most unique ways that employees exhibited a customer-service mindset.
a. Define the term service orientation.
Listening to and understanding the customer. Customer satisfaction is high priority.
b. Explain the relationship between communication and service.
Clear communications from sales personnel will ensure customer buys the product that
best suits his needs.
If there is a problem, then clear communication is imperative so that the employee can
act precisely and quickly to clear up the problem for the customer.
Clear communication is again necessary in record keeping so that the data can be used
to influence future business decisions
Clear communications to receive feedback from customers and employees on
satisfaction levels
c. Identify ways in which employees in business and marketing can
demonstrate a service orientation.
Greets the person promptly and courteously.
Pays attention to the person.
Asks questions to determine the person's needs.
Listens carefully and empathizes with the person's concerns.
Offers relevant information.
Summarizes to check for understanding.
Acts or agrees on a clear course of action.
Tries to do better than expected.
Asks questions to check for satisfaction.
Follows through.
Thanks the individual.
Takes surveys to determine people's needs.
Is courteous to citizens, clients, patients, etc.
Does not "pass the buck."
d. Demonstrate procedures for reinforcing a service orientation through
communication.
Use customer surveys to pinpoint areas for improvement
Use employee surveys to pinpoint areas for improvement
Develop a follow up procedure to determine levels of customer satisfaction after the sale
Activity
Select a job in marketing, and write five ways or statements that an employee
in that role could reinforce a service orientation through communication.
a. Discuss the purpose of adapting communication to a client’s cultural or
social community.
To avoid offending clients with your lack of sensitivity to their needs.
To better assist clients to make the right purchase for their needs.
b. Explain the importance of context in communication.
Context is the surrounding story or thought process of a communicated idea. It is what
helps get the point across. The wrong context can completely skew the meaning.
c. Discuss reasons for adapting communication to the cultural or social
differences among clients.
Our market is very global and therefore impacts many different cultures socially and
geographically.
The success of all companies depends on their abilities to understand cultural differences
and work with them to keep all customers happy and well-informed to make the best buying
decisons
It is impossible to achieve customer satisfaction without clealyr communicating product
features and benefits
Clients could be offended by your lack of understanding of their culture’s typical use of a
product
d. Explain skills associated with adapting communication (e.g., empathy, risk
taking, problem solving, etc.).
1 patient, flexible, and empathetic are key personality traits when dealing with
communication barriers
e. Describe ways to adapt communication to the cultural or social
environment of clients
1 Language
2 Material culture (understand the way a country makes products and you will understand how
they value the products)
3 aesthetics (what a culture considers valuable or beautiful)
4 social organization (what is acceptable in a culture)
5 religious beliefs, attitudes, values, space and time
f. Demonstrate how to adapt communication to the cultural or social
differences among clients.
Activity
Participate with a team member to develop a skit showing how you would
adapt your communication to the cultural/social differences among clients.
Explain the situation to the class. Present the skit to classmates, while they
identify and record how you adapted communication to the situation. At the
end of the skit, ask classmates to explain what they observed and how they
could improve communication.
a. Explain the nature of customer inquiries.
1 Inquiries can be sincere or hidden
(sometimes price is the hidden problem and the customer will complain about color)
b. Identify the types of customer inquiries.
1 merchandise (defective, wrong size or color, damaged, improper labeling,not meeting
customer needs, customer purchased the wrong product )
2 store personnel (high pressure sales, rudeness, providing insufficient product
information, being inaccurate)
3 business (unhappy with the number and types of services offered, unhappy with
business policies)
c. Discuss the importance of possessing knowledge of the company (e.g.,
policies, history, capabilities, etc.).
1 You must understand how to apply company policies to each situation in order to
remain fair.
2 You must know the company capabilities in order to handle the customer inquiry rapidly
and satisfactorily
d. Discuss the importance of possessing adequate product knowledge.
1 Product knowledge is a necessity in order to respond to the customer situation in the
best manner.
2 Product knowledge is needed to understand the customer’s problem with a product
3 Understanding of the product makes it easier to understand the company policy in
respect to the product
e. Describe guidelines for handling customer inquiries.
Listen to determine reason for complaint (shows a concerned attitude)
Restate the complaint (show your understanding of the problem)
Investigate the problem (determine how to handle)
Explain the store policy (desire to maintain fairness by following store policiy)
Take action (quick action makes the customer feel important)
f. Demonstrate use of proper procedure for solving a customer inquiry in a
marketing situation.
Sample
Activity
Observe your teacher’s demonstration of the guidelines for handling customer
inquiries. Using a performance checklist, evaluate the teacher’s demonstration.
Discuss your ratings with the class.
a. Define the term business policy.
A general rule that personnel should follow in order to avoid misunderstandings and apply
fair and consistent treatment to all situations
b. Identify characteristics of effective business policies.
1 goal should be customer satisfaction
2 policy should be used consistently
3 policy should be flexible
4 policies should be well understood by employees
c. Describe reasons for having business policies.
The policies create a business image and help you to consistently maintain that image
d. Explain types of business policies that affect customers.
1 purchase policies
2 return and exchange policies
e. Discuss the role of employees in interpreting business policies.
1 Employees are the ones dealing with customer inquiries and must learn how to apply
business policies to each situation
2 Clear policies must be communicated to employees so they will understand how to
implement
f. Explain when business policies should be interpreted.
Every situation is unique and different Policies must sometimes be adjusted to fit the
occasion while maintaining their initial integrity
g. Explain guidelines for interpreting business policies to customers.
1 State the policy and explain how it applies to the situation.
2 Stress the desire to maintain fairness through the use of the policy
3 Remain calm.
4 Answer any questions on store policy
h. Demonstrate procedures for interpreting business policies to customers.
Sample
Activity
Keep a record of the policies that have to be interpreted for customers at a
school-based or work-based enterprise. Discuss the findings with the class.