Unit 2 - A People Business

Section 6 - Different methods used to evaluate standards of customer service

To maintain excellent customer service and to keep a competitive
edge, an organisation needs to be aware of how well its staff are
treating the customers. Regular feedback from customers allows an
organisation to adapt its products and services to changing customer
needs. Leisure organisations use a variety of methods and
techniques to find out if customers are happy with the standards of
customer service that they receive and that it is effective. You need
to know how and why the following techniques are used:
• monitoring the feedback made by customers
• suggestion boxes
• surveys (of customers, staff, management, non-users)
• focus groups
• mystery shoppers
• observation
• customer service quality criteria (e.g. value for money,
availability)
• defining the standards of customer service (e.g. answering all
phones within three rings).
You need to know how each of the techniques listed above will be
evaluated and utilised by an organisation in the planning and
preparation of customer service.