Application
This unit applies to management personnel in a range of information and communications technology (ICT) areas who are responsible for maintaining client relationships.
Prerequisites
Not applicable.
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Review client’s business domain | 1.1 Research organisational service standards, values and culture to understand the organisational environment 1.2 Investigate and document the goods and services provided by the organisation 1.3 Review current service level agreements (SLAs) if appropriate |
2. Develop new business with client | 2.1 Research client service needs and preferred level of service 2.2 Research opportunities for new business with client 2.3 Develop draft proposals to cover these new initiatives |
3. Negotiate new business initiatives | 3.1 Conduct a session with the client to present the new opportunities 3.2 Present proposals to the client in a clear, concise and comprehensive manner 3.3 Present proposed cost and timeframes to the client 3.4 Negotiate the terms with the client and record alterations if required 3.5 Clarify areas of uncertainty or disagreement 3.6 Document the agreement negotiated with the client |
4. Monitor, adjust and implement procedures to maintain client focus | 4.1 Assess progress in achieving new client initiatives 4.2 Gather client feedback to improve the proposals 4.3 Adjust the service provided to the client based on client feedback and in line with organisational guidelines 4.4 Document changes to new provisions |
Required Skills
Required skills
communication skills to:
facilitate and make presentations
liaise and negotiate with clients
enterprise and initiative skills to identify new opportunities
literacy skills to:
analyse and evaluate information
prepare general information and papers
problem-solving skills to develop solutions unique to a client.
Required knowledge
business practices, including:
change management
information-gathering techniques
planning process, including development of IT business solutions
preparation of reports
current industry-accepted hardware and software products, including:
general features and capabilities
vendor product directions
legal principles of commercial contracts and SLAs
organisational policies, plans and procedures, including contracting
theoretical concepts relating to negotiation and business relationships.
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the ability to: identify possible new business initiatives propose new business to the client formulate and implement new business meet client requirements for support service within quality, time, target performance and cost parameters. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure access to: organisational policies, procedures and SLAs for the IT industry contexts for negotiating agreements and contracts current IT hardware and software products. Where applicable, physical resources should include equipment modified for people with special needs. |
Method of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: direct observation of candidate’s presentation of a new business initiative review of candidate’s documented terms of service as negotiated with a client verbal and written questioning to assess candidate’s knowledge of business practices, such as change management and planning processes. |
Guidance information for assessment | Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, where appropriate. Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and suitable to the communication skill level, language, literacy and numeracy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed. Indigenous people and other people from a non-English speaking background may need additional support. In cases where practical assessment is used it should be combined with targeted questioning to assess required knowledge. |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Service level agreements | charge back to business units consideration of business processes and requirements clearly specified and quantified service levels different infrastructure services: active server pages (ASPs) communications carriers internet service providers (ISPs) vendor products evaluation or audit of service levels expectations regarding servicing penalties workload and performance considerations. |
Client may include: | external organisations individuals internal departments internal employees. |
Organisational guidelines may include: | communication methods content of emails dispute resolution document procedures and templates downloading information and accessing particular websites financial control mechanisms opening mail with attachments personal use of emails and internet access virus risk. |
Sectors
General ICT
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills.
Licensing Information
No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement but users should confirm requirements with the relevant federal, state or territory authority.