Customer Service
Effectiveness of Employee Training Programs in Customer/Employee Satisfaction and Increased Profitability

Customer service is an important part of keeping a business profitable. However, in a changing business and cultural environment, it is difficult to ascertain exactly what values or features will accomplish that mission. This research attempts to identify the new aspects of the customer service-profitability equation and describe a model for effective use of employee training in creating both customer and employee satisfaction, as well as increased profitability.

This research is important to the stakeholders in the equation as well, service providers/product manufacturers and the consumer.

Chapter I: Introduction and Hypothesis

Chapter II: Review of Literature

Chapter III: Methodology

References

Appendices

Introduction and Statement of the Problem

Statement of the problem: Good customer service does not happen by accident, but rather by instruction in very specific methods of ensuring customer satisfaction, loyalty and repeat purchases. The question in the current business environment is: Are employee training programs…...

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Works Cited

Brown, Carolyn M. (1998) Customer satisfaction: Turn customer data into company profits. Black Enterprise, 29 (3), October. Retrieved July 9, 2004 from www.questia.com.

Calantone, Roger J. (2000) ISO 14000: Assessing its perceived impact on corporate performance. Journal of Supply Chain Management, March 22. Retrieved July 9, 2004 from www.highbeam.com.

Customer relationship management for commercial lending: It's pivotal. (2002) ABA Banking Journal, 94 (11).

Diekmann, Frank J. (2004) The overlooked value of doing cultural due-diligence. Credit Union Journal, July 5. Retrieved July 9, 2004 from www.highbeam.com.

Customer service is a fundamental service tat a business sould provide in order to increase sales and ave a returning clientele. Customer service tus becomes a very important facet of a good business and of growing profits. In tis paper various questions will be analyzed, suc as wat good customer service actually means, and wat defines suc service. A company will furter be selected, and will be analyzed from te viewpoint of good customer service.
To begin, one must analyze wat "good customer service" means. One eard tis every day and expects it from all companies. In order to appreciate good customer service one must ave ad bad experiences, suc as customer service personnel being inattentive, unknowledgeable, or not elpful. Terefore, good customer service can be defined as wen an employee takes te time to listen to a customer's concerns by genuinely expressing interest, sympaty, and eagerness to satisfy te said…...

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http://www1.bloomingdales.com/media/about/history.jsp 

Open Mind (2011). Like No Other Store: Martin Traub's Bloomingdale's. Retrieved from  http://www.thirteen.org/openmind/business/like-no-other-store-martin-traubs-bloomingdales/1402/ .

Bloomingdales.com (2011). Get To Know Us. Retrieved from  http://www.bloomingdalesjobs.com/bloomingdales/about/

Customer Management
Description of the Business

I am going to work with a chain of sandwich shops specializing in banh mi. The concept is simple -- banh mi is a Vietnamese sandwich on a baguette. They are usually quite affordable, often coming in a price point lower than the big sandwich chains. The name of the chain is going to be Uncle Ho's Banh Mi, with a tongue-in-cheek Uncle Ho as the mascot. The banh mi is typically made with a meat -- either pate or xa xiu (roast pork) and a large helping of vegetables. Tofu can also be used in place of the meat. The meat is used sparingly, but it is full of flavor. This helps balance the sandwich, which would otherwise be mostly vegetables. That there are a lot of vegetables helps keep the ingredient cost down. A variety of condiments will also be available, ranging from Vietnamese-style…...

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References

Beaujean, M., Davidson, J. & Madge, S. (2006). The moment of truth in customer service. McKinsey & Company. Retrieved April 21, 2014 from  http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/organization/the_moment_of_truth_in_customer_service 

Eyre, C. (2008). Sandwich growth hinges on niche groups. Bakery and Snacks. Retrieved April 21, 2014 from  http://www.bakeryandsnacks.com/Markets/Sandwich-growth-hinged-on-niche-groups-report 

Rogers, A. (2014). Subway: That yoga mat chemical is almost out of our bread. Time Magazine. Retrieved April 21, 2014 from time.com/59542/subway-bread-yoga-mat-chemical/

Sheppard, P. (2012). Sandwiches market -- a slice of the action. Tutor2U.net. Retrieved April 21, 2014 from  http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/business-studies/comments/a-slice-of-the-action

While this approach has been implemented by most of the economic agents, British retailer Marks and Spencer argues that the economic crisis is no excuse for the business institutions to postpone their green initiatives. They as such invested £200 million in their own ethical campaign, and they now implement it, while in the same time, criticizing other companies for having renounced their initiatives in the wake of the economic crisis. Marks and Spencer promoted messages such as the ones below:

"Above all, doing the right thing is doing it today, because our planet can't wait until tomorrow"

"For some retailers, green went out of fashion as quickly as it came in"

These messages carried out through the ethical marketing campaign of Marks and Spencer are presented by Mark Sweney in a 2009 article in the Guardian, entitled "Marks and Spencer trumpets ethical initiatives in ad campaign. M&S's national ad campaign pushes £200m ethical…...

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References:

Sweney, M., 2009, Marks and Spencer trumpets ethical initiatives in ad campaign. M&S's national ad campaign pushes £200m ethical plan and chides rivals for retreating from commitment to green issues, the Guardian,   accessed on August 22, 2012http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/jun/12/marks-spencer-advertising-ethical-plan 

Vaccaro, a., 2010, Review: 12 tips for ethical marketing to the new consumer, Triple Pundit,   accessed on August 22, 2012http://www.triplepundit.com/2010/01/12-tips-for-ethical-marketing-to-the-new-consumer-book-review/last 

11 effective strategies Apple uses to create loyal customers. Complete solutions, familiar formats and "the cool factor" keep customers coming back, Inside CRM, / accessed on August 22, 2012http://www.insidecrm.com/features/strategies-apple-loyal-customers

From a performance analysis perspective, costs of alternative support channels are first evaluated, followed by the key performance indicators (KPIs) typically used in financial services organizations to measure the performance of their online initiatives, most notably, websites. Following this discussion of performance analysis there is an analysis of resource availability and allocation of resources.
Performance Analysis

From a cost-per-incident analysis, the following table presents findings from Forrester esearch specifically in measuring the median internal costs companies are incurring as a result of each customer service channel. The objectives of this marketing plan specifically focus on driving user adoption while at the same time making process workflows efficient enough to attain the following best practices figures from Forrester esearch.

Best Practices in Services Costs by Channel

Channel

Cost per Incident

Annual Growth ate

Telephone

Web Chat

Message Boards

Knowledge Database and Website

Source: Watson, Donnelly and Shehab (2)

These best practices benchmarks must be relied on in evaluating the success of marketing…...

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References

Good, Dr. Micheal. Software Usability Engineering. Digital Technical Journal, No.6, February 1988, 125-133.

Murphy, Jim. Establishing a True Source of Product Content for Competitive Advantage, AMR Research Report. Friday May 30, 2003. Jim Murphy. Boston, MA

Neilsen, Dr. Jakob. Usability 101: Introduction to Usability. Alertbox Article Series on Dr. Neilsen's website. August 25, 2006.

Retrieved from the Internet on June 6, 2007:

(Setting and Measuring Service Standards)
The store then appointed supervisors to ensure that all employees were following the procedures properly and even used 'mystery shoppers 'to find out if all the measures were being implemented, and the reports showed that they were indeed being followed, about 90% of the time. Subsequently, the management of the evco Drug Store measured the number of complaints, to find out whether there had been any decrease in the number and to their happiness, they did find that the number of complaints against service had come down drastically, and at the same time, the number of happy and satisfied customers had increased significantly. This program of 'every customer, every time', was therefore considered to be a success, and the important thing to be learnt from this experience is the fact that is that the customer must be treated with respect and courtesy every time he…...

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References

Ball State and Hospital stress importance of customer service. 20 November, 2000. Retrieved from   Accessed 18 August, 2005http://www.bsu.edu/news/article/0,1370,-1019-1476,00.html .

Best Customer Service Practices. Retrieved at   Accessed 18 August, 2005http://www.inc.com/guides/cust_service/23036.html .

Brodsky, Norm. The Inspector. Inc. Magazine. November, 1999. Retrieved at   Accessed 18 August, 2005http://www.inc.com/magazine/19991101/15392.html .

Caggiano, Christopher. Building Customer Loyalty, the Harley Way. Inc. Magazine.

Training programs are also another useful means of creating employee satisfaction as they give the sense of support in the professional formation of the individual.
The implementation of the reduced retail prices is only possible through processes of internal cost reduction. The first step is that of lowering the profit margin in the meaning of accepting reduced profits. Then, the organizational leaders could engage in conversations with the purveyors in order to negotiate the retail prices of various commodities or services. Premiums, bonuses or dividend payments could also be withheld for the duration of the economic crisis. Savings should be made relative to utility bills and invoices being deducted.

Finally, in terms of an improved organizational perception and reputation at a global level, it is advisable for C.H. obinson to invest in a marketing campaign that promotes the company and the values to which it stands true. It would also be…...

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References:

Goldner, P.S., Red-Hot Cold Call Selling: Prospecting Techniques that Really Pay off, 2nd Edition, AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn, 2006,   last accessed on November 18, 2009http://books.google.com/books?id=dprsSq0pRr0C&pg=PA27&dq=customer+service+definition&as_brr=3#v=onepage&q=customer%20service%20definition&f=false 

Kotler, P., Armstrong, G., Wong, V., Saunders, J., Principles of Marketing, 5th Edition, Pearson Education, 2008,   last accessed on November 18, 2009http://books.google.com/books?id=6T2R0_ESU5AC&pg=PA920&dq=third+party+logistics&as_brr=3#v=onepage&q=third%20party%20logistics&f=false 

About Us, C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. Website,   / last accessed on November 18, 2009http://www.chrobinson.com/AboutUs/OurCompany 

Ford Motor Company 2008 Annual Report, last accessed on November 18, 2009http://www.ford.com/about-ford/investor-relations/company-reports/annual-reports

So, the level of satisfaction registered by a customer is sometimes subjective. For instance, I've had an unpleasant experience with ADIDAS, a company about which I have heard only the best. I went in to buy a pair of snickers, but I could not find the right size on the shelves, and so asked for some assistance. ut the salesman was not as eager to help as I would have liked, so I left the shop a bit disappointed.

From my personal and subjective opinion I believe the following companies to have high customer service: American Apparel, Daimler-Chrysler, FedEx, Nike, Procter & Gamble and United Airlines. At the other pole of the customer service quality I tend to place ADIDAS, McDonald's, Colgate-Palmolive.

Finally, I believe that there is a significant difference between customer service and customer relationship management. The first implies the actual behavior towards customers, whereas the latter implies the means…...

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Bibliography

Official Website of Service Quality Institute,   accessed on September 7, 2007http://www.customer-service.com/,last 

Official Website of Customer Service Manager,   last accessed on September 7, 2007http://www.customerservicemanager.com ,

Wikipedia, the Free Online Encyclopedia, Customer Relationship Management, September 6, 2006,   accessed on September 7, 2007http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Customer_relationship_management,last 

Customer Service at College
When enrolled and even when graduated, students continue to interact with the staff regarding counseling assistance. Having a good customer service department in a college is very important as many a times it develops and shapes up a student's idea and perception regarding the institution. If there is no department which can aid the student and help him with the problem or confusion that he faces, then this will worsen the view that he would have initially had for that particular college. This can also be a reason for him to decide not to graduate from there and get a transfer to some other college which has such services and can be beneficial for the student. It is of essential importance that customer service departments should be present in colleges. It should be there to provide them with academic and career advice and what subjects to enroll…...

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REFERENCES:

(1) University of Pittsburg -- Freshman Peer Counselors. Available online: / [Accessed on 03/09/05]http://www.fpc.pitt.edu

(2) Scott, S.H., and R.W. Warner - "Research in Counseling." Personnel and Guidance Journal 53(3). 1974. Pages 228-231.

(3) W.F. Brown - "Effectiveness of Paraprofessionals: The Evidence." Personnel and Guidance Journal 53(4). 1974 pages 257-263.

(4) Bean, J. P, Interaction effects based on class level in an explanatory model of college student dropout syndrome. American Educational Research Journal, 22(1), 1985,-page 61.

Customer Service at Apple
Apple's customer service is among its strongest features. Its innovative in-store checkout and support methods and its highly qualified staff of in-house technical support agents help keep Apple's customer service standards up to par with the high product standards cited in the company mission.

Among the most important of objectives for Apple when it comes to customer service is the level of knowledge possessed by each of its customer service specialists. In-store technical support personnel are identified as Apple Geniuses and, as the article by Ernst (2013) points out, they are usually able to live up to this title when handling your customer inquiries. This is the because Apple has placed knowledge among the most important features of its collective working culture.

Its effectiveness at achieving this aim may be measured by the level of customer satisfaction experienced by those completing in-store appointments or technical support phone calls. Apple's…...

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Works Cited:

Ernst, K. (2013). BMW Looks to Apple to Improve Customer Service. Motor Authority.

Isaac, M. (2013). Microsoft Hacked, Just Like Facebook and Apple. All Things D.

Customer Service Training Manual
The Ultimate Beauty Center has had a relatively successful existence and share of the market in South Bend, Indiana for 12 or so years. It has its own tastefully-designed building with modern equipment and machinery, which have attracted an increasing number of customers from adjacent towns and states. From a simple slimming shop, it grew into a center with three other departments, supplementing slimming services: hair, nails and facial care. It was previously owned by a mother-and-daughter team who observed conservative business practices.. The Center has an overall personal complement of 60, serving an average of 30 customers and walk-ins daily.

Because of its growing volume of clients, the owners decided to open a Customer Services (CS) department, directly under the owner., to handle public queries and information, promotional campaign, media and public relations, and internal MIS arm. This experimental CS department has been operating for almost two…...

81 and .77, singif8icant at the .05 level, shows that the tests while valid, are not reliable in measuring ongoing performance gains. The r with complaints for Work Sample (T) of .37 and .35 also indicate that the test is highly valid yet lacks reliability in ensuring long-term customer service levels. Work Sample (T) shows that it is only sporadically valid as well with the very low r with speed and negative values for r with error rate. The Work Sample tests are ideal for capturing applicants' ability to manage complaints yet cannot be used with any validity over other areas of their responsibilities. In conclusion these tests also need modification before they can be used "for keeps" as part of the overall methodology for hiring at the company.
3. What limitations in the above study should be kept in mind when interpreting the results and deciding whether to use the…...

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Reference

Heneman III, H.G., Judge, T.A., & Kammeyer-Muller, J.D. (2012). Staffing organizations. (7 ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

This change over would be slower, but would have produced the system-wide gap in knowledge that afflicted IBS.
Outcomes

Although the new system may theoretically be better, the mischance suggests that a more secure and slower process of conversion in the future will necessary to prevent further occurrences of such unfortunate and inconvenient events. Also, it is critical that the concerned customers who had to pay out of pocket expenses are assuaged of their fears that this may reoccur.

Solutions

Employees affected must be given a way of identifying themselves and providing their previous social security numbers and personal and verifiable criteria to the pharmacy, so it is recorded. hen doing so, they may be given a reimbursement for all proven out of pocket expenses immediately. This will ensure all employees do give data regarding their old identification numbers and social security numbers immediately, to prevent further confusion, but convey a sense of…...

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Works Cited

On the Industry." (2005) RSI: We Make Your Benefits Work

http://www.rsionline.com/Home2/Resource/ontheindustry/industry92/industry92_fs.htm

Department of Health and Human Services. (2005) "National Provider Identification Numbers Begin in 2005.  http://www.cms.hhs.gov/hipaa/hipaa2/regulations/identifiers/NPI%20Dear%20Provider%20Final.pdf

It is clear that when busy employees and weary travelers are treated with respect, dignity and courtesy, it can make a profound difference in how the company operates and is perceived by customers - and potential customers -- and this is how JetBlue has succeeded in adding value through these simple but important techniques. "These guiding principles have been extended to all levels of JetBlue's operation, internally and externally, and have created unique customer appeal" (Bodouva & Bodouva, 2004, p. 317). These guiding principles have also been the driving forces behind JetBlue's efforts to gain additional market share by adding value from both the customer and employee perspective.

The impact of these foregoing value-added approaches has been significant and they have paid major dividends for JetBlue to date:

JetBlue has made significant progress in establishing a strong brand that helps to distinguish it from the competition. It seeks to be identified as…...

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References

Ashby, M.D., & Miles, S.A. (2002). Leaders talk leadership: Top executives speak their minds. New York: Oxford University Press.

Couldry, N., & Mccarthy, a. (2004). Mediaspace: Place, scale, and culture in a media age. New York: Routledge.

De Neufville, R. (2006). Planning airport access in an era of low-cost airlines. Journal of the American Planning Association, 72(3), 347.

De Pelsmacker, P., & Kitchen, P.J. (2004). Integrated marketing communications: A primer. New York: Routledge.

Customer etention Strategies
Creating Exceptional Customer Service at Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines continues to lead the airline industry in customer satisfaction because their business model puts customer satisfaction and maximizing customer experiences at its center. Their leadership of the industry on customer satisfaction measures has also been seen in the result of Consumer eports studies as well (Consumer eports, 2007). What sets this airline apart from others is the belief that customer loyalty will lead to more profitable growth when combined with an extensive commitment to process, system and service standardization (Hardage, 2006).

Analyzing Why Southwest Excels At Customer Service

Southwest Airlines' founders quickly realized that their business model must attract the mid-range and casual traveler if they were to succeed. They did not initially pursue the highly profitable business traveler as their competitors were doing at the time. Instead, the company quickly built ticketing, in-flight services, aircraft operations and maintenance all around the…...

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References

Bernoff, J., & Li, C.. (2008). Harnessing the Power of the Oh-So-Social Web. MIT Sloan Management Review, 49(3), 36-42.

Best airlines for today's busy skies. (2007, July). Consumer Reports, 72(7), 17-19.

D'Aurizio, P.. (2008). Southwest Airlines: Lessons in Loyalty. Nursing Economics, 26(6), 389-92.

Ginger Hardage. (2006). Profile: Communicating the Southwest Way. Strategic Communication Management, 10(3), 4.

When most people think about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on economics, they think of it as being purely destructive.  While there can be no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has created economic uncertainty in many sectors, leading to a loss of production and high unemployment rates in many areas, it cannot be ignored that the pandemic has also led to new opportunities for certain businesses.  Understanding those opportunities may be critical to the overall recovery of the global economy, as those industries that have experienced gains determine how to leverage them in a way that....

I. Introduction (200 words)
A. Background and Context: Provide a brief overview of the salon industry in Kidapawan City, highlighting its importance to the local economy and employment. Discuss the significance of customer relationship management skills in driving business performance in this competitive market.
B. Thesis Statement: Clearly state the central argument or hypothesis of the essay, which should focus on the positive correlation between customer relationship management skills and business performance in salons in Kidapawan City.

II. Literature Review (300 words)
A. Define and Discuss CRM Skills: Explain key concepts and theories related to customer relationship management skills, drawing upon relevant academic literature....

1. The ethical implications of artificial intelligence in society
2. The impact of artificial intelligence on job markets and employment
3. The potential benefits and risks of autonomous artificial intelligence
4. The role of artificial intelligence in healthcare and medicine
5. The use of artificial intelligence in law enforcement and surveillance
6. The development of artificial general intelligence (AGI) and its implications
7. The impact of artificial intelligence on privacy and data security
8. The potential for bias and discrimination in AI algorithms
9. The future of artificial intelligence in education and learning
10. The integration of artificial intelligence in social media and online platforms.
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## Crafting a Debatable My First Job: A Transformative Experience in Personal Development Thesis Statement

Introduction

Crafting a debatable thesis statement for your My First Job: A Transformative Experience in Personal Development essay is essential to engage readers and demonstrate your critical thinking skills. A debatable thesis statement presents a clear argument that can be supported by evidence while also acknowledging opposing viewpoints. Here are some tips to help you craft a strong and debatable thesis statement:

1. Identify a Specific Aspect of Personal Development

Your thesis statement should focus on a specific aspect of personal development that you believe was transformed by your....