Different customers have different perspectives of customer service and sometimes disregard the set-out procedures that allow smooth flow of things in organisations. In Stacy's case, I would apologise for the inconvenience caused by the library. A polite and an honest apology will help her cool down and lower her voice to avoid disrupting other library users. After she calms down, I would show her how important she is for choosing our library. Barlow stipulated that seeing customers complain through the eyes will make you have a better view of the complaint as a gift (2008). I would appreciate her complain and make it a priority to handle it. I would then explain to her that the cashier desk always closes at the stipulated time and once shut down, no one has the mandate to open and run it. Taking her money would be a lie to her since the cashier counter will not open for her. I would explain my job limits to her that I cannot go beyond them.
Barlow highlighted that when another customer witnesses how you handle a particular customer’s issue with respect and considerations, they will get impressed and view your feedback as a gift (2008). I would discuss any other option the client would use to finish her university assignment over the weekend. The suggestions would include borrowing a book from a fellow student or reporting to the lecturer about the situation to get an extension for the presentation of the assignment. Bacal pointed out that customers expect more from companies and calls for better services even if at the wrong timing (2011). I would suggest to her to always try to keep time the next time she would need our assistance. I would not take her complaint as a personal issue but instead accept and solve with her. By handling this situation as discussed, the client will be satisfied, get a better understanding of how the library operates and leave the library knowing that she did not have to ask why she had bothered coming to the library.
The fact that complaints are usual to entities I would report this case to the administration and ask for an exception if a similar situation happens in future. The claim will be avoided if I ensure that all clients are aware of the procedures of the library and help them abide by the proceedings to prevent future conflicts. I would ensure that we develop a system where the clients would present their complaints and compliments to help us improve our service delivery as well as knowing our strengths and maximise them. I would propose to the management to provide exceptions for specific situations and give conditions under which these exceptions would apply.
Pine, Peppers and Rogers pointed out that an entity should continuously respond to the issues of the clients and provide ways which will make them happy customers in the future since a happy customer translates to the success of a business (2010). I will ensure that every problem is dealt with appropriately to facilitate satisfaction to the client. I would ensure that no question is postponed. Each complaint will be dealt with immediately and provide a solution (Pine, Peppers & Rogers 2010). I would demonstrate an attitude of accountability regardless of who caused the fault. I will always stick to the facts while addressing an issue to ensure equality on how I deal with all clients.
Case 2
Quality is a critical component, and every firm strives to offer quality goods or services to its customers to remain competitive. For the best quality customer service, I would inform the students and staff about the failure of the check-out machine and ask for their patience as I fix the problem. Since setting the device would take long and all my attention would be required, I would respond to it immediately and ensure that the people waiting in the queue are patient with me and bear with the absence of other staff in this area of operation which could have helped me out. Since I understand the behaviours of the workers and students at this lunchtime, I would communicate to other departments to extend the lunch break with a few minutes as I would be the one delaying people in the library.
I would then fix the machine to give confidence to the students and staff that I am working on the failure and soon they would check-out and go to other areas. Martinez stated that creating a service delivery culture in institutions is built on concepts and tools that lead to action (2013). I would go to an extra mile to ensure that the students and staff are sure I would deliver service to them. A positive language would be the best to use to prevent the queuing people from anger due to the delay of the machine and stay contented that it was not my wish to keep them waiting for so long. I would clearly explain the process of rebooting the computer and the time it takes to normalize. This explanation will help them stay calm and appreciate my efforts in operating such a busy area alone and having the confidence of explaining the cause of the machine failure.
Cracking down of systems usually happens but the customers fail to understand. To prevent such a case from occurring in future, I would ensure that the administration assigns staff to a particular area who would be responsible for service delivery in different units instead of allocating all the work to a single person. I would propose for the frequent inspections on various machines and ensure an expert is available in case of a breakdown. Gureja pointed out that quality service delivery involves understanding customer needs and expectations, designing service offering accordingly and dealing with multi-profile needs of customers (2014). A good system of checking-out would not have failed the process in which the students and the staff could have checked out without any delay.
I would ensure that there are numerous check-out machines to provide for a smooth flow of staff and students anytime apart from the lunch break where everyone is rushing to have their lunch. The component that defines whether quality service is delivered is the innovativeness in place (Spotts 2014). I would advise other staff in this area to innovate and change how they do things to ensure quality service reaches the person who needs our assistance. I would guarantee that my clients know how important they are to my library service by interacting friendly with them and this would help in the future in seeking patience with my faults. I would put in place a 'thank you' phrase to every client for them to feel important and appreciated. Well trained on how to interact with clients, taking responsibility for every action, asking for feedback from clients, and using the responses given to rectify any wrong would help me provide quality services to the clients.
Case 3
The anger of a customer is a challenge to business. I would keep calm since the customer is angry. Keeping calm would help him control his temper. Since Mr Martin Smith was in need of this book, I would apologise for the mistake that occurred and explain on how he would get another book if only he gave me an extra working day to get the book from another branch. Getting the book from elsewhere reassures the customer that I am so concerned about his satisfaction. I would carefully listen to him and make him feel he was right when he was booking the book apart from the mistake that fell in which I did not realise. I would accept the blame on our system and promise to rectify so that he does not lose his loyalty to our library.
I would show empathy to Mr Martin Smith for the unpleasant customer experience from our library. Reassuring Mr Martin Smith of efficiency the next time he would visit would make him accept the fault which occurred and help him calm down. Peppers stipulated that when a customer complains, he/she is initialising a dialogue in which he is available for collaboration (2016). Talking and explaining to Mr. Martin gives ground in knowing where possible mistakes get into the system. I would imagine how customers who could have experienced that and failed to complain shifted to another library for better services. Peppers pointed out that enterprises should make it easy for a customer to complain when a need arises (2016). A well-handled complaint will make a customer loyal. I would assure Mr. Martin Smith that he would get a copy of the book after one working day and start the process of requisition for him.
To avoid such an instance from occurring in the future I would ensure that the system is accurate, fast and efficient. The old clients, who are purported to be forgetful of logging out of the system should always be humbly reminded to do so. Alternatively, the system would be automated so that any time the customer forgets to log out, the system will detect and log out automatically. Foley and Dismore observed that a customer is first and foremost, and if you do good to a customer, he/she will tell three more people, and if you do a wrong to a customer, he/she will inform a hundred people as an exchange for the goods and services you offer to them (2011).
I would ensure that every customer is treated well for their retention. Making customers unhappy makes them make their purchase or transaction elsewhere (Barnes & Kelleher 2014). I would propose to the management the need to add another copy of the book to the shelves since it has a higher demand. This demand poses an opportunity for the library to add more of this book to attract many customers. I would propose for the advancement of our systems to take a short time when a customer is placing a hold for a particular book. The library should agree with other libraries on how quickly they can be offering to each other the books when needed by the customers instead of waiting for the whole one working day while the customer would be in need of the book urgently.
References
Bacal, R. 2011, if it weren't for the customers I'd really like this job: stop angry, hostile customer’s cold while remaining professional, stress-free, efficient and cool as a cucumber. Casselman, Ontario, Bacal " Associates
Barlow, J., " Moller, C. 2008, a complaint is a gift: recovering customer loyalty when things go wrong. Sydney: ReadHowYouWant
Barnes, R., " Kelleher, B. (2014). Customer experience for dummies. Hoboken, NJ, For Dummies
Foley, R., " Dismore, H. 2007, running a bar for dummies. Hoboken, N.J., Wiley
Gureja, G. K. (2013). Organisational schizophrenia: impact on customer service quality. Los Angeles, SAGE Publications
Martinez, M. 2013, creating a service culture in higher education administration
Peppers, D. (2016). Managing Customer Experience and Relationships A Strategic Framework. Somerset, Wiley
Pine, B. J., Peppers, D., " Rogers, M. 2010, Do You Want to Keep Your Customers Forever? Boston, Harvard Business Review Press
Spotts, H. E. 2015, Marketing, Technology and Customer Commitment in the New Economy: Proceedings of the 2005 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference. Cham, Springer International PublishingBottom of Form
