Customer Service

Financial services are a noteworthy factor to economic run within a country. Increasing globalization of the economy has finished the boundaries between national financial services and exaggerated the functioning of the financial services and as a result the economy. The European Parliament voted recently (5/2/02) devastatingly in favor of key financial services restructuring that will show the way to a single market by the middle of the next decade.

This gives the green light to the legislative procedure, so that Europe’s financial set of laws can be adapted more rapidly to the steady developments in the international financial markets and this will result into greater protection for investors. The financial services sector covers financial intermediation as offered by credit organizations, leasing enterprises, investment firms, insurance and pension funding services as well as activities offering auxiliary services, such as the administration of economic markets, security brokering or fund management.

Their main functions can be recognized as offering payment and saving products; corporate and private lending services; fiduciary services, underwriting and issuance of equity and debt; and insurance as well as risk management products. Summary of developments Streamlining the completion of the internal banking market, the liberalization of financial services turned into the privatization of a number of organizations formerly owned by the state. The sector has experienced Europe-wide a wave of streamlining in the 1980s while a second wave of mergers and acquisitions has came into existence in the 1990s followed by disorders in some cases.

The sector is under pressure for greater productivity and profitability in a bid to protect sovereignty and market share. Increasing attentiveness is the trait of the sector. The steady flow of mergers has changed appreciably the finances sector. This wave of mergers particularly in the banking sector has had an impact on both the employment and the employees working conditions. Redundancy Streamlining is frequently followed by redundancies which in some cases reproduce not only structural changes but also worth changes in company culture and amongst the management.

Redundancy is one of the major issues raised as a mean of disputes and make it reach to the courts but financial institution has very beautifully found a way by which can avoid that dispute and courts too. A `gentle? form of reducing the labor force is flexible working time, which in recent years has been brought in through the practice of working time, the starting of irregular working hours, the function of `availability clauses? , and the compensation for overtime with time off. The beginning of flexible working time has modified workforce management to variations in insist and situations of uncertainty.

In the Paribas and Societe Generale merge the management had given assertion that there would be no forced redundancies in France. Andrew Grafield(2009) However, job losses would have to have places in the financial markets outside France (especially in London) where a cut of around 800 in the two company’s joint workforce of 4,100 has been recommended. Apart from the above, the enticement to challenge past negotiations to make structural savings and to initiate full-scale reorganisation in order to reinforce control and influence and make savings in employment is the matter of concern to the unions.

The UK NatWest bank has had to shed 18,000 jobs as a consequence of an aggressive takeover by the Royal Bank of Scotland. Royal Bank of Scotland (2000). The role and weight of trade unions in the financial sector in the UK has changed drastically over the last two decades. The system of multi-employer bargaining distorted in the late 1980s, and the company-level bargaining which reinstate it was consequently displaced by bargaining at the level of trade units within the banks.

More recently, the capability of unions to shape pay rates has been battered by the beginning of performance-related pay schemes. These changes in collective bargaining have been escorted by a fall in union membership. The union’s reaction was to seek an assertion of no enforced redundancies and to entail that industrial action was a physically powerful possibility if this was not obtained. As with most streamlining and redundancy plans, employment safety is a precedence issue for the trade unions but it is not that easy negotiating point.

A positive expansion vis-a-vis employment security in the banking sector is the job protection agreement introduced in the UK’s Cooperative Bank and the banking trade union as long ago as 1983, entrusting the parties to walk around a range of prior options before appealing to forced redundancy as a last resort. Large-scale voluntary redundancies and a small number of forced redundancies in the early 1990s damaged the credibility of the agreement, as well as spoiling relationships between the bank and the union.

The apparent need by both parties to put industrial relations on a new smooth footing resulted in an innovative partnership agreement. An inner feature of the agreement is a strengthened dedication to employment security. However there was a time edge in the agreement. The function of the employment security commitment in facilitating change was predictable, but its preservation for a further period was not addressed. In determining whether or not it is renewed, much may pivot on assessments of business conditions and the nature of probable changes in service provision over the coming period.

The arrival of internet banking and sustained growth of, and technological proceedings in, telephone banking highlight the degree of the changes in products and procedure that still lie ahead. Other issues of industrial relations and legal importance In all cases of streamlining is a concern over the mergers influences on the social dialogue since each of the establishment has its own custom of social dialogue and culture of compromise and management.

In addition, representation issues come up quite frequently as contentious issue (i. e. Fortis group Belgium). In conditions of industrial relations there has been a propensity towards decentralization of collective bargaining in the finances sector in some countries or a move for a new bargaining structure (i. e. Belgium, Germany, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, UK). In Belgium, the banks had been familiarized for more than a decade to negotiating shared agreements with the union on a bank-by-bank foundation. State Govt.

The deficiency of a national sector wise agreement in not an extraordinary incidence in the banking sector and the unions have been in conflict that the current unrelenting wave of reorganizations and mergers, collectively with a sneaking trend towards enforced self-employment within the sector signifies that a national agreement is more essential than ever. As early as in 1999 the joint bargaining agreements sought a decentralized approach. Elasticity was the key word in the communal pay agreements finished between January and March 1999 in Denmark’s public sector, finance sector and self-governing baking sector.

One important aspect is a propensity towards decentralization, with pronouncements on pay, working hours and preparations for the additional holidays being delayed to local negotiations and decisions, within the inner frameworks set out in the national agreements. Following individuals’ development the social partners in the Danish finance sector agreed (in the end of 2000) a new bargaining arrangement providing for better flexibility and permitting the development of individualized agreements.

The basic, though not exactly basic, bargaining structure to be initiate in finance is a negotiation between the employers’ desire for a high degree of decentralization and the wish of the trade union to sustain elements of accessible bargaining rights at the central level. The trend on the Danish labor market is in the course of local negotiating rights, and the new bargaining arrangement in the finance sector is a footstep in this direction.

There will be room for a wide degree of company-level individualization in negotiations, but if a venture does not want to finish its own agreement, it may base its pay and circumstances on the sector’s standard agreement. There is slight doubt that many enterprises in the finance sector will opt for enterprise agreements with an elevated degree of flexibility, in regard to both remuneration and working time. This structure also seems to be tailor-made for the information technology sector, which, in many ways has fallen outside the usual bargaining framework.

There may be a risk of very diverse circumstances for the employees. Employees who are not eager to conclude agreements concerning elements of risk may end up as “second class” employees, but will, on the new hand, be covered by centrally agreed circumstances. The benefit of the system may very well be that it can solve the probable conflict between: the employers’ and the employees’ interest in been organized and working under orderly, contractual conditions; and, on the other hand, having the likelihood of agreeing on more elastic pay and working conditions at enterprise level.

Such a clarification will require an exit from the very centralized, customary bargaining system with its roots in the “Danish model”, in the course of a more framework-oriented bargaining structure which still upholds the notion of communal agreements. Evidence of decentralization is found also in France. The trade unions in the banking sector have been enforcing to mobilize employees, calling a strike and other aggressive actions with mixed success from bank to bank. As well as pay, employment and working conditions, the unions are looking for improvements in the protection of bank employees.

The contradictory strike turn-out figures reveal the varying levels of success in decentralized pay bargaining from one institution to another. The next step is that the unions expect to address the three major issues of wages, working conditions and security. For employers, safety is supposed as a particularly prickly issue, since the management of some banks is concerned that employees could be encouraged to take immediate major industrial accomplishment should there be a repeat performance of a major event such as a fatal hold-up, like the one that happened in summer 2001 at a branch of Caisse d’Epargne.

Although there is still a noteworthy number of companies which willingly apply the terms of collective agreements, without being legally bound by them, the speed of turn down of bargaining coverage are increasing. While larger companies and their subordinates are more disposed to be covered, smaller, unincorporated and newly-established firms are inclined to fall outside industry-wide communal agreements. Communal bargaining coverage in the banking and insurance sector declined drastically.

However, a majority of the workforce is still covered by industry-wide joint bargaining and even many of those companies which choose not to be with an agreement cannot pay for standing on the sidelines. Thus, many of them apply collectively agreed standards willingly. There are, however, foremost reasons for concern. First of all, because it is typically new start-ups and foreign owned companies which renounce from participation in cooperative bargaining, this leans to remove new, growth industries from coverage by mutual agreements.

Second, the procedure of corrosion of bargaining coverage has picked up speed lately and there is not much time left before mutual agreements will apply to an alternative of workers only. While researchers have made some development in explaining the reasons for decline, there is still not a noticeable strategy which would help unions and employers’ associations to overturn the trend. After years of restrained wage increases, however, there seems to be one safe bet: wage self-control and flexibility alone will not do the job.

The 1999 Dutch collective bargaining round has seen progress by employers in sectors like healthcare, construction and banking towards replacement of their relatively detailed sector-level communal agreements with either a framework agreement or a sequence of company agreements. The keenest supporters of a different bargaining arrangement are the larger firms in the financial services sector. A former proposal to guide towards a single agreement for the financial services sector met resistance from both insurers and small banking institutions.

Olaf Sleijpen. This points out to a strong opportunity that the larger firms would make the evolution to separate company agreements, departing the industry-wide deal in force for the residual small-scale banks and insurers. The financial corporation Achmea has already reached a group level agreement. Some other prominent financial institutions, including ABN Amro, ING, Fortis-Amev, and Rabo, also seem poised to abandon the industry-wide agreement. Nowadays, these companies are go-getting to augment flexibility in terms and conditions of employment.

One cause is to remove higher-level personnel from the coverage of the sector wise agreement. In addition, a group-level agreement offers better potential to put together privatized social insurance organizations such as Gak and Cadans. FNV Bondgenoten. The Allied Unions representing a comparatively high amount of employees with lower levels of education are most opposite to splitting up the industry-wide agreement. The propensity towards decentralization in the area of terms and conditions of employment continues.

The tearing up of industry-wide agreements and the increase of framework agreements, are but a demonstration of this propensity. The legislature donates by passing framework acts on working conditions, employee contribution and working hours. On top of this, there is the comparatively new look of competing collective agreements: some industries now have two kinds of agreements, one reached by the well established employers’ and employee organizations, and another by quite new competing organizations.

Similarly, in the UK the system of multi-employer bargaining distorted in the late 1980s, and the company-level negotiations which replaced it was consequently displaced by negotiations at the level of business components within the banks. Those changes led to descend in the union membership. Pessreleasepoint. com Communal Bargaining The sector streamlining or rationalization measures are also replicated on the communal or collective bargaining agreements.

Since 1999, the collective bargaining rounds have sheltered the conventional industrial relations issues while others, more precise to the financial developments have came out. The rising issues have been the trade union depiction status, primarily following mergers and acquisitions (i. e. Belgium); mergers of unions was another prominent issue that has been going on for some years now; the presented bargaining structure has been questioned in some countries as it was measured unsuitable for the expansion of the sector.

It is important to emphasize the propensity for international comparisons in the negotiations rounds representing some few (though) signs of Europeanization of the industrial relations systems. In Italy and as early as 1999 the government and the trade unions was signifying the contentious modernization law which includes procedures making redundancies more burdensome for employers. Moreover, the question on overtime and increased workload started off as employees of the banking sector disapproved at what they claim as high level of unpaid overtime linked to the launch of euro.

John M. Abowd (1990) Conclusion The financial services sector has been the center of attention of substantial legal and regulatory scrutiny consequential in increased class action court case and special investigations. These threats correspond to considerable business and reputational risks to those involved. The increased activity and better exposure has created extra pressure on the management of these organizations. When the stakes are high, institutions need experts who have made their careers working on the front line of multifaceted, sensitive disputes as well as investigations.

Business disputes usually involve a variety of business and industry issues. Experts (employed by service sector institutions) have consulted on a wide range of business disputes and industries, from energy and construction to financial services and healthcare, including investigating business operations and financial conditions, determining suitable damage theories, as well as dealing with claims for lost profits, price erosion, increased costs, and reduction in asset and business value.

Last but not the least: it is a progressive and positive approach to find out several ways by which disputes can be avoided and financial service sector is being successful in this endeavor. References Abowd John M. (1990) The Effects of Product Market Competition on Collective Bargaining Agreements: The Case of Foreign Competition in Canada, Available from<http:// papers. ssrn. com/sol3/papers. cfm? abstract_id=473956> FNV Bondgenoten, Available from< http://www. fnvbondgenoten.

nl/> Grafield Andrew 2009 (The Independent) Available from<http://www. independent. co. uk /news/business/banks-feel-heat-as-paribas-and-societe-generale-merge-1068216. html> Royal Bank of Scotland (2000) Available from< http://www. rbs. co. uk/. > Pessreleasepoint. com, Available from< http://www. pressreleasepoint. com/veterans-affairs-employee-union-urges-congress-strengthen-collective-bargaining-rights-vaVeterans Affairs Employee Union Urges Congress to Strengthen Collective Bargaining Rights. > Sleijpen Olaf available from< http://www. hollandfinancialcentre. com /news. php? id=1281&language=EN> State Govt. Available from< http://www. state. gov/e/eeb/ifd/2008/100822. htm#ch6disputesettlement>

Most of the people are having their vacation in a resort, they just want to relax and relieve their stress. Here in the Philippines, there are a lot of resorts; you have a lot of choices. Also here in Pangaea Angels City, we a lot have a lot of resort that can give you a relaxation. Hawaiian Palm Resort was built on December 08, 2012. Before it was a farmland and it has a fish pond, they decided to change into a resort because they want their parents to have a fruitful life in their remaining years in this world.

They are still improving their resort, because their just in 2 years f managing the resort. Currently, the Hawaiian Palm Resort is using the manual system for their transaction in their reservation. First the guest needs to go to the Hawaiian Palm Resort to reserve some rooms or the function hall for specific events; the employee will give them a paper to fill-up some information. And with that, it’s up to the guest if they are going to full their payment, but they need to have a 50% down payment.

If they want to cancel their reservation they cannot get the 50% down payment, for short, their no refund. The main problem in the manual system is that, if there is a lot of serration in the locale, they are lacking in the manpower, but the employee said that they can tolerate. The papers for their reservation are in the cabinet, the information is not secured and their some instances that the papers will be loss. So, the proponents proposed a website with reservation management system for the Hawaiian Palm Resort.

They can attract more customers since they already have a website, and they can easily manage the reservations because it is on-line and it will lessen the manpower. Less time consuming for both employees and for the guest.

Project Context

Reservation management system is a process of booking of a room or a place for a specific occasion or vacation. By using the internet, the guest or the customer will lessen their time in going to the specific resort just to reserve a room; it is convenient for them because it will lessen their cost In transportation and less effort.

Here in the Philippines, most of the hotels and resorts are using the ARMS online, because they believe that if they do that, they can attract more customers and their profit will increased. They can easily know if their customer is satisfied to their service because there is a dieback module for the customers, the customers will just site some things that they experience in the resort.

1. Environmental – Their current situation in their reservation is that, they are still using the manual system. The effect of the proposed system is that, they will less time consuming, their data will be more secured, the manpower will be lessen. And if they want to improve the system Or the website, it’s up to them; its not that hard for them to develop because they already have a current system or basis for them to get some ideas. Health and Safety For this website it is safe for customers because they will not have a hard time to go to the resort, they will just reserve online and they have less effort to pay and they can just see the appearance of the resort by just going to the website. Hassle-free for them because they will not use money, but rather using only internet.
2. Economic-Before, online reservations do not exist, people who want to reserve in the resort go directly in the place, and sometimes it’s hard for them because for instances like no reserved rooms or in some instances that the resort is not available. The cost of the project is not that too much expensive, because it has long term benefits for the company. Being able for the people to know more about the resort.
3. Social-For entertainment, this website aims to entertain the people visiting. Keeping them knowing on what is the resort looks. Visualizing them to help the people to have an idea on how the resort is ore better than others. And the website will give information about the rules and description of the rooms, so that if they go to the resort they already know the rules and know what to do. HTH cal According to the locale, they don’t have any problems regarding to the ethical issues. All their employees are honest and loyal. Keeping their loyal customer and keeping the good image Of the management. And the employees treat the customer very nicely; the employees are approachable and kind.

Purpose and Description

People nowadays are finding online shopping, reservation & booking, banking and other activities more comfortable on the internet rather than the conventional system. It is the best time for the Hawaiian palm Resort to make their presence online to boost their business. The purpose of online serration system of Hawaiian Palm Resort is to provide the resort with a system of reservation processing where management doesn’t have to put a lot of people/employee that will handle the customers.

The online system leaves it to the customers to fill the details and information required for the reservation of the resort. The web based of the online reservation system will help the resort management to post images of the resort, enlist services and prices with discounts and other offers to attract more customers. These offers and discounts can be updated in quick time to give customers the most scent discount they can avail.

General Objectives

The Aim of this is study is to develop a Website for Hawaiian palm Resort which will promote the Resort in the World Wide Web. A Web Site that will better promote the place and will enhance the communication between them and their market through the messages delivered through the website. The website Will have a reservation module for prospect guests; this will provide them with an idea about the cost of the rooms they want to reserve.

Specific Objectives

1. To develop a website that will promote and advertise the Hawaiian Palm Resort and its accommodations and services by incorporating the following features: Design of the website and its content management system, Information about Hawaiian Palm Resort such as its location and information about its accommodation’s classified by categories (pictures, prices, etc. ), Registration of reserved accommodations or services made online or placed real-time in the firm, Field for feedbacks or queries for the prospect customers (including suggestions and recommendations).
2. TO generate reports for the following: Record of the reservations placed online (approved, modified, completed, uncalled reservations) including the manually recorded reservations (transactions made at the resort), Sales services, Billing and Payments (balance reports, payment reports, down payment reports, full payment).
3. To enable prospect customers to place reservations online.
4. To secure the privacy of the customers in terms of the required personal information on their transaction/s with the firm.
5. To help the management to retrieve needed information in a fast and reliable manner.
6. To provide an audit trail that will record logs and other activities of the users in the system.
7. To archive information/records which are no longer being used.
8. To provide backup and restore of the database and system thus ensuring the safe keep Of the business and clients records.
9. TO provide the customers with an official receipt/form that will serve as an entry pass on the indicated date of visit, which will given to them after completing the online transaction.

Significance of the Study

The study focuses on having a proposed online website for Hawaiian palm Resort. The researchers aim to produce a website that will be access by their guests through the use of internet. This research will be benefiting the Hawaiian palm Resort, the guest and also the future researchers. Locale This system helps the locale improved their manual system and it also has a real-time, they can easily manage a lot of reservation. It also helps the locale to expand target market, leading to increased occupancy levels. It helps them to control and oversight of their bookings. Guest This system helps the guest to reserved rooms instantly without going to the resort just to check if there’s an available rooms. It is also a time saving because it will lessen the time and the effort of the guest.

They can be able to book anytime; from any,Inhere with internet access and they will get a quick response to their request. Future Researchers This study will help the future researchers to have some idea in the online reservation and how to create a website. This study will guide them if they are doing right or not, this study can be their basis in their study. VI. Scope and Delimitation This project focuses on the online reservation system of Hawaiian Palm Resort. It facilitates the reservation process of the resort. Being an online system it doesn’t required help from anyone that the employee will lessen their work.

Any person with basic knowledge in computer can go online and book to a resort without any hindrances This study will not cover the CRM or the customer relationship management, though it has a feedback module for the customers for them to know if the customer is satisfied. The study mainly focuses on the website itself, and to the transaction that they have in their reservation management. Using web browser is the best way to view the proposed system, you can view it in mobile but some of the module will not work and it will be more difficult for the guest to reserve.

It will not also cover he billing process; the locale wants to have a manual process in their billing. The following will be the features of the website Website Home Page – it has the welcome page, photo slides of what the business is offering, basic information or an advertisement, links to other pages and to the transactions and modules of the system. Accommodations – it includes rate of About Us – It will have the company or business profile, its history and other pertinent information about them which can be the staff, the management the owner Contact Us – Location Map, Business Address, E-Mail Address, Contact numbers, Fax Numbers, Other Branches (If there are any) Products and Services Offered which can be Categorized by Different Occasions, Themes or Packages with Prices Prices must be displayed but customers can be informed that price are subjected to change (so meaning there should be an back-end interface for the management to do the updates and changes) You can already include here a shopping cart that each the customer can use when making orders and reservation. As products and services are added the amount will be displayed.

When customers goes to the shopping cart ND check-out they will be prompt to login to their account if they are an existing customer and if not to register first After registering, the payment mode will be displayed, it can be thru Papal Terms and Conditions on Payments and Reservations News and Announcements – can include any post and announcements to the public or prospective clients, promos and discounts can be announced. New collections or party packages available Frequently Asked Questions – This area will serve as an entry for the customers to get answers from a common query or concern of customers.

Know how consistent and reliable customer service contributes to customer satisfaction. Customers want to rely on good customer service. Needing regular information all the time will lead difficulties. If you are an external customer so you won’t use a supplier every time that provides you with poor goods or a careless service. Always good and smart business makes sure that the same member of staff deals with an individual customer from start to finish. This might not be possible but all organisations provide special training to their staffs to ensure that each person has the same approach with external customers.

All members should always know that what they can and cannot do as a part of their job and the type of issues they must refer it to supervisor if possible. Supervisors should not stop them using their proposal to resolve a straightforward problem and also the staff should not over step the limits by making arrangements or promises that are outside their authority. Knowledge of product/services:  This is not always possible to provide customers with accurate information or advice and the best option that suits their needs without through knowledge of the product or service. In fact this is not possible as well to memorise all the knowledge about the products or services, so the best way is to know where to find information is by looking in catalogues, brochure, or online database.

This is easy to know the range of goods or services if you are selling cheap and fresh items i.e. chocolates or sweets but any one who sells expensive products or complex services should be able to give advice on the best buys and most reliable suppliers. This all information is based on their own knowledge and feedback from other customers. Staff attitude and behaviour: This is important for all staffs having a positive attitude and behaving politely and professionally to customers.

Being aware of your timing means that not keeping people waiting unduly, arranging appointments, phone calls and delivers at your customers convince, not your and never failing to call people back exactly as promised. All staff comes on work 5 minutes before to make sure they are not late. Accessibility/availability: This is the most annoying thing for a customer when they want something and the company don’t have it for some reasons. This can be relating to a product they have seen it on advertisement and are sold out. In this situation your job is to feel sorry for the customer’s disappointment and try to help them if you can, i.e. put their name in waiting list and pass on the information to your supervisor. This is important because, if you have received 20 enquires for the same thing in a day, and disappointed 20 people; the stock level and range of goods and services offered should be reviewed.

Meeting specific customer needs:  The skill of meeting customer needs involves identifying these by talking to the customers and then matching them to the range of goods and services that you can offer. Working under pressure:  Anyone can be delightful to customers on a normal day. But on busy times i.e. Christmas Day, Boxing Day etc, the situation is different then. Anyone who has worked in a retail store at Christmas knows that situations. It is also more difficult if lots of things are happening at the same time and you are trying to do three things at once. The first rule is to stay calm and not to panic. The second is to realise that you can only do one thing at once. The third is to deal with the most urgent/important thing first. The fourth is to work as fast as you can but stay pleasant at the same time as well.

Confirming service meets needs and expectations: Good healthy businesses do not forget their customers once they have made purchase or used their service. Instead they check that they are satisfied. A useful way to do this is to make customer happy calls. The quick follow up phone call checks that all of the customers’ needs and expectation were met and customer is happy from product and service. Some phone companies do when customers make purchase from them.

On the Sunday of Labor Day weekend, I received an email from a customer asking if we could ship out a monogrammed writing portfolio for a last minute thank you gift for the officiator of his wedding.

Most companies may think it is more than good enough just to answer the email on that Sunday. Some may think that answering the email and actually being able to fulfill the customer’s request may be good enough. And finally a select few may think that answering the email, fulfilling the customer’s request and throwing in a “congratulations on your forthcoming nuptials” is outstanding, if not above-and-beyond, customer service.

Not at ROYCE.

You’d be hard pressed to find a company without a mission statement that fails to reaffirm customer centricity as one of their guiding principles. And much like their “commitment to sustainability” which they throw in their as well because it sounds like the right thing to say in the year 2016, it does not necessarily mean there is not a vast disparity between theory and practice.

I have always admired Zappos’ ability to manifest their customer service based brand values into reality on a consistent basis for myriad years now. Tony Hsieh redefined the gold standard for what it means to put the customer first, in fact, his outlook on customer happiness being the function of connectedness, is the basis for my approach to customer service. We at ROYCE, like every other leather accessories brand in our space, are competing fiercely for market share and it goes without saying that we want as many customers as possible.

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That being said, we want to know who our customer is, not for some market research and segmentation means, but because we actually want to know who Terry, the recent college graduate from Rutgers about to do his first round of Wall Street interviews and in need of a professional looking messenger bag, is. Or Alexandra, who just gave birth to her second daughter and wanted a monogrammed picture frame to commemorate it. Depth of relationship — no, friendship — is more important to us at ROYCE than merely acquiring another customer. Like a conscientious good friend, our customer service team (myself included, because everyone at ROYCE is customer service, whether you are a monogrammer or warehouse employee or even accountant!) wants to anticipate your gifting needs quite possibly before you do.

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Going the extra mile does not mean next day delivery in the U.S. or same day delivery in Manhattan. Or free returns. Or free monogramming. Those should be the minimum case scenario, not something that should be applauded. Rather, we need to understand the context of our customers.

Where are they in life? And where are they going? Might Terry need a business card case to store his fresh out of the box Deloitte cards (we actually did follow up to ensure he got the job)? Or will Alexandra need a lightweight diaper bag for all of little Mackenzie’s odds and ends?

Brands must stop looking at customers through the lens of “how do we fulfill customer number 103-245238-2-439’s order as efficiently as possible?”. Instead, it is imperative that we take it a further by thinking about who they are, why they came to us in the first place, and how, like any reliable friend, can we be there again for them in the future.

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For Mike (the upcoming groom), our offices are not open on Labor Day but as soon as we opened up the shop the day after, his order was processed, monogrammed and shipped to arrive in his mailbox on Wednesday.

It wasn’t, however, what he ordered. In addition to the portfolio, we thought he and his lovely fiancé might like matching “His” and “Hers” luggage tags and RFID blocking passport jackets for that exciting honeymoon that’s right around the corner. Because when you treat your customer as your friend, you know what they need even if they don’t ask.

The customer service industry has become a great point of focus due to the emergent market factors including liberalization, increase in competition, and the increased growth in population. The service industry commands a substantial share of the market though the value of the customers to the business is often overlooked. It is therefore essential to develop a real time customer intelligence so as to be able to capture the value that customers add to the profitability of the organization. This paper shall focus on the human resource management practices that are associated with customer service industry in the modern world.

The Customer Service Industry: Customer service is a very important aspect of any organization that is interested in retaining and attracting more customers. An effective customer service usually adds some value to the services being offered to customers. Customers prefer value for their money and that customer service is not customer satisfaction in itself but rather a means to achieve customer satisfaction. Customer service is equated to a brand and that it is what the customers perceive and remembers of the service that was rendered to them.

Customer service can be defined in terms of the communication and/or interaction between the organization’s representatives and the customers engaged in business with that organization. It is important to point out that the organization’s success is dependant on the customers and therefore the ability of the organization to establish and retain a strong customer base plays a big role in its growth and survival (Weimer, 2010). Every organization aspires to maintain unmatched levels of customer satisfaction through the provision of value additions on the services rendered to their clientele.

This is designated to lead to high levels of satisfaction on the customers’ side as they feel that their expectations are well catered for during the interaction. Generally, quality customer service is reflected the philosophical concept that “a happy customer is a repeat customer and a returning customer is a loyal consumer” (Weimer, 2010, para 2). Customer service is meant to achieve the designated end results. It can be described as providing all the necessary conditions that will leave the customers happy and willing to come back.

In essence, it is going above and beyond the expectations of the customers in an effort to persuade them to come back (Hodge, 2010). Customer service is found at all levels of communication between the organization and the customer in the past, present and futuristic transactions. The customers generally expect to receive exemplary client services from the organizational representatives. They usually expect to be addressed with respect and in a professional manner when dealing with any issue that relates to their relationship with the organization (Weimer, 2010).

Customer service is a very crucial element in any business and therefore it is necessary that it part of philosophy of any organization that is interested in achieving success. Price reductions alone without proper customer service may not be enough to attract and retain clients as most customers would prefer paying an extra dollar for good service and quality. Customer service is aimed at making customers feel happy and satisfied and this works to retain them and/or attract others. Customer service is therefore the sure way of ensuring the survival of the organization.

Through the fair treatment of customers and with respect, the customers are destined to come back. An organization is deemed to have repeat customers through the provision of quality products and excellent service (Hodge, 2010). Human Resource Management: The human resource management refers to the effective management of the employees in an organization. The human resource management is shouldered with the responsibility of ensuring that the workers of any given organization are productive and satisfied in the performance of their duties. Therefore the human resource department is an essential aspect of any given organization.

Development of this department in any organization is of great consequence since it forms the foundation on which the future of the company depends. Human resource department therefore forms the heart of every organization. It must be noted that people are the ones who create an organization and not technology as many would think. Human resource management is usually concerned with the management of human resources in the organization. This ensures effective utilization of employees in the organization for realization of objectives and mission of the organization (Kamoche, 2001).

Human resource management realizes that it is imperative to organize the activities of humans in any given organization. It also entails organizing the technological resources together with others such as the physical, financial, and skills of the workers in an effort to establish a successful and efficient managerial structure of the business. Human resource department performs the organizing function which emphasizes on division, coordinating and controlling tasks and information flow within an organization (Sims, 2002).

Managers also have the duty of distributing responsibilities and authority to employees as one aspect of the human resource department. The human resource department also functions to recruit and retain skilled and knowledgeable workforce so as to remain competitive in the market. The department has to ensure that the employees as important assets of an organization are well taken care of so as to carry their duties in the most effective manner. The employees are to be assured of their security so as to distract them from the uncertainties which negatively impacts on their productivity (Kamoche, 2001).

The human resource department performs numerous functions in an organization which include job analysis; human resource planning; training and development of the employees. There are however legal issues that the human resource has to adhere to which include safety, health & wellness of the employees; labor relations; and equal employment opportunity to all individuals amongst many other functions. The Equal opportunity legislations form the core of the legal issues surrounding the human resource.

These legislations refer to the requirement by the government that ensures that all individuals are presented with equal opportunity of employment irrespective of race, color, gender, nationality and religious affiliation. There are however other legislations governing the work environment such as issues of sexual harassment and safety at the workplace (Sims, 2002). Employee Search Process: Human resource is actually more than maintenance of personal functions in an organization. For any business organization to remain competitive, the human resource department needs to be dynamic and inventive.

This requires the human resource department to integrate the human resource functions with the human resource policies and strategies, with the business strategies & management teams bringing all the stakeholders on board. Organizations need to have proactive policies for attracting and retaining the best people to their business. Management of employees takes a greater role in the human resource issues especially in the ever-changing and unpredictable economic climate that characterizes the world today (Kamoche, 2001).

The main process of human resource management begins with employee search process. This refers to the initial stage in the selection of the organization’s work force. The employee search process needs to be based on the equal opportunity legislation and at the same time any vacancies should be filled through a competitive search (Eastridge InfoTech, 2010). The employee search process should be comprehensive so as to ensure that employees with a higher performance are selected for the vacant positions.

There are various employee search strategies that are often employed to ensure that an organization comes up with the best candidates for the job. Job definition and description is an essential stage in the employee search process. There is need to have a refined job description which precisely reflects on requirement and keys aspects to the success of the respective role that the employees shall perform in the organization. A good employee search criteria should reflect on the customer orientation to ensure that the prospective candidates are a good match for the organization.

The candidates for the job have to career objectives that can relate to both the long term and short term goals of the organization. It is therefore important to conduct a market research so as to be in a position to identify the suitable sources for the potential candidates (Eastridge InfoTech, 2010). There are also other aspects of the employee search process that are equally important. The pre-screening methods are essential as they provide an opportunity for the organization to have more background information from the possible candidates in an effort to come up with the best match.

This is important as it eliminates the guesswork that is usually associated with the employee search process. Refined screening procedures ensure that attitudes and characters of the job seekers are well known so as to be able to meet the requirement as be able to blend well with the organizational culture. The screening procedures may be referred to as the ‘inner view procedures’ for they bring out the information that can not be obtained from reading resumes.

Such information that may be uncovered during the screening include motivational level; creativity and innovativeness; communication skills; oral and written presentation; interpersonal skills; professionalism; and thought processing speed among others (Eastridge InfoTech, 2010). Employee Selection-making process: The employee selection process has been defined by R. D. Gatewood and H. S. Field as the “process of collecting and evaluating information about an individual in order to extend an offer of employment” (Gatewood and Field, 2001, p 13).

The employee selection process forms part of the staffing process in any given organization which also includes the Human resource planning, recruitment, and retention activities. Through human resource planning, the organization is able to project the likely demand for employees with specific knowledge, skills, and abilities and this is then compared to the anticipated availability of the employees in the labor market. During recruitment, the organization is engaged in reaching out to the potential recruits. The employee selection process starts when a pool of application has been generated by the recruitment efforts of the organization.

It is during the selection process that the organization is able to decide on who among the recruited individuals shall be offered the job (Gatewood and Field, 2001). Effective employee selection process is critical to the success of the organization. Employee performance plays a vital role in the success of the organization. Job performance is usually measured by the ability of an employee to perform particular duties and the effort that the employee is willing to inject in the performance of his/her duties.

By conducting an effective employee selection process, the organization has the potential to increase the possibility that its new recruits shall bear the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties that they were hired for. Therefore employee selection serves as one of the main means that organizations ensure that the employees posses the abilities to perform the duties that they were hired for. The other way to ensure this is through the orientation and the training process.

Employee selection also provides the foundation for other human resource practices which includes job design, goal setting, and compensation which acts as motivation for the employees to put in the necessary effort for effective performance (Gatewood and Field, 2001). Essentially, there are differences amongst the job applicants that are depicted in the educational levels and working experience, character, and natural ability and motivational levels. The employee selection process begins upon the realization that some of the variations in the applicants can be matched with specific jobs.

It is therefore necessary for employee selection to be guided by two principles. The first one is for the process to determine the appropriate differences in knowledge, skills, and abilities that are required for the job and secondly to be able to identify and make use of the selection methods which shall be vital in assessing the extent to which the applicants possess the required knowledge, skills and abilities. The organization however has to achieve these tasks in a manner that do not has discriminatory overtones to the job applicant in respect to gender, race, religion, nationality or any physical disability.

Validity and reliability is very crucial in the selection process. This means that the process needs to be appropriate, meaningful, and useful in regard to the inferences that are made about the applicants. The closer the match between the expectations placed on the applicant and the actual job performance by the applicant, the higher the validity of the selection process. The selection models can not be said to be accurate unless they have a higher degree of validity and reliability (Gatewood and Field, 2001).

Evaluation of methods of Personnel Development: The qualities of employees and their development through training and education forms a salient factor in the determination of long-term profitability of the organization. Hiring and keeping of good employees alone is not enough to realize success and therefore it becomes necessary to invest in the development of their skills in an effort to raise their efficiency. There are various reasons that have been advanced for development of the personnel in any organization.

Some of these reasons include the need for creation of a workforce that provides for readily available and adequate replacement for the individuals who may reach a decision of leaving the organization or moving up within the same organization. Development of the personnel also enhances the organization’s ability to adopt and make use of technological advancement by availing a sufficiently knowledgeable staff to the organization. It also ensures that there is an efficient, effective and highly motivated workforce that encourages the organization’s competitive position and at the same time improving the employee morale.

The development of personnel also ensures that adequate human resource is available which can be deployed in expansion missions of the organization. The personnel development process results in employees developing a great sense of self-worth, dignity and well-being since they become more valuable to the organization and the society in general. The employees are set to receive a greater share of the material gains emanating from their increase in productivity. These factors lead to the feeling of satisfaction as they are able to achieve both the individual and organizational goals (Weight, 2009).

Personnel development is a crucial aspect in the ever-changing business world considering that the people are an important asset to the organization. Human development can be explained by different models which include the humanistic theories, neuro-linguistic theories, and the energy psychology. All in all, the personal development process ensures that people are in a position to achieve critical personal changes necessary for updating their individual identities, attitudes, values and beliefs; increasing congruency and contentment; and also in releasing impediments that have been thwarting efforts to realize the personal potential.

Human development encompasses the ‘nature and nurture’ concepts which are vital for who we are and what we do. Human development has been identified as a life-long process that begins with nature at birth. After we are born, the nurturing process then begins. Nature refers to the biological attributes that humans are born with whereas the nurture refers to the environmental influences on human behavior. Nature and nurture are therefore interactive in the developmental process (Weight, 2009). Humanistic theories of personal development focus on the inner capability for growth and self-fulfillment and puts emphasis on the human potential.

Early humanistic theories defined humans as having been set up or pre-programmed to achieve growth and development unless the environment played to inhibit the growth. The humanistic theorists assert that positive self-conceptual is essential for individual happiness and accomplishment in life. They also observed that acceptance and empathy were crucial in nurturing positive feelings about ourselves as a consequence; we are able to develop the capability to extend the positive feelings to others. Essentially, the humanists believe that individuals are basically good and capable of self-improvement (Weight, 2009).

The neuro-linguistic programming on the other hand has been referred to as a study of individual experience and human distinction. Emphasis is placed on the rapport which entails mutual trust and sensitivity. According to this model; the greater the mental, physical, and emotional rapport with one’s self the greater his/her healthy well-being and inner peace. An individual is in turn able to relate to and influence the others. The energy psychology model is a collective term that is used to refer to a number of approaches that focuses on the relationship between the mind and the body.

This model is based on the assumption that psychological and physical problems may be addressed via the body’s meridian system together with the other systems found in the body. This can be found in the traditional practices as those employed by the ancient Chinese medicine like the acupuncture. According to this model, any disturbance in the energy or meridian system shall have a physical manifestation which shall be reflected in impaired thinking and physical health. However, once the disturbance has been cleared, the harmony shall be restored (Weight, 2009).

The elements of an effective appraisal and evaluation system: Appraisal of employee performance is one of the most crucial functions that are performed by managers and at the same time it has been one of the most controversial aspects of management that has been dogged with dissatisfaction for both the employees and the managers. However, an effective performance and evaluation system in any organization has been identified to play a crucial role in the organization’s quest to gain a competitive advantage over its competitors.

There are several elements that can be attributed to an effective employee appraisal and evaluation systems (Peter, 1994). The appraisal system needs to be tailored to the specific needs of the organization and that the rating factors need to be as objective and concrete as possible. The appraisal and evaluation system also need to be free from any prejudice and that the procedures and administration of the systems have to be standardized. The systems have to be easily operational and the results from the appraisals and evaluations should be used in making decisions.

To ensure that fairness is upheld, the systems need to provide for review and appeals procedures which act as a safety valve reducing complaints and strengthening employee confidence in the systems. The systems also have to be acceptable to users and at the same time it should be economical to operate. It is also essential that the top management support the evaluation and appraisal system being used in the organization (Peter, 1994). Conclusion: The customer service industry is an essential aspect of any business in the modern world where cut-throat competition is the main characteristic of any business.

The need to attract and maintain customers should be the top most priority of any organization. The human resource department is therefore to engage in practices that will ensure customer retention by emphasizing on practices that will encourage the employees to provide quality service to the esteemed customers. Employees are the main heart of the organization as they hold the potential for the success or failure of the organization. Customers on the other hand are the pillar to the organization and therefore it is important to strike a balance between the two.

Reference: Eastridge InfoTech, (2010). InfoTech’s Employee Search and Placement Process. Retrieved on 12th August 2010 from; http://www. eastridgeinfotech. com/talent-seekers/How-We-Hire. aspx. Gatewood, R. D. , and Field, H. S. , (2001). Human Resource Selection. 5th ed. Fort Worth, TX: Dryden Press. Hodge, C. , (2010). What is customer service? Retrieved on 12th August 2010 from; http://www. helium. com/items/1338298-customer-service Kamoche, K. N. , (2001). Understanding Human Resource Management. Buckingham; Open University Press. Peter, A. , (1994).

Designing and implementing an effective performance appraisal system. Retrieved on 12th August 2010 from; http://www. allbusiness. com/human-resources/workforce-management/479508-1. html. Sims, R. (2002), Organizational Success through Human Resource Management. Westport CT, Quorum Books Weight, P. , (2009). Personal development. Retrieved on 12th August 2010 from; http://www. businessballs. com/personaldevelopment. htm. Weimer, T. , (2010). What is customer service? Retrieved on 12th August 2010 from; http://www. helium. com/items/1574057-happy-customers

Internal customers are any person who works for Kenable. Internal customers can also be suppliers and partners of the company, people who work with us to provide our products and services. External customers are those who do not work for the Kenable, which are buying a product/service to fulfill a need. Kenable sells cables and peripherals. The main things we Sell/provide are basic cables such as cables that can be used in the home for simple tasks, for example, HDMI cables that are used in many homes to connect TV’s to DVD and Blue ray players, Laptops and computers. We also sell other products such as Laptop accessories, Mobile accessories and also festive accessories.

The connection between customer expectations and customer satisfaction are: Customers build up expectations of Kenable based on what they have heard about the company (The reputation), by the way they are dealt with and by the overall professionalism of the company. Customers can be dissatisfied with the service or product at any point during the process but usually it is hard to rate a customer’s satisfaction until all the dealings have been complete.

If the customer is satisfied they will give us good feedback and tell people they know of the good service they received, this is how other customers build up their expectations. If people was to hear or see negative feedback they would have very low expectations from Kenable and would probably take up custom elsewhere. Organization procedures are important to good customer service because without procedures customers may not get dealt with appropriately.

For example: It is Health and Safety Proceduree that all companies have followed fire safety, such as visible fire exits, Clear fire exits, fire extinguishers and fire assemble points. If the company does not follow this procedure then customers could end up getting harmed or not dealt with in the event of a fire. This would not result in good customer service. This could result in the company getting taken to court and/or loose a good reputation. In any customer-based organization, the customer should be the whole point of the operation, so all procedures and actions within the organization should have the aim of improving customer service.

Team work is important to good customer service because a organizations service level is only as good as its employees, If employees cannot work together and communicate then satisfaction rates will not be delivered.

For example: you if are not close with your fellow work colleagues and there is a customer service problem, you would more than likely have to deal with this on your own, and in some cases you can’t overcome the service problem without help from others. Working in a team means that you get more support and deal with situations more efficiently. Kenable offer free information and advice regarding cables and connections.

We do this as we believe this helps us stand out from other companies who do not take the time to offer their customers this information. This helps up to boost our customer service satisfaction even with customers who do not actually buy or pay for any of our services resulting in those customers coming back on a later date and buying something and this also helps us build up our reputation.  The part I play in delivering customer service is, I answer all the phone calls and secure the sales with the customers, I offer free advice and information regarding our products and services and I also reply to emails and feedback from customers.

I deal with most of the admin before and after the sales and also deal with our other clients such as DPD who we employ to deliver our products. My customers are the people who ring up or email me asking for information or requesting a sale. I have many internal customers too such as our suppliers and clients and also my work colleagues. The majority of my external customers are dealt with over the phone however I also deal with customers on a face to face basis when the come in to Kenable themselves. The main characteristics of typical customer I deal with are:

Most of the customers I deal with are very loyal and have been using our services for a long time. Curious – Most of the customers I deal with are curious about new services, products and promotions we offer Grateful – Most of my customers are very grateful for the high standards of customer service they receive. I have many customers thanking me on a daily basis and many customers who leave great feedback and recommend friends and family. The main thing that impresses my customers is when I know technical details about the cables and systems that they are compatible with.

Customers are very impressed when I offer them promotions and discounts on products. It also impressed my customers when I can talk to them about their local area or sports teams, Such as Liverpool. I live close to here so I am familiar with the area and am up to date with the evens that happen here, this is because customers feel that they are receiving a more personalized customer service experience. I get some customers that get very agitated and annoyed when we do not have the product they want in stock, sometimes we have the product but the customer is requesting a large quantity that we do not have.

Customers also get very annoyed when they have had faults with products. In my organization we have:  The customer service advisors are the main point of contact in relation to customers, We deal with all the orders, sales, emails, post telephone calls and queries.

Roy and Ken the managing directors occasionally deal with some of our very old and loyal customers as they have been acquainted for many years. They also have their own managerial responsibilities such as the marketing, accounts and other duties. The warehouse operatives very rarely have contact with customers as they are based in the warehouse away from the general office area, However the warehouse operatives play a very big part in the deliverance of customer service as they are responsible for ensuring a quick service.

The kind of information I need to give good customer service is: I need to have a good knowledge of the products and services we offer. I also need to know our customer service policies to ensure that I deal with customer service situations in accordance with our company guidelines. I can find information about Kenable, our products and services on the Kenable website, I can also find information about Kenable in my employee handbook and also in the office. All product and service information can be found on my computer on the T drive and also on spreadsheets as this information is always changing and adapting.

The most common customer service problems we face are: Customers having faults with their Cables and requesting refunds and/or replacements. I deal with this and I make the decisions regarding refunds, however, Roy or ken make the decisions regarding replacements. Other problems include, customers not receiving their products in time, not receiving payments due to insufficient funds and occasionally not having products in stock. Usually deal with all these problems and I do not need to tell anyone about these.

The way I behave affects my customer service experience because if I was to behave inappropriately or to say something inappropriate to a customer they would be offended and would go else ware, They would possibly make a complaint about the way I handled the situation and this would not only reflect on me but I would reflect on Kenable. Also not dealing with situations appropriately will affect my confidence when dealing with customers in the future as I will be to wary of what I say and the customers may pick up on this.

The hotel offers 104 superb bedrooms designed for guest comfort and relaxation, many with superb sews over the river and town. They have two penthouse suites known as the light and dark rooms offering luxury at its finest, ideal for special occasions. The Westport Hotel The Westport Hotel has been transformed into the hippest & liveliest luxury designer hotel in the region. After a major refurbishment in 2011, the Westport Hotel now attains the status as the most popular hotel in Dragonhead. The inviting exterior is that of sophistication and city reminiscence.

Located in the very heart of Dragonhead it comprises of 27 tastefully decorated bedrooms all of different infatuations, flat screen televisions with cable channels and high speed internet access. The aim of the Westport Hotel is to make your stay one of comfort, enjoyment and relaxation. 2. Summary/Evaluation I The D Hotel I The Westport Hotel I Organization/Business Image I The image I got of the D Hotel was that it is a very middle of the road hotel. The d©cord is standard and not very up-market. It is clean and tidy and felt very welcoming, making me want to stay there.

I The image I got of the Westport Hotel was that It is very up-market, the lobby is spotlessly clean and the d©cord is very high end. I think that the business image is better than that of the D Hotel. I Personal Presentation of Employees I The sales associate was wearing a black t-shirt and black trousers; I felt that she was well presented with regards to her the ends from dragging on the ground. I The sales associate was dressed in a black suit with a white shirt and no name tag. She was very well presented with minimal make-up and nicely groomed hair.

The presentation of the staff is much better than that of the D Hotel. I Interpersonal Skills of Individual(s) Dealt With I I think the sales associate was very good at her Job; she was polite and welcoming and dad me feel like a valued customer. Her interpersonal skills were 100% better than those of the staff at the Westport Hotel. I The sales associate didn’t do very well and I think she should consider another career path. She was impolite to me and seemed exasperated with my questions. She could improve on her manners towards customers.

I Effective Handling of Enquiry I The sales associate was very efficient in handling my enquiry as she had a very good knowledge of the deals available to me. She was much more effective at handling my enquiry than the employee at the Westport Hotel. I The sales associate wasn’t very efficient in handling my enquiry she made me feel like I was bothering her with stupid questions. I Ability of Employee to Present Information Accurately I The sales associate was brilliant she went through everything with me and explained what each price included making sure I knew what I was getting for my money.

She was much better than the employee at the Westport Hotel. I Although I did eventually get the information I required the sales associate didn’t present it to me accurately as she Just scribbled some generic prices down onto a scrap of paper and thrust it into my hand before smiling me. I Overall Comment of Efficiency and Customer Service Delivered by the Organizations/Business I The only things that I found wrong were the fact that her trousers were far too long and she never offered me her name. Other than that it was a very good experience. My experience was much better than the one I had at the Westport Hotel.

I The experience made me feel like the hotel didn’t want me as a customer because I wouldn’t fit their usual clientele, the sales associate was UN- friendly and rude and it made me not want to stay in the hotel. 3. Recommendations on Improving Customer Service The Only way I think that the D Hotel can improve on their customer service is to make sure that employees make the customers aware of their name so that they don’t have to ask for it and to also make sure that employees are dressed in a more professional manner with correctly tailored clothing.