Customer Satisfaction and Time Management free essay sample

When time is managed and organized wisely; it can make the difference between a productive day and a very hectic day. Using time management during an ordinary day can help reduce stress and simplifies life. Without have a plan on how to manage time, it can create stress in life and also forgetting important dates and deadlines. By not having some type of organization in life it will create chaos and will seem as if there is not enough time in one day to complete daily tasks. Every day will be a challenge to complete and it will be less productive. By not having an organized method to complete a day; it can result in frustration, stress, and not being able to accomplish much. Not making good use of time can affect people in many different ways. In general the days of the week can be very hectic and tiresome. A lot of frustration is usually the result of poor time management. Make a schedule; this will keep a focus on what need to be done. With effective time management you learn to overcome procrastination and you learn to prioritize. Once a plan is made and a day is organized people will instantly see the benefits of time management. Categorize task according to priority and urgency can identify tasks that are useless or unnecessary. Life without any form of organization is very stressful and less productive. This help in creating a more productive day. After completing a time chart it will be easy to spot time budgeting problems. This helps in reducing future commitment that can be avoided. One way to do this is by using an A, B, C, D label. That makes you much more confident and decisive in your choices, leaving much less space for guilt. Make sure your to do list corresponds with your schedule or calendar. Most people have a general idea of what needs to be done, but never actually take the time to analyze the steps that need to be taken in order to complete the task. The demands and the payoffs for increased efficiency get larger as your responsibilities grow. Finally I can say that the organizer of the said seminar did a great job. Great speaker was there. Wonderful topics was discussed and presented. Customer Satisfaction of Service * Marlon Valenzuela . the customer is always right is usually wrong. In my line of work I see this every day. I am a manager at an outlet store and dealing with customers is my number one priority. There are all kinds of customers, some will make you happy, some will make you scream or some will just be okay. Customers sometimes do not realize that our job is to help them the best way we can. I believe that some of the customers are abusing the â€Å"customer is always right,† because they know that the company does not want to lose them. A customer knows when they are wrong but they will still try to get something out of it because it does not matter if they are right or wrong, in their world they are always right. The first question they ask is â€Å"I want to see your manager. † That is where I come in and try nicely explaining to them the policy and that there is nothing more I can do for them. Just because I am the manager does not mean they will get it cheaper or better. On my previous jobs, I would tell the customer the policy but they still ask to see the manager. This is the part that gets me really frustrating because the manager will side with the customer and then I get the â€Å"customer is always right† speech, like I did something wrong. From what I have learned, having a few bad customers does not mean that the store will lose business; it means that the store might be worse by not agreeing with their employees. I believe that the employees and management need to work as a team and be positive, even when it comes to bad customers. All stores have bad customers and all stores hate it but can not get rid off them because once the complaint gets to the big guys, they make the customers right, that is where they are wrong. They need to appreciate their employees and tell the customer to find another store if they do not like our business. I had customers that complained and screamed and thought they were right but in the end they leave and they still keep coming back to shop [continues] Encourage Customer Complaints One public agency found that three quarters of its customers had no idea who to talk to if they had a problem. Many customers think its simply not worth the hassle to complain. They are skeptical that the organization will do anything or they may even fear retribution. Best-in-business organizations actively encourage customer complaints. Some companies even refer to what they do to encourage complaints as marketing their complaint system. Companies make consumer service cards available at the place of business. Many solicit feedback wherever they post or publish customer service standards, on all correspondence, on bills, and in the telephone directory. Some offer discount coupons to encourage customer feedback. Many publish information on how they can be contacted in more than one language. They publish 1-800 and other numbers for the company where consumers are most likely to see them, e. . , on the product packaging. Companies also market their complaint handling systems during conferences and meetings, in annual reports, newspapers, association circulars, videos, audio tapes, letters, press releases, speeches, training sessions and via electronic mail. Seek to Delight Their Customers The benchmarking partners often use the phrase delight the customer and go out of their way to exceed expectations. Often this mean s a compassionate ear. An insurance company has a special team that deals with the needs of grieving spouses. Companies give front-line employees the authority to award customers who have complaints with products, coupons, or even cash when it is necessary to resolve a complaint. Even public sector employees are able to give certain products and services to customers with complaints. For example, the U. S. Postal Service can give up to $20 in stamps when it is appropriate. One service company sets no limits on the front-line employees authority but tracks company norms for what it takes to resolve particular types of problems. Team leaders look at and discuss variances from these norms. Additionally, employees share ideas for ways to resolve complaints creatively within or below company norms. Understand Customer Expectations These organizations demonstrate a commitment to understanding the customers perspective. Most of the benchmarking partners send surveys to customers who have complained recently to see how satisfied they were with how the complaint was handled. Some call the customers to determine satisfaction. One organization surveys every fourth customer with a complaint. Another described complaints as free information about their customers needs and expectations. These organizations supplement surveys of people who complain with routine and often extensive data collection tools in order to understand their customers. Customers are surveyed to determine their level of satisfaction with existing services. Surveys are sent with questions, often in a Likert Scale format where the customer can select the degree of satisfaction on a scale, e. g. , from one to five. These surveys assess customer satisfaction with existing services, delivery of services, helpfulness of employees, and overall performance of the organization. Some companies add a few short questions to the end of customer calls or correspondence. Companies also survey their front-line employees for their attitudes as well as for their ideas for improved service, asking their employees to take the customers perspective. After the nearby community complained about noise levels, the Red River Army Depot changed the times they detonated ammunition and put listeners (members of the community) at check-points throughout the surrounding area to monitor noise levels. The partners focus on clear customer target groups. One company that serves a wide variety of customers decided to focus on its high-volume business customers. Three months after a high-volume business customer has complained, the company follows up to find out whether they are still using their services and, if not, the reasons for dissatisfaction. In addition, the company routinely solicits feedback before, during, and after service. It conducts focus groups and has established a Customer Advisory Council to drive decisions related to this key target group. Manage Customer Expectations These organizations do not wait for complaints to come in the door. They try to anticipate the needs and problems of customers and to set realistic expectations through customer education and communication strategies. Research shows that 40 percent of complaints come from customers having inadequate information about a product or a service. (5) Using customer feedback to understand customer expectations and needs, organizations educate their customers and/or the public on what they can expect from their products and services and what obligations and responsibilities their customers have. For example, one enforcement/ regulatory partner has extensive education on the requirements and reasons for utilizing their services. Know How to Say No Both companies and government agencies, especially regulatory agencies, need to draw limits. When it is not possible to give the customer what they would like, it is still possible for a customer to feel that he or she has been heard and has been treated fairly. A number of techniques convey concerncalling customers and telling them the company understands; giving the customer the best explanation they can; and being open and honest with customers concerning laws and policies of the organization. Being professional and considerate of customers enhances their view of the organizationeven when the customer may be disappointed with the outcome. A recent taxpayer letter to the Internal Revenue Service shows that the techniques cited above really work: For the first time in a long time, a communication from IRS is clear, concise, informative and user friendly. . The attachedwhile Id preferred not to have made the mistakepoints out exactly what happened and what needed to be done. In a small percentage of cases, it will be necessary to close a complaint when it is felt that the company or agency has done everything that can be done. Recognizing that it is not always possible to satisfy a customer, having procedures and trained staff to handle the se cases, is part of an effective complaint handling system. Keep the Human Touch One company found that it made a major mistake when it introduced enhanced information technology.