Application
This unit supports the attainment of skills and knowledge required by all field staff and operators in addition to staff with specific responsibility for the provision of customer service to customers and suppliers of the organisation. |
Prerequisites
Not applicable.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
1Apply organisational customer service standards. | 1.1 Check the organisation's plans, policies and procedures relating to customer service and apply them. 1.2 Explain the features, benefits and application of the organisation's products and services to customers. 1.3 Apply the organisation's processes for handling customer queries, complaints and disputes. 1.4 Apply effective communication techniques with different types of customers and situations. 1.5 Plan and participate in team and work activities to meet customer satisfaction and minimise inconvenience. 1.6 Use available resources to meet customer requirements and services. |
2Respond to customer needs and concerns. | 2.1 Clarify customer needs and expectations. 2.2 Resolve customer concerns or complaints according to organisational policies and procedures. 2.3 Address customer needs or complaints clearly, politely and effectively. 2.4 Refer customer concerns related to organisational liability to appropriate persons or departments according to organisational policy. 2.5 Complete documentation and process it according to organisational and statutory requirements. |
3Contribute to customer service standards. | 3.1 Identify and explain opportunities to improve services or processes to team members. 3.2 Review personal work performance to improve services to customers. 3.3 Record evidence of customer satisfaction and report to team members. 3.4 Contribute to the development, and improvement of quality service policies and standards. |
Required Skills
This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit. |
Required skills: communicate effectively with customers, staff members (internal clients) and suppliers negotiate and resolve disputes or minimise the concerns of customers apply interpersonal skills communicate effectively in a diverse work force apply problem-solving skills apply dispute resolution skills report on customer issues apply customer relations policy and organisational standards identify both internal and external customers. |
Required knowledge: relevant Acts and by-laws that impact customer service organisational policies, procedures, standards and quality systems problem-solving strategies communication techniques performance management systems. |
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package. | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | The candidate should demonstrate the ability to respond effectively to the needs of internal and external customers including: communicating effectively with internal and external customers according to organisational procedures and standards preparing resources and planning work to meet customer requirements managing and reporting customer complaints according to organisational procedures reviewing customer service and customer satisfaction contributing to improvements in customer service standards. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Access to the workplace and resources including: documentation that should normally be available in a water industry organisation relevant codes, standards, and government regulations. Where applicable, physical resources should include equipment modified for people with disabilities. Access must be provided to appropriate learning and/or assessment support when required. Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and appropriate to the language and literacy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed. Validity and sufficiency of evidence requires that: competency will need to be demonstrated over a period of time reflecting the scope of the role and the practical requirements of the workplace where the assessment is part of a structured learning experience the evidence collected must relate to a number of performances assessed at different points in time and separated by further learning and practice a decision of competence only taken at the point when the assessor has complete confidence in the person's competence over time and in various contexts all assessment that is part of a structured learning experience must include a combination of direct, indirect and supplementary evidence where assessment is for the purpose of recognition (RCC/RPL), the evidence provided will need to be authenticated and show that it represents competency demonstrated over a period of time assessment can be through simulated project-based activity and must include evidence relating to each of the elements in this unit. In all cases where practical assessment is used it will be combined with targeted questioning to assess the underpinning knowledge. Questioning will be undertaken in a manner appropriate to the skill levels of the operator, any cultural issues that may affect responses to the questions, and reflecting the requirements of the competency and the work being performed. |
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. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs if the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts. | |
Plans, policies and procedures may include: | specific documents relating to customer service: service standards dispute resolution processes general organisational documentation: mission statements vision statements strategic and annual plans. |
Processes for handling customer queries, complaints and disputes may require: | interaction and communication with other employees and other authorities including the appropriate referral of problems for resolution that are outside the scope of the officer's level of responsibility implementation of reporting procedures that may also include procedures for the implementation of by-laws, organisational policies and statutory requirements access to appropriate records on hard copy or software systems. |
Effective communication techniques include: | verbal or non-verbal language two-way interaction constructive feedback active listening questioning to clarify and confirm understanding interpreting non-verbal and verbal messages observation techniques use of positive, confident and co-operative language control of tone of voice and body language use of language and concepts appropriate to cultural differences use of clear presentations of options and consequences demonstrating flexibility and willingness to negotiate. |
Documentation that may be used or accessed includes: | complaints handling forms work site records customer, interdepartmental or other organisation's correspondence. |
Sectors
Not applicable.
Competency Field
Common |
Employability Skills
This unit of competency contains employability skills. |
Licensing Information
Not applicable.