1. Understanding Customer Care and the Benefits of the Good Customer Care :

No matter the business there is the necessity for a business to understand customer care and the benefits of the good customer care. In order for a business to exist and remain sustainable over time, customer satisfaction is mandatory. There are several advantages of giving good customer service that will also enable a business to profit to include (Bhasin, 2016):

Retaining of the repeat customer as the happy customer will return over and over again. This is a process that also enables the company brand to be well known thereby allowing the organization to gain the advantage over competitors;
Allows the business to be endorsed. This is a benefit afforded a company when the customer is satisfied with people talking to family and friends which is the best advertising of all. This is referencing for the business allowing for the increase in revenue;
Giving the organization as well as the employee’s confidence as satisfied customers talk with the employees praising the business thereby boosting employee morale. Over time confidence is built in a way that causes the company to grow the business because of being empowered to do so. This is a positive internal as well as external process;
A holistic marketing scenario which is created with motivated employees who understand the mindset of the customer. This process makes the customer happy allowing the overall business to become a holistic marketing scenario with everyone participating in the ultimate satisfaction of the customer; and
The company gaining the competitive advantage as customer service and the employees enable the competitive advantage.

These are major benefits to any business that practices these processes enabling customer retention as well as the overall competitive advantage in the market.

1.1 Basic Principles Associated with Good Customer Care

The basic principles that are associated with good customer care include (Spencer, 2015):

Listening which is of importance to the customer. Listen carefully at what the customer says as this will enable the building of a strong business relationship. This means listening to the words while paying attention to the ideas that are discussed by the customer. This is information that can be used to increase customers;
Responding as it is very important to respond quickly to the customer if it is a response about the customer having a positive experience or a negative with the customer being dissatisfied. Taking too long to respond to the customer gives the impression of the organization not caring about the customer’s experience which is not a good thing;
Exercising patience as the customer may need employee assistance concerning how to operate the website or how to use the product that was just purchased. By exercising patience with the customer the employee demonstrates the importance of the patrons and the value that the customer brings to the business;
Being courtesy which sounds simple but is sometimes overlooked relative to customer service. Thanking the customer for the purchase, asking if you can be of assistance or simply smiling and welcoming the customer to the business are simple acts of kindness that mean a great deal to the customer;
Being a team player allows everyone to be a part of the customer satisfaction process. Being a team member involves the understanding of the importance of deadlines as well as the notification to the client quickly should there be any delay in the receipt of a product or service; and
Caring which is of great importance because customers can tell when they are not valued. There are little things that are noticed that may be overlooked by the employees.

It is always of importance for the organization to deliver stellar customer service at all times enabling the continued success of the organization.

1.1 Company Outline of Customer Care Policy

The customer outline of customer care policy is a guideline for the organization and the employees. The outline can provide excellence and professionalism in providing customer service, both inside and outside the organization within the limits of available, well-managed resources (“Sample Customer Service Policy And Values Statement“, 2016). This outline can list the mission and company values, policy statement, response standards, acknowledgements, resolution, response procedures, contact information and any additional comments that the organization believes to be of importance.

1.2 Benefits of Customer Service Standards

There are many benefits for the organization having customer service standards; however, two of the most important benefits include managing the customer’s expectations as the organization’s service standards set the expectations that the customers are expecting from the business (Kime, 2016). An example of this process is having a response time for the customers with the company and the customer knowing the response time expectation. The second benefit to this process is that it sets the employees’ expectations thereby enabling the success of customer service standards.

1.3 Outline of Common Obstacles to Upright Customer Care

Organizations understand the common barriers to good customer care thereby ensuring the continued success of the business (Business Matters, 2013). A few common barriers to good customer care include (Business Matters, 2013).

Failure concerning complaints which means that there should be a short of a response time as possible when resolving complaints. With complaints becoming more complicated there needs to be the ability to ensure that the complaint goes to the right person as quickly as possible;
Inability to understand the needs and/or wants of the customer as there is the need to ensure that employees are trained and that action is taken immediately versus having the customer wait for a longer period of time bringing about more frustration; and
Not having procedures to define what a complaint is which means that many organizations have the tendency to think that every complaint needs an official process as a simple process should exist for less serious complaints.

1.4 Examples of Good Practice in Customer Care

Organizations realize that customers will do business with a business that they like and that treats them with respect. Examples of good practice relative to customer care involve (1) setting the customer’s expectations by delivering the promised product/service as advertised; (2) listening first before speaking enabling a productive conversation that will allow the satisfaction for the customer because of hearing what the customer desires; (3) ensuring that customer service standards are drafted in a way that is understood by the employee and customer; and (4) organizations should treat their employees as their first customer as the attitudes as well as the behaviors of the employees will affect the service as well as satisfaction of the customer.

2. Know How to Meet Customer Needs

Meeting customer needs involves listening to the customer and responding when the customer reveals needs and expectations relative to the products and/or services. It is the responsibility of the organization to understand how to meet the customer needs continuously with the process beginning by listening to the employees. Effective communication is vital for the success of understanding and knowing how to meet customer needs.

2.1 Differences between Internal and External Customer

The external and internal customers fulfill different roles; however, both are of importance to the viability of the business. The external customers are the people that buy the organization’s products and services while the internal customers are the people or possibly a partner receiving services to deliver the businesses’ products/services (Joseph, 2016).

2.2 Identification of Needs and Expectations of the Customer

Identification of needs and expectations of the customer involve paying attention to the customer and their buying habits. A need actually solves a problem that could be real or imagined by the customer (Sven, 2016). Expectations are what are anticipated when the item is purchased by the customer. This is how the customer rates the organization.

2.3 How to Effectively Deal with Complaints Relative to Area of Responsibility

One of the most effective ways to deal with complaints relative to the area of responsibility is to handle the complaint as quickly as possible. This process begins by listening actively to the customer thereby understanding the complaint, finding out what caused the complaint and then solving the problem while also ensuring that the problem will not be repeated. This is a positive process that brings satisfaction to the customer while also revealing to the organization changes that can be made to prevent problem reoccurrence.

2.4 Dealing with Difficult Customer Behavior

Dealing with difficult customer behavior is challenging; however, the process must take place. The employee or manager must adjust their mindset realizing that there will be a confrontation. The next step is to listen actively, repeat what has been said and to be empathic to the customer. The last step is to apologize sincerely and to fix the problem as quickly as possible. It is also important to follow up with the customer.

3. The Importance of Collecting, Storing, and Interpreting Customer Feedback

This process is of concern as customer feedback enables the organization to meet the needs of the customer. Collecting information concerning complaints as well as satisfactory comments allows the organization to know what is being done to meet the customer satisfaction and what needs to change; storing the information allows the organization to review what has already occurred to improve processes; and the interpreting of customer feedback allows the business clear understanding of how to meet customer need.

3.1 The Importance of Customer Feedback

Customer feedback is vital to an organization because the information gained can allow the organization to improve processes both internally and externally. Customer fulfillment is vital to business success. Meeting customer satisfaction occurs by knowing what the customer desires. This knowledge can be gained via customer feedback.

3.2 Different Approaches of Gathering Formal/Informal Response from Customers

Different methods of gathering responses from customers include a company website as well as Facebook and/or Twitter accounts with an interactive page that customers can write comments. In this manner the business gains information rapidly and also responds quickly directly to the customer. Response cards can also be used and can be filled out at the store by the customer. Online surveys can also be used with the customer submitting information via email.

3.3 How to Improve the Satisfaction of the Customer

Interacting with the customer enables the success of this process. This can be done by taking notes and repeating what has been said to ensure accuracy. Greeting the customer when they enter the store which is a method of signifying the customer has value. Another way to improve customer satisfaction is to assist the customer which can involve answering their questions in a timely manner or assisting them when they are seeking information.

3.4 Implications of the Data Protection Act for Gathering, Accumulating and Using Customer Feedback

Data protection is of importance. The Data Protection Act is mandatory with a requirement under law that an organization comply with the act. Staff must be trained in the correct use of data with the assurance that personal information will be safely stored electronically or that the manual form of storing will be safe. This is a process that is of benefit to the customer, the employees and the organization.

4. References

Bhasin, H. (2016). 7 Amazing Advantages of giving good customer service. Marketing91.com. Retrieved 20 December 2016, from http://www.marketing91.com/advantages-of-good- customer-service/

Business Matters,. (2013). What are the biggest barriers to customer service?. Bmmagazine.co.uk. Retrieved 20 December 2016, from http://www.bmmagazine.co.uk/in-business/biggest-barriers-customer-service/

Joseph, C. (2016). What Is an Internal Customer & an External Customer?. Smallbusiness.chron.com. Retrieved 20 December 2016, from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/internal-customer-external-customer-11698.html

Kime, C. (2016). Two Benefits of Having Customer Service Standards – Lessonly. Lessonly. Retrieved 20 December 2016, from http://www.lessonly.com/blog/two-benefits-of- having-customer-service-standards/

Law Center NI,. (2010). Data Protection and Confidentiality Policy. Lawcentreni.org. Retrieved 20 December 2016, from http://www.lawcentreni.org/data-protection.html

Sample customer service policy and values statement. (2016). gym.net. Retrieved 20 December 2016, from https://usagym.org/docs/Member%20Services/bestpractices/2015/5_07customerservice.p df

Spencer, L. (2015). 6 Very Effective Principles to Improve Your Customer Service & Make Your Clients Happy. Vandelaydesign.com. Retrieved 20 December 2016, from http://www.vandelaydesign.com/customer-service/

Sven,. (2016). How to Identify Customer Needs and Expectations. Userlike Live Chat. Retrieved 20 December 2016, from https://www.userlike.com/en/blog/identify-customer-needs- expectations

Customer Care and the Benefits of the Good Customer Care