/n
人 So the first stage in assuring excellent customer service begins in recruitment of the
） right people. Successful companies 'hire for attitude and train for skills. The
selection process looks for people with passion, energy, enthusiasm, and flexibility.These are the type of people who will make a personal commitment to do whateveri takes to fix things that go wrong even if it is not in their job description, If a customer has a problem, the employee will own that problem, and continue to own it until the problem gets solved. Every single employee needs to deliver that level of service.The luxury hotel chain Ritz-Cariton talks of'selecting team members' rather than hiring employees.
D Indeed, the companies with a commitment to their customers also show commitment to their staff. The John Lewis Partnership — a successful and respected retailer in Britain — is staffed by 'partners' who jointly own the business and get a profit share based on how much profit is generated. Employees feel involved and they are made to feel valued. Other companies have a rewards based approach which gives
employees bonuses and raises tied to performance. Or, they can be publicly
acknowledged by being given an award when they put service above all else. These
strategies make for contented staff who will stay with the business. And they emphasise that service to the customer is an organisation's first priority.
A customer-oriented company will set up a planned training arogramme in both job
skills and people skills. New members of staff can be sent on customer service training days to learn systems and standards before their first working day. Then
they have to be encouraged to develop superior product knowledge. The expertise of staff is one of a business' strongest selling points. It gives a sense of authority that customers trust. Training is never an area to cut costs when the market gets tough.
And training is not just about following rules. Staff need to know how to deal with enquiries and complaints, then empowered to make direct decisions wherever possible. Allowing employees to think for themselves gives them a sense of
responsibility — which they tend to want to live up to. Ordinary people can seem to behave in extraordinary ways when they are able to do whatever it takes to thrill the customer. That may include giving them a budget to solve any customer problem.Of course, customers do want value, products that work and services that meet their needs, but they want much more than that. They want to be listened to. With
competition fierce and less money available communication with customers is Critical. In an age of interchangeable products and easily duplicated services, Customer relationships can provide the most powerful competitive advantage
available to a business. More companies recognise the impact this can make to their
bottom line and look for ways to continuously improve customer service. Ifa
business cannot build and maintain relationships with its customers it will struggle to survive.Assessment 1— Text 1
Read the text oarefully and thon answer the questions that follow, You must answer
all questlons correctly to achleve this outcomo, 
Customer Firstl
Driven by rlsing consumor expoctatlons and economic pressures on
purchasing decislons, customer service has become a key issue in business.
/A recent survey of more than 10, 000 business owners from across Europe, North
America, Africa, and Asla confirmed the link between customer service and business success. Owners and managers who had increased profits in the past six months all indicated that a reputation for excellent customer service is a key factor in producing successful business results. The squeeze on personal finances has made people more selective with their purchases, and customers expect an above average
customer experience from companies that they do business with, 
D
- Feedback collected last year from 2, 000 consumers found that 47 percent of them believed that current economic conditions had led them to place a higher premium on the overall customer experience. But just one in five felt that businesses had made more of an effort td go the extra mile) for their customers. And although many people gave companies a chance to make amends for a disappointing experience,for some consumers no second chances were given. Nearly half of older people said that they would switch providers after one poor customer service experience.
7 00)
Increasing use of technology can allow staff to monitor satisfaction and identify-problem areas rapidly. Qnline reporting systems and the development of phone apps make it easier for companies to analyse and act upon the data they collect. Unlike traditional paper or telephone surveys, in-store devices can allow a range of critical questions to be answered in less than 20 seconds, so it is easy for customers to have their say. But it is much more difficult to retain the personal touch that is so important to customers.
ydicac)
American business expert Tom Peters talks about two things that companies known for providing outstanding service do better than anyone else — they step out and they stand out. He believes that up to 70 percent of customers stop buying products not because of price or quality issues, but because they do not like the human side of doing business with a provider. That is the communication with the employees.Delivering what Peters calls a WOW service needs a commitment by every single employee to 'go the extra mile' and do whatever it takes to serve the customer. Only then can any organisation stand apart from their competition./n
人 So the first stage in assuring excellent customer service begins in recruitment of the
） right people. Successful companies 'hire for attitude and train for skills. The
selection process looks for people with passion, energy, enthusiasm, and flexibility.These are the type of people who will make a personal commitment to do whateveri takes to fix things that go wrong even if it is not in their job description, If a customer has a problem, the employee will own that problem, and continue to own it until the problem gets solved. Every single employee needs to deliver that level of service.The luxury hotel chain Ritz-Cariton talks of'selecting team members' rather than hiring employees.
D Indeed, the companies with a commitment to their customers also show commitment to their staff. The John Lewis Partnership — a successful and respected retailer in Britain — is staffed by 'partners' who jointly own the business and get a profit share based on how much profit is generated. Employees feel involved and they are made to feel valued. Other companies have a rewards based approach which gives
employees bonuses and raises tied to performance. Or, they can be publicly
acknowledged by being given an award when they put service above all else. These
strategies make for contented staff who will stay with the business. And they emphasise that service to the customer is an organisation's first priority.
A customer-oriented company will set up a planned training arogramme in both job
skills and people skills. New members of staff can be sent on customer service training days to learn systems and standards before their first working day. Then
they have to be encouraged to develop superior product knowledge. The expertise of staff is one of a business' strongest selling points. It gives a sense of authority that customers trust. Training is never an area to cut costs when the market gets tough.
And training is not just about following rules. Staff need to know how to deal with enquiries and complaints, then empowered to make direct decisions wherever possible. Allowing employees to think for themselves gives them a sense of
responsibility — which they tend to want to live up to. Ordinary people can seem to behave in extraordinary ways when they are able to do whatever it takes to thrill the customer. That may include giving them a budget to solve any customer problem.Of course, customers do want value, products that work and services that meet their needs, but they want much more than that. They want to be listened to. With
competition fierce and less money available communication with customers is Critical. In an age of interchangeable products and easily duplicated services, Customer relationships can provide the most powerful competitive advantage
available to a business. More companies recognise the impact this can make to their
bottom line and look for ways to continuously improve customer service. Ifa
business cannot build and maintain relationships with its customers it will struggle to survive.7
To what extent does the article achieve its purpose and meet the needs of
intended readers which were identified for you in the introduction to the
assessment?
Explain your answer by analysing and evaluating the strengths of the article and/or suggesting any ways that it could be improved.
Refer to detail in the text as you comment on:
The information included (think about whether there are enough facts and
different points of view given to support the writer's purpose? Is it accurate? Is it
up to date? Would links to other sources be useful to a reader?)
The presentation, format, and layout (think about whether they contribute to the meaning? Are they effective? Is the structure easy for a reader to follow? Could diagrams, charts or pictures help to communicate information and support the writer's purpose?)
The words used (are they formal or informal? Think about whether the words are easy for a general reader to understand or would only be understood by specialists?)
Your response must be at least 350 words long.