Tutor Pack
Skills for Customer Care
UNIT CODE F38W 10
Acknowledgments and Copyright information
We are grateful for the contribution of the Scottish Qualifications Authority in the compilation
of these materials, specifically for its permission to reproduce Unit Specifications and
assessment material
Thanks are also due to West Lothian College for their significant input to developing, quality
and equality checking these materials.
Copyright
© Skills Development Scotland 2013
Copyright for this pack is held by the Skills Development Scotland Co. Ltd. However, tutors
have permission to use the pack and reproduce items from the pack provided that this is to
support teaching and learning processes and that no profit is made from such use. If
reproduced in part, the source should be acknowledged.
Further information regarding this Course, including the Course and Unit Specifications,
National Assessment Bank materials, Assessment Support Materials, Centre Approval and
certification, can be obtained from:
The Scottish Qualifications Authority
Optima Building
58 Robertson Street
Glasgow
G2 8DQ
Assessment Materials
We strongly recommend that you utilise the SQA ASP materials for the assessment of this
Award which can be accessed by SQA approved centres on their secure website. You can
gain further information on this by contacting your SQA Business Manager
Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this Support Pack, tutors
should satisfy themselves that the information passed to candidates is accurate and in
accordance with the current SQA arrangements documents. SDS will accept no
responsibility for any consequences deriving either directly or indirectly from the use of this
Pack.
CONTENTS IN THIS PACK
Unit Specification
Prior verification
Lesson plan
Tutor notes
Assessment Record Sheets
Unit assessment class record
Internal Verification Report
Additional materials
UNIT SPECIFICATION
UNIT
Skills for Customer Care (SCQF level 4)
CODE
F38W 10
SUMMARY
This Unit may be delivered as part of a National Qualification Group Award or as a freestanding Unit. The Unit is intended for learners who wish to develop skills, knowledge and
understanding of customer care. Learners will consider how to identify customers, their
needs and how these needs can be met. Procedures for dealing with dissatisfied
customers are also considered. The practical nature of this Unit allows learners to gain a
real insight into customer care.
OUTCOMES
1.
2.
3.
4.
Explain the importance of customer care to an organisation.
Establish the needs of external customers.
Provide information to external customers.
Respond to dissatisfied external customers in specified circumstances.
RECOMMENDED ENTRY
While entry is at the discretion of the centre, learners would be expected to
have good communication and interpersonal skills.
CREDIT VALUE
1 credit at Intermediate 1 (6 SCQF credit points at SCQF level 4*).
*SCQF credit points are used to allocate credit to qualifications in the Scottish Credit and Qualifications
Framework (SCQF). Each qualification in the Framework is allocated a number of SCQF credit points at
an SCQF level. There are 12 SCQF levels, ranging from Access 1 to Doctorates.
CORE SKILLS
There is no automatic certification of Core Skills in this Unit.
Opportunities for developing aspects of Core Skills are highlighted in Guidance on Learning
and Teaching Approaches for this Unit. Acceptable performance in this Unit will be the
satisfactory achievement of the standards set out in this part of the Unit Specification. All
sections of the statement of standards are mandatory and cannot be altered without
reference to SQA.
OUTCOME 1
Explain the importance of customer care to an organisation.
Performance Criteria
(a) Identify examples of internal and external customers in an organisation.
(b) Explain the positive effects of good customer care to an organisation.
(c) Explain the negative effects poor customer care would have on an organisation.
OUTCOME 2
Establish the needs of external customers.
Performance Criteria
(a) Identify needs of external customers through appropriate questions.
(b) Maintain a positive and helpful attitude and appropriate tone throughout customer
interactions.
(c) Follow organisational customer care procedures throughout interactions.
OUTCOME 3
Provide information to external customers.
Performance Criteria
(a) Identify relevant information to meet the established needs of external customers.
(b) Communicate this information clearly and accurately using appropriate communication
methods.
(c) Maintain a positive and helpful attitude and appropriate tone throughout customer
interactions.
(d) Follow organisational customer care procedures throughout interactions.
OUTCOME 4
Respond to dissatisfied external customers in specified circumstances.
Performance Criteria
(a) Identify the reasons for dissatisfaction of specific customers.
(b) Explain clearly to customers the organisational procedure for dealing with
customer dissatisfaction.
(c) Respond appropriately to specific customer problems, in line with organisational
policy and procedures.
(d) Maintain a positive and helpful attitude and appropriate tone throughout customer
interactions.
(e) Follow organisational customer care procedures throughout interactions.
EVIDENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS UNIT
Performance evidence and written/oral recorded evidence which covers all the
Outcomes and Performance Criteria is required.
Outcome 1
Learners are required to provide written or oral recorded evidence to demonstrate that they
are able to:


give examples of internal and external customers in an organisation
provide an explanation of the positive effects of good customer care on that
organisation, and the negative effects poor customer care would have on it
This assessment should take place in controlled open-book conditions. Where the learner
answers orally, the assessor must complete an assessor checklist.
Outcomes 2, 3 and 4
Learners will be required to demonstrate evidence through performance that when dealing
with customers they are able to:



ask relevant questions to identify the needs of an organisation’s customer
identify information to meet the needs of an organisation’s customer and articulate
it clearly to the customer using appropriate communication methods
identify the reasons for the dissatisfaction of an organisation’s customer,
explain the organisation’s procedure for dealing with the customer’s

dissatisfaction and respond appropriately to the customer, clearly explaining
the next steps. This will involve a customer problem or complaint in
circumstances specified by the centre
maintain a positive and helpful attitude and appropriate tone while
interacting with these customers
The information to be provided may be about a product or service of the
organisation. Communication may be oral (e.g. by telephone or face-to-face) or
in writing (e.g. e-mail).
Performance evidence can be produced through a range of real or simulated practical
scenarios, either in a realistic working environment or a workplace environment. An
assessor observation checklist must be used to provide evidence of performance.
Questioning may be used to supplement performance evidence. For Outcome 4, the
circumstances should be specified by the centre and learners will demonstrate that they
can explain and follow the organisation’s procedure for dealing with dissatisfied customers.
This part of the Unit Specification is offered as guidance. The support notes are not
mandatory.
While the exact time allocated to this Unit is at the discretion of the centre, the notional
design length is 40 hours.
GUIDANCE ON THE CONTENT AND CONTEXT FOR THIS UNIT
It is important that content of this Unit is contextualised for learners.
Outcome 1 considers the importance of good customer care to an organisation. Both
internal and external customers of an organisation should be identified, for example,
colleagues in another part of the organisation or external customers using the organisation’s
products and/or services. Learners should be asked to draw on their own experience as
customers to gain an appreciation of their expectations of good customer service. The
importance of customers to the success of an organisation should also be explored.
Outcome 2 offers the opportunity to establish the needs of different types of customer by
asking appropriate questions. These could be oral in a face-to-face situation or on the
telephone, or in writing, for example via e-mail. Various ways of establishing customer
needs should be considered and learners should practise appropriate methods of
identifying exactly what the customer requires.
In Outcome 3, learners are required to meet customers’ needs by providing appropriate
information about a product or service of the organisation. Learners should look at different
types of information that customers commonly require, for example, the quality and features
of the organisation’s products and/or services and how they are delivered to the
customer. Different ways of gaining this information should be considered, with respect to
access, time and organisational procedures.
In Outcome 4, learners examine how to identify the reasons for customer dissatisfaction and
the organisation’s procedure for dealing with this. Having identified the reasons for the
customer’s dissatisfaction, which could be a problem or complaint, learners will explain the
organisation’s procedure for dealing with such a situation and respond appropriately to the
customer.
Outcomes 2, 3 and 4 are also concerned with the need to follow organisational
procedures, which could be in the form of an organisational policy or guidelines — and may
cover personal appearance- at all times in a customer care setting. Learners should
understand that a consistent level of good practice is required in maintaining good
customer care, and should maintain a positive and helpful attitude and appropriate tone
while dealing with customers. Non-spoken communication, e.g., the effects of positive and
negative body language on customers, should be considered.
GUIDANCE ON LEARNING AND TEACHING APPROACHES FOR THIS UNIT
This Unit may be delivered as part of a National Qualification Group Award or as a freestanding Unit.
It is important to contextualise the content to make it as relevant as possible to the learner’s
area of study. A range of delivery techniques can be employed, including group discussion,
and learners should be encouraged to draw on any experience they have in the workplace
— both as customers and of delivering customer care. The use of real or fictional case
studies/scenarios will aid them to put their learning into a practical context. It would be
advantageous for learners to be able to experience a real or simulated customer service
environment. Alternatively, learners could role play similar situations. It may be possible to
link this Unit with any relevant work experience which the learner undertakes as part of their
programme of study.
It would be helpful for learners to visit an organisation with a good reputation for customer
care as part of their studies. Good practice could be identified and used as discussion
points within the class. It may be useful for a speaker from a relevant industry to talk to
learners about how their organisation plans, implements and improves customer care.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR CORE SKILL DEVELOPMENT
In this Unit, learners will carry out practical activities that involve interacting with
customers. These are good opportunities for developing communication and problem
solving skills.
GUIDANCE ON APPROACHES TO ASSESSMENT FOR THIS UNIT
The practical assessment for this Unit could take place in a customer care environment
and effort should be made to make the situation as real as possible. It may be possible to
link this assessment to work experience which the learner carries out as part of the
programme of study. Alternatively, a role play situation could be used. It may be possible
to develop scenarios in which learners could provide the evidence for Outcomes 2, 3 and
4. These could be in the form of role plays or case studies. Questioning may be used to
supplement performance evidence
Restricted response questions may be used to gather evidence of the underpinning
knowledge needed. This assessment should take place in controlled open-book conditions.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE USE OF E-ASSESSMENT
E-assessment may be appropriate for some assessments in this Unit. By e-assessment we
mean assessment which is supported by information and communications technology (ICT),
such as e- testing or the use of e-portfolios or e-checklists. Centres who wish to use eassessment must ensure that the national standard is applied to all learner evidence and
that conditions of assessment as specified in the Evidence Requirements are met,
regardless of the mode of gathering evidence. Further advice is available in SQA Guidelines
on Online Assessment for Further Education (AA1641, March 2003), SQA Guidelines on eassessment for Schools (BD2625, June 2005).
LEARNERS WITH DISABILITIES AND/OR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT NEEDS
The additional support needs of individual learners should be taken into account when
planning learning experiences, selecting assessment instruments, or considering alternative
Outcomes for Units. Further advice can be found in the SQA document Guidance on
Assessment Arrangements for Learners with Disabilities and/or Additional Support Needs
www.sqa.org.uk
ASSESSMENT MATERIALS
We strongly recommend that you utilise the SQA ASP materials for this Unit which can be
accessed by SQA approved centres on their secure website. You can gain further
information on this by contacting your SQA Business Manager
SCHEME OF WORK
Note that the session lengths will vary according to your learners’ needs. For some learners
it may be appropriate to combine these sessions into one, in others you may wish to break
them down further. You should add and subtract your own planned learning activities as
required. None of the formative learning activities outlined in the exemplar scheme of work
are mandatory requirements. The notional time for the delivery and assessment for this unit
is 40 hours.
Prior verification should take place before the delivery of the unit to ensure that all materials
are current and up-to-date including all legislation, URLs and websites.
REPORT ON PRIOR VERIFICATION OF ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS
Unit Title: ________________________
Delivering Lecturer(s): ________________________
Yes
No
N/A
Action
Current unit specification/standard
Staff information form fully completed and signed, including
details of any assessment conditions and arrangements for
remediation and re-assessment
Scheme of Work/Delivery Plan
Assessment instruments/test specifications for unit – internally
verified, stamped and signed
Marking scheme/marking guidelines/exemplar solutions - IV
stamped for validity
Alternative assessments – internally verified, stamped and
signed
Marking scheme/guidelines/solutions for alternative
assessments – IV stamped for validity
Assessment Schedule for unit (and assessment plan for
programme/award, where appropriate)
Assessment checklist(s) – space for learner’s name,
assessor’s signature, date
Actions completed from previous IV reports
Actions completed from previous EV reports
Teaching and learning materials meet QEID principles
No action required
Signed
Action required
(Internal Verifier)
Date
Required actions completed
Signed
(Internal Verifier )
Date
By
when
LESSON PLAN Skills for Customer Care
Date of lesson:
Lecturer’s name:
Class name/programme:
No of learners in group:
To meet Skills for Customer Care
Lesson context/ general aim:
Lesson objectives/ specific learning
goals
To improve customer care skills






Understand what good customer care is
Identify who their customers are
Examine good and bad customer care
Consider ways of providing good
customer care
Identify why customers complain and how
they feel
Look at ways of dealing with customer
complaints
Methods to be used to judge if
objectives have been met. How will
you know?(include informal/ formative
assessment and any summative)
Outcome one of Skills for Customer Care
Open Book Assessment
Resources required
Flip chart
Pens/paper
Paperwork
Learner Pack
Outcome two and three assessed Role Play
TIMED BREAKDOWN OF APPROACHES AND ACTIVITIES:
Approx.
duration
Approaches and lesson activities
Involving whom
15 mins
Discussing aims and objectives
All
10 mins
Activity one – Customer Care, what is it? - group or
individual activity.
Group or
Individual
5- 10 mins
Explain Internal and External customers
Tutor to Group
20 mins
Activity two – Who are your customers - pairs
Large group Discussion
Pairs and Group
40 mins
Activity three – Good and bad Customer Care – pairs
Pairs and Group
Large Group Discussion
60 mins
Instruments of Assessment 1
Assessment
Outcome One
Open Book
30 mins
Activity four – What is the best thing to do? – small
groups and then large group discussion
Small group
20 mins
Activity 5 – large group discussion – Why do customers
complain
Group
15 mins
Activity 6 and 7 Discuss how they thing customers feel
when they are making a complaint.
Individual or pairs
Activity 8 – Read over handout – “remedy for
complaints” see role playing option
Tutor and small
groups
30 mins
Activity 9 – Telephone skills worksheet
Individuals
30 mins
Activity 10 – Customer satisfaction
Individuals
120 mins
Instruments of Assessment 2
Role play
120 mins
Instruments of Assessment 3
Role play
40 mins
TUTOR NOTES- CUSTOMER CARE
ACTIVITY 1 - Customer Care – What is it?
We all know what it is like to receive good customer care.
It’s that nice feeling we get when we are helped to select the right product, when a repair is
done properly and on time, when we are not left waiting for ages. When people take the time
to tell us what is happening.
Customer Care is not only about giving people what they want. It is also about telling people
when things are not possible and handling complaints in such a way that they feel satisfied
with what has happened even though they have not got what they wanted.
Group Activity – On flip chart – An individual activity is available in learner pack,
As a group think of as many words or phrases you think would be used when describing
customer care.
Answers might include
A good description of Customer Care includes some of the following words:

Treating people as individuals, Fair treatment, Good service, Putting faults right,
Courtesy, Politeness, Listening, Honesty, Taking trouble with things.
You might want to discuss any that were not identified.
Internal and External Customers
Need to explain the following information
WHO ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS?
Your customers depend on the type of organisation or company you work for and your role
within it.
For example:
If you work as a hospital porter your main customers will be patients, but you could also say
that visitors and nurses are also your customers because you will also be providing a service
for these people.
If you work as a receptionist your customers will also vary, your will be serving the needs of
the public but will also be providing a service to other persons within the organisation.
Customers, therefore fall into two groups:


Internal customers
External customers.
ACTIVITY 2 – In pairs or individuals- Who are your customers? See learner pack
Think about who your customers are within the work placement.
Identify who is an Internal Customer and who is an External Customer.
Large group discussion
ACTIVITY 3 – In pairs - Good and Bad Customer Care
During the past year there will have been many occasions when you will have been a
customer for either goods or services.
Think of:
 An example of what you regard as EXCELLENT customer care
 An example of what your regards as POOR customer care
For each example:
 Identify the key factors that contributed to the experiences
 Describe your feelings and reactions at the time
 Describe your feelings and reactions now
Example 1
Excellent Customer Care
Example 2
Poor customer Care
Briefly describe the circumstances
Briefly describe the circumstances
List the factors that contributed to this
being an excellent customer care
experience
List the factors that contributed to this
being a poor customer care
experience
My feelings and reactions at the time
My feelings and reactions at the time
My feelings and reactions now
My feelings and reactions now
Large Group – Discuss the answers
The Group must now complete Instruments of Assessment 1
Learners get one hour to complete in open book conditions.
Give out Case Study and ask learners to complete this assessment.
ACTIVITY 4 - What is the best thing to do? See Learner Pack
Small groups or individuals ask the learners to complete activity four in their learner pack.
Large group – Discuss responses.
ACTIVITY 5 - Why Do Customers Complain?
There are a number of reasons why customers complain.
Ask the large group to try to think of some of the complaints your organisation or company
receive and write on flip chart. There is an individual activity in learner pack if required.
Discuss with the group
Some common reasons for customer complaints are:

Customers have not got the treatment they expected at your company/organisation
Customers want to be treated to a certain standard and expect courtesy and politeness
when dealing with professionals

They felt the service they received when they arrived was unsatisfactory
If a customer is not dealt with straight away they may feel they are not important.

The staff have been rude or ignored the customer
If the staff do not acknowledge a customer, they may be seen as being rude

Customers have misunderstood information/instructions
Customers may not have listened to what they have been told and carried out instructions
wrongly, they often do not want to admit it is their mistake so will blame you.

Appointments are not running on time
If customer makes an appointment for a specific time, they expect to be seen at this time.

The phone may have been answered in an abrupt manner
Sometimes when we are busy, the phone ringing feels like a nuisance, if we answer the
phone with an abrupt tone, customers will pick up on this and feel like they are being a
burden, this will upset them.

The tone of voice used on the telephone may have upset them
Sometimes it’s not what we say; it’s how we say it!
ACTIVITY 6- How Do Complaining Customers Feel?
Remind the group that most customers are reasonable. There are few who will not be
satisfied whatever you do.
And ask them How do you think customers feel when they are complaining?
Identify as many examples as they can relate to how they think customers may be feeling:
What do customers expect?
Discuss with the group
In all situations customers expect the following:








To be listened to
To be treated with courtesy
To be taken seriously
For you to be calm
Not to be interrupted when they are initially trying to explain the problem
Not to be kept waiting
For the problem to be followed up
To get a reasonable explanation as to what can be done or why the problem cannot
be put right
Handling Complaints Sensibly
ACTIVITY 7 – How do you currently handle complaints?
Group discussion on:
How do you currently handle complaints?
Is there room for improvement?
ACTIVITY 8 – Read over handout “remedy for complaints”
Depending on time you could role play answering the telephone to enable practice for role
playing assessment and/or break up the session.
ACTIVITY 9 – Telephone skills worksheet- In Learner Pack
Pairs or small groups followed by discussion
ACTIVITY 10– Customer satisfaction
Large group – Discussion- Consider their placements- do they think the organisations are
giving good customer service?
Do they know if organisation has a complaints procedure?
Do they know your complaints procedure- they might want to be reminded that they are your
customers etc.
Learners are now ready to be assessed using Instruments of Assessment 2 and 3
This is a role playing exercise which involves learners planning and then undertaking a role
play which is assessed by the tutor.
ASSESSMENT RECORD SHEETS
Learner Unit assessment record
Business: Skills for Customer Care (SCQF Level 4)
Class
Group
Learner name
Learner ID
Record of performance
Outcomes
1
Explain the importance of
customer care to an
organisation.
2
Establish the needs of external
customers.
3
Provide information to external
customers.
4
Respond to dissatisfied external
customers in specified
circumstances.
*Achieved/
not achieved
Comments
*(Enter A or NA in the box to indicate whether the learner has achieved or not
achieved each Outcome. The comments column can be used to highlight any
reassessment that may be needed.)
Overall comments
Assessor name
Assessor signature
Date
UNIT ASSESSMENT CLASS RECORD
Business: Skills for Customer Care (SCQF Level 4)
Class
Group
Learner
surname
Learner
forename
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
* Mark A or N/A as appropriate
Learner ID
Overall
achievement*
Outcomes
1
2
3
4
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
INTERNAL VERIFICATION REPORT ON ASSESSMENT SAMPLE
To:
Lecturer/Assessor
Unit Title
Unit No
Programme Name
Yes
No
Comments
Assessment evidence and
materials available
All learners work verified
Standards consistently applied
If no, list learners where standards applied were inconsistent
Learners’ Names
Reason for inconsistency
Materials satisfactorily verified
Yes/No
Undernoted action required by __________________________ (date)
Internal Verifier
Above action satisfactorily completed
Internal Verifier
Date
Yes/No
_______________ Date
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS
HANDOUT 1 REMEDY FOR COMPLAINTS
STAGE 1
Listen carefully to what they are saying.
Avoid the temptation to interrupt or give explanations at this time.
Allow the customer to state their views and feelings.
They will not be prepared to listen to anything you have to say until you have done this.
Do use encouraging phrases and sounds to reassure them of your interest.
STAGE 2
Use neutral phrases showing you understand the problem. (I can see you are in a
predicament, I can understand your feelings, and I appreciate your concerns) This will calm
them down giving you a basis for constructive dialogue.
Apologise at this stage ONLY IF APPROPRIATE. Avoid apologising repeatedly as this will
give them impression of grovelling.
STAGE 3
Providing the customer has stated their views/feelings, and care has been taken to avoid
head on arguments the customer should have calmed down enough to discuss the problem
logically.
Use straightforward language to explain solutions and discuss the plans of action. If it is
necessary to give bad news try and counter this with something good.
Ensure any action required by you is done as quickly as possible.
CUSTOMER SERVICE ON THE TELEPHONE
How to answer the telephone
The way a company answers the telephone tells the whole story about the kind of service
you can expect to receive from them.
How you answer the telephone sets the tone of the entire call. The correct phrases said in
the right order can give a positive first impression and convey an immediate message about
your company.
The basic rules are as follows:

Pick up the telephone within three rings

Greet the caller

Give your name/company name

Ask the customer if you can help
SMILE!
One way to positively affect the inflection in your voice is to smile, when you answer the
telephone. The reason for doing so is not psychological but physiological. When you smile,
the soft palate at the back of your mouth raises and makes the sound waves more fluid.
Smiling helps your voice sound friendly, warm and receptive.
IT’S NOT WHAT YOU SAY; IT’S HOW YOU SAY IT!
Almost the entire message a customer picks up over the telephone is from your voice, so, it
doesn’t take long for the customer to pick up your attitude.
Your first words sets the scene
No matter what words you actually use, the tone of your voice reveals what you think and
feel. For example:
A monotone and flat voice says to the customer:
“I’m bored and have absolutely no interest in what you are talking about”
Slow speed and low pitch says:
“I’m depressed and really want to be left alone”
A high pitched and emphatic voice says:
“I’m enthusiastic about the subject”
An abrupt speed and very loud tone says:
“I’m angry and not open to input”