Chapter 9. Customer Service
9.6 Conclusion
Key Terms
- Customer lifetime value (CLV): a view of customer relationships that looks at the long-term cycle of customer interactions, rather than at single transactions
- Customer orientation: positioning a business or organization so that customer interests and value are the highest priority
- Customer relationship management (CRM): a strategy used by businesses to select customers and to maintain relationships with them to increase their lifetime value to the business
- Loyalty programs: programs that identify and build databases of frequent customers to promote directly to them, and to reward and provide special services for those frequent customers
- Moment of truth: when a customer’s interaction with a front-line employee makes a critical difference in his or her perception of that company or destination
- Service recovery: what happens when a customer service professional takes actions that result in the customer being satisfied after a service failure has occurred
- SERVQUAL: a technique developed to measure service quality
- Total quality (TQ): integrating all employees, from management to front-level, in a process of continuous learning, which leads toward increasing customer satisfaction
- Total quality management (TQM): a process of setting service goals as a team
Exercises
- Complete the checklist for Service Professionals (SuperHost). On a scale of 1–5 (with 5 being highest), rate yourself on the following customer service skills. You can use a recent customer interaction or one from a previous service role. Add any other criteria that relate specifically to your position.
Qualities of a Remarkable Service Professional Score Treat all colleagues with courtesy and respect. Treat all customers with courtesy and respect. Create a positive first impression for all customers. Communicate clearly when sharing directions or information. Be aware of the impact of voice and body language during communications. Use open-ended questions to clarify. Listen in an active and engaged way. Listen without judgment to gain understanding. Demonstrate empathy to customers. Take initiative to deal with challenging situations. Solve problems effectively. Speak highly of the organization’s products and services on a consistent basis. Provide positive recognition to customers. Provide constructive feedback using assertive language. Look for ways to improve as a customer service professional on an ongoing basis. Look for ways to provide remarkable, out-of-the-ordinary service on an ongoing basis. - What are three key benefits of customer service training for employers? What are three benefits to employees?
- Identify and discuss three ways how tourism and hospitality businesses can maintain a long-term relationship with their guests.
- What kinds of training and credentials are available to tourism and hospitality professionals? What are some of the benefits to both employees and employers of these credentials?
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