These are consumer protection legislation laws.
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Sale of Goods Act (SGA) 1979 – this Act is consolidated the 1893 Act and its amendments.
The right of the seller to sell = in every contract, there are some implied conditions. One such implied condition is that the seller has legal right to sell. When you go shopping you do not ask the shopkeeper if the goods that he or she is offering to sale are legally his or hers – you have to assume that it is so, but if later on you discover that the seller did not have the right to sell, then by the SGA 1979 Act you have the rights to recover the money you have spent.
Another implied condition in a contract of sale is that the goods must correspond with the description that is given. E.g. a pair of gloves described as made of leather must be made of leather, not plastic.
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Sale and Supply of Goods Act (SSGA) 1994 – This Act is important for its substitution of the term ‘satisfactory quality’ for the previously used phrases ‘merchantable quality’ and ‘fit for the purpose’. The guideline quoted above were set out in the SSGA 1994, but are implemented through the SGA.
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Supply of Goods and Services Act (SGSA) 1982 - The SGA 1979 dealt only with the legal responsibilities of sellers of goods. The Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 added the responsibilities of providers of services.
A contract for the supply of a service is defined as ‘a contract under which the supplier agrees to carry out a service’. This makes the supplier of a service carry out ‘responsible care and skills’. All service providers are included in this, whether they are professional or unprofessional.
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Supply of Goods Act 1973 – this Act deals with the responsibilities of the seller in relation to hire-purchase contracts. In another word, anyone buying goods on hire purchase has some protection under the law as a person who buys the goods outright.
The suppler
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Consumer Protection Act 1987 – this was the first Act in UK to bring the UK inline with other EU countries. It deals with three aspects of consumer protection:
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Product liability = made producers liable for any damage done by defective products. Due to the Act, producers could claim that they had not been negligent (lacking a reasonable degree of care), or that they did not know that the goods were defective.
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Consumer safety = ensures that consumers are protected from damage or injury caused by faulty goods.
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Misleading pricing = makes it illegal to mislead consumers about the price of any good, service or facility.
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Data Protection Act (DPA) 1984 – This Act protects the confidentiality of information stored in computers. The Act requires anyone – an individual or an organisation – holding personal data on computer to register with the Data Protection Registrar. It also requires that:
- Data must be acquired legally
- Data must only be used for the purpose for which it is held
- Data must not be disclosed to other unless this is necessary for the purpose for which it is held
- Data must be accurate and up to date
- People whose data is held must be allowed to access to ant information about them
- Any incorrect information must be corrected
- Every data holder must make proper security arrangements to ensure that no unauthorised person gains access to the data.
Sainsbury’s customer service policy
Delivering great service is about making our customers' shopping trips easy, enjoyable and inspiring. All colleagues know that their job is to serve our customers as best they can.
We spend a lot of time understanding the way customers are choosing to live their lives in order to respond with the right products and services for them. The UK is changing, and our products and services are changing to match.
So how is life in the UK changing?
Of course, everyone is an individual, and there are as many lifestyles as there are individuals, but there are clear trends in the way we are living:
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Smaller households. There are far more single person households than in the 1970s. 32% of all UK homes are now single person households.
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Living longer. We are living longer and staying fit and able for longer. Life expectancy is increasing. Stereotypical images of senior citizens do not apply (if they ever applied) – there are huge numbers of adventurous young-minded people moving towards and into retirement.
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Extended families. With more parents working and busier lifestyles, there is plenty of sharing of childcare, with parents getting help from professionals, friends and grandparents.
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Ethnicity. We have a growing ethnic population bringing different experiences and customs to the country. 7% of us are from an ethnic minority group and 27% of Londoners were born outside the UK. The huge increase in travel has meant that for many of us the world has become a smaller place, full of ideas that can be borrowed or adapted.
These social changes are reflected in the way we live, and the way we feel about our lives.
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Less formality. There is less emphasis on class, custom and tradition, and a corresponding relaxation of routine, with less rigid time planning, especially for those without children. We are not quite a 24-hour culture, but more of us are demanding access to goods and services on our terms and at our chosen times.
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Stress. UK working hours are longer than elsewhere in the EU and continue to increase. There is more talk about stress amongst working people and especially younger generations, who have been measured in some studies as less happy than previous generations.
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Health. There is an increasing interest in health and wellbeing, reflected in the number of gyms; the growth in alternative therapies and the increased focus on the role food can play in sustaining health.
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The home. There has been a huge increase in the upkeep and decoration of our homes – reflected in the popularity of house and garden improvement shows, alongside a surge of interest in cooking and food. We are an increasingly house proud and stylish nation.
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Leisure. Activities outside the home are changing too. Churches, sports and pubs retain their appeal, but we are developing new ways of spending time. The National Trust now has three million members, eating out is commonplace and club culture has been embraced by a generation of
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Leisure. Activities outside the home are changing too. Churches, sports and pubs retain their appeal, but we are developing new ways of spending time. The National Trust now has three million members, eating out is commonplace and club culture has been embraced by a generation of British people.
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Technology. Two thirds of us access the Internet regularly, and mobile phones are becoming the norm.
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Internet shopping. For those who prefer their shopping to come to them, Sainsbury’s to You delivers groceries ordered via the Internet.
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Checkout queues. We always aim to minimise waiting time at the checkout. Many of our store colleagues are multi-skilled and so, at busy times, we are always able to call on more colleagues to operate the till.
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Special offers. We have many items on special offer that disappear very quickly from our shelves. If any customer wishes to buy an item on special offer but it is out of stock, all key staff have vouchers which they can give to the customer so that the next time they are in the store and the item is available they can buy it at the reduced price.
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Breakages. If a customer accidentally drops a product and it breaks anywhere in the store, including the car park, we will replace it free of charge.
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Customer information and feedback. Customer feedback is very important in helping us improve our offer and giving our customers a better service. In an average week we receive around 50,000 customer contacts (2.5 million per year), mainly through our freephone Customer Careline 0800 636262 but also by post and e-mail. Simple requests like store opening times are dealt with immediately. One colleague, specialising in that subject, follows through more complicated queries. We aim to reply to a customer within five working days but complicated queries may take longer.
We also talk to about 600,000 customers a year, either individually or in groups, in over 3,000 individual pieces of research. Topics have included measures of customer satisfaction, monitors of product quality and brand image as well as specific research on packaging, new store layouts and effectiveness of promotions. In addition, we make use of online data systems and we access desk research from sources like the Financial Times, Henley Centre, Office for National Statistics, Verdict Research and the Institute of Grocery Distribution.
Colleagues at our in-store customer service desk are the first port of call for a wide range of services, including:
- Glass loans;
- Flower wrapping;
- Customer special orders, lost property;
- Sainsbury's vouchers;
- Refunds;
- Complaints;
- Signing in of visitors.
Whether keeping the checkout queues short, offering self-scanning or trailing self-checkout, we understand that on many occasions time is critical. We also recognise that the same person on another occasion may be looking to browse and enjoy the shop, perhaps sampling some food or asking advice at our counters.
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Complaints/refunds policy. We consider all complaints sympathetically. Fortunately, most can be dealt with quickly in store by refund, with proof of purchase, or by replacement, to the complete satisfaction of the customer. Serious complaints, about contamination or food poisoning, for example, are sent to our Product Quality team for its analysis and expert opinion. The store Duty Manager deals with service complaints but if customers are still dissatisfied their details are taken for a written reply. Larger claims for compensation are sent to our Customer Management team. Customers receive a reply after full consideration of their claim. Group Legal Services or our Insurance Department deal with more serious complaints, for example, accidents in store.
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Top-shelf publications. Although there are no legal or trade guidelines on what may or may not be sold in newsagent outlets in general, our policy is not to display or sell any newspaper or magazine, which we think would offend or embarrass the average customer. In certain categories, teenage magazines for example, a trade arbitration panel has been set up in case of complaints from our customers.
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Data protection policy. We are totally committed to respecting the privacy of our customers and colleagues and any data they provide us with is used only in accordance with their wishes. Only by making strategic use of this information can we understand their needs and deliver the superior benefits they require. We comply fully with the Data Protection Act that regulates the collection, use, storage and destruction of personal data and we also comply with the guidelines issued by the Information Commissioner.
Neither Sainsbury's Bank nor Sainsbury's Supermarkets provide other organisations with information that identifies our customers. Where customers choose to take part with third parties, some transfer of customer details will be necessary but this will be drawn to the customers' attention before they commit themselves.
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Regulatory complaints Occasionally, we may receive complaints through a regulatory body like the Advertising Standards Authority or local authority. We are always willing to discuss issues and to co-operate with both enforcing agencies and local authorities during their investigations, and seek to resolve problems speedily.
Sainsbury has many facilities for disable, blind and deaf customers. It provides the following facilities and services to make our customers shopping experience easy and enjoyable:
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Designated disability parking spaces All car parks have designated disabled parking spaces. These are situated near the main store entrance for any of our customers with a mobility/access requirement.
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Guide/assistance dogs Guide/assistance dogs are welcome in all of our stores.
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Help with your shopping Members of staff are available to assist customers with their shopping, including packing items at the checkout if required. We are also happy to carry shopping bags to the car if requested.
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Induction loop system for hearing impaired Most of our stores now have hearing induction loops installed to help hearing-aid users interact with colleagues at specific locations around the store, including selected checkouts and the customer service desk. The following symbol is displayed where induction loops have been installed. We are actively working to install induction loops in all of our stores by early next year.
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Service call in petrol stations 95% of our petrol stations have a service call facility available, enabling disabled drivers to request assistance without leaving their vehicle. Our staff will be happy to help.
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Wheelchairs and specially adapted trolleys These are available in every store (excluding Locals and selected Centrals where space is limited). Electric scooters are available in larger selected stores.
We are also members of Baywatch a campaigning body founded by four organisations: , , and . Baywatch is a national campaign set up in response to widespread concern about the abuse of parking spaces designated for use by people with a disability. Along with other national retailers we at Sainsbury’s are supporting the campaign throughout our stores.
Sainsbury's recognises that each of its customers is an individual with individual needs. All members of staff receive disability training as part of their induction programme to ensure that our colleagues have an understanding of the needs of our disabled customers.
As part of our commitment to becoming a disability confident organisation we are a gold card member of The Employers’ Forum on Disability, an employers’ organisation which focuses on disability in the workplace and shares best practice to make it easier for companies to employ disabled people.
We were voted the best corporate chain store for our commitment to providing better service to our deafblind customers at the Deafblind Friendly Corporate Awards 2001.
We won the supermarket category in the 2001 EASE (EASE of Access, Service and Employment) awards, which recognise companies and organisations that show good practice for people with disabilities.
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Parents and infants We do everything we can to make life easier for parents shopping with babies and small children, starting in the car park with designated spaces near the store entrance. Customers shopping with a child under five years old, at a store with a Sainsbury's controlled car park, can get a Parent and Infant windscreen badge from the Customer Service desk and keep it on their cars. Several types of trolleys are available for various family combinations of babies and toddlers, even for triplets. Parents shopping with children can use the priority wide-aisle checkouts to avoid waiting and we will provide help to the car with the shopping if required.
- We support the Wellbeing 'Eating for Pregnancy' Helpline (0114 242 4084) which is run by state-registered dieticians.
- We are supporters of the National Childbirth Trust's 'Breast is Best' campaign. Any mother, breastfeeding either in the store or restaurant, should feel able to do so with confidence and in comfort. Baby changing rooms, some with free nappies, are also provided in some stores.
- In line with the law, we do not offer price promotions on powdered baby milk. Nor do we give Sainsbury's Reward Points on its purchase.
- Free membership of our Little Ones Club entitles customers to considerable savings when shopping and a regular magazine with the latest news on childcare and new products. Our larger stores also sell range of Adams children's clothing and Early Learning Centre toys.
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Elderly people We realise that elderly people like to retain their independence by doing their own shopping but in larger stores this is often a tiring activity. In our 130+ years of trading we have always put chairs near the checkout for our older customers to rest on. We will also help elderly customers with packing their purchases and will take the bags to their cars.
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Practicality in the kitchen Time pressures exist at home as well as at work, so we offer products that provide speed and convenience in the kitchen, from our ready-meals range, to a wide selection of prepared meats and vegetables that require no preparation, to handy kitchen products such as frozen herbs and ‘one cup’ filter coffee bags.
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Health We understand that healthy eating is about balance, and we focus on providing clear and easy-to-read nutritional information on our products to help customers seeking this balance. We are trailing the provision of healthchecks and allergy tests in some stores.
- We have succesfully reduced the level of salt in our products, and minimised the unnecessary use of pesticides to grow food. We place great emphasis on fresh food, and we are staunch supporters of initiatives such as ‘5 a day’ (fruit and vegetable portions).
- We offer many products specifically for health conscious customers, from the Be Good To Yourself lower fat range to the freefrom range catering for special diets.
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Different tastes We offer a very wide range of products (over 20,000 different products in many of our supermarkets) to meet just about every taste. For example, we cater for local tastes in Scotland by opening Simon Howie branded meat counters, we sell Kelly's of Cornwall ice cream in the South West, Bartons pickles in the North West, Genesis bread in Northern Ireland and a wide range of kosher foods in Finchley Road.
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Style Reflecting the growing interest in travel and style, we source from around the world new and different food and drink products and ideas. Responding to the increasing interest in homestyle, we launched a stylish range of homewares in September 2003.
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The joy of food Most importantly of all, we love food and understand just how much food is enjoyed by people in the UK. From our Taste the Difference range of even better tasting food to our authentic regional Italian ranges, from our party food to our Christmas puddings, we aim to provide food to be enjoyed, whether a simple meal after a hard day’s work, a family Sunday lunch, or a social gathering like a barbecue.
At Sainsbury’s we keep up to date with the way the UK is developing by understanding the way that people are choosing to live their lives and responding with products and services that are of relevance. We continue to seek out developing trends by being customer led and thus:
- It is everyone’s job to think about what our customers want. To support our colleagues in doing this we have a dedicated team called Customer Insights. In total there are 17 of us: 13 women and 4 men, aged between 23 and 50.
- Every month, the Customer Insights department talks to over 50,000 people in order to understand and get closer to our customer.
- To this end, we ask, on average, 20,000 customers every year how satisfied they are with the store experience and compare this with satisfaction in our competitors’ stores.
- We conduct what we call mystery shops where a trained auditor visits a store and measures standards such as queue length and waiting time, product availability, ease of finding management, interaction with customers at checkout and whether or not the aisles are clear.
- We visit our customers in their homes to ask them about the products that we sell. We find out how these products are performing in terms of quality, price and the choice available. This information is then passed on to our colleagues responsible for sourcing products to ensure that our offer is right for our customers.
- In addition we talk to customers in focus groups on topics such as service, value for money and non-foods and also accompany them around the stores to find out what they like and dislike about our products, service, availability, price, range, store layout, etc.
To help them constantly improve on customer service we employ a team of independent shoppers, known as 'mystery shoppers'. They carry out in-depth checks on our customers' shopping experience to assess whether it is easy and enjoyable. The store is unaware that the check is being made until it is told how well it has performed and which areas need improvement.
Also, Sainsbury’s in-depth analysis of sales performance using electronic point of sale data, the Nectar loyalty card, scrutiny of customer letters and the measure of website ‘hits’ demonstrates that we have a range of systems in place which help us to respond to what our customers need.
Sainsbury is opening many Local and Central stores to bring Sainsbury’s products and services to people who are looking for quick and convenient shopping to fit with their busy lives. We will open Sainsbury’s stores on Shell forecourts this year, offering easy shopping to drivers and local people. We are developing small “store within store” areas on our big supermarket sites, often in the Sainsbury’s petrol station, to make the quick ‘pop-in’ shop quicker.
Strength and weaknesses of Sainsbury’s customer service policy
Getting hold of Sainsbury’s customer service policy was very difficult. I’ve been to the store many times but they did not have a copy to give to me. I checked both of Sainsbury’s website but it did not have it there either, so at the end I collected different type of information that I thought it might have in the customer service policy from both of the websites ( and ).
I can see that Sainsbury follows Acts to have better services for their customers. I can tell this by looking at the customer service policy that I made for Sainsbury. For example they have a Complaints/refunds policy, which says ‘we consider all complaints sympathetically. Fortunately, most can be dealt with quickly in store by refund, with proof of purchase, or by replacement, to the complete satisfaction of the customer. Serious complaints, about contamination or food poisoning, for example, are sent to our Product Quality team for its analysis and expert opinion. The store Duty Manager deals with service complaints but if customers are still dissatisfied their details are taken for a written reply. Larger claims for compensation are sent to our Customer Management team. Customers receive a reply after full consideration of their claim. Group Legal Services or our Insurance Department deal with more serious complaints, for example, accidents in store’. They also have a policy called ‘Customer information and feedback’. In this policy it says ‘customer feedback is very important in helping us improve our offer and giving our customers a better service. In an average week we receive around 50,000 customer contacts (2.5 million per year), mainly through our freephone Customer Careline 0800 636262 but also by post and e-mail. Simple requests like store opening times are dealt with immediately. One colleague, specialising in that subject, follows through more complicated queries. We aim to reply to a customer within five working days but complicated queries may take longer.
We also talk to about 600,000 customers a year, either individually or in groups, in over 3,000 individual pieces of research. Topics have included measures of customer satisfaction, monitors of product quality and brand image as well as specific research on packaging, new store layouts and effectiveness of promotions. In addition, we make use of online data systems and we access desk research from sources like the Financial Times, Henley Centre, Office for National Statistics, Verdict Research and the Institute of Grocery Distribution’.
By looking at both of the policies and reading information on the websites, I can tell that Sainsbury follows the Sales of Goods Act (SGA) 1979 and Sale and Supply of Goods Act (SSGA) 1994. After given the right to sell products to customers by SGA they than makes sure that what ever product they sell is in good quality, has no faults and the product is like how it is described.
If the customers are not happy with any of the products that they have bought then Sainsbury will give them refund with proof of purchase or replace the product to the complete satisfaction of the customer.
They also follow Data protection Act (DPA) 1987. I know this by reading a section called ‘Data protection policy’. In this policy it says ‘we are totally committed to respecting the privacy of our customers and colleagues and any data they provide us with is used only in accordance with their wishes. Only by making strategic use of this information can we understand their needs and deliver the superior benefits they require. We comply fully with the Data Protection Act that regulates the collection, use, storage and destruction of personal data and we also comply with the guidelines issued by the Information Commissioner.
Neither Sainsbury's Bank nor Sainsbury's Supermarkets provide other organisations with information that identifies our customers. Where customers choose to take part with third parties, some transfer of customer details will be necessary but this will be drawn to the customers' attention before they commit themselves’.
Under any circumstances Sainsbury will not pass any information about their customers to anyone, unless they take part with third parties. But this will be drawn to the customers' attention before they commit themselves’.
Sainsbury follows all the acts except for one act. That is ‘Consumer Protection Act 1987’. I am sure they look out for consumer safety, miss leading prices and product liability, but I have not came across anything that mentions anything about consumer protection when I was reading the information on the website. So I presume they do not even follow that act.
If anyhow Sainsbury does not follow Consumer Protection Act, than this is a bad thing for the business, because if consumers do not feel safe with them or if they are playing about with their product’s price and there is no product liability than the consumers will not happy and go to Sainsbury’s competitors instead.
Over all Sainsbury’s customer service policy is very good even though I could not find the real customer service policy. It meets three of the acts and I am sure the fourth act does exist within Sainsbury but they have not mentioned anything in the Website.
The techniques Sainsbury has used to improve customer service and how it monitors the performance of its customer service function
Customers are the most important people for an organisation. Without customers the organisation would just not exist. They are simply the natural resource upon which the success of any organisation depends. Therefore it is very crucial for a company to monitor its customer service and improve it when it is needed. By doing this it will increase repeated customers, which means sales will rise and this may lead to high profit.
Below are few reasons why an organisation needs to monitor its customer service.
- Finding out strengths and using that strength to improve another section where there is a weakness. E.g. If training helped employees to serve customers better on the till than training should be used to help employees solve customers complaint in an appropriate manner, as there are some weakness in that section.
- To find out what needs to be updated. For example, questionnaires may gone out of date.
- To meet customer needs more effectively.
- To target weaknesses. This means, finding ways of improving a problem/problems after it has been discovered.
- Have a develop plan for the business where they can work from.
- To see if the employees are doing their job properly to meet customers need.
- To find out if their customer service is working well or not and if any improvements are needed.
After monitoring customer service it is vital to improve it, if it is needed. Below are some benefits of having improved customer service:
- It will increase repeated customers, which will raise the sales, and this might augment profit.
- There will be more customer loyalty, which means customers will come back again and again.
- The business will have good reputation and enhanced image.
- There will be a positive effect on the market share. The price will go up.
- The business will be more effective in the long run if it has improved customer service.
To assess the standard of customer service and be able to do improvements, it needs to find out customers needs and wants and how these could be improved.
Below are few of the techniques, which could be used to find out:
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Customer questionnaire can come very handy sometime as it provides information on what customers want, why they come to shop in that environment and the advantages and disadvantages of the business.
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Interviews. Different types of interview has its own use towards improving customer service, especially by having personal interview with the customers it can find out things which may not have been mentioned on the questionnaire, and also more questions can be asked from the answers they give.
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Customer panel discussion. This can be very expensive but at the same time it can be very effective for the business if it is successful. It can give a good indication of what the customers want and need.
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Management information analysis. In this section the information is stored on the computer for safety, and mainly to look back to the information if it is needed.
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Internet websites. Is now in general use, and valuable feedback can be obtained from websites.
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Telephone surveys. To tell customers about new additional services, and/or invite their opinions on services already provided, existing customer database can be used to do that or by giving a free phone number to the customers where they can phone in themselves when ever they want.
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Suggestion schemes. This could be done in questionnaire where customers suggest ways in which services could be improved.
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Mystery shoppers. An employer from a different store who goes to another store to assess the standard of customer service. This person may play a ‘difficult’ customer or lodging a complicated complaint.
To improve the ‘needs and wants’ once it has been identified, the business will need to monitor it regularly to find ways of doing it.
How Sainsbury monitors and improves its customer service?
After looking at both of the Sainsbury’s website, I did not find anything on how they monitor and improve their customer service. So than I decided to go to the store and ask a member of the staff. For me to find out the answer (how they monitor and improve their customer service), I asked 4 questions. Below are the 4 questions, which I have asked, and what I have found:
Question 1 – what methods are being used to monitor Sainsbury’s customer service?
Answer
Sainsbury does not monitor its customer service everyday. It does it twice a week by using the following methods. Different methods are used every week, but the below ones are used the most.
Customer questionnaire and interview = there is a questionnaire which is given to a group of customers where they answer questions related to ‘what they think about Sainsbury’s customer service and is there anything which could be improved’. If more questions are needed to be asked after analysing the questionnaires, then those customers (who filled out the questionnaires) will be asked to do a personal interview with a member of staff.
Suggestions schemes = there is a suggestion box where customers can put any comment they want. These comments could be about something they like about Sainsbury or something they do not like about Sainsbury. Those comments are checked everyday before the store closes.
Mystery shoppers = A worker or a group of workers from a different store goes to another store to assess the standard of customer service. These people may play a ‘difficult’ customer or lodging a complicated complaint. The store is unaware about the ‘mystery shopper’ until they are told how well they have performed and which areas needs improvements.
Question2 – is there any other methods that are used that I cannot see it around the store?
Answer
There are other methods which are used such as, customer panel discussion and telephone survey, but as I have mentioned before, the first three methods that I have written for question 1’s answer are used the most.
Customer panel discussion = this can be very expensive but if the panel discussion is successful it can be an advantage for the business as it can give a good indication of what the customers want and need. Panel discussion is carried out when Sainsbury thinks the other methods are not being very effective or helpful.
Telephone survey = this is not a very effective survey as many people do not do the survey or give precise answers. How ever, there are other people who will do the survey and give precise answers and this is a benefit for the organisation as they can get answers from many people at a low budget.
Question 3 – is there a fixed budget that Sainsbury uses on customer service?
Answer
There is not a fixed budget because, depending on how well the customer service is at that time, the amount can verify. Sainsbury tries to spend as little money as possible but at the same time have an effective customer service.
Question 4 – after monitoring customer service, how is it improved?
Answer
This depends on what the customer wants and needs. For example, if the customers complain that the queues are very long all the time then we have many colleagues in the store who are multi-skilled and so, at busy times, we are always able to call them to operate the till.
An appraisal of the techniques used to monitor and improve customer service
Sainsbury believe by having customer feedback is one of the most important things, as customers are the main assets of the business. This is why Sainsbury does the following methods:
-Telephone survey
-Customer panel discussion
-Suggestions schemes
-Customer questionnaire and
- Interviewing customers
All the above methods are a way of customer feedback. They provide information such as, what customers want and need. In an average week Sainsbury receives around 50,000 customer contacts, which helps them to improve their services and offers.
‘Mystery shopper’ is a excellent way of monitoring its customer service, as they will come into the store as a ‘normal’ customer and observe how well Sainsbury deals with its customers, such as any complaints, are they helpful toward the customers, how long is the queue and the waiting time. They also check other staffs like product availability. The store will not know that they had a ‘mystery shopper’ until they are told how well they have performed.
‘Mystery shoppers’ can be very expensive even though they provide useful information for the business.
From my point I believe, even though having a mystery shopper in a store is very expensive, it is still worth it. By making the changes that the ‘mystery shopper’ tells them to, Sainsbury will improve its customer service, which increases the chance of them making more profit.
Recommendation on how Sainsbury could improve its quality system to help meet customer quality standards
What is quality system?
Quality system is a way of assessing the quality and the standard of certain factors of a business. To assess the quality of its customer service, an organisation must first identify the criteria against which such assessment can be made. These are:
Price/value for money
This is very important to any business. The price must be reasonable and not too high, as customers will look elsewhere. As competition is the biggest fear for a business, it regularly checks the prices at which their main competitors are selling their products and often cuts their own prices to attract customers.
Customer retention
This is a way of keeping the regular customers who come back again and again. This aspect is very important to the business as it keeps the business running, however this only applies more to businesses whose customers have to buy their products regularly, or at least time to time. One-off purchases are unlikely to be repeated.
Consistency and accuracy
To achieve customer satisfaction, a business must provide goods or services of a high standard at all times. Systems to ensure accuracy include procedures for dealing with enquiries and orders so that information given is always precise and accurate. All advertising and publicity must be based on facts otherwise, failure to be consistent and accurate can lead to loss of customers.
Reliability
Companies have to create an image to their customers that they are very reliable, as it will create good customer service. Failure to doing that could make the customers switch to another company. Another aspect of reliability has to do with the quality of goods. This must not change from batch to batch, and customers must be confident that what they buy is as described or seen.
Staffing levels/qualities
It is important to make sure the right calibre of staff are employed when selection procedure is happening, to provide them with adequate training, as this will help them to deal with customers directly or indirectly.
However, even very good employees cannot provide high quality service if there are too few of them. In many cases, employees are the greatest expense of a business, employing too few of them often proves to be a false economy.
Utilisation of experience
New businesses must establish the procedures and practices necessary to deliver quality customer service. These must be checked and monitored carefully to establish if they are satisfied. Once a business has been running for some time, it acquires experience on which it can draw to maintain and, whenever possible, improve its service.
Health and safety
Health and safety regulation for any organisation are laid down by legislation, so therefore no business should have an excuse for failing to provide adequate level of facilities. Customers who visit a business premises must ensure that those premises are safe and that the health of customers is not endangered. These aspects include, making sure that all fire exits are open and easily accessible and any spillages in a supermarket are clean.
Cleanliness and hygiene
This follows from health and safety requirements and includes maintaining necessary standards in the preparation of food and cleanliness in restaurants and other catering outlets, so that customers can have confidence in the products. Furthermore the kitchen should be protected from hygiene and stuffs should be clean as well as tidily dressed.
Accessibility and availability
Accessibility = if something is available, you will find it – it will not have sold out or been withdrawn for sale.
Availability = if something is accessible, you will be able to find it easily.
It is very important to have stock available for customers, as it will make them very happy. It is not a good idea to keep customers waiting for a long time, as this increases loss in customers.
Provision for individual/special needs
Many organisations now provide chairs for elders and many other facilities for disable people. There is also a playing area for mothers to leave their children while they are shopping.
Below table shows the possible ways that could improve Sainsbury’s quality system in each of the criterias.