ACS

Customer Service

 

Good customer service is, of course, a key factor in any successful business.  The aim must be to produce the appropriate quality of goods for your market and the highest level of service at competitive prices to achieve “customer satisfaction”.

 

To this end many elements are involved including:

 

1             Quality control/assurance (See Compliance/Quality Controls)

2             Good business environment

3             Health and Safety considerations (e.g. risk assessments) – (See Health and Safety)

4             Non-discrimination (See Equality)

5             Effective marketing and sales strategy (See Sales and Marketing)

6             Staff Training (See Training inc. Induction)

 

You will know how important it is to get the right quality of goods for your market.  Knowing what your particular customers want is the first essential in achieving a successful business.

 

Whatever the quality of goods needed, however, the aim should always be to achieve the highest possible level of service.

 

The right business environment for your customers will also need careful consideration.  The state of repair and decoration, the colour schemes and layout of the premises will all be factors in deciding the image you want to portray.  Also you will no doubt consider such matters as background music and to what extent Closed Circuit T.V. cameras need to feature. Don’t forget the licences required for the former and registration under the Data Protection Act for the latter – see the Information Commissioner website (www.ico.gov.uk) and download CCTV Code of Practice 2008.

 

Developing a Health and Safety policy to protect your customers is, of course, a legal requirement.  It also makes sense in the best interests of customers. The Pbsblueprint policy covers both employees and customers. Care and advice should be used to implement the policy. Also don’t forget your Occupier and Public Liability insurance cover to protect yourself if something does go wrong.

 

It is against the law to smoke in virtually all enclosed public places and workplaces in the U.K and furthermore anyone who manages or controls the smoke free premises must take all reasonable steps to prevent smoking in those premises.  Failure to do so is itself a criminal offence.

 

“No smoking” signs must be clearly displayed and drawn to the attention of anyone who attempts to smoke on the premises.  They should be told that they are committing a criminal offence and that you would also be committing an offence if you allowed them to continue smoking.

 

If they refuse to stop smoking they should be told that staff will refuse to serve them and that they are required to leave the premises immediately.  If they refuse to leave adopt your usual procedures for dealing with anti-social and/or illegal behaviour on your premises, including requesting police assistance when needed.

 

For those working in licensed retail premises it must be borne in mind that criminal offences can also be committed by:-

 

1.            knowingly allowing disorderly conduct on the premises

2.            knowingly selling or attempting to sell alcohol to a person who is drunk or allowing alcohol to be sold to such a person.

 

(Sects. 140 and 141 Licensing Act 2003 )    

(See also Sales and Marketing).

 

In all situations where it is considered necessary to refuse service to any customer, tact and professionalism are essential to avoid the risk of violence.

 

The retailer or manager/supervisor is entitled to refuse service to any customer and require them to leave, with or without a reason. As the store is private property, any customer can be banned from entry and told that they will be trespassing if they do so. Where possible the ban should be confirmed in writing to the person concerned so that evidence is available should subsequent enforcement action be necessary.

 

As an employer it is important that you have in place policies and procedures to ensure your staff are protected from abuse and harassment by customers. The Equality Act 2010 makes employers potentially liable for harassment of their employees by third parties such as customers. Liability could arise where there has been at least two previous incidents of harassment, the employer was aware of them and took no reasonable steps to stop them occurring again. The harassment would not have to be by the same person. For more advice see Staff Safety.   

 

The Equality Act also outlaws all forms of discrimination and employers should have in place appropriate policies and rules to ensure their staff are aware of what is required to comply with the Act. Visit the website of The Commission for Equality and Human Rights at www.cehr.org.uk

 

The particular requirements for adapting your business premises to allow access by disabled people need special attention. Guidance can be obtained at www.businesslink.gov.uk/accessandfacilitiesfordisabledpeople Remember that if you provide a car park you should not only mark out disabled persons’ parking spaces but demonstrate that you have taken reasonable steps to ensure that they are only available for disabled people.

 

You will already have your marketing and sales strategy clearly defined having researched your particular market.  However, we would highlight two areas you might need to address, namely (1) any terms and conditions of sale and (2) Internet sales, and one area you certainly should address, namely communicating with customers. However you proceed, make sure your staff know what you expect of them. (Staff Handbook and Training)

 

Under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 (CCA 74) it is a criminal offence for businesses that offer goods or services on credit to do so without holding a Consumer Credit Licence (CCL).  If retailers offer credit or give customers time to pay for goods or services they will need a CCL. Application for a Licence is made to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

 

The OFT cannot advise on whether individual cases comply with the law. It simply states that you are likely to need a CCL if, for example, you sell goods or provide services on credit as part of your business.

 

The CCA 74 doesn’t exempt any businesses from obtaining a licence because of the limited occasions on which they may offer credit or the limited amount of that credit. Nor does it do so because they don’t charge for the service. The Act defines “credit” as any form of financial accommodation.

 

If you allow credit or otherwise rely on specific terms and conditions of sale it is important that those terms and conditions are properly and clearly drafted and drawn to the attention of the customer before sale of the goods.  The best course is to get the customer to confirm in writing that the transaction is subject to your terms and conditions and that they have seen a copy. Don’t forget to include a clause imposing a charge of interest when a payment is overdue. (Late payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998)

 

When providing credit facilities there is always a risk that the customer may default on payments. Depending on your type of business and the amount of money involved you should always consider making credit checks before granting the facilities and certainly ensure you have correct details of the customer (e.g private individual or limited company) in case you need to enforce payment.

 

Electronic commerce requires particular “customer care” and detailed protection for the consumer under the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000.  They apply to the sale of goods and services by “distance communications” but exclude contracts for financial service or food.

 

How you communicate with your customers will depend upon the nature of your business and the resources you have available.  Ideal as it might be to establish and retain personal contact; if you can only do this with a few customers you might be better off writing a personal letter to several hundred. Whatever course you adopt make time to listen to any responses.  Feed-back from customers can be vital in retaining your position in the market place and if you act on what a customer has proposed the relationship can only benefit.

 

Staff training is not only required on legal issues such as non-discrimination and under-age sales but also on the basis of what is needed to keep the customers happy. Obviously, a polite and professional approach is essential and an ability to stay cool under pressure or provocation is desirable.  Knowing the products and/or services being sold is important and dealing with transactions efficiently will impress customers.  We would also add an ability to handle customer complaints even if it only extends to politely referring that customer to a more senior colleague

 

Handling customer complaints effectively and efficiently is, of course, an art in itself.  Remaining in control of the situation is most important for the senior members of staff who have to listen and deal with any complaint.  To help them in this respect they should not only be trained in adopting the right attitude but be fully conversant with the products and/or services being sold and have a basic knowledge of the law on consumers’ rights.  This will not only give them confidence but enable them to judge whether or not the customer has a valid complaint.  Thus at an early stage the customer can hopefully be placated and even impressed at the service.

 

You will no doubt have your own ideas on the best approach to get and retain customers and will not necessarily agree with everything set out above.  What cannot be disputed, however, is that customer service must be at the fore of all our thinking because without them we have no business.

 

The standard P.B.S Staff Handbook has the following message for all employees:

 

“Customers are at the heart of any successful business.  Every customer should be treated with courtesy and staff are expected to do everything reasonably possible to ensure that customers are happy with their dealings with the business and have received efficient and courteous service at all times.

 

If a customer feels he or she has cause for complaint about products or the services they receive, then they may approach a member of the management team or write to your employer. Any such complaint will be given fair consideration and any necessary remedial action will be taken.

 

Whatever the provocation, try not to allow yourself to become the subject of a ‘customer complaint’.

 

The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 protect consumers and crack down on rogue traders. For more information on the Regulations go to www.businesslink.gov.uk/unfairtrading

 

 

See below for some other useful links for help and guidance

 

 

Background Music                          Performing Right Society (www.prs.co.uk)

                                                             Phonographic Performance Limited (www.ppluk.com)

 

CCTV systems                                 Information Commissioners Office (www.ico.go

                                                            British Security Industries Association (http://www.bsia.co.uk                       

 

U.K. Payment Systems

(e.g. chip & PIN, cheques etc.)     http://www.ukpayments.org.uk/

 

                                     

 

 

 

 

All PBS information sheets are designed to provide the detail you need to implement best business and employment practices.  They are not a detailed commentary on the current law and where advice is needed in a specific case you should contact PBS for expert consultation.

 

 

Customer service