Course Description

As competition grows in our global marketplace, the only real defining difference between products and services is customer service. Your customers (or lost customers) base their buying decisions on the service they receive above and beyond the product or service that they are purchasing.

This customer relations course takes you through the key steps in building a customer service plan that will become your competitive advantage. We will cover customer service delivery, dealing with challenging customer situations and other informative topics. Finally, you will develop a customer service strategy that recognizes guidelines for professional customer service standards.

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This course qualifies for the SAITMicro badge. Students who successfully complete this course with a final grade of A- (80%) or higher will earn a micro-credential and receive a digital badge to share on their resume, social media, or LinkedIn profile. Learn more.

Course Outline

Unit 1: Introduction to Customer Service Outcome
Outcome: Explain who a customer is and why exceptional customer service is crucial for the success of any business or organization.
Objectives
1.1 Define a customer.
1.2 Distinguish between internal and external customers.
1.3 Define customer service.
1.4 Distinguish between knowledge and product services.
1.5 Explain why customer service is important.

Unit 2: Customer Service Presentation Outcome
Outcome: Determine best approaches in contributing to a healthy and positive customer service mindset.
Objectives
2.1 Identify the appropriate attitude for delivery of customer service.
2.2 Recognize and demonstrate one-way communication versus two-way communication.
2.3 Apply and demonstrate active listening as a skill.
2.4 Differentiate between passive, assertive, and aggressive communications and the effects of each of these communication styles.

Unit 3: Dealing with Challenging Customer Situations
Outcome: Develop skills for managing difficult customer circumstances in a way that produces a win-win scenario for both sides.
Objectives
3.1 Identify customer service principles in dealing with challenging customer situations.
3.2 Identify the phases of anger; learn to deal with complaints, disagreements and difficult to understand customers.
3.3 Define empathy and practice empathy statements.
3.4 Apply a three-step method for handling challenging customers

Unit 4: Strategy
Outcome: Create a customer service strategy that leverages best practices to ensure a business or organization can maintain a consistent, high-level approach to serving its customers.
Objectives
4.1 Develop a customer service strategy.
4.2 Develop a customer service mindset in your organization.

Unit 5: Quality Customer Service Standards
Outcome: Develop standards which hold an organization accountable for providing the best possible customer service.
Objectives
5.1 Define a customer service standard.
5.2 Describe personal and procedural standards of customer service.
5.3 Identify guidelines for quality service standards.

Learner Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Explain who a customer is and why exceptional customer service is crucial for the success of any business or organization.
• Determine best approaches in contributing to a healthy and positive customer service mindset.
• List skills for managing difficult customer circumstances in a way that produces a win-win scenario for both sides.
• Create a customer service strategy that leverages best practices to ensure a business or organization can maintain a consistent, high-level approach to serving its customers.
• Develop standards which hold an organization accountable for providing the best possible customer service.

Notes

Course Materials
All of the required learning materials for this course are provided on the course website.
Required Technology and Software
Ensure that your computer meets SAIT’s Minimum Technical Requirements for online learning success.