PART II

Lesson 1: Competencies Valued in the IT-BPM Industry

I.OVERVIEW

Nowadays companies are facing an increasing stress of competition. They have to cope with
shorter product lifecycles, rising customer demands, quicker technological developments and
higher cost pressure. Classical production factors such as labor and capital are losing some of
their significance. In order to create strategic competitive advantages, companies have to
concentrate on their core competencies, which are significantly influenced by the skills and the
knowledge of their employees. To remain competitive despite the consequences of globalization,
companies have to consider change as a continuous challenge. Besides organization,
technologies and processes, the changes also affect the employees of the company. One chance
for companies to react flexibly to new situations is the targeted management of business
processes.

II.LEARNING OUTCOMES

After successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

1. Define Competencies
2. Identify the different competencies in IT-BPM industry 3. Identify the
importance of competencies in the industry.
4. Apply these competencies in the workplace.

III.COURSE MATERIALS

Definition and Principles of Competencies

Competence is defined as the “ability to do something well” (Melba M.Diamante& Genevie

Ledesma-Tan, 2015).

Competencies are particular qualities that a company’s recruiters have decided are desirable
for employees to possess. During job interviews and assessments, competencies are used as
benchmarks against which assessors can evaluate candidates. Competencies are not skills,
although they are similar. Skills are learned, while competencies are inherent qualities an
individual possesses -combining skills, knowledge and ability.

Tobbin and Pettingell likewise explain competencies in the following manner:

“This would lead us to believe that if we can define a set of competencies for a job role and find
someone who possesses that exact set of competencies, we should expect that the person will
do the job well. That is why some companies go to the great expense to define a set of
competencies for every job in the company and use each job competency profile to judge people
who hold a particular job or aspire to a particular job”.

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IT-BPMN companies, because of the nature of the industry, look for the same competencies from their
job applicants although every company may call these by different names:

The following competencies based on IBPAP(Business Processing Association of the Philippines)

Global Competitive Assessment Tool (GCAT):

• Cognitive Ability
• English Proficiency
• Computer Literacy
• Perceptual Speed and Accuracy
• Communication
• Learning Orientation
• Courtesy
• Empathy
• Reliability
• Responsiveness
Competencies valued in the industry:

• Communication
• Learning Orientation
• Courtesy
• Empathy
• Reliability
• Responsiveness--
Different Types of Competency
One of the biggest challenges a company might face in recruitment is identifying employee
competencies in the first place; it can often be difficult to put into words what employees need to
possess to make them successful.
Competencies usually fall into three categories:

1. Behavioural Competencies – an expression of the softer skills involved in an employee’s

performance.
2. Technical Competencies – usually concerned with the effective use of IT systems and
computers, or any hard skills necessary for a job role.

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 3. Leadership Competencies – an expression of the qualities that make a good leader,
turned into measurable behaviours .Given that skills aren’t the same as competencies, all
employees at a firm might be expected to possess some of the same basic competencies
to fulfil the basics of their roles, even if their expected skill sets are different. These are
called ‘threshold competencies’.

Whether an office manager or a solicitor at a law firm, all employees should have a basic
understanding of the industry, the company’s services and how the company operates. They
should also be competent using a computer and communicating. These threshold competencies
would then be accompanied by further competencies that might be specifically tailored to the role.
What Is the Difference between Skills and Competencies
Source: https://www.wikijob.co.uk/content/

The definition of ‘skills’ and ‘competencies’ is, on the face of it, very similar. They are both related
to the ability to do something well. However, there are inherent differences in the way these two
terms are used by recruiters. Skills are undoubtedly important when recruiting for a new position
or assessing the capabilities of existing employees. However, in isolation, they are not enough to
adequately assess whether an individual will be successful in a role, or whether they will have a
healthy talent lifecycle (how employees move through a company once hired). That’s where
competencies come in.
Here are some key differences between the two:
● A skill is the ability to do something, while competencies are behaviours. You learn
to clean a window just as you learn to perform open heart surgery. These are skills.
Competencies specify how the individual carries out the skills they have. For example, 10
people might be skilled at computer programming, but perhaps only five will work in a way
that is in line with company culture. This might be being respectful of management,
working efficiently, having good time management and being an effective team member.
● Skills are specific, while competencies are broad. A person can either perform open
heart surgery and save someone’s life, or they can’t. In contrast, competencies tell us what
success looks like; they combine ability and knowledge with the required skills. For
example, a talented open heart surgeon who is rude to their team, gives relatives bad
news in a nonchalant manner and hasn’t kept up with studying the latest developments in
the industry, would not be considered to be succeeding in the role.

Competencies listed by “cluster” (similar competencies related to a common skill

set) By: Edward J. Cripe
https://www.workforce.com/news/31-core-competencies-explained

I. Competencies Dealing with People

The Leading Others Cluster

1. Establishing Focus: The ability to develop and communicate goals in support of the business’
mission.
● Acts to align own unit’s goals with the strategic direction of the business.
● Ensures that people in the unit understand how their work relates to the business’
mission. ● Ensures that everyone understands and identifies with the unit’s mission.
● Ensures that the unit develops goals and a plan to help fulfill the business’ mission.
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2. Providing Motivational Support: The ability to enhance others’ commitment to their work. ●
Recognizes and rewards people for their achievements.
● Acknowledges and thanks people for their contributions.
● Expresses pride in the group and encourages people to feel good about their
accomplishments. ● Finds creative ways to make people’s work rewarding.
● Signals own commitment to a process by being personally present and involved at key
events.
● Identifies and promptly tackles morale problems.
● Gives talks or presentations that energize groups.
3. Fostering Teamwork: As a team member, the ability and desire to work cooperatively with others
on a team; as a team leader, the ability to demonstrate interest, skill, and success in getting groups
to learn to work together.
● Behaviors for Team Members
● Listens and responds constructively to other team members’ ideas.
● Offers support for others’ ideas and proposals.
● Is open with other team members about his/her concerns.
● Expresses disagreement constructively (e.g., by emphasizing points of agreement,
suggesting alternatives that may be acceptable to the group).
● Reinforces team members for their contributions.
● Gives honest and constructive feedback to other team members.
● Provides assistance to others when they need it.
● Works for solutions that all team members can support.
● Shares his/her expertise with others.
● Seeks opportunities to work on teams as a means to develop experience, and
knowledge.
● Provides assistance, information, or other support to others, to build or maintain
relationships with them.
Behaviors for Team Leaders
● Provides opportunities for people to learn to work together as a team.
● Enlists the active participation of everyone.
● Promotes cooperation with other work units.
● Ensures that all team members are treated fairly.
● Recognizes and encourages the behaviors that contribute to teamwork.
4. Empowering Others: The ability to convey confidence in employees’ ability to be successful,
especially at challenging new tasks; delegating significant responsibility and authority; allowing
employees freedom to decide how they will accomplish their goals and resolve issues.
● Gives people latitude to make decisions in their own sphere of work.
● Is able to let others make decisions and take charge.
● Encourages individuals and groups to set their own goals, consistent with business goals.
● Expresses confidence in the ability of others to be successful.
● Encourages groups to resolve problems on their own; avoids prescribing a solution.
5. Managing Change: The ability to demonstrate support for innovation and for organizational
changes needed to improve the organization’s effectiveness; initiating, sponsoring, and
implementing organizational change; helping others to successfully manage organizational
change.
Employee Behaviors
● Personally develops a new method or approach.
● Proposes new approaches, methods, or technologies.
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 ● Develops better, faster, or less expensive ways to do things.
Manager/Leader Behaviors
● Works cooperatively with others to produce innovative solutions.
● Takes the lead in setting new business directions, partnerships, policies or procedures.
● Seizes opportunities to influence the future direction of an organizational unit or the
overall business.
● Helps employees to develop a clear understanding of what they will need to do differently,
as a result of changes in the organization.
● Implements or supports various change management activities (e.g., communications,
education, team development, coaching).
● Establishes structures and processes to plan and manage the orderly implementation of
change.
● Helps individuals and groups manage the anxiety associated with significant change.
● Facilitates groups or teams through the problem-solving and creative-thinking processes
leading to the development and implementation of new approaches, systems, structures,
and methods.
6. Developing Others: The ability to delegate responsibility and to work with others and coach them
to develop their capabilities.
● Provides helpful, behaviorally specific feedback to others.
● Shares information, advice, and suggestions to help others to be more successful;
provides effective coaching.
● Gives people assignments that will help develop their abilities.
● Regularly meets with employees to review their development progress.
● Recognizes and reinforces people’s developmental efforts and improvements.
● Expresses confidence in others’ ability to be successful.
7. Managing Performance: The ability to take responsibility for one’s own or one’s employees’
performance, by setting clear goals and expectations, tracking progress against the goals,
ensuring feedback, and addressing performance problems and issues promptly.
Behaviors for employees
● With his/her manager, sets specific, measurable goals that are realistic but challenging,
with dates for accomplishment.
● With his/her manager, clarifies expectations about what will be done and how.
● Enlists his/her manager’s support in obtaining the information, resources, and training
needed to accomplish his/her work effectively.
● Promptly notifies his/her manager about any problems that affect his/her ability to
accomplish planned goals.
● Seeks performance feedback from his/her manager and from others with whom he/she
interacts on the job.
● Prepares a personal development plan with specific goals and a timeline for their
accomplishment.
● Takes significant action to develop skills needed for effectiveness in current or future job.
Behaviors for managers

● Ensures that employees have clear goals and responsibilities.

● Works with employees to set and communicate performance standards that are specific
and measurable.
● Supports employees in their efforts to achieve job goals (e.g., by providing resources,
removing obstacles, acting as a buffer).
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 ● Stays informed about employees’ progress and performance through both formal
methods (e.g., status reports) and informal methods (e.g., management by walking
around).
● Provides specific performance feedback, both positive and corrective, as soon as
possible after an event.
● Deals firmly and promptly with performance problems; lets people know what is expected
of them and when.
● Communication and Influencing Cluster
8. Attention to Communication: The ability to ensure that information is passed on to others who
should be kept informed.
● Ensures that others involved in a project or effort are kept informed about developments
and plans.
● Ensures that important information from his/her management is shared with his/her
employees and others as appropriate.
● Shares ideas and information with others who might find them useful.
● Uses multiple channels or means to communicate important messages (e.g., memos,
newsletters, meetings, electronic mail).
● Keeps his/her manager informed about progress and problems; avoids surprises. ●
Ensures that regular, consistent communication takes place.
9. Oral Communication: The ability to express oneself clearly in conversations and interactions with
others.
● Speaks clearly and can be easily understood.
● Tailors the content of speech to the level and experience of the audience.
● Uses appropriate grammar and choice of words in oral speech.
● Organizes ideas clearly in oral speech.
● Expresses ideas concisely in oral speech.
● Maintains eye contact when speaking with others.
● Summarizes or paraphrases his/her understanding of what others have said to verify
understanding and prevent miscommunication.
10. Written Communication: The ability to express oneself clearly in business writing. ● Expresses
ideas clearly and concisely in writing.
● Organizes written ideas clearly and signals the organization to the reader (e.g., through
an introductory paragraph or through use of headings).
● Tailors written communications to effectively reach an audience.
● Uses graphics and other aids to clarify complex or technical information.
● Spells correctly.
● Writes using concrete, specific language.
● Uses punctuation correctly.
● Writes grammatically.
● Uses an appropriate business writing style.
11. Persuasive Communication: The ability to plan and deliver oral and written communications that
make an impact and persuade their intended audiences.
● Identifies and presents information or data that will have a strong effect on others.
● Selects language and examples tailored to the level and experience of the audience.
● Selects stories, analogies, or examples to illustrate a point.
● Creates graphics, overheads, or slides that display information clearly and with high
impact.
● Presents several different arguments in support of a position.
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12. Interpersonal Awareness: The ability to notice, interpret, and anticipate others’ concerns and
feelings, and to communicate this awareness empathetically to others.
● Understands the interests and important concerns of others.
● Notices and accurately interprets what others are feeling, based on their choice of words,
tone of voice, expressions, and other nonverbal behavior.
● Anticipates how others will react to a situation. ● Listens attentively to people’s ideas and
concerns.
● Understands both the strengths and weaknesses of others.
● Understands the unspoken meaning in a situation. ● Says or does things to address
others’ concerns.
● Finds non-threatening ways to approach others about sensitive issues.
● Makes others feel comfortable by responding in ways that convey interest in what they
have to say.
13. Influencing Others: The ability to gain others’ support for ideas, proposals, projects, and solutions.
● Presents arguments that address others’ most important concerns and issues and looks
for win-win solutions.
● Involves others in a process or decision to ensure their support.
● Offers trade-offs or exchanges to gain commitment.
● Identifies and proposes solutions that benefit all parties involved in a situation.
● Enlists experts or third parties to influence others.
● Develops other indirect strategies to influence others.
● Knows when to escalate critical issues to own or others’ management, if own efforts to
enlist support have not succeeded.
● Structures situations (e.g., the setting, persons present, sequence of events) to create a
desired impact and to maximize the chances of a favorable outcome.
● Works to make a particular impression on others.
● Identifies and targets influence efforts at the real decision makers and those who can
influence them.
● Seeks out and builds relationships with others who can provide information, intelligence,
career support, potential business, and other forms of help.
● Takes a personal interest in others (e.g., by asking about their concerns, interests, family,
friends, hobbies) to develop relationships.
● Accurately anticipates the implications of events or decisions for various stakeholders in
the organization and plans strategy accordingly.
14. Building Collaborative Relationships: The ability to develop, maintain, and strengthen partnerships
with others inside or outside the organization who can provide information, assistance, and
support. ● Asks about the other person’s personal experiences, interests, and family.
● Asks questions to identify shared interest, experiences, or other common ground.
● Shows an interest in what others have to say; acknowledges their perspectives and
ideas. ● Recognizes the business concerns and perspectives of others.
● Expresses gratitude and appreciation to others who have provided information,
assistance, or support.
● Takes time to get to know coworkers, to build rapport and establish a common bond.
● Tries to build relationships with people whose assistance, cooperation, and support may
be needed.
● Provides assistance, information, and support to others to build a basis for future
reciprocity.
15. Customer Orientation: The ability to demonstrate concern for satisfying one’s external and/or
internal customers.
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 ● Quickly and effectively solves customer problems.
● Talks to customers (internal or external) to find out what they want and how satisfied they
are with what they are getting.
● Lets customers know he/she is willing to work with them to meet their needs.
● Finds ways to measure and track customer satisfaction. ● Presents a cheerful, positive
manner with customers.
II. Competencies Dealing with Business

The Preventing and Solving Problems Cluster

16. Diagnostic Information Gathering: The ability to identify the information needed to clarify a
situation, seek that information from appropriate sources, and use skillful questioning to draw out
the information, when others are reluctant to disclose it
● Identifies the specific information needed to clarify a situation or to make a decision.
● Gets more complete and accurate information by checking multiple sources.
● Probes skillfully to get at the facts, when others are reluctant to provide full, detailed
information.
● Routinely walks around to see how people are doing and to hear about any problems
they are encountering.
● Questions others to assess whether they have thought through a plan of action.
● Questions others to assess their confidence in solving a problem or tackling a situation.
● Asks questions to clarify a situation.
● Seeks the perspective of everyone involved in a situation.
● Seeks out knowledgeable people to obtain information or clarify a problem.
17. Analytical Thinking: The ability to tackle a problem by using a logical, systematic, sequential
approach.
● Makes a systematic comparison of two or more alternatives.
● Notices discrepancies and inconsistencies in available information.
● Identifies a set of features, parameters, or considerations to take into account, in
analyzing a situation or making a decision.
● Approaches a complex task or problem by breaking it down into its component parts and
considering each part in detail.
● Weighs the costs, benefits, risks, and chances for success, in making a decision.
● Identifies many possible causes for a problem.
● Carefully weighs the priority of things to be done.
18. Forward Thinking: The ability to anticipate the implications and consequences of situations and
take appropriate action to be prepared for possible contingencies.
● Anticipates possible problems and develops contingency plans in advance.
● Notices trends in the industry or marketplace and develops plans to prepare for
opportunities or problems.
● Anticipates the consequences of situations and plans accordingly.
● Anticipates how individuals and groups will react to situations and information and plans
accordingly.
19. Conceptual Thinking: The ability to find effective solutions by taking a holistic, abstract, or
theoretical perspective.
● Notices similarities between different and apparently unrelated situations.
● Quickly identifies the central or underlying issues in a complex situation.
● Creates a graphic diagram showing a systems view of a situation. ● Develops analogies
or metaphors to explain a situation.
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 ● Applies a theoretical framework to understand a specific situation.
20. Strategic Thinking: The ability to analyze the organization’s competitive position by considering
market and industry trends, existing and potential customers (internal and external), and strengths
and weaknesses as compared to competitors.
● Understands the organization’s strengths and weaknesses as compared to competitors.
● Understands industry and market trends affecting the organization’s competitiveness.
● Has an in-depth understanding of competitive products and services within the
marketplace.
● Develops and proposes a long-term (3-5 year) strategy for the organization based on an
analysis of the industry and marketplace and the organization’s current and potential
capabilities as compared to competitors.
21. Technical Expertise: The ability to demonstrate depth of knowledge and skill in a technical area.
● Effectively applies technical knowledge to solve a range of problems.
● Possesses an in-depth knowledge and skill in a technical area.
● Develops technical solutions to new or highly complex problems that cannot be solved
using existing methods or approaches.
● Is sought out as an expert to provide advice or solutions in his/her technical area.
● Keeps informed about cutting-edge technology in his/her technical area. ● The Achieving
Results Cluster

22. Initiative: Identifying what needs to be done and doing it before being asked or before the situation
requires it.
● Identifying what needs to be done and takes action before being asked or the situation
requires it.
● Does more than what is normally required in a situation.
● Seeks out others involved in a situation to learn their perspectives. ● Takes independent
action to change the direction of events.
23. Entrepreneurial Orientation: The ability to look for and seize profitable business opportunities;
willingness to take calculated risks to achieve business goals.
● Notices and seizes profitable business opportunities.
● Stays abreast of business, industry, and market information that may reveal business
opportunities.
● Demonstrates willingness to take calculated risks to achieve business goals.
● Proposes innovative business deals to potential customers, suppliers, and business
partners.
● Encourages and supports entrepreneurial behavior in others.
24. Fostering Innovation: The ability to develop, sponsor, or support the introduction of new and
improved method, products, procedures, or technologies.
● Personally develops a new product or service.
● Personally develops a new method or approach.
● Sponsors the development of new products, services, methods, or procedures.
● Proposes new approaches, methods, or technologies.
● Develops better, faster, or less expensive ways to do things.
● Works cooperatively with others to produce innovative solutions.
25. Results Orientation: The ability to focus on the desired result of one’s own or one’s unit’s work,
setting challenging goals, focusing effort on the goals, and meeting or exceeding them.

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26. Thoroughness: Ensuring that one’s own and others’ work and information are complete and
accurate; carefully preparing for meetings and presentations; following up with others to ensure
that agreements and commitments have been fulfilled.
● Sets up procedures to ensure high quality of work (e.g., review meetings).
● Monitors the quality of work.
● Verifies information. ● Checks the accuracy of own and others’ work.
● Develops and uses systems to organize and keep track of information or work progress.
● Carefully prepares for meetings and presentations.
● Organizes information or materials for others.
● Carefully reviews and checks the accuracy of information in work reports (e.g.,
production, sales, financial performance) provided by management, management
information systems, or other individuals and groups.
27. Decisiveness: The ability to make difficult decisions in a timely manner.
● Is willing to make decisions in difficult or ambiguous situations, when time is critical.
● Takes charge of a group when it is necessary to facilitate change, overcome an impasse,
face issues, or ensure that decisions are made.
● Makes tough decisions (e.g., closing a facility, reducing staff, accepting or rejecting a
highstakes deal).
III. Self-Management Competencies

28. Self Confidence: Faith in one’s own ideas and capability to be successful; willingness to take
an independent position in the face of opposition.
● Is confident of own ability to accomplish goals.
● Presents self crisply and impressively.
● Is willing to speak up to the right person or group at the right time, when he/she disagrees
with a decision or strategy.
● Approaches challenging tasks with a “can-do” attitude.
29. Stress Management: The ability to keep functioning effectively when under pressure and
maintain self control in the face of hostility or provocation.
● Remains calm under stress.
● Can effectively handle several problems or tasks at once.
● Controls his/her response when criticized, attacked or provoked.
● Maintains a sense of humor under difficult circumstances.
● Manages own behavior to prevent or reduce feelings of stress.
30. Personal Credibility: Demonstrated concern that one be perceived as responsible, reliable, and
trustworthy.
● Does what he/she commits to doing.
● Respects the confidentiality of information or concerns shared by others.
● Is honest and forthright with people.
● Carries his/her fair share of the workload.
● Takes responsibility for own mistakes; does not blame others.
● Conveys a command of the relevant facts and information.
31. Flexibility: Openness to different and new ways of doing things; willingness to modify one’s
preferred way of doing things.
● Is able to see the merits of perspectives other than his/her own.
● Demonstrates openness to new organizational structures, procedures, and technology.
● Switches to a different strategy when an initially selected one is unsuccessful.

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 ● Demonstrates willingness to modify a strongly held position in the face of contrary.

ACTIVITIES/ASSESSMENT

Discussion Questions: (22 points each plus 2 points bonus)

1. Define and explain competencies.

2. Enumerate the different competencies in IT-BPM industry?
3. Explain the importance of competencies in the industry.
4. Cite an example on how you are going to apply these competencies in the
workplace?

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 Lesson 2: Taking Charge of your Learning and Development during
your Professional Lifelong

I.OVERVIEW

Career development goals are a way to gain more experience and improve your skills in the
workplace. There are a variety of career goals and you can achieve depending on your interests.
You might set individual goals or collaborate with team members to enhance your skills. Career
development goals are objectives to improve your skills and motivation. You can combine your
personal interests with skills or performance goals to achieve success at work. Setting career
development goals encourages skill improvement. You may learn enough to apply for a
promotion, or you could change careers based on your new abilities.

II.LEARNING OUTCOMES

After successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

1. Identify the different ways to have a sustainable professional career.

2. Develop skills to improve performance.
3. Create goals to achieve over a set amount of time.

III. COURSE MATERIALS

Careers Today

Careers today are not what they were several years ago. Not too long ago, people viewed carriers
as a sort of upward staircase from job to job, more often than not with one or at most a few firms.
Today, recessions, mergers, outsourcing, consolidations, and more or less endless downsizings
have changed the ground rules. Many people do still move up from job to job. But more often
employees find themselves having to reinvent themselves. For example, the sales rep, laid off by
publishing firm that's just merged, may reinvent her career as an account executive at a
mediaoriented accounting firm.
Careers to they differ in other ways from a few years ago. With more women pursuing professional
and managerial careers, families must balance the challenges associated with dual career
pressures. At the same time, what people want from their careers seems to be changing. Baby
boomers —those retiring in the next few years— tended to be job- and employer-focused. Those
entering the job market now often value work arrangements that provide more opportunities for
balanced lives.

Employer Career Efforts Today

Recognizing these changes, many employers have added a career aspect to their human
resource activities. They use human resource activities not just to support the employer's needs,
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but also to facilitate career self-analysis and development. Table 10-1 summarizes this. For
example, instead of just using appraisals to align the employees' performance with the job's
standards, there is more emphasis on using them to have the employee better plan and adjust
his or her career plans.

Career development-oriented programs needn't to be complicated. Even just receiving

performance feedback, having individual development plans, and having access to nontechnical
skills training is enough for most employees. Yet, only about a fourth of the respondents in one
survey even had individual development plans. Figure 10-3 illustrates a simple career planning
form.

John Madigan's experience at Hartford Insurance illustrates why employers also benefit from
offering career development. The employees, armed with better insights about their occupational
strengths, should be better equipped to serve the company. Supporting your employees' career
development may also boost employee commitment and support your recruitment and retention
efforts. As one expert said, "The most attractive proposition an employer can make today is that
in 5 years the employee will have more knowledge and be more employable than now. That
should be the acid test for any career development program."
Ideally, the employer, employee, and manager all play roles in planning, guiding, and developing the
employee's career.

Roles in Career Development

Individual

● Accept responsibility for your own career.

● Assess your interests, skills, and values.
● Seek out career information and resources.
● Establish goals and career plans.
● Utilize development opportunities.
● Talk with your manager about your career.
● Follow through on realistic care your plans.

Manager
● Provide timely and accurate performance feedback.
● Provide developmental assignments and support.
● Participate in career development discussions with subordinates. ● Support employee
development plans.

Employer
● Communicate mission, policies, and procedures.
● Provide training and development opportunities, including workshops.
● Provide career information and career programs.
● Offer a variety of career paths.
● Provide career-oriented performance feedback.
● Provide mentoring opportunities to support growth and self-direction.
● Provide employees with individual development plans.
● Provide academic learning assistance program.

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 TakeCharge of Your Professional Growth
Source:https//.www.mapconsulting.com › learning-and-development

As a company leader, you know that one of the keys to business success is investing in
your employees. It’s important to support your direct reports with coaching, training and
ongoing education — whatever it takes to enable and inspire them. But how often do you
take the time to improve your professional acumen? Just as with your employees, the
more you put in to develop yourself, the more return you’ll get from your investment. So
take responsibility for your professional growth, pledging to focus on yourself for a change
and then: Create a self-development plan with actions and dates that establish
accountability. The very best bosses I’ve worked for were self-driven, lifelong learners who
were always putting their goals down on paper and assigning a timeline with action steps
for accomplishing those goals. They remained personally accountable to whatever they
were pushing themselves to learn, do or achieve. And having that plan on paper as
opposed to just in your head was critical. As such, their ideas became less a dream and
more a reality because they now had a carefully defined roadmap with action steps for
implementation and a timeline for accountability. What I learned from these successful
bosses is that having, implementing and sticking to that written plan boosts the odds of its
success.

Work with a trusted, honest mentor. And you can’t just pick any ‘ole buddy or colleague
you admire. Start by choosing someone who is an expert in whatever you’re trying to
accomplish, learn or understand. This person needs to have “been there, done that,” and
have done it well! Also, pick a mentor with good coaching skills — someone who will
patiently guide you in decision-making, but not tell you what to do. You’ll want a mentor
who is a straight shooter, always giving you the truth about your strengths and
weaknesses. And remember, a mentor should always keep what you’re working on
confidential unless you’ve given that person permission to share information about the
experience with someone else. Your secrets must be safe with your mentor.

Increase your expertise by engaging in relevant, continual learning opportunities. As if you

have space on your calendar to sign up for classes, learn some new skills, or go to that
annual conference, right? Well, no more excuses — time to make room for your
professional development. But don’t worry… you can and should pace yourself to avoid
burnout. Just like strength training at the gym, start off easy (but do get out of your comfort
zone) to better your professional development. Perhaps commit to reading one chapter of
a business book every night before bed. Maybe download an app that delivers business
news to your Smartphone and scan the info while drinking your morning cup of coffee. Or,
attend the local chamber’s hour-long business seminars simply once a month. Good
learning opportunities of all kinds and sizes are everywhere. Invest in yourself in ways big
and small, and you’ll soon net noticeable rewards.

Do you have a trusted mentor?

14
 CAREER DEVELOPMENT GOALS
Source:www.indeed.com › career-advice

Career development goals are a way to gain more experience and improve your skills in the
workplace. There are a variety of career goals and you can achieve depending on your interests.
You might set individual goals or collaborate with team members to enhance your skills. In this
article, we discuss why career development goals are important and provide examples you can
use to benefit your career.

Why career development goals are important?

Career development goals are objectives to improve your skills and motivation. You can combine
your personal interests with skills or performance goals to achieve success at work. For example,
if you want to expand your computer programming skills, and your manager needs help creating
a website, you can offer to learn more on the topic to assist.

Setting career development goals encourages skill improvement. You may learn enough to apply
for a promotion, or you could change careers based on your new abilities. Creating goals to
achieve over a set amount of time gives you the initiative to work hard, get motivated and advance
in your role.

Career development goals may make your job easier as you become quicker and more productive
based on what you learn. Setting professional development goals also shows your manager you
are serious about your job and want to continue to excel in it.

Examples of career development goals

1. Complete a professional certificate or degree

A great career development goal is earning a professional certificate or degree in your related
field. Continuing education improves your current skills and can help you in the future if you want
to apply for a promotion or change careers. There are a variety of programs available in different
industries, and many institutions offer evening courses to accommodate work schedules.

Some employers offer professional development programs to invest in the growth of their
employees. Ask your manager or human resources representative if your company has a
professional development program so you can continue to learn industry-related skills.

2. Learn how other departments function

Learning how different departments operate can help you contribute more to the company. When
you learn how your role affects different departments, you can alter work habits to make another
division function smoother. You could make one of your development goals to schedule a few
hours or a day to spend with each department.

3. Ask for feedback

Asking for feedback from your manager and team members is a good way to see how others
perceive you. You should strive to be a valuable member of the team, so it is helpful to determine
what skills you should develop. Consider setting a goal to check in with a few colleagues every

15
quarter. They should be able to provide constructive feedback, including what you could improve
and where you excel.
4. Improve performance metrics

Performance metrics are data collected to measure behavior and activities in relation to overall
performance. Increasing your performance metrics at work can prove how your efficiency.

Examples of metrics to track include finding ways to decrease the company’s overall costs and
making sure you deliver projects by their deadlines. You can set both short- and long-term goals
to work toward. Consider keeping track of your performance metrics to see how you improve over
the year.
You can also use positive metrics to supplement a request for a raise or promotion.

5. Apply for a promotion

One way to challenge yourself is to apply for a promotion. A position with more responsibility could
help you gain new skills and continue to enhance your career. When you are ready for a
promotion, make a list of projects you have completed to discuss with your manager and their
impact on the business. You could also mention any skills you are excited to learn, such as leading
a team.

6. Enhance your networking skills

Improving networking skills increases your chances of experiencing new opportunities. You can
begin networking by talking to new coworkers or speaking with colleagues in other departments.
Another way to network is by attending professional events where you meet new people with
similar interests. Some networking events focus around learning more about a new aspect of an
industry. Not only could you improve your business-related knowledge but also build a stronger
professional network.

7. Develop your communication skills

Delivering and receiving clear information increases workplace efficiency. Consider setting a
career goal to improve your written, interpersonal and verbal communication skills. For example,
to improve your verbal communication skills, take a public speaking class that helps you feel more
comfortable delivering presentations.

Written communication is another important professional development goal to work toward.

Before you send an email, proofread it to confirm that it is clear, free of errors and concise. Enable
an automatic spell checker on your web browser so each email you send is more likely to be error
free and professional.

8. Work well on a team

Working efficiently on a team shows your supervisor that they can depend on you. If you are
currently on a project team, take initiative and organize meetings to discuss your progress. When
you attend meetings, make sure to listen to everyone carefully, then offer your opinion.
Considering everyone’s ideas can help increase collaboration during a group project. Additionally,
you can try to help your coworkers with any challenges or obstacles they might experience.

16
9. Volunteer to learn new technology

It is important to stay current with your industry’s technology. Learning new software or programs
related to your field shows that you are willing to embrace new technology and maximize
productivity. You could also learn a new technology that helps your team or supervisor. For
example, if your manager needs to correct an error on your company’s website, you could learn
the basics of a coding language to find the error and fix it.

10. Make a website

One way to develop professionally is to make a personal website. On your personal website, you
can include your professional portfolio, resume, personal mission statement or blog. When you
are applying for jobs, send a link to your website for hiring managers to review additional
information about projects you’ve completed and specific achievements. You can also include
your contact information on your website to expand your professional network.
Ways to have a sustaining professional career:

⮚ Acquire a Mentor
● A mentor is different from a role model. A mentor is someone who knows you, your
strengths and your weaknesses.
● A company usually has a mentoring program made available to employees.

⮚ Have a Role Model

● A role model is a person who want to emulate in terms of career and/or lifestyle.
● In this industry, having a role model has been proven effective as it helps the employee
succeed in his chosen career.
⮚ Study

● Learning does not have to happen inside the classroom. Knowledge is no longer
confined in books and does not have to always come from a professor.
● There are universities and colleges nowadays that offer distance or online learning
programs.

⮚ Set goals

● Goal-setting is used to keep employees motivated-to give employees a sense of

fulfillment particularly when goals are met or exceeded.
● Goals are set for an employees as a means to determine what is expected of him and
how these expectations are being met.
●
⮚ Professional Acquaintances

● “Facebook” is a fad and used not only as a Social Networking website, but also a means
to join or establish a network in lieu of business, professional connections, and non-
profit organizations, to name a few.

● Why establish professional networks

✔ You gain access to industry best practices.

17
 ✔ IT provides an avenue for skill enhancement.
✔ It provides career development.
✔ You establish lasting friendships.

⮚ Volunteer

● Participate and volunteer when you can. Volunteering for work-related activity allows
you to market your skills and gain exposed to different aspects of your profession.

Take Charge of Your Learning at Work

by: Claire Bergkamp
Source:https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/careers

Lifelong learning is one of the best investments you can make in yourself and your career. So
why not invest in yourself by learning on the job? Signs that you’re learning at work:
● You always try to improve how you do your job.
● You regularly ask for feedback.
● You choose your own training activities.
● You look for training opportunities.
● Managing your own learning activities and goals and upgrading your skills can help you
earn more money and qualify for promotions. It can also make it easier to find better jobs.

Be proactive. Many workplaces invest in their employees’ training and development. Check
regularly with your supervisor or human resources department to make sure you know about all
the opportunities that may be open to you.
Be creative. If your workplace doesn’t offer formal learning opportunities, you can take advantage
of other ways to learn on the job. For example, depending on your work, you may be able to:
● Read industry newsletters or magazines
● Teach yourself to do more with the software you have
● Ask for increasing responsibilities
● Ask co-workers about their jobs
● Be independent. If you have the time and money, enroll in a course or workshop outside
of working hours. Choose a course where you can learn a skill that will help you in your
current job or make it easier to get promoted.
Think about ways to learn more, on and off the job. Be responsible for your learning at work. By
taking advantage of formal and informal learning opportunities, you can increase your value as
an employee, renew your interest in your work and open up new directions for your career.
Ultimately, by leading your own learning, you can make sure you’re going in the direction you
want.

IV.ACTIVITIES/ASSESSMENT
Self-Assessment #1

Track your learning and development activities. Assess how effective you are at leading your
own learning.
Check the statements that best reflect how you learn at work:

18
___ I regularly ask for feedback from my supervisor and customers.

___ I make sure they know what kind of feedback is most useful for me.
___ I regularly ask co-workers to observe me and give me feedback.

___ I always review my own performance.

___ I try to see my performance from my co-workers’ or customers’ points of view.

___ I base my learning activities on my career plan.

___ I try to attend conferences and workshops that match my career goals.

___ I read websites, books and journal articles to support my learning.` ___
I learn from colleagues in my field and contact them regularly.

___ I keep track of my career plan, learning and goals and update my progress.

___ I am willing to try new approaches and get involved in projects that require me to grow and
learn.
___ I have a mentor.

___ I am a mentor.

___ I write about my field in blogs, websites, newsletters or journals.

___ I give presentations and talks about my work.

___ I teach others in my field.

___ I supervise others.

___ I have an annual budget for learning outside of my workplace.

___ I regularly take time for learning outside of work.

___ I know about the learning opportunities available to me, from weekend workshops to online
courses.
___ Total

Scoring instructions :

Add the total number of check marks and interpret your score as follows:
0-5: You may be letting others control your learning.
6-10: You could enhance your learning by taking more control of it.
11-15: You are managing your own learning well, but you could be doing more. 16-20:
Congratulations! You are in charge of your own learning.

II. Self-Assessment Exercise #2 (5 points each)

1. What is the employee’s role in the career development process? The manager’s role?
The employer’s role?
2. Explain the significance of your major to the society 10 years from now.

19
 3. If you’re given the chance to change the curriculum of your school, what changes will you
make?
4. Cite a controversial issue on college campuses and propose a solution.
5. How did you express your leadership both in and out of school?
6. Describe your personal success and how it relates to your chosen field.
7. How has your family upbringing affected your views in life?
8. Pick a past experience in your life and explain how that particular incident has changed
you.
9. Where will college education bring you 10 years from now.
10. Describe your long-term perspectives for your long-term goals.

III. Case for Discussion (30 points)

“Carter Cleaning Company”

The Career Planning Program

Career planning has always been a pretty low-priority item for Carter Cleaning, since "just getting
workers to come to work and then keeping them honest is enough of a problem," as Jack likes to
say. Yet Jennifer thought it might not be a bad idea to give some thought to what a career planning
program might involve for Carter. Many of their employees had been with them for years in
deadend jobs, and she frankly felt a little badly for them: "Perhaps we could help them gain a
better perspective on what they want to do," she thought. And she definitely believed that the
store management group needed better career direction if Carter Cleaning was to develop and
grow .

Case Questions:

1. What would be the advantages to Carter Cleaning of setting up a career planning program ?
2. Who should participate in the program? All employees? Selected employees?
3. Outline and describe the career development program you would propose for the cleaners,
pressers, counter people, and managers at the Carter Cleaning Centers.

20
Lesson 3: American Service Expectations

I.OVERVIEW

Customers' expectations for service continue to rise, and the quality of your customer service
can make or break your business, according to the Gladly 2018 Customer Service Expectations
Survey. Customers are more likely to praise companies than to criticize them. After a good
customer experience, 80% of consumers will recommend a company to friends and family and
40% will post about it on social media. After a bad experience, 67% of consumers would actively
dissuade friends and family from buying from the company and 42% would post about it on social
media. This module was designed for students to realize the value of customer service from a
culturally sensitive perspective. It sets out to discuss the service expectations from customers
located in the North America region. It takes cultural diversity and competence as opportunities
and expects to built cultural sensitivity.

I. LEARNING OUTCOMES

21
 After successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

1. Define what is service expectation.

2. Discuss best practices in dealing with North American Customers
3. Identify some factors that affect the service expectations

III. COURSE MATERIALS

Service Expectations: Meaning, Types and Models

Source:www.yourarticlelibrary.com

Satisfaction and delight are both strongly influenced by customer expectations. By “expectations,”
behavioral researchers mean an array of possible outcomes that reflect what might, could, should,
or had better not happen. There are several different kinds of expectations. Figure 3.1 show a
hierarchy of expectations that might exist for a typical customer.

The will expectations come closest to the mathematics definition. It is the average level of quality
that is predicted based on all known information. This is the expectation level most often meant
by customers (and used by researchers). When someone says that “service exceeded my
expectations,” they generally mean that the service was better than they had predicted would be:
This should expectation is what customers feel they deserve from the transaction. Very often what
should happen is better than what the customer actually thinks will happen. For example, a
student may think that each lecture should be exciting, but doubts that a particular day’s lecture
actually will be exciting. Or, professors may think that students should be lively and intelligent, but
think that actually they will sit in class passively.

The ideal expectation is what would happen under the best of circumstances.

Source: yourarticlelibrary.com

It is useful as a barometer of excellence. On the other end of the scale are the minimally
acceptable level (the threshold at which mere satisfaction is achieved), and the worst possible
levels (the worst outcome that can be imagined).

Expectations are affected strongly by experience. For example, if the customer has a bad
experience, then the will expectation will decline. A good experience will tend to raise the will
22
expectation. Generally speaking, this should expectation will go up, but never decline. Very good
experiences tend to bring this should expectations up to that level. Thus expectations change
over time, often for the better. An example of this is the U.S auto industry. General Motors, Ford,
and Chrysler had instilled a level of quality expectations in the U.S population that was low by
today’s standards. Then the Japanese started exporting cars of significantly higher quality.
Expectations jumped, as customers saw that a higher level of quality was possible. The
complacent U.S. automakers, making cars of the same quality as always, suddenly found
themselves faced with millions of customers who have significantly higher expectations. The
result was disastrous for the auto manufacturers. Experience is not the only thing that shapes
expectations. Expectations may also be affected by advertising, word of mouth, and personal
limitations.

Types of Expectations:

Ideal expectations refer to the performance wished for in a perfect service. Desired expectations
are the performance levels that customers want the service to meet in practice. If the service
provider cannot deliver service at the desired level, customers may be willing to tolerate deviations
in performance up to their acceptable expectations with relatively small degradation in
satisfaction. Dissatisfaction results if the performance falls below this level.

The predicted expectation is the performance level that the customer anticipates will be achieved
by a service encounter before this encounter is experienced. This is determined by past
experience with the service.

If past service encounters have been unsatisfactory, the predicted expectation for the next
encounter is likely to be low. For example, a customer who has waited for a long time during
previous attempts to make an airline reservation over the telephone is unlikely to expect that the
next call will result in a short wait.

Understanding Customer Expectations

Source: https://sloanreview.mit.edu

The research shows that understanding customers’ needs — and exceeding their expectations
— are becoming table stakes for businesses to compete. Here are four expectations that are
changing the game for companies.
1. Customers expect connected journeys: Break down your business silos.
● 70% of customers say connected processes — such as seamless handoffs or
contextualized engagement based on earlier interactions — are very important to winning
their business.
● Customers are 3.7x more likely to view seamless transitions between channels as
important versus unimportant.
2. Customers expect personalization: Customize everything.
● 84% of customers say being treated like a person, not a number, is very important to
winning their business.
● 70% of customers say understanding how they use products and services is very important
to winning their business.
● 59% of customers say tailored engagement based on past interactions is very important
to winning their business.
● Customers are 2.1x more likely to view personalized offers as important versus
unimportant.

23
3. Customers expect innovation: Keep pushing the limits.
● 56% of customers actively seek to buy from the most innovative companies (that is, those
that consistently introduce new products and services based on customer needs and new
technology).
● 63% of customers expect companies to provide new products/services more frequently
than ever before.
● 66% of customers say it takes more for a company to impress them with new products
and services than ever before.
● Customers are 9.5x more likely to view AI as revolutionary versus insignificant.
4. Customers expect data protection: Make trust your priority. ● 62% of customers say
they’re more afraid of their data being compromised now than they were two years ago.
● 59% of customers (including 63% of consumers) believe their personal information is
vulnerable to a security breach.
● 57% of customers are uncomfortable with how companies use their personal or business
information.
What are customer expectations, and how have they changed?
By definition, customer expectations are any set of behaviors or actions that individuals anticipate
when interacting with a company. Historically, customers have expected basics like quality service
and fair pricing — but modern customers have much higher expectations, such as proactive
service, personalized interactions, and connected experiences across channels. To better
understand how customer expectations are changing, Salesforce Research surveyed over
6,700 consumers and business buyers globally. In this research, “customers” is an aggregate of
both consumer and business buyer responses. These findings, published in the second edition
of the “State of the Connected Customer” report, give an in-depth look at:
● The factors influencing customers’ expectations
● Which emerging technologies are influencing the future of customer experience
● Why brand trust is increasingly important and how companies can foster it
For starters, the research found that 76% of customers now report that it’s easier than ever to
take their business elsewhere — switching from brand to brand to find an experience that matches
their expectations As disruptive companies leverage breakthroughs in cloud, mobile, social, and
artificial intelligence technology to deliver personalized, valuable, and immediate experiences,
customers have more choices than ever. As a result, they grow to expect this superior experience
from any business they engage with.
Findings from the first edition of the “State of the Connected Customer” report
The first edition of the “State of the Connected Customer” report polled 7,000 consumers and
business buyers to learn exactly what those new expectations are — and how business leaders
should repurpose their companies to respond.
This survey, conducted in 2016, established four core elements of the new baseline customer
experience: personalization, immediacy, consistency, anticipation.
1. Customers expect to be treated like a human, not a number.
There is a considerable opportunity for brands that are able to interact on an individual basis with
customers — from personalizing marketing journeys, to providing informed and unique customer
care, to better understanding a customer’s unique needs. Seventy-two percent of consumers and
89% of business buyers say they expect companies to understand their unique needs and
expectations, while 66% of consumers say they’re likely to switch brands if they feel treated like
a number, not an individual. For those companies able to deliver this more human touch, the
rewards are considerable. Delivering personalized experiences drives customer loyalty, with 70%
of consumers saying a company’s understanding of their individual needs influences their loyalty,
and 69% saying the same of personalized customer care. The issue is more pressing with
business buyers, 82% of whom say personalized customer care influences loyalty.
2. Customers expect immediate, responsive service.
24
 As connectivity becomes ubiquitous and customers grow used to conversational interactions with
brands, immediacy has become vital. In the findings, 64% of consumers and 80% of business
buyers said they expect companies to respond to and interact with them in real time. As the
millennial generation becomes more powerful in the marketplace, the issue will only become more
pressing — 66% of millennial consumers expect real-time responses and interactions, versus just
62% of baby boomers and traditionalists. Meeting these expectations requires in the first instance
a comprehensive, 360-degree view of each customer, so when interactions are initiated there is
enough understanding for an accurate response. Second, business leaders must consider the
viability of instant responses from a human workforce. Is the best solution a radical increase in
headcount in customer-facing departments, or the deployment of chatbots and other AI-powered
technology? Again, matching expectations will have a considerable impact on customer lifetime
value and churn, given 80% of consumers report that immediate responses to requests influence
their loyalty to a given brand.
3. Customers expect consistency.
For many companies, several different departments clamor to own the customer, with marketing,
sales, and service being three of the most common. Any decision on organizational structure
changes must have at its core the ability for the company to deliver a seamless experience for
the customer, regardless of the challenges behind the scenes. Seventy-five percent of consumers
expect consistent experiences across multiple channels (web, mobile, inperson, social), with 73%
likely to switch brands if they don’t get it. Customer loyalty — and attrition — is determined by
every experience. Predictive, anticipatory service is increasingly the norm. As customers look to
the future, they increasingly expect companies to leverage their data to provide anticipatory
services. By 2020, 75% of business buyers expect companies that can anticipate their needs and
make relevant suggestions before they initiate contact, while 73% expect that products they
purchase will self-diagnose issues and automatically order replacement parts or service. For a
company to effectively predict and prescribe actions for their customers, the ability to both
manage existing customer data effectively and deploy new machine learning algorithms to make
predictions is increasingly important.
4. Customers will share personal data — in exchange for better service.
Given the imperative for companies to deploy artificial intelligence algorithms to meet anticipated
customer expectations, it’s fortunate that customer stances on sharing their personal data are
softening.Sixty-one percent of millennials are happy to share personal data if it leads to a more
personalized in-store or online shopping experience, while 58% will share personal data to power
product recommendations that match their needs.
The rapid evolution of customer expectations is made clear when we compare the millennial
approach to that of baby boomers and traditionalists, for whom only 41% are willing to share data
for personalized shopping experiences.

What are customer expectations, and how have they changed?

By definition, customer expectations are any set of behaviors or actions that individuals anticipate
when interacting with a company. Historically, customers have expected basics like quality service
and fair pricing — but modern customers have much higher expectations, such as proactive
service, personalized interactions, and connected experiences across channels. To better
understand how customer expectations are changing, Salesforce Research surveyed over 6,700
consumers and business buyers globally. In this research, “customers” is an aggregate of both
consumer and business buyer responses. These findings, published in the second edition of the
“State of the Connected Customer” report, give an in-depth look at:
● The factors influencing customers’ expectations
● Which emerging technologies are influencing the future of customer experience
● Why brand trust is increasingly important and how companies can foster it

25
 For starters, the research found that 76% of customers now report that it’s easier than ever to
take their business elsewhere — switching from brand to brand to find an experience that matches
their expectations. As disruptive companies leverage breakthroughs in cloud, mobile, social, and
artificial intelligence technology to deliver personalized, valuable, and immediate experiences,
customers have more choices than ever. As a result, they grow to expect this superior experience
from any business they engage with.

When Do Customers Get What They Expect? Understanding the Ambivalent

Effects of Customers’ Service Expectations on Satisfaction
By: Johannes Habel, Sascha Alavi, Christian Schmitz https://www.journals.sagepub.com

Extant research established that customers’ expectations play an ambivalent role in the
satisfaction formation process: While higher expectations are more difficult to meet and thus
cause dissatisfaction, they simultaneously increase satisfaction via customers’ perceived
performance owing to a placebo effect. However, to date, knowledge is scarce on the question
under which conditions either the positive or negative effect of expectations on satisfaction
prevails. Building on information processing theory, the authors hypothesize that an essential
contingency of the indirect, placebo-based effect is the degree to which customers are able
and motivated to process a service experience. Three studies with a total of over 4,000
customers in different service contexts provide strong evidence for this hypothesis. Thus,
managers are well advised to provide a realistic or even understated prospect if the service
context favors customers’ ability or motivation to evaluate. Conversely, if customers are neither
able nor motivated to evaluate the service, increasing customer expectations represents a
viable strategy to enhance satisfaction. Relatedly, if customers hold low service expectations,
managers should foster customers’ ability and motivation to evaluate the service. In contrast,
if service expectations are high, managers may benefit from reducing the likelihood that
customers overly focus on the service performance.

IV. ACTIVITIES/ ASSESSMENT

Discussion Questions : (33 points each plus 1 point bonus)

1. What is service expectation?

2. Discuss best practices in dealing with North American Customers.
3. Enumerate and briefly explain factors affecting the service expectations.

26
Lesson 4: European Service Expectation

I. OVERVIEW

In today’s connected world, managing a customer’s expectation and consistently creating positive
experiences has proven to be a challenge for many organizations. Part of the challenges in
Customer experience can be attributed to a variance in preferences across different industries
and geographies In Europe, consumer expectations are rising, meaning that whatever industry

27
or country you operate in the customer experience you provide is critical to and retaining their
loyalty, now and in the future.

II.LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

1. Identify what is European service expectation

2. Distinguish the main characteristics of European market
3. Discuss best practices in dealing with European Customers.
4. Identify some factors that affect the European service expectations.

COURSE MATERIALS

EUROPEAN SERVICE EXPECTATION

Consumer in Europe
Source: https//www.e.c.europa.com

It is imperative that customer service representatives are aware of the diverse requirements in
different countries and cultures. It is especially vital for companies that wish to expand their
operations globally. Understanding disparities in customer priorities will invariably help companies
identify strengths and opportunities for improvement and differentiation. These priorities can vary
from price, quality, and physical presence of a representative. For instance, customers in Japan
have very high expectations of customer service and do not expect to pay for it. Accordingly,
service providers in Japanese markets are expected to go out of their way to serve customers
and solve problems. If a customer seeks out phone support in Japan and is dissatisfied with the
outcome, the company will more often than not send someone to help them out. This may not
always be expected from companies in countries like the UK or US. Furthermore, a 2014 Global
Customer Service Barometer Report by American Express revealed that 78 percent of US
customers rate being connected to someone who is knowledgeable as important, whilst only 65
percent of customers in the UK agreed with this. Moreover, a study conducted by New Voice
Media found only 25 percent of Americans will hold while on the phone after 10 minutes,
compared to 64 percent of Brits, for whom it is a regular occurrence. Findings from the first edition
of the “State of the Connected Customer” report ,the first edition of the “State of the Connected
Customer” report polled 7,000 consumers and business buyers to learn exactly what those new
expectations are — and how business leaders should repurpose their companies to respond.

Characteristics of European Consumers

Source: https//www.eptica.com

Perception is the process by which physical sensations such as sights, sounds and smells are
selected, organized and interpreted. The eventual interpretation of a stimulus allows it to be
assigned meaning. A perceptual map is a widely used marketing tool that evaluated the relative
standing of competing brands along relevant dimensions. Marketing stimuli have important
sensory qualities. We rely on colours, odours, sounds, tastes and even the "feel" of products
when forming evaluations of them. Not all sensations make their way successfully through the
perceptual process. Many stimuli compete for our attention, and the majority are not noticed or
accurately comprehended. People have different thresholds of perception. A stimulus must be
presented at a certain level of intensity before it can be detected by an individual's sensory

28
receptors. In addition, a consumer's ability to detect whether two stimuli are different (the
differential threshold) is an important issue in many marketing contexts, such as changing a
package design, altering the size of a product or reducing its price. A lot of controversy has been
sparked by so-called subliminal persuasion and related techniques, by which people are exposed
to visual and audio messages below the threshold. Although evidence of subliminal persuasion's
effectiveness is virtually nonexistent, many consumers continue to believe that advertisers use
this technique. Some of the factors that determine which stimuli (above the threshold level) do
get perceived are the amount of exposure to the stimulus, how much attention it generates and
how it is interpreted. In an increasingly crowded stimulus environment, advertising clutter occurs
when too many marketing-related messages compete for attention. A stimulus that is attended to
is not perceived in isolation; it is classified and organized according to principles of perceptual
organization. These principles are guided by a gestalt, or overall pattern. Specific grouping
principles include closure, similarity and figure-ground relationships. The final step in the process
of perception is interpretation. Symbols help us make sense of the world by providing us with an
interpretation of a stimulus that is often shared by others. The degree to which the symbolism is
consistent with our previous experience affects the meaning we assign to related objects. Every
marketing message contains a relationship between the product, the sign or symbol, and the
interpretation of meaning. A semiotic analysis involves the correspondence between stimuli and
the meaning of signs.

Characteristics belonging to local and big brands according to European consumers

in2018

European consumers 2018, published by Daniela Coppola, Dec 9, 2019, in Europe, local
brands were perceived as more sustainable than big brands, a survey revealed. 45 percent of
European consumers believed that local brands respected the environment and the resources
of territory, while only 17 percent of respondents thought the same about big brands.
Additionally, 67 percent of consumers associated local brands with values such as fairness,
transparency, honesty, and integrity.

What’s the State of European Customer Service

Published on: December 09, 2016
29
 Author: Neil Cox - Account Manager

Wherever they are in the world, consumers have rising expectations when it comes to the
experience they receive from brands. But how does it vary between different countries? To find
out Engage Business Media recently surveyed over 3,000 consumers in six European countries
(the UK, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Sweden). Analyzing their responses paints
a picture of consistently high expectations across Europe – with consumers unafraid to switch
provider if they don’t get what they want. Amongst the results, five key areas stood out:

1. The need to get it right first time

Consumers value a seamless experience that provides the information and answers they want,
first time. Over three quarters (77%) of respondents said it was very or extremely important that
their query was resolved through a single interaction – with a further 20% judging it as ‘moderately’
important. As one respondent commented “companies do not deserve repeated chances to put
things right.”
Successful First Contact Resolution has benefits beyond boosting customer satisfaction. It also
reduces the volume of interactions that a company receives, bringing down costs and freeing up
staff time to focus on other queries. Key to getting it right first time is arming agents with the right
information so that they can respond quickly, confidently and consistently, across every channel.

2. Listen to customers and respond to their comments

Less than a third (32%) of European consumers said they’d carry on doing business with a
company that failed to acknowledge their feedback. 64% wanted to receive an answer to their
message, rising to 79% in France. This demonstrates the importance of building engagement with
customers and listening to their views, whatever channel they use to express them. Increasingly
consumers will only stay loyal if they feel they are receiving the personalized, tailored experience
that best meets their needs – analyzing their feedback and the questions they ask is the best way
to drive ongoing improvement to deliver this.

3. Deliver fast responses

There have been many research reports which highlight the importance of speed when it comes
to customer service, and the Engage study shows that the demand for fast responses is universal.
50% of consumers want to get a reply to their message within the same working day, with a further
18% expecting an answer within 24 hours. Italians are the most impatient – with 34% demanding
a response in 6 hours (against 24% in other countries). Given the increasing volumes of queries
that companies are receiving they need to ensure that they have the resources in place to meet
changing customer expectations. Technology can help – for example, using linguistics will enable
incoming digital queries to be analyzed and template answers automatically suggested to
customer service agents. This brings down handling time and allows the fast responses that
consumers demand.
4. Address their frustrations
The biggest issue consumers reported were companies that failed to deliver on their promises,
cited by 32% of survey respondents. This was followed by being asked for the same information
multiple times (28%) and failure to resolve queries first time (19%). Many of these frustrations
stem from the same cause – a lack of joined up thinking between departments and systems,
which means that agents don’t have the information or knowledge they need to provide successful
responses first time. To combat this many organizations are creating customer hubs, which bring
together skills from across the business to work together to solve consumer issues, speeding up
both response times and consistency.

30
5. Be on their channel of choice
Consumers want to be offered a full range of communication channels, and to be given the choice
to use the one that best suits their particular needs at that time. So while 58% said they’d be
happy to use online-only processes, 78% wanted a telephone number to be clearly displayed on
the company website so that they could switch to that channel if required. Yet 60% of CX
professionals said they’d removed or hidden phone contact details, normally in a bid to reduce
call volumes and encourage consumers to use other channels. Ensuring that customers have a
choice is vital – depending on their needs or query they may well switch channel, so companies
have to resource all of these in line with demand. To help with this look to break down silos
between channels, sharing information, such as through centralized knowledge bases, and by
multi-skilling agents so that they can easily handle different types of queries. Across Europe,
consumer expectations are rising, meaning that whatever industry or country you operate in the
customer experience you provide is critical to winning and retaining their loyalty, now and in the
future. Customer engagement, Customer experience, Customer Service, loyalty, Europe,
knowledge management, linguistics, multichannel customer service, Eptica, Engage.

State of the Connected Customer Report Source:https//.

www.salesforce.com ›

The first edition of the “State of the Connected Customer” report polled 7,000 consumers and
business buyers to learn exactly what those new expectations are — and how business leaders
should repurpose their companies to respond This survey, conducted in 2016, established four
core elements of the new baseline customer experience: personalization, immediacy,
consistency, anticipation.

1. Customers expect to be treated like a human, not a number.

There is a considerable opportunity for brands that are able to interact on an individual basis with
customers — from personalizing marketing journeys, to providing informed and unique customer
care, to better understanding a customer’s unique needs. Seventy-two percent of consumers and
89% of business buyers say they expect companies to understand their unique needs and
expectations, while 66% of consumers say they’re likely to switch brands if they feel treated like
a number, not an individual. For those companies able to deliver this more human touch, the
rewards are considerable. Delivering personalized experiences drives customer loyalty, with 70%
of consumers saying a company’s understanding of their individual needs influences their loyalty,
and 69% saying the same of personalized customer care. The issue is more pressing with
business buyers, 82% of whom say personalized customer care influences loyalty.

2. Customers expect immediate, responsive service.

As connectivity becomes ubiquitous and customers grow used to conversational interactions with
brands, immediacy has become vital. In the findings, 64% of consumers and 80% of business
buyers said they expect companies to respond to and interact with them in real time. As the
millennial generation becomes more powerful in the marketplace, the issue will only become more
pressing — 66% of millennial consumers expect real-time responses and interactions, versus just
62% of baby boomers and traditionalists. Meeting these expectations requires in the first instance
a comprehensive, 360-degree view of each customer, so when interactions are initiated there is
enough understanding for an accurate response. Second, business leaders must consider the
viability of instant responses from a human workforce. Is the best solution a radical increase in

31
headcount in customer-facing departments, or the deployment of chatbots and other AI-powered
technology?
Again, matching expectations will have a considerable impact on customer lifetime value and
churn, given 80% of consumers report that immediate responses to requests influence their
loyalty to a given brand.

3. Customers expect consistency.

For many companies, several different departments clamour to own the customer, with marketing,
sales, and service being three of the most common. Any decision on organizational structure
changes must have at its core the ability for the company to deliver a seamless experience for
the customer, regardless of the challenges behind the scenes. Seventy-five percent of consumers
expect consistent experiences across multiple channels (web, mobile, in-person, social), with
73% likely to switch brands if they don’t get it. Customer loyalty — and attrition — is determined
by every experience.
Predictive, anticipatory service is increasingly the norm. As customers look to the future, they
increasingly expect companies to leverage their data to provide anticipatory services. By 2020,
75% of business buyers expect companies that can anticipate their needs and make relevant
suggestions before they initiate contact, while 73% expect that products they purchase will
selfdiagnose issues and automatically order replacement parts or service. For a company to
effectively predict and prescribe actions for their customers, the ability to both manage existing
customer data effectively and deploy new machine learning algorithms to make predictions is
increasingly important.

4. Customers will share personal data — in exchange for better service.

Given the imperative for companies to deploy artificial intelligence algorithms to meet anticipated
customer expectations, it’s fortunate that customer stances on sharing their personal data are
softening. Sixty-one percent of millennials are happy to share personal data if it leads to a more
personalized in-store or online shopping experience, while 58% will share personal data to power
product recommendations that match their needs. The rapid evolution of customer expectations
is made clear when we compare the millennial approach to that of baby boomers and
traditionalists, for whom only 41% are willing to share data for personalized shopping experiences.

IV.ACTIVITIES/ ASSESSMENT

Discussion Questions: (10 points each)

1. Explain the different kinds of expectation Model.

2. In a matrix form compare and contrast American Expectations from that of the
European in terms of service expectations.
3. How does technology influence service expectations?

32
Lesson 5: Asian Service Expectation

I.OVERVIEW

Across the world consumer expectations are continually rising when it comes to the service they
receive from organizations. However, there are still significant differences between what
consumers demand in different regions and cultures. Asia is obviously made up of multiple
countries, all with their own cultures. However, research demonstrates that in many areas Asian
consumers have the highest customer experience demands of all. 76% of consumers across the
region say that customer service should be a company’s top priority, according to the EIU, while
a BT study found that the region has the highest concentration of demanding ‘autonomous
customers’.

II.LEARNING OUTCOMES

After successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

1. Identify what is Asian service expectation.

2. Understand and discuss the service expectation of customers located in the Asian
region.
3. Distinguish the main characteristics of Asian customers.
4. Identify some factors that affect the Asian service expectations.
5. Compare Asian service expectations from European Service Expectations and
American service expectations

COURSE MATERIALS

Customer service expectations – comparing Asia and the West

Source:www.eptica.com › blog ›

Across the world consumer expectations are continually rising when it comes to the service they
receive from organizations. However, there are still significant differences between what
consumers demand in different regions and cultures. For example, in the US delivering excellent
customer service is seen as vital to differentiate your product or service, spawning the slogan “the
customer is always right”. Yet, at the same time service staff expect tips as standard, rather than
as a discretionary addition. In France service staff, such as waiters or shop assistants, see
themselves as being on the same level as the customer – with this equality meaning they don’t
always put the consumer’s needs above their own. All of these differences affect what local
customers expect – and therefore the levels of service they receive. Asia is obviously made up of
multiple countries, all with their own cultures. For example, Thai customers value courteous,
33
informed staff much more than South Korean or Malaysian consumers, while 63% of Chinese
respondents in a survey by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) said they’d immediately switch
brands if they received poor service, compared to under 25% in India. However, research
demonstrates that in many areas Asian consumers have the highest customer experience
demands of all. 76% of consumers across the region say that customer service should be a
company’s top priority, according to the EIU, while a BT study found that the region has the
highest concentration of demanding ‘autonomous customers’. There are multiple factors driving
these fast-rising CX needs. An emerging, more affluent middle class has high standards, while
the population has a higher proportion of digital natives who heavily use the latest technology
than many countries in the West. 72% of corporate executives believe access to online
information is the key driver behind rising expectations. Demographics also plays its part. 45% of
Asians are currently millennials and by 2020 the region will be home to 60% of the world’s
population of this group. There is a relentless focus on innovation and novelty in everything that
people do. Finally, there are long-standing traditions across the region that make good service a
central part of culture, meaning that people of all ages expect their needs to be catered for.
Based on this, what should brands in Asia be doing to meet customer needs? And what lessons
should organizations in other parts of the world learn from the Asian experience – after all, it is
likely that similar needs will emerge in the future in other places.

1. Embrace technology
Consumers in Asia are advanced users of new technology, and expect to be able to use the latest
devices and channels to communicate with brands. That means at a minimum ensuring that
organizations are offering mobile-friendly service options, such as mobile chat, as well as
embracing self-service and chatbots. But technology has to be joined-up, seamless and easy to
use – no consumer likes to waste time or to have to repeat themselves if they escalate to a
different channel or speak to a human.

2. Put the customer at the heart of your business

Amidst all the complexity and technological advances, the best way to understand and engage
with customers is to ensure that you are always putting them first. Build your business to be
customer-centric and continually check everything you do to make sure it fits with consumer
requirements. Listen to their feedback and act on it, and make sure that everyone within the
organization is focused on customer needs.

3. Demonstrate the human touch

Traditional Asian service revolves around personal service. It is vital to understand that even in
an age of technology, consumers still want to deal with people for specific transactions and at
particular times. So make sure that you have clear escalation paths to human agents from
systems such as self-service in order to deliver the joined-up service that consumers demand.
Help agents by augmenting their skills with technology, such as by automatically analyzing
incoming emails and social media messages and suggesting particular responses using artificial
intelligence.

4. Continually innovate
A large number of Asian consumers class themselves as early adopters, meaning they are always
looking for the next new thing. That means brands can’t stand still when it comes to customer
experience – they must be continually looking at how they evolve and innovate when it comes to
the service they provide. And it doesn’t matter what industry you operate in – consumers expect
the same levels of innovation and service. So look beyond your immediate competitors and see
what lessons you can learn from leaders in other industries and ensure you have strong
processes in place to encourage internal innovation within your teams. According to the Asian
34
Development Bank by 2030 Asia will make up 43% of global consumer spending (US$32.9
trillion). With customer experience a central factor in which brands Asian consumers choose,
organizations need to ensure that they are meeting expectations now if they want to thrive and
grow moving forward.
Customer service expectations – comparing Asia and the ...www.eptica.com › blog ›
customerservice-expectation... Greater expectations: Keeping pace with customer service
demands in
Asia Pacific A report from the Economist Intelligence Unit
Key points n Rising customer service expectations are driven by information and competition, not
necessarily income, suggesting that expectations even in lower-income countries will rise quickly.
n Price is no longer the only factor in purchasing decisions. In parts of Asia, companies are still
focused on price, but many consumers are willing to pay for better service. n There is room for
customer service to become a key source of competitive advantage in Asia. A gap has opened
between customer service expectations and the levels of service that firms are providing

Part 1: Measuring customer service levels in Asia Growing expectations What a difference five
years makes. In 2005, China was still regarded by many in the West as nothing more than the
world’s workshop, a faraway producer of low-cost goods. India, meanwhile, was still an unfamiliar,
emerging market—many MNCs ran their India operations out of places like Hong Kong or
Singapore. Vietnam had yet to join the World Trade Organization (WTO). Politically, Asia looked
quite different—China’s president, Hu Jintao, had only just declared the need for a “harmonious
society”; Indonesia’s president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, had just begun his first term; and
John Howard was still leading Australia. Over the past five years, Asia has developed rapidly, and
its consumer markets have also evolved. First, people are much richer. For instance, China’s
percapita GDP rose from US$1,761 in 2005 to US$3,678 in 2009. Second, Asia’s citizens enjoy
much better mobile and online connectivity. For example, mobile penetration in India jumped from
6.9% in 2005 to 45% in 2009. Third, Asians are much more widely travelled and exposed to the
outside world. Indonesians, for example, went on almost 12m trips abroad in 2009, up from just
7.2m in 2005. Partly as a result of these changes, the wants and needs of Asian consumers have
changed dramatically. Some 92% of executives in Asia believe customer expectations of service
quality have risen in the past five years. “We see it in restaurants, hotels, in all our businesses,”
says a senior executive from a large Asian conglomerate, “customers in Asia today demand better
service.” Why have Asian consumers become more demanding? Conventional theory suggests
that as people get richer, they start to want better customer service and are more able and willing
to pay for it. However, higher incomes are not perceived as the main driver of rising expectations
in Asia. Only 29% of corporate respondents think so. Instead, 72% of executives say the shift is
due to consumers having more information.3 Some 52% point to increased online connectivity—
to certain goods and services and immediate responses from companies that sell them. Nearly
70% of corporate executives say increased competition is behind rising expectations. UOB, one
of Singapore’s biggest banks, is a case in point. According to Janice Ang, head of UOB’s
customer advocacy & service quality division, with growing local and foreign competition it was
becoming harder to differentiate itself merely through product development. The bank realised
that quality customer service could give it a competitive edge. “Competitors can copy your
products, but they can’t easily copy your customer service culture,” she says. In addition, UOB’s
customers now are much savvier than in the past, largely owing to the internet. Ten years ago,
customers would enter a branch and have a lot of basic queries for UOB’s service staff. Today,
they arrive equipped with detailed product information and are seeking much deeper engagement
from the bank. “We need to train our staff to be able to handle these complex queries,” says Ms
Ang. Rising consumer expectations, therefore, are driven more by greater awareness, online
connectivity and increased competition than by higher incomes. This has serious implications for
companies that adapt their customer service investments and strategies for different markets.
35
The conventional view might be that richer markets require better customer service while poorer
markets can get by with lower standards. For instance, a South-east Asian automotive distributor
interviewed for this report considers it appropriate to provide much more personalised, after-sales
service in mature markets such as Singapore. “In emerging markets such as Vietnam, the focus
is on selling the car, and providing basic after-sales service,” says a senior executive from the
company. “Eventually it will catch up.” While higher incomes may well lead to greater
expectations, the survey findings suggest that companies ought to monitor and place more
emphasis on other variables, like consumer awareness and Internet penetration, when deciding
on their individual country customer service strategy. What do consumers want? Different
industries use different metrics to gauge customer service levels. For instance, an auto repair
shop might track turnover time, the average time needed to repair a fault. An online merchant
could monitor time taken from order to delivery. A low-cost appliance manufacturer might want to
assess the percentage of damaged or faulty goods returned. Other measurements include
number of customer complaints, average waiting time, and quality of call-centre service. The
difficulty with many of these measurements is that they are often internally formulated and inward
looking. They are useful when analysing business performance, but rarely reveal enough about
what customers really think. Even customer feedback forms tend to suffer from self-selection bias,
as they are typically submitted either by the overjoyed or the offended. The best way, in fact, to
find out what customers really think is to ask them. The survey for this research asked 764
consumers across 10 countries in Asia to rate the overall level of customer service in their own
countries for different goods and services (see Figure 1). At a regional level, the three best
performing industries are consumer electronics, financial services and hospitality (including
hotels, theme parks and nightclubs). These are the only ones where more than 50% of consumers
rated service levels good or better. For the other six sectors—groceries or household
consumables, clothing & accessories, travel & consumers expect constant access.

The Key To Improving Asia's Service Culture

Source:https://www.forbes.com

Here in Asia we often hear overseas visitors gushing at the service in the region. A quick look at
Trip advisor invariably sees reviews dotted with praise for the hospitality with a smile in Thailand,
or the gracious inflight service on airlines such as a Cathay Pacific or Singapore Airlines. A similar
reputation for service has seen many companies including Cisco set up call centers in the
Philippines. Aside from their college qualifications, stronger command of English and lower costs,
Filipinos are known for being patient -- a valuable attribute when handling a torrent of complaints
and queries. Malasakit or compassion is nurtured in the Filipino culture as a national value. The
Japanese too have made customer service close to an art form. Taking pride in anticipating and
fulfilling guests’ needs in advance -- known as omotenashi -- is taught from a young age.

Inconsistent service

Yet having grown up and travelled extensively in Asia, my own experience has often been very
different. Across the retail landscape, there are numerous sales personnel who do not volunteer
to find out whether a dress size is available at another store, or respond with a sullen “no” when
asked to check. If one lingIn the United States, on the other hand, sales staff are usually more
than willing to advise on whether the size is available elsewhere and to even reserve one if
needed.

36
On a recent trip to Hong Kong, I was taken aback when I visited a very popular local restaurant
chain. The service was downright rude -- staff ignored requests for assistance, shoving plates of
food in front of customers and spilling drinks. Yet there was still a long line to get in.

Motivation is needed

Staff need to be motivated to provide service excellence. The restaurant knows that customers
will still come, hence its staff are not motivated because their livelihood is secure as long as
people keep queueing. During the SARS crisis in 2002-2003, when business came to a grinding
halt, Hong Kong’s service delivery improved tremendously. With the virus scare now long
forgotten and the economy on a firmer footing, job security has blunted the mindfulness to serve
customers well. To motivate good service, staff have to be trained to understand why it is
necessary for business. The lady who shouts at customers to get out of her shop for wasting her
time has to learn that time spent with non-buying shoppers is part and parcel of cultivating a
business. This also means recruiting the right person as the frontline interface with customers.
Personalities vary -- some are more motivated to helping others while some are less patient.

Training is key

Second, people need to be trained on steps to furnish above-par service. Staff in hotels, airlines
and call centers undergo elaborate training where they practice the service regime over and over
again. They are exposed to multiple scenarios so that they are not only prepared but also
empathize from the customer’s perspective. At Singapore Airlines, flight attendants undergo a
15week program where they learn soft skills such as understanding alongside hard skills like
specific inflight duties and crisis management. When time is scarce, service providers have to be
selective in which customers to spend more time on. Training frontline staff to identify different
customer profiles and manage interactions appropriately is necessary -- a one-size-fits-all service
regime doesn’t workers too long without buying, one will be told to get out of the shop. Consistent,
thorough training coupled with on-the-job practice and supervision can hardwire service attitude
as part of the individual’s culture, much like how omotenashi taught to the young in a
noncommercial setting becomes ingrained in Japanese service delivery. For small organizations
where formal training is absent, precise instructions and close supervision become more
important, and recruitment paramount.

Top service across all levels

For Asia to have service as one of its hallmarks, service must go beyond the usual confines of
hotels and airlines, and cut across organizations at all levels. Some governments such as
Singapore have subsidized schemes to upgrade service levels.

SkillsFuture, for example, is a national movement to provide Singaporeans with the opportunities
to develop their fullest potential throughout life, regardless of their starting points. The programs
offered are wide ranging and include training on using customer friendly language and fostering
transformation through service redesign. When offered consistently at the national level, people
will see training as the “default” -- they have to always improve and put their best foot forward.
Just like omotenashi, training to improve becomes ingrained when there is a consistent and
concerted effort at the organizational or national level. Ideally, corporations should take the lead
to imbibe service attitude. But putting money where their mouth is may be challenging when
resources are tight. A push from government to drive this initiative may be necessary for building
a sustainable and consistent service culture in Asia.
37
 Best Practices for Providing the Best Customer Service
Sourcehttps://www.salesforce.com

Through the proliferation of digital technology, customers have become much more proactive.
They do their own research and control their customer journey, and they have a voice — and they
are adamant about making that voice heard.

Your customers’ voices are one of their most powerful assets in their relationship with your
company. Their voices can sing your praises when everything goes well or get very loud when
they are unhappy. Through social media and other channels, customers can connect directly with
businesses and each other. They can make their opinions publicly known, which can be both
great and concerning.

As the established role of the customer changes, the standard customer service best practices change
along with it.

The benchmark for the best customer service has been raised.

Customers who expect to instantly contact you or your customer service agents also expect
resolutions that are just as prompt. Beyond the constant connectivity and speed, customer service
is no longer just one department: Modern customer service best practices should extend beyond
your support team as well.

It’s been said that all things being equal, customers will choose to buy from a friend — and that
all things being unequal, customers will still choose to buy from a friend. In order to establish this
kind of familiarity with your clients and customers in the age of often-faceless digital
communication, you need to provide the best customer service possible. This includes every
employee involved in every stage of the sales funnel.

Customer service best practices help you keep customers in focus.

There are companies that treat customers as a means to an end. For them, it’s a simple equation:
Without customers, businesses don’t generate any profit, so it only makes sense to want to
acquire them as a resource. Businesses with this mindset fall into the trap of treating their
customers like numbers, and consumers are well aware when this happens.
Naturally, this isn’t how customers want to be treated. In fact, 66% of customers “would switch
brands if they were to be treated like a number, rather than an individual.” Furthermore, 63% of
customers expect tailored engagement based on past interactions.
You see, the age of the connected consumer has driven home one important point: Customers
want to be treated like people, and they want to buy from people. With modern technologies and
tools reshaping how customers and companies connect, the actual, working relationships
between buyers and businesses are a reality for more than just mom-and-pop shops.
Relationships are expected with every company, from startups to global enterprises.
It’s been said that all things being equal, customers will choose to buy from a friend — and that
all things being unequal, customers will still choose to buy from a friend. In order to establish this
kind of familiarity with your clients and customers in the age of often-faceless digital
communication, you need to provide the best customer service possible. This includes every
employee involved in every stage of the sales funnel.

38
Customer service best practices help you keep customers in focus.

There are companies that treat customers as a means to an end. For them, it’s a simple equation:
Without customers, businesses don’t generate any profit, so it only makes sense to want to
acquire them as a resource. Businesses with this mindset fall into the trap of treating their
customers like numbers, and consumers are well aware when this happens.

Naturally, this isn’t how customers want to be treated. In fact, 66% of customers “would switch
brands if they were to be treated like a number, rather than an individual.” Furthermore, 63% of
customers expect tailored engagement based on past interactions.

True success comes from relationships, and relationships are more than equations. It’s not
enough to establish a single customer-facing department capable of offering high-quality service
and following customer service best practices. Inevitably, situations occur where your customers
end up interacting with other departments, and 78% of customers expect the level of service to
be consistent across departments. If it’s not, 73% say they would start looking at other brands.
Seventy-two percent of customers “expect representatives of a company to have the same
information” about them, and 70% expect consistent experiences across channels.

Those statistics prove that customers must be more than a number; they must be part of a relationship.
Customer-centricity is the art of putting the relationship with the customer as a top priority. It can mean
asking difficult questions and making major changes to a company’s standard operating procedures.
Such questions may include:

• What is a good practice when working with a customer onsite?

• How should a customer service representative handle someone who is dramatically
upset?
• Do marketing, sales, and customer service operate in silos, or do customers experience
fluid, singular interactions?
To provide the best customer service, customer-centricity is key. Companies that put their
relationships first benefit from exceptionally high customer loyalty, a positive reputation, and
customers who act as passionate brand ambassadors.

Here are seven of the most important customer service best practices.

39
40
Your customers expect service that is not only exceptional, but also consistent. To provide this
level of support, put into action each of the seven actions in this list of customer service best
practices. No matter your business size or industry; these best practices will lead to success.

1. Hire the right people, and treat them well.

Your employees are your brand’s diplomats. Through them, you form and maintain
connections with the customers who keep you in business. Your customer service
41
 department is key to customer retention, which makes each hire an absolutely vital part of
the company. Take the extra time during the hiring process to make sure new hires are
the best customer service agents they can be. To attract this level of talent, your company
must be competitive in terms of pay and benefits, with a clearly defined path of training
and promotion. Furthermore, make the job fun and rewarding with gamification, genuine
ways of showing appreciation for hard work, and other methods for increasing employee
satisfaction. When you hire and retain exceptional service agents, exceptional customer
service will follow.

2. Deftly manage customer expectations.

Customers tend to expect the world, but promising them the world may not be the best
tactic, because what happens when you make promises that your business is unable to
keep? Instead, tell your customers exactly what they can expect from you, and then work
hard to exceed those expectations. Customers see that your business is willing to go the
extra mile, and you won’t have to worry about damage control for unfulfilled promises.

3. Nail your first impression.

You don’t get a second chance at making a first impression. This is even more true in
business as consumers become more connected. When a customer has a positive (or
negative) experience, they have a lot of power over your reputation and bottom line. They’ll
often share stories about their experiences with companies, carefully choose which
businesses they give their money and time to, and recommend products and services
based on personal and subjective experiences. All of this can happen within minutes from
a smartphone and can affect your relationship with consumers who have never even heard
of you. With this in mind, give your agents the support and incentive to astound both new
and long-term customers, because a customer relationship that starts off strong is much
more likely to stay strong.

4. Collect as much data as you can — and use it.

The best customer service relies on information. As your representatives interact with
customers, they can gather important data by asking the right questions and ensuring the
information is input correctly into a customer relationship management (CRM) platform.
These questions not only help establish a productive dialogue between your business and
your customers, but also give you the opportunity to accomplish two major tasks: receive
and implement valuable feedback, and improve your ability to personalize your
interactions. Furthermore, as consumer needs shift, the right questions, data, and
analytics help you adapt to serve them better.

5. Personalize the relationship.

Your CRM tools are invaluable for helping your business personalize customer
interactions. In addition to gathering, organizing, and analyzing data, CRM platforms give
agents an easy way to track the preferences and history of every customer. When
customer service agents are away from the office or are working with a customer onsite,
cloud-based systems and mobile friendly tools let your employees access and collaborate
on up-to-date data. This empowers businesses to turn traditional customer service into a
guided one-on-one customer journey.
6. Be where your customers are.
Today’s consumers have many channels they can use to contact you, and one of the most
obvious customer service best practice is to be available on the channels your customers
want to use. For example, a funeral home may not need to use Instagram to connect with
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 customers, and a theme park probably won’t find their target audience on LinkedIn. Do
your research to find where your customers are and how they want to interact with you:
phone calls, text messages, social media, live web chat, online forums, and a wide variety
of other options. A multichannel customer service experience is the norm, with
omnichannel not far behind. Again, this level of customer service requires the right
technology to do it well, and equipping your customer service department with a powerful
CRM platform helps employees be ever-present, knowledgeable, and efficient.
7. Maintain your focus.
It’s easy to say that customers are the heart of your business. To truly be customer-centric,
clearly define customer service standards for your company, and then ask everyone —
from the CEO to the newly hired customer service agent — to stay focused on the
customer. Keep the lines of communication open throughout the company and between
employees and customers; inform your customers and involve them in their own customer
journeys. Give your agents the tools and support they need in order to provide superior
service, and reward them when they do. After all, your customers are the heart of your
business, and staying focused on them is the best practice of all.

Service Cloud is another best practice in customer service.

When it comes to providing the best customer service, it’s no surprise that so many best practices
take advantage of CRM technology. A CRM platform improves communication — with customers
as well as between employees across departments — and makes it possible to build and maintain
the relationships that grow your business. Salesforce, the most trusted name in CRM technology,
has taken this one step further with Service Cloud.

IV.ACTIVITIES/ASSESSMENT

Discussion Questions: (15 points for items #1-4 ; 40points for item#5)

1. Define Asian service expectations.

2. In your understanding, discuss briefly the service expectation of customers
located in the Asian region.
3. Explain briefly main characteristics of Asian customers.
4. Cite some factors that affect the Asian service expectations. Explain briefly.

Application Skill:
5. Come up with an Analysis Report to compare the Asian service expectations
from European service expectations and American service expectations.

Note: YOU MAY EXECUTE YOUR OWN WAY OF DESIGN / STYLE TO

EXPRESS AND ACCOMPLISH YOUR ANALYSIS REPORT. Good luck 😊

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44
 Lesson 6: Collaborating in Global Environment

I.OVERVIEW

In this era of global connectivity, organizations are increasingly adopting and

applying Collaborative Environments (CEs) to tap into the knowledge and expertise
of their employees, customers and business partners. Collaborative Environments
allow two or more participants to communicate, coordinate and collaborate to
accomplish a shared objective. They are constructed from a range of computer and
communications technologies, such as instant messaging, e-mail, chatrooms,
discussion databases, mobile communicators, shared whiteboards, media
spaces/cybercafes, and audio, video or web conferences. Collaborative
Environments are not only playing a bigger role in normal business operations, they
are becoming more important as organizations move toward global work teams and
extended-enterprise partnerships.

II.LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

1. Explain global environment.

2. Exhibit a broader understanding of cultural differences and how can this be
leveraged when collaborative global environment
3 Describe what is collaborative environment in workplace .
4. Understand the importance of collaborative global environment.
5. Identify some factors that affect the global environment.

IV.COURSE MATERIALS

Soft skills are defined as personal attributes that enhance how we relate with other
people. One such skill is cultural sensitivity or competency.

Being culturally-sensitive determines how we are able to relate with people from
other regions empathetically.

It also explores how effort is channeled towards gaining understanding about the
different cultures and how these relate to service concepts such as total quality,
customer relationship, and so on.

Components of Collaboration

Customer Relationship Management

By popular definition and given references, customer relationship management or

CRM is known as a widely implemented strategy to manage and track interactions
with customers and clients.

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It involves the use of technology to organize, automate, and synchronize processes.

When talking abut customer service, CRM is all about the use of technology in order
to decrease costs and increase efficiency. This expectedly helps organizations
maintain long-term relationships with customers.

From IT perspective, it is the use of actual software to achieve business goals.

Essentially, it allows service personnel to simulate a long-term relationships with

customers where service information and other relevant data are available in the
system.

It’s like having several hundreds of one-on-one interactions with customers at a

given time.

Total Quality Management

Derived from “total quality” or the concept which refers to a comprehensive,

company-wide effort to improve quality of a process, product or service.

People- focused management system that aim to increase customer satisfaction at

lower costs.

Anchored in values and so focuses on just on improvement, but on continuous

improvement and learning that necessary to sustain the development momentum.

The Collaborative Process

• Sharing perspective
• Defining issues
• Identifying interests
• Generating options
• Developing fair standards or objective criteria for decision-making
• Evaluating options and reaching an agreement

Global Business Environment

The global business environment can be defined as the environment in different

sovereign countries, with factors exogenous to the home environment of the
organization, influencing decision making on resource use and capabilities.
The global business environment can be classified into the external environment
and the internal environment :

● External Environment provides opportunities and pose threats to

organization.

⮚ Micro Environment Suppliers of Inputs, Customers Marketing

Intermediaries, Competitors, Publics

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 ⮚ Macro Environment Economic,Political ,Legal, Technological
&Global ,Socio- cultural Demographic, Natural & Ecological.

● Internal Environment provides strength or cause weakness of a strategic

nature Value System, Mission & Objectives, Organizational Structure,
Corporate Culture, Quality of Human Resources, Labour Unions, Physical
Resources, Technological Capabilities.

How Cultural Differences impact Global Business Environment

Source :www.hult.edu › blog ›

As companies continue to expand across borders and the global marketplace

becomes increasingly more accessible for small and large businesses alike.
Multinational and cross-cultural teams are likewise becoming ever more common,
meaning businesses can benefit from an increasingly diverse knowledge base and
new, insightful approaches to business problems. However, along with the benefits
of insight and expertise, global organizations also face potential stumbling blocks
when it comes to culture and international business. While there are a number of
ways to define culture, put simply it is a set of common and accepted norms shared
by a society. But in an international business context, what is common and accepted
for a professional from one country, could be very different for a colleague from
overseas. Recognizing and understanding how culture affects international
business in three core areas: communication, etiquette, and organizational
hierarchy can help you to avoid misunderstandings with colleagues and clients from
abroad and excel in a globalized business environment.

1. Communication
● Effective communication is essential to the success of any business venture,
but it is particularly critical when there is a real risk of your message getting
“lost in translation.” In many international companies, English is the de facto
language of business. But more than just the language you speak, it’s how
you convey your message that’s important. For instance, while the Finns
may value directness and brevity, professionals from India can be more
indirect and nuanced in their communication. Moreover, while fluent English
might give you a professional boost globally, understanding the importance
of subtle nonverbal communication between cultures can be equally crucial
in international business.

● What might be commonplace in your culture — be it a firm handshake,

making direct eye contact, or kiss on the cheek — could be unusual or even
offensive to a foreign colleague or client. Where possible, do your research
in advance of professional interactions with individuals from a different
culture. Remember to be perceptive to body language, and when in doubt,
ask. While navigating cross-cultural communication can be a challenge,
approaching cultural differences with sensitivity, openness, and curiosity can
help to put everyone at ease.

● “There is an atmosphere of understanding and support. Everyone has this

respect and curiosity for all the cultural and personal differences between
us. This environment encourages everyone to strive for excellence.”

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 ● A body which composed of 130 countries with the opportunity to study
alongside peers from all corners of the globe, building cross-cultural
communication skills is at the core of our business programs.

2. Workplace Etiquette

● Different approaches to professional communication are just one of the

innumerable differences in workplace norms from around the world. CT
Business Travel has put together a useful infographic for a quick reference
of cultural differences in business etiquette globally.
● For instance, the formality of address is a big consideration when dealing
with colleagues and business partners from different countries. Do they
prefer titles and surnames or is being on the first-name basis acceptable?
While it can vary across organizations, Asian countries such as South Korea,
China, and Singapore tend to use formal “Mr./Ms. Surname,” while
Americans and Canadians tend to use first names. When in doubt, erring on
the side of formality is generally safest.
● The concept of punctuality can also differ between cultures in an
international business environment. Different ideas of what constitutes being
“on time” can often lead to misunderstandings or negative cultural
perceptions. For example, where an American may arrive at a meeting a few
minutes early, an Italian or Mexican colleague may arrive several minutes —
or more — after the scheduled start-time (and still be considered “on time”).
● Along with differences in etiquette, come differences in attitude, particularly
towards things like workplace confrontation, rules and regulations, and
assumed working hours. While some may consider working long hours a
sign of commitment and achievement, others may consider these extra
hours a demonstration of a lack of efficiency or the deprioritization of
essential family or personal time.

3. Organizational Hierarchy

● Organizational hierarchy and attitudes towards management roles can also

vary widely between cultures. Whether or not those in junior or middle-
management positions feel comfortable speaking up in meetings,
questioning senior decisions, or expressing a differing opinion can be
dictated by cultural norms. Often these attitudes can be a reflection of a
country’s societal values or level of social equality. For instance, a country
such as Japan, which traditionally values social hierarchy, relative status,
and respect for seniority, brings this approach into the workplace. This
hierarchy helps to define roles and responsibilities across the organization.
This also means that those in senior management positions command
respect and expect a certain level of formality and deference from junior
team members.
● Scandinavian countries, such as Norway, which emphasize societal equality,
tend to have a comparatively flat organizational hierarchy. In turn, this can
mean relatively informal communication and an emphasis on cooperation
across the organization. When defining roles in multinational teams with
diverse attitudes and expectations of organizational hierarchy, it can be easy
to see why these cultural differences can present a challenge.
● According to Hult International Business School 2(017),as part of their
mission to become the world’s most relevant business school, Hult is

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 dedicated to preparing their students for the challenges and opportunities of
working across borders and cultures. A big part of this preparation is
understanding the role culture plays in international business. In many ways,
Hult classroom mirrors today’s business environment, with students of 130
nationalities collaborating and studying together. And not only are our
students multicultural, our faculty is too. Many have lived, worked, and taught
across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and beyond .Outside of the classroom,
there is an opportunity to experience life, culture, and commerce in today’s
most dynamic business centers through our global campus rotation program.
This international learning environment offers a truly global perspective and
unique insight into culture and business practices from all over the world.

The Importance of a Global Mindset

Source: trainingindustry.com › Blog

A global mindset is the ability to reflexively adjust to the cultural signals you receive
so that your effectiveness isn’t compromised with dealing with people from other
backgrounds and styles. According to a survey by RW³ Culture Wizard of almost
1,400 businesspeople from across the world, organizations that actively promote a
global mindset are significantly more likely to achieve their global business
objectives. With these realities, having a global mindset is critical not only for people
working in global organizations but especially for people who train in global
organizations. A global mindset is a learnable skill. Organizations that actively
promote a global mindset are significantly more likely to achieve their global
business objectives ( Michael S. Schell, 2017).

5 Ways to Develop a Global Mindset

The globalization of business continues to challenge our ability to operate effectively

across countries and cultures, which is why a global mindset is an essential
professional trait. Professionals with a global mindset leverage all that they know
about their culture and the cultures of other people to react to situations in the most
productive ways, all without losing sight of who they are.
Even those with significant international experience benefit from taking time to
refresh and train their brains to be more global. The following five-step cycle can
help you develop a global mindset and improve the quality of your cross-cultural
interactions. What it comes down to is the recognition that we all need to be more
open and flexible, balanced with a strong vision of what works and doesn’t work for
us on a personal level.

1. Recognize your own cultural values and biases

The cycle begins with discovering and analyzing your own values and biases, which
are rooted in a variety of cultural influences that span your life. You might complete
a cultural values assessment to not only get to know yourself but also see how you
compare to other cultures across various dimensions like communication style and

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hierarchy. This step is particularly helpful if you are about to begin a global project
or take a business trip to a new country or even when you’re interacting with diverse
colleagues in your own office. Developing a strong self-awareness has shown to
foster a non-judgmental perspective on differences, which is critical to developing a
global mindset.
Developing a strong self-awareness has shown to foster a non-judgmental
perspective on differences.

2. Get to know your personality traits, especially curiosity

● There are five specific traits that affect your ability to interact effectively with
different cultures:
● Openness
● Flexibility
● Social dexterity
● Emotional awareness
● Curiosity
Ask yourself how open you are to different ways of managing a team. Are you
flexible enough to attempt a different feedback style? How easy is it for you to strike
up a conversation with people from foreign countries?
While these traits are all important, curiosity is critical, because we can all find easy
ways to be more curious, and curiosity is what leads us to ask questions, which lead
to the insights we need to understand the idiosyncrasies of global work. If you’re not
naturally curious, you can train yourself to engage in “curiosity conversations” to
learn more about the people around you. A simple chat on the differences between
what’s familiar in your part of the world and in their part of the world can go a long
way toward integrating and ironing out any salient differences. People are usually
willing to talk about their society’s norms at large, if not their own personal habits.

3. Learn about the workplace and business expectations of

relevant countries and markets

The third step transfers your attention away from yourself to learn about the typical
workplace habits, expectations and best practices in other countries and cultures.
(It’s important to note that cultural norms are not stereotypes but high-level
tendencies.) While you can’t know everything about every culture, you can certainly
access on-demand insights on how to do business effectively from a variety of online
resources and digital learning platforms. Can you schedule meetings during lunch
time in Mexico? Do you know when the weekend is in Saudi Arabia? How should
you establish credibility during a meeting with a potential client in Japan? You can
also widen your base by seeking work that will expose you to countries or markets
important to your role and career.

4. Build strong intercultural relationships.

Just like when learning to speak a second language, it’s helpful to immerse yourself
with people from other parts of the world to develop a global mindset. These
relationships facilitate valuable learning about what works and what doesn’t. The
ability to form relationships across cultures is not a given, but the more positive
intercultural relationships you develop, the more comfort you’ll have with diverse
work styles and the less you’ll resort to stereotyping. How often do you approach
people from different cultures when at networking or social events?

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Immerse yourself with people from other parts of the world to develop a global
mindset. To build your intercultural or global network, it helps to find cultural mentors
or coaches who can give you feedback on what to do better. You can also use
intercultural learning platforms to gain country-specific insights into appropriate and
effective trust-building activities so that you don’t unknowingly stifle your efforts with
the wrong approach.

5.Develop strategies to adjust and flex your style.

What has made you successful in a domestic or local context likely won’t help you
reach the same level of success on a global scale, which is why learning to adapt
your style is often the hardest part of mastering a global mindset. This step involves
expanding your repertoire of business behaviors by learning to behave in ways that
may be unusual to you but highly effective when interacting with others. For
example, imagine how much relationship-building time you need to factor into your
schedule when your new peer from India makes a business trip to visit you. Is a
lunch or two enough, or do you need to extend an invite to show them around town
on the weekend? If it feels excessive or inappropriate to you, it may be a good sign
that you’re going beyond your personal comfort zone, that you’re flexing your style
and that it may indeed be the right thing to do. In any case, one of the benefits of
developing strong relationships with colleagues from different cultures is that you
can test your approach and ask them for feedback on how your style would be
received in their part of the world. Discussing cultural differences with your global
colleagues is a great way to build trust and develop personal strategies for success
at the same time. Discussing cultural differences with your global colleagues is a
great way to build trust and develop strategies for success.

Additional readings:

Collaboration Processes – a process that highlight important stages of

contribution. Collaboration is simply not just a concept competency ,it is also a
process that highlight important stages of contribution.
Service Beyond Boarders – an open-door policy of sorts that allow for collaboration
across beliefs thus producing more holistic results.

⮚ It connotes an open-door policy of sorts that allows for collaboration across

beliefs, thus, producing more holistic results.
⮚ As a concept, going beyond borders normally connote the blurring of
geographical or political lines that separate regions, races, and people in
general.

Example: look at how the United Nations and its member nations collaborate
to decide on policies that potentially would impact millions and millions of
people around the world.

Cultural Sensitivity means being aware that cultural differences and similarities exist
and have an effect on values, learning, behavior and that these fundamental
differences will invariably impact outputs depending on how they are identified,
resolved, tracked and managed

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Global collaboration refers to the methods in which the instructors and students are
communicating with one another across the globe for collaborative experiences
online.

Collaborative Environments are designed for distributed teams which can be

defined as groups of people that interact through interdependent tasks guided by
common purpose, and work across space, time, and organizational boundaries
primarily through electronic means.

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