BUS 2303, Professionalism in the Workplace 1
Course Learning Outcomes for Unit IV
Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:
4. Explain the advantages to an organization in offering quality services.
4.1 Explain internal and external customer service.
4.2 Describe how social media has changed customer service.
Course/Unit
Learning Outcomes
Learning Activity
4.1
Unit Lesson
Chapter 7
Article: “Is Customer Loyalty a Pernicious Myth?”
Article: “How Can Restaurant Brands Succeed on Supermarket Shelves?”
Video: Social Media Customer Service
Unit IV Essay
4.2
Unit Lesson
Chapter 7
Video: Social Media Customer Service
Unit IV Essay
Required Unit Resources
Chapter 7: Quality Organizations and Service
In order to access the following resources, click the links below.
Films for Humanities & Sciences (Producer). (2012). Social media customer service (Segment 3 of 5) [Video
file]. Retrieved from
https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPl
aylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=47821&loid=160996
Henry, C. D. (2000). Is customer loyalty a pernicious myth? Business Horizons, 43(4), 13. Retrieved from
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A64519541/AONE?u=oran95108&sid=AONE&xid=2dee784e
How can restaurant brands succeed on supermarket shelves? (2019). Grocer, 26–29. Retrieved from
https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direc
t=true&db=bsu&AN=137875486&site=ehost-live&scope=site
The transcript for this video can be found by clicking the “Transcript” tab to the right of the video in the Films
on Demand database.
UNIT IV STUDY GUIDE
Quality Customer Service
and Human Resources
BUS 2303, Professionalism in the Workplace 2
UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title
Unit Lesson
“Hello, how can I help you?” How many
times have you heard this question
while out shopping? It seems as though
retail stores have been offering
customer service for several decades.
Naturally, a retail establishment likes to
see the store full of customers.
Typically, when we think about
customer service, we immediately think
about service offered toward a paying
consumer. Is that how customer service
started, in a retail shop? Well, we like to
think that customer service has been
around since humans began speaking
to one another. Providing customer
service can involve more than a paying
consumer. This unit focuses on the
advantages of providing quality
customer service to not only external
customers but also to internal
customers.
One major lesson to take away from this unit is the overall impact customer service has on organizations.
Customer service not only impacts an organization’s quality but also creativity, innovation, and the company’s
bottom line—profit. Customers are the core reason a business exists. Have you ever heard the saying, “A
happy employee is a productive employee?” That has a
lot of merit. Some organizations use different types of
innovation to deliver outstanding customer service. The
Ritz-Carlton empowers their employees to act upon their
own creativity to deliver exceptional customer service to
their guests. Every employee is allotted up to $2,000 to
satisfy and serve an unhappy customer (The RitzCarlton Leadership Center, 2019). It appears that the
Ritz-Carlton fully understands it is every employee’s job
to deliver quality service. This supports what many
researchers have concluded; a happy, productive
employee is more likely to provide high-quality customer
service. This, in turn, should have positive results
throughout the company.
Customer Loyalty
(Rawpixelimages, n.d.)
The Benefits of Offering Quality Product
(Adapted from Anderson & Bolt, 2016)
BUS 2303, Professionalism in the Workplace 3
UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title
Internal and External Customers
It is important to note that organizations have both internal customers as well as external customers. Each
has a direct impact on an organization. Internal customers are typically directly connected to the organization
as buyers representing a division or a receiver. Many organizations have internal customers who serve as a
means of training individuals on how to handle
external customers effectively as well as
enhancing the quality of service. External
customers are typically purchasers of the product
and/or service. External customers are not
directly connected with the organization yet are
gravely important because of their purchases of
the organization’s products and/or services. The
difference between internal customers and
external customers is that the internal customers
are directly connected to purchasing from within
an organization and often receive a better price
while external customers do not have that close
relationship. However, both internal customers
and external customers are treated with the
highest regard, and companies continuously
maintain harmonious relationships with them
(Anderson & Bolt, 2016).
Products
Every company offers a product to its customers, which can be either goods or services. Anything tangible
can be considered a good, while a service is an action an organization can take for you (Anderson & Bolt,
2016). Each good and service has a specific use to its consumer, and some organizations offer both goods
and services. For example, if you were to purchase a refrigerator from a major retailer, the store may also
offer to deliver and install it. Below is a list of common goods and services:
Goods Services
Electronics, including computers and phones Daycare
Clothing Landscaping
Groceries Trash removal
Appliances Cable/Internet
Cars Auto repair
Customers demand quality products. If customers do not
perceive that they have received a quality product, they will not
make a repeat purchase. A quality product, excellent service,
and innovation are what will persuade customers to make a
purchase from a specific company. A company cannot
experience long-term success if one of these elements is
missing.
Consider for a moment how you measure the quality of the
products you purchase. What does quality mean to you? For
example, if you were to purchase a new washing machine and
dryer, what would you look for? Some might say they want a
washing machine that lasts at least 10 years or one that is
energy efficient. Many would research the company and read
reviews to identify a company that meets their expectations of
quality. Quality is the way in which a customer measures the
value of a product or service. Customers often make
comparisons with similar products to determine the quality as
well as overall customer satisfaction (Anderson & Bolt, 2016).
Qualities customers look for
Internal versus External Customers
(Adapted from Anderson & Bolt, 2016)
BUS 2303, Professionalism in the Workplace 4
UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
Title
While quality can have slightly different definitions to different people, customers know the difference between
a positive and negative experience, and many organizations like to stay up to date about what their customers
are saying about their products. Performance monitoring can be very useful in measuring the quality through
sales quotas and customer complaints (Anderson & Bolt, 2016).
A good example of how service can impact an organization is from the people who interact with the customer
base. In 2019, six police officers in a Starbucks store in Tempe, Arizona, were asked to leave the store
because a barista did not feel safe with the police presence (Bacon & O’Sullivan, 2019). This story made
national news and a large social media backlash. The hashtag #dumpstarbucks developed, and Starbucks
later issued an apology (Bacon & O’Sullivan, 2019).
Conclusion
Regardless of what type of career you pursue, you will likely work with some type of customer. When working
with internal and external customers, it is important to remember that the service you provide can impact the
way customers perceive the organization as a whole. This may feel like a lot of pressure, but with practice,
you will become more comfortable with the communication process.
References
Anderson, L. E., & Bolt, S. B. (2016). Professionalism: Skills for workplace success (4th ed.). Boston, MA:
Pearson.
Bacon, J., & O’Sullivan, S. (2019, July 7). Starbucks apologizes to Tempe police after evicting six officers,
trying to quell firestorm. USA Today. Retrieved from
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/07/07/tempe-starbucks-coffee-giant-apologizeskicking-cops-out-shop/1667649001/
Rawpixelimages. (n.d.). ID 60801654 [Graphic]. Retrieved from https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photocustomer-loyalty-service-support-care-trust-tools-concept-image60801654
The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center. (2019). Seven advantages of employee empowerment. Retrieved from
http://ritzcarltonleadershipcenter.com/tag/employee-empowerment/
Learning Activities (Nongraded)
Nongraded Learning Activities are provided to aid students in their course of study. You do not have to submit
them. If you have questions, contact your instructor for further guidance and information.
Social media has changed customer service. Customers can easily share their experiences through online
reviews and social media, and organizations can even respond. Consider reviewing some comments on
social media threads and reflect upon how you would respond to and handle these types of customer
complaints. Practice by writing out responses.
