The Importance of Customer Service

Lesson Content

• Lesson Plan Template:

  CTE Lesson Plan

• CTE Course Info and Benchmark Notes

  
  

  Program Title (as applicable):

  Business Management and Analysis

  Course Title:

  Business and Entrepreneurial Principles

  Course Number:

  8215120

  Career Cluster:

  Business Management and Administration

  CIP Number:

  0552070110

  Course Type:

  Career Preparatory

  CTE Standard(s) and Benchmark(s):

  • 17.06 Identify how team’s effectiveness impacts company’s profitability.
  • 30.01 Describe the functions of management (e.g., planning, organizing, staffing, directing, controlling) and discuss how the functions are interrelated.

• Unit Outline

  
  

  This lesson is designed to be used with the case study, “Demonstrating Leadership and Providing Customer Service” CPALMS Resource ID# 209272.

• Career Connection

  
  

  As a business owner, the importance of exceptional customer service cannot be understated. Businesses are constantly seeking ways to improve their customer interactions to support loyalty and attract new clients. Students will practice addressing customer service issues with employees and discuss how these issues can impact a business’ success.

• Learning Objectives

  
  

  Students will be able to:

  • Present a role play to the class demonstrating a conversation between business owners and an employee.
  • Describe the role of business owners in training and developing their employees.
  • Identify how customer service impacts a business' success.

• Prior Knowledge

  
  

  Students should be familiar with:

  • The difference between quality and poor customer service.
  • Role playing scenarios.
  • Group collaboration.
  • Roles and responsibilities of employers versus employees.
  • How to give a presentation.

• Guiding Questions

  
  
  • Why is customer service essential for business success?
  • What is the role of a business owner in providing quality customer service?
  • What are ways to build employees’ customer service skills?

• Procedure

  
  
  1. To introduce the lesson, engage students in a discussion by asking the questions: How do you want to be treated as a customer? Why is customer service important for staying in business and creating customer loyalty?
  2. Divide students into teams of 3 (see Teacher Notes). Provide them with chart paper and markers. Ask them to create a t-chart to answer the following question: What are the elements of quality customer service and poor customer service?
     • Create a sample one on chart paper with the headings, Quality Customer Service and Poor Customer Service.
     • Bring the class back together and collect student responses on the class chart paper.
  3. Review customer service and employability traits with students. Suggested traits are listed below.
     • time management
     • cleanliness
     • attitude
     • conflict resolution
     • communication
     • quality work
  4. Distribute the case study, “Demonstrating Leadership and Providing Customer Service” (see CPALMS Resource ID# 209272) without the outcome.
     • Have students highlight examples of customer service and employability traits in the case study as they read.
     • Display the discussion questions for students to discuss in their small groups:
       • What are some of the customer service issues Jeff and Nick are facing?
       • If you were in the owners’ positions, what would you want your employees to know about customer service?
       • What do Nick and Jeff need to do as business owners?
       • How should Jeff and Nick address the customer’s complaints?
       • If you were the employee, how would you want Jeff and Nick to address the issue?
     • Debrief the case study with students and allow them to share their responses to the questions.
  5. Share with students that they will be planning and presenting a 3-5-minute role play of a conversation between Nick, Jeff, and an employee to address recent customer service issues. Distribute the Professional Customer Service Handout (see attachments).
     • Remind students to focus on positive interactions between Jeff, Nick, and their employee. The goal is for the employee to grow and improve.
  6. Provide time for students to plan their role play.
     • Visit groups to provide guidance, answer questions, and monitor progress.
  7. Have students present their role play. Ask the class to share positive feedback on how Jeff and Nick handled the conversation with their employee.
  8. To close the lesson, display the three guiding questions and have each group member respond to a question on the Guiding Questions handout (see attachment and Teacher Notes).

• Teacher Notes

  
  
  • If groups are smaller or larger due to class size, students can role play as another employee or a client.
  • Students can add details to the conversations that are not part of the case study as long as they remain focused on customer service.
  • Students can improvise some of their role play to reflect a real-world scenario.
  • If students are having difficulty with the role play, below are suggested scenarios to address with the employee.
    • Time management- arriving on time and completing work within a specified timeframe.
    • Cleanliness- clearing the area after finishing a job.
    • Attitude – showing respect to a client and demonstrating positive behaviors.
    • Conflict resolution- knowing how to respond to an unhappy customer.
  • For the closing activity, the question strips can be pre-cut or students can be provided scissors.

• Optional

  
  

  Extension Ideas:

  • Students can create a presentation to lead a training on best practices for customer service.