Topic | Name | Description |
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Course Introduction | ||
1.1: Work Environment | Read this article on the customer service workplace. Be sure to take careful notes to help study for the unit quiz and final exam. Spend 30 minutes visiting the featured customer workplace for examples of effective customer service tactics. If you can find employment listings of interest to you on that website, you may want to investigate those. |
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Watch this video, which summarizes the fundamentals of marketing terminology and practices. Many of the terms and concepts are deeply rooted in the foundations and traditions of customer service. Please pay extra attention to the key concepts of "The Four Ps" of the marketing mix: product, price, place, and promotion. These topics are critical when defining customer demographics and the methods to connect with them. You may read along with the transcript linked here. |
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1.2: Creating Favorable Impressions | Read this article on how to create favorable impressions with the customers you serve. Be sure to take careful notes to help study for the unit quiz and final exam. Spend 30 minutes visiting the featured customer workplace for examples of effective customer service tactics. If you can find employment listings of interest to you on that website, you may want to investigate those. |
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Watch this video, which presents basic appeals and tactics for effective communications. How do you win someone's attention, and what do you do if you manage to catch it? You may read along with the transcript linked here. |
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1.3: Understanding Customers' Needs and Wants | Read this article on how to understand a customer's needs and wants. Be sure to take careful notes to help study for the unit quiz and final exam. Spend 30 minutes visiting the featured customer workplace for examples of effective customer service tactics. If you can find employment listings of interest to you on that website, you may want to investigate those. |
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Read this chapter, which discusses consumers' decision-making process and examines the situational, personal, psychological, and societal factors that influence their buying decisions. |
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Watch this video on publics and demographics. Among the most important aspects of communication is forming a clear picture of just whom the targeted audience is. This video describes key publics, demographics, and segments we should identify early in our communication planning.You may read along with the transcript linked here. |
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1.4: Communication: Verbal and Nonverbal | Read this article on communicating with the customer both verbally and nonverbally. Be sure to take careful notes to help study for the unit quiz and final exam. Spend 30 minutes visiting the featured customer workplace for examples of effective customer service tactics. If you can find employment listings of interest to you on that website, you may want to investigate those. |
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Watch this video for suggestions on how to improve your written communication skills immediately. Customer service professionals may spend lots of time writing reports and memos. This video discusses six tips on how to do it much better. You may also read along with the transcript linked here. |
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Review these notes on how to prepare a 60-second elevator pitch. |
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Watch these two videos for more tips on how to create an elevator speech. |
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Review these notes for for tips on effective personal presentations. |
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Watch these three videos for tips on how to make a business presentation. |
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Unit 1 Activities | After you have reviewed this unit, please post and respond to the following topics on the community Discourse forum. Feel free to start your own posts and respond to those of other students.
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Prepare a 300-500 word document as if you were the manager of a customer service department hiring new workers for your staff. Based on this unit's readings, what are the key traits and skills you would want to see in applicants as you choose whom to interview? Once you are done with the document, feel free to share it with other students in the discussion forum. |
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2.1: Professionalism in Difficult Situations | Read this article on dealing with extraordinary customer-service situations. Be sure to take careful notes to help study for the unit quiz and final exam. Spend 30 minutes visiting the featured customer workplace for examples of effective customer service tactics. If you can find employment listings of interest to you on that website, you may want to investigate those. |
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2.2: Dealing with Challenging Customers | Read this article on how to handle challenging customers. Be sure to take careful notes to help study for the unit quiz and final exam. Spend 30 minutes visiting the featured customer workplace for examples of effective customer service tactics. If you can find employment listings of interest to you on that website, you may want to take time to investigate. |
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Watch this video for suggestions on how to deal with difficult people. |
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2.3: Dealing with Diverse Customers | Read this article on methods to work with customer diversity. Be sure to take careful notes to help study for the unit quiz and final exam. Spend 30 minutes visiting the featured customer workplace for examples of effective customer service tactics. If you can find employment listings of interest to you on that website, you may want to take time to investigate. |
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Watch this video on international communication tactics, using themes and images that transcend cultural differences. English may connect us in the business place with a common language, but we still need to be sensitive to cultural differences. You may read along with the transcript linked here. |
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Unit 2 Activities | After you have reviewed this unit, please post and respond to the following topics on the discussion forum. Feel free to start your own posts and respond to those of other students.
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Prepare a 300-500 word document as if you were the manager of a customer service department orienting newly hired employees on aspects of dealing with challenging problems and difficult customers. Based on this unit's readings, what are some possible situations and tactics you would want the new employees to be prepared for as they start their job? Once you are done with the document, please post it to the linked discussion thread to share with and receive feedback from your classmates. |
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3.1: Customer Service and Telephone Skills | Read this article on customer service and telephone skills. Be sure to take careful notes to help study for the unit quiz and final exam. Spend 30 minutes visiting the featured customer workplace for examples of effective customer service tactics. If you can find employment listings of interest to you on that website, you may want to take time to investigate. |
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3.2: Customer Service via E-mail and the Internet | Read this article on customer service through e-mail and the internet. Be sure to take careful notes to help study for the unit quiz and final exam. Spend 30 minutes visiting the featured customer workplace for examples of effective customer service tactics. If you can find employment listings of interest to you on that website, you may want to take time to investigate. |
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3.3: Teamwork | Read this article on effective customer service teamwork. Be sure to take careful notes to help study for the unit quiz and final exam. Spend 30 minutes visiting the featured customer workplace for examples of effective customer service tactics. If you can find employment listings of interest to you on that website, you may want to investigate those. |
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3.4: Time, Stress, and Work Health Management | Read this article on self-care for the customer service worker. Be sure to take careful notes to help study for the unit quiz and final exam. Spend 30 minutes visiting the featured customer workplace for examples of effective customer service tactics. If you can find employment listings of interest to you on that website, you may want to investigate those. |
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Unit 3 Activities | After reviewing the unit materials, please post and respond to the following topics on the discussion forum. Feel free to start your own related posts, and respond to other students' posts as well.
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Prepare a 300-500 word document as if you were the manager of a customer service department orienting new employees on the best practices in telephone and computer communications, as well as team work effectiveness and personal development. Based on this unit's readings, what are the key suggestions you would offer to help your new employees be effective in their positions? Once you are done with the document, post it to the discussion thread and leave comments on your classmates' work. |
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4.1: The Customer Service Profession | Read this article for information on employment trends in the 21st century, requisite skills to compete in the customer service job market, and tips from the world's top CEOs on how to fit in. Also explore the embedded links to other resources that you may find useful. |
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4.2: Developing Your Career in Customer Service | Read this article for information on employment resources, the benefits of internships, and tips to find a position in customer service. Also, explore the links to resources embedded in this text. |
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4.3: Resources for Career Development | Read this article, which explores resources for career connections and professional development. Visit, sign-up, and search the websites linked here for employment and networking opportunities. |
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Unit 4 Activities | After reviewing the unit materials, please post and respond to the following topics on the community Discourse forum. Feel free to start your own related posts, and respond to other students' posts as well.
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Prepare a 300-500 word document as if you were advising a student on how to find a job in customer service and advance in career development. Based on this unit's readings, what are the key suggestions you would offer the student? Once you are done with the document, please post it to the discussion forum for classmate comments. |
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5.1: Types of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) | Read this section which discusses the importance of e-CRM and identifies types of CRM within organizations: operational, analytical, sales-force automation, and collaborative. The cycle of CRM identifies customer problems, provides solutions, and focuses on maintaining that customer relationship. |
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Watch this video in which Lena Steinhoff discusses her research on how companies can manage their relationships with online customers more effectively. |
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5.2 The Value of Customer Relationships | Read this section to discover effective channels of CRM and how powerful they can be to a company. Learn the long-term value of a satisfied customer and how a company can implement different strategies to maintain that relationship. Effective CRM initiatives equal increased customer satisfaction which leads to increased sales and positive word of mouth advertising. |
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Learn how companies use technology channels to reach customers, keep customers, and collect and analyze customer data. These channels include banner ads, online reviews and ratings, blog posts, and smartphone ad formats. Different marketing strategies focus on customer use of the mobile phone and social media, allowing for easy, automatic target marketing. |
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5.3: CRM Technology Tools and Software | Read this section which discusses direct communication methods used in customer service. How a customer service worker communicates with a customer verbally is critically important, however, electronic communication can be equally effective. Cost-savings and streamlining of processes are advantages of using CRM software as well as automating and organizing customer data in a centralized location. |
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Watch this video in which Bill Rand explores a model for using customer relationship management to market to an audience. Marketers use CRM tools to keep track of customer interactions with consumers over time. For example, they use data to keep track of the consumer's journey to monitory the touch points they have with each individual. This includes the customer's experience before they make a purchase, during the purchase process, and after the purchase has taken place. What data can you track? How do you use the CRM? What are the benefits? What are some tools for CRM? What is social CRM? |
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This article explains the priority of the customer interacting with a company brand and how CRM can improve that experience. Noting all customer interactions and sharing information across departments provide quick decision-making capabilities and CRM is the tool to make that happen for companies. Learn how CRM can improve customer service and provide the customer with what they really want. |
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Unit 5 Activities | Please post and respond to the following topics on the community Discourse forum. Feel free to start your own posts and respond to those of other students.
Note: We encourage you to post your work to the course discussion forum so your classmates can see your work. Also, take some time to comment on your classmates' posts. You are not required to post your work to the forum, and this activity will not count toward your grade. |
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Prepare a 300-500 word document explaining your justification (as the manager) for purchasing CRM software for your mid-sized manufacturing company. Research and review CRM software and compare the top five programs based on cost, usage, support, customer communication tools, and user satisfaction. Note: We encourage you to post your work to the public course discussion forum so your classmates can see your work. Also, take some time to comment on your classmates' posts. You are not required to post your work to the discussion forum, and this activity will not count towards your grade. |
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6.1 Ethics and the Customer | This resource discusses strategies communities and consumers use to make buying decisions based on their ethical principles. Learn why ethical consumerism is important and also learn about the laws which protect consumers. It is not always about the product but how the product is made, the materials used, and the social responsibility of the company. |
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This study analyzes the importance of emotional branding within all industries, but specifically in the fashion marketplace. Learn how customers now seek an emotional relationship with a brand and how companies are strategizing to engage with these customers. Learn how emotionally invested customers lead to higher sales. |
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In this video, Diana Dosic recommends companies direct the same energy they expend to understanding and engaging their customers to their employees. What are the payoffs for having a better motivated, loyal, imaginative, and innovative workforce? Dosik turns the tables of customer research onto employees, to create smarter, better companies. |
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6.2 Legal Rights of the Customer | In many countries, the customer or consumer is guaranteed certain basic rights by law no matter where they live. Learn these basic rights to stay informed, vigilant, and proactive when purchasing products. Think about the products you have purchased which have since been recalled for safety issues or due to malfunctioning parts on an automobile. Customer protection and satisfaction is imperative for a business to deliver goods and services. |
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This post describes and defines the various terms and rights of the consumer based on the Consumer Product Safety Act of 1972. This act also established the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission which has jurisdiction over thousands of products and requires warning labels and recalls when necessary. Consumers are guaranteed rights to include accurate labeling, safe packaging, and truth in marketing. |
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This brief video from the Queensland government in Australia is a public service announcement that explains the rights of consumers. Customers have the right to ask questions about a product or service, receive a receipt, and to obtain a refund, complementary repair work, or a free replacement if an item they purchased is defective. |
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6.3 Developing and Keeping Customer Trust | This post describes detailed strategies for companies to adopt to maintain customer loyalty. From consistent notifications to uploading service guides to offering an online portal, companies today must compete effectively with these data-driven tips to sustain a customer base and deliver a quality product or service. |
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This article explores the value of customer trust and how a company can measure trust to bring long-term value. A large percentage of customers rate trust as a driving factor for overall customer loyalty. This can also have an impact on a company’s employee turnover. Companies retain the majority of their employees when the company is rated higher in trust among customers. |
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This brief video describes how a digital economy based on trust means more access, more participation, and more innovation. |
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Unit 6 Activities | After you have reviewed this unit, please post and respond to the following topics on the community Discourse forum.
Note: We encourage you to post your work to the course discussion forum so your classmates can see your work. Also, take some time to comment on your classmates' posts. You are not required to post your work to the forum, and this activity will not count toward your grade. |
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Prepare a 300–500 word document from the perspective of a customer purchasing a cell phone. The company you have been loyal to for many years is running a special sale which gives you a 2-for-1 deal. However, a news story has just broken which details this company and its employment practices using underage children in an underdeveloped country. Are you still going to purchase phones from this company? Why or why not? If the company corrected the employment practices, would you return as a loyal customer? If not, what would it take for you to return to this company as a customer? Explain
your experiences as an ethical consumer. Once you are done with the document, feel free to share it with other students in the discussion forum. Note: We encourage you to post your work to the course discussion forum, so your classmates can see your work. Also, take some time to comment on your classmates' posts. You are not required to post your work to the forum, and this activity will not count toward your grade. |
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5.1: Course Project | Please prepare a 1,500-word training manual as if you were the manager of a customer service department orienting a new employee on the needs of your department. Based on what you learned in this course, what are the key points you would want the new employees to understand as they begin their new position? You may include and expand upon your writings from earlier units. Once you have completed the document, please post it to the discussion forum for classmate comments, and for access by potential employers. |
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After you review the unit materials, please post and respond to the following topics on the course discussion board. Feel free to start your own related posts, and respond to other students' posts as well.
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Course Feedback Survey |