Claire Histead – Customer Services Manager

The Customer Services Manager has been working part-time (just two days a week), since the arrival of her baby. When she is working, she is responsible for checking that the administration of the department is up to date, holiday and sick records are up-to-date. The General Manager will normally assist her in any overflowing work. She is the person who will deal with quotations or tenders, which will normally come in the form of excel spreadsheets. She will edit the sheets, filling in any relevant data, such as distributor information.
A customer care advisor will then print out the sheets, categorizing them by distributor. They will then be faxed out together, asking for the current price and discount. When this information arrives back, Claire keys the information into the spreadsheet, or arranges for someone else to do it if she is not going to be in. The tender or quotation is then finalised by Nick Boisseau (Managing Director), who has the final say as to how much discount should be offered to the customer. Debbie Karmos – American and Asian Advisor Debbie deals primarily with the Far East, Japan, Hong Kong and America.
She has two advisors who she may pass work onto. Japan provides the company with its highest area of turnover, closely followed by America, so this is a very busy team of people who have a vital role in ensuring good customer care is correctly fulfilled. Gary Cumberbeach and Louise Wheeler – Educational and European Advisors These two people are responsible for dealing with a large section of the world and the large majority of educational institutions that provide custom to Delta. Delta has spent much time and investment trying to break into the sector for educational institutions.

There are many that specialise in teaching English, – should Delta become a regular supplier, it could become a growth industry. Jaqci Parker and Lisa Wheeler – Portuguese Advisors Delta has an agent in Portugal that is also responsible for overseeing the conduct of business with Portuguese customers. Warehouse Manager The Warehouse manager is responsible for ensuring that the export warehouse works efficiently. If the warehouse receives a delivery, the Warehouse Manager will check the goods received with the corresponding purchase order form. He will then record the delivery on the company’s database.
He is ultimately responsible for overseeing the safe storage and dispatching of goods offered by the company. When a customer care advisor records an order, an invoice will be forwarded to the Warehouse Manager who will ensure that the order is packed and dispatched accordingly. He is ultimately responsible for delegating responsibility, and making sure that appropriate methods of practice are in place and followed by general warehouse staff. Although he does not deal with customers directly, his role is vital in ensuring customers are fully satisfied.
He must ensure that goods received by customers are not damaged or defected in any way, and is also responsible for making sure an order is processed and dispatched as quickly as possible. Any cost savings made by the company in its export warehouse maybe passed onto the customer. General warehouse staff General warehouse staff must fulfil the responsibilities delegated by the Warehouse Manager. Their roles can vary on a day-to-day basis, but they are also responsible for ensuring the export warehouse works efficiently.
General warehouse staff are responsible for storing deliveries received, once they have been checked by the Warehouse Manager. They are responsible for picking orders that have been placed by customers and packing the orders accordingly. There is also a certain amount of documentation that will need to be completed by staff, when packing each order that is placed. Once again, general warehouse staff do not deal directly with customers, but have an important role in ensuring customer satisfaction.
Their responsibility to the customer is much the same as the Warehouse Manager, who must ensure appropriate practice is followed throughout the export warehouse. As far as what is expected of staff knowledge goes, the main requirement is that staff learn where to source books from, and they learn how to find books when they are given very little detail of what is required. So, rather than a specific knowledge of books, it is more a case of knowledge of how/where to find particular books that is more important.
Those staff that deal with customers directly are expected to demonstrate a positive, helpful approach. They must investigate issues raised and take appropriate action when necessary, whilst providing sound advice in a polite manner. Warehouse staff are expected to communicate with suppliers and ensure there is a satisfactory flow of goods, which can be handled and dispatched to customers. (b) Lance Owen Lance Owen – Managing Director The overall Managing Director of Lance Owen is chiefly responsible for the overall management of the company, which is a subsidiary of Vauxhall Motors.
He is ultimately responsible for setting standards in customer care and devising appropriate customer care policies in line with Vauxhall requirements. He must establish strategies that must be put into practice in order to deal with his particular customers. Store Managers Store Managers can be found at all Lance Owen stores. They oversee the service and parts department and the company’s showrooms. All other staff in any store will always be answerable to the Store Manager, who must makes sure that all customer care practices and policies are followed by everyone.
They will be broadly responsible for the way a particular store conducts business, and their responsibilities will often vary to the changing environment in which a particular store operates. It is the Store Managers job to delegate responsibility for a variety of tasks and must ensure that other inferior managers perform their tasks appropriately. Sales Manager The Sales Manager will be responsible for making sure that sales assistants meet sales targets. A major factor in achieving a high level of sales would be to ensure that customers are fully satisfied with the goods and services that the company has on offer.
He or she will also make sure that staff working in the sales department are trained and operate to the highest possible standard, in both sales and customer care. This is vital in building up a relationship of trust between client and retailer. Sales Assistants Sales assistants will have individual sales targets imposed upon them and will therefore have a responsibility to transmit Lance Owens customer care image and packages in an attempt to persuade the customer to make the buying decision. They are expected to have an extensive knowledge of the goods and services offered by the company.
They must also provide informal advice, in a friendly manner. Presentation Manager Each Lance Owen showroom is allocated a ‘Presentation Manager’, who is ultimately responsible for presentation to the customer. He or she is obliged to check the store for cleanliness at least three times a day. They must ensure that showroom products are presented in the best possible fashion and that the overall shopping experience is a pleasant one. The Presentation Manager has an important role in perpetuating the company image. Customers should be enticed by the way the showroom is presented.
Service and Parts Team A Service and Parts Team can be found at all Lance Owen stores. They are responsible for making sure that services and parts are made easily available to those customers who wish to purchase them. Members of the team would include general assistants, mechanics, and car-washers, all of which play an important role in ensuring customer service is to a high standard. They ensure that servicing, repairs and parts are provided to a high standard, with minimum inconvenience to the customer. Customer Care Team The Customer Care Team can be found at all Lance Owen stores.
They are actively involved in contacting new and existing customers, to find out if they have received the products which they have signed up for at the service they would expect. They will also aim to inform customers of goods and services that may appeal, and offer any support and advice that may be required. Effectively, they are responsible for monitoring and assessing the quality of customer service on offer. Members of the customer care team will aim to deal with a range of customer enquiries although those enquiries directly related to sales should be diverted to the appropriate department where more specialist advice is available.
At all levels, in all departments of the company, clerical staff can be found. These people are often the first contact with prospective or existing clientele and must therefore take a primary role in customer satisfaction by dealing with relevant queries appropriately. Senior managers must be pertinent and influential in staff development. C3, How effectively are customers needs catered for by each organisation? (a) Delta International Book Wholesalers Ltd. There are a variety of ways that Delta maintains fluent communication with its customers. Essentially customers may communicate by telephone, e-mail and fax.
These are all effective methods of long distance communication, and efficiently maintain fluent correspondence between the company and its customers. Delta staff do not deal with customers face-to-face on a day-to-day basis. However, this is effective because its customers are located all around the world and will undoubtedly appreciate using methods of long distance communication, as opposed to relying upon a walk-in service, which would not satisfy customers’ needs. Delta has an Internet website that allows potential customers to learn more about the organisation and the products which it provides.
It illustrates the company’s willingness to provide general information about itself and enhance public awareness about the goods and services, which it aims to provide. Developing an Internet website provides an effective medium for communicating with potential customers and allows Delta to perpetuate a brand image and deliver a selling message to potential customers. The Internet website is also used for a number of other reasons. It is used to allow customers to check the status of their orders and see what books have been dispatched and what books are still on order.
This is another way the company aims to provide customers with an increasingly efficient service, as customers will always know what to expect. If any books are out of print, or under reprint, Delta always issue a report on their website and always contact those customers that are directly affected personally by telephone, e-mail, or fax. This again illustrates their commitment to exceeding customer expectations and providing an efficient service. This reduces the chance of complaints by customers, who will feel that Delta makes a genuine effort to satisfy their needs.
Delta supply general information about books for which customers do not have complete information. They can supply lists of books in a particular area from which potential customers can place their orders. Strategies such as these will help Delta to develop a competitive edge over competition, as they are not only concerned about providing services which provide immediate revenue to the company, but they are demonstrating a willingness to provide relevant services to the customer, which may help to increase customer satisfaction. They are demonstrating a willingness to exceed customer expectations.
A large part of its business is to supply quotations. Tender are usually sent to Delta on a spreadsheet, who check the current price, availability, and discount available from the publisher. This may be described as part of the ‘augmented product’ customers receive when purchasing goods and services from Delta. Customers do not pay for this service, yet it helps the company to increase satisfaction amongst customers and to increase its sales, as it provides a service, which nearly all customers require before initiating a purchase.
Delta offers small discounts to those who order a lot of a particular book, or to customers who agree to those who agree to pay off their invoices early. This demonstrates willingness to reward customers that bring good business. It is likely that customers will appreciate receiving discounts and rewards. This could be particularly instrumental in increasing chances of repeat business and customer loyalty. Delta has an allocated Spanish Desk that has been set up in order to deal with Spanish customers.
This is a very effective way of satisfying the needs of Spanish customers. It will significantly reduce the chance of existing customers taking their business to Spanish based book wholesalers. Although the majority of Delta customers do not actually go inside the store itself, Delta has recently built a small car parking facility for both customers and staff. This is partly in response to a growing number of large customers, who wish to inspect the premises, before initiating any business.
Delta is providing customers with the services they require; ensuring any experience potential customers associate with the organisation is a positive one. Staff should be updated with information regarding the goods and services Delta aims to provide. They are also monitored and assessed on their ability to provide objective impartial advice on a day-to-day basis. Ensuring that staff are capable of fulfilling their roles adequately, providing relevant information regarding the goods and services customers may wish to purchase.