Case Study Responses for Customer Service Improvement

Case Study 1: The Mirror Principle

For this you will be responding to a number of Case Studies about Customer Service. Forthe FIVE Case Studies list below. Put your responses to those Case Studies in a Word document. 1. Case Study 1. The Mirror Principle Helen Harrison, marketing director of a major manufacturing plant on the East Coast, was driving back from an early morning Chamber of Commerce meeting and was reflecting on a statement made by the breakfast speaker. The speaker described the mirror principle by saying, “Your employees won’t treat your customers better than you treat your employees.” Given the increasingly fragile employee morale, decrease in sales, and increase in customer service complaints at the plant over the past six months, Helen is wondering if this is what is happening at her company. QUESTION If you were Helen, in what ways would you translate your feelings into an action plan for improvement? What steps would be included in your action plan to turn around these problematic customer service issues? 2. Case Study 2. Organizational Skills You had planned on getting to work early to finish an important project that is due today, but your car won’t start. You know you have the mechanic’s number somewhere, but you can’t remember where you put it. After searching all the logical places, you still cannot locate it. Now that you will be late, you will not have time to finish your project, which was assigned to you two weeks ago. You start to panic, and he clock keeps ticking. QUESTION First, indicate three organization-related problems in this scenario. Then, provide a technique or suggestion that would either eliminate each problem or reduce its effects. ? 3. Case Study 3. Cost of Nonservice A woman was mistreated by a salesperson in a store where she had been shopping once a week for three years. As a result of the poor service, she began shopping elsewhere. Twelve years later she returned to the store and told the owner what had happened. He listened intently, apologized, and thanked her for coming back. Back in his office, he estimated that if the woman had spent only $25 a week in his store, he would have had $15,600 additional revenue over the past 12 years. He had lost her business to nonservice. QUESTION In your judgement, to what extent does nonservice affect business today? What methods can companies use to prevent one incident of poor service from causing substantial revenue loss? 4. Case Study 4. “I’ll Take That Customer!” Neal Erwin has a reputation he has always been proud of in the Haskin’s Bookstore customer service department. He takes calls from customers that others don’t want to deal with. Sometimes, when he is on the phone with a customer, he asks co-workers to come near his desk to hear his side of the argument. In the past, he has gotten loud and belligerent with customers and later has even boasted of winning.” Things have changed, however, and Neal is now in trouble with management because of a recent incident. A loyal 20-year customer, who spoke to Neal on the phone last week, contacted the owner Mr. Charles Haskins and told him in no uncertain terms that she was taking her business elsewhere. QUESTION In your opinion, should Neal have been allowed to get away with his behavior to customers? Explain. As a co-worker of Neal’s, would you have any responsibility to report his aggressive communication style to his supervisor? ? 5. Case Study 5. The Phone Order Fiascos Rick Francis is a CSR who receives a call from a new customer wishing to place an order. Rick has a basketball game broadcasting very softly on the radio, and he thinks the customer cannot hear it. The customer begins to give the order, but Rick interrupts and puts her on hold because he cannot find anything to write with. Because the customer has a heavy accent, Rich has a hard time understanding and say, “Huh?” quite frequently during the phone conversation. Rick concludes the transaction by saying, “Thanks for placing the order.” QUESTION Discuss what should Rick have done differently during this customer dialogue.