Providing Quality Customer Service

Lesson Content

• Lesson Plan Template:

  CTE Lesson Plan

• CTE Course Info and Benchmark Notes

  
  

  Course Name: Digital Information Technology

  Program Name: Business Management & Administration

  Course Number: 8207310

  Course Type: Secondary – Career Preparatory

  CIP Number: 0552070110

  CTE Benchmarks:

  • 10.01    Demonstrate awareness of the following workplace essentials:  quality customer service; business ethics; confidentiality of information; copyright violations; accepted workplace rules, regulations, policies, procedures, processes, and workplace safety, and appropriate attire and grooming.
  • 10.04    Demonstrate personal and interpersonal skills appropriate for the workplace (e.g., responsibility, dependability, punctuality, integrity, positive attitude, initiative, respect for self and others, and professional dress).
  • 14.02    Use verbal and nonverbal skills to communicate effectively with supervisors, co-workers, and customers.

   

• Unit Outline

  
  

  This lesson could be taught at the beginning of a unit about customer service and workplace skills as a way for students to explore their prior knowledge and establish a foundation to learn about these topics.  It could also be taught as a follow-up activity to such a unit, providing students an opportunity to apply their learning to difficult customer service situations.

   

• Career Connection

  
  

  Customer service is a big component of many jobs. Students will learn the importance of customer service and learn the balance of making customers happy and following procedures.

   

• Learning Objectives

  
  

  Students will be able to:

  • Evaluate workplace essential skills such as quality customer service and accepting workplace policies.
  • Describe the importance of communication skills (verbal and non-verbal) in customer service scenarios.

   

• Prior Knowledge

  
  
  • The importance of customer service to a business.
  • The importance of company policies in running a business.
  • How to form an academic argument by supporting claims with reasoning.

   

• Guiding Questions

  
  
  • What are the qualities of good customer service?
  • Why is customer service important for businesses?

   

• Procedure

  
  
  1. To indtroduce the lesson, ask students to share examples of the best customer service they’ve received. Use this to engage students and focus on the customer service skills that will be discussed in the case study and lesson.
     • With each scenario discussed, point out specific skills/policies/actions that contributed to the positive customer experience.
  2. Ask students to help you identify some important customer service skills. As the class brainstorms, keep a list of their ideas on the board. You can use the examples students already discussed as a starting point.
     • Examples of appropriate responses include: nonverbal and verbal communication, integrity, positive attitude, respect, initiative, and responsibility.
  3. Have students read case study “Customer Service Skills” (CPALMS resource ID# 210892).
     • Ask students to discuss reflection questions such as:
       • In what ways is quality customer service illustrated in the case study? 
       • How is following rules important for a business to function effectively? 
       • When might it be appropriate for an employee to bend the business’s rules?
       • What should the customer expect from Mary in the scenario? What should the company expect from Mary in the scenario?
  4. Ask the students to think about what Mary should do. Individually or in small groups, have students use Part I of the Providing Quality Customer Service handout to develop a list of options that Mary has in responding to Samanth’s problem.
     • Example solutions may include: follow the company policies and not allow the return, allow Samantha to return the sofa, allow Samantha to exchange for a higher priced item, or other options.
  5. Have students share their ideas and create a class list of Mary’s best options.
  6. Ask students to consider these options and to take a position using Part II of the handout.
     • Students should write down their stance and provide at least 3 reasons or justifications for their choice.
     • Students should describe how Mary should approach this solution with the customer and with her supervisor to demonstrate a positive attitude, respect, initiative, and responsibility.
  7. Ask students to orally present their solutions and reasoning to the class.
     • Allow the class to debate the different solutions proposed.
     • Using Part III of the handout, be sure that students are considering the scenario from all points of view, including Samantha, Mary, and the furniture business.
     • Allow students time to reflect on the potential impact of their choice. 
  8. To close the lesson, have students create an exit ticket including:
     • 3 examples of quality customer service that are illustrated in their solution for Mary
     • 2 shared ideas from the class discussion that they liked
     • 1 question they still have

   

• Teacher Notes

  
  
  • If students are finding it difficult to describe quality customer service, consider first having them explore what poor customer service looks like.  Sometimes having anti-examples can help students visualize what positive examples would look like.
  • To help encourage ideas from students, consider describing your own customer service experiences and begin a list of your own examples of great (or poor) customer service.

   

• Optional

  
  

  Formative Assessment Ideas: 

  • Students can demonstrate their learning through:
    • Discussion
    • Exit ticket

  Extension Idea:

  • Students can simulate writing consumer reviews for the companies/businesses that they identified as providing great customer service.