LEARNING AGREEMENT
AN EXAMPLE
Meeting Customer needs at a Retail Outlet
Instructions:
* There are 4 parts to a Learning Agreement. You must remember to complete every section since marks will be awarded for each section.
Sections in a Learning Agreement
Remarks
Marks Allocated
Objective(s)
This is where you determine 'What' you want to learn from a particular department
5%
Strategies
The 'Strategies' is where you determine 'How' you are going to achieve your objective(s) or the information required to fulfill your learning.
5%
Assessor Comments
You will have to submit this to your Manager(s) for their comments and signature & company stamp.
(When submitting this to your manager(s), you need not show them the Students Reflections, just your objectives and strategies)
5%
Student Reflections
This is where you develop a report on your objective(s) - this is where you can also develop the learning outcomes.
65%
* No part of this report may be reproduced, in any form or by any means. Work submitted based on any of the examples may be awarded no marks.
LEARNING AGREEMENT
Student Name : xxx
Placement : AAA
Department : Subang Jaya Branch
Assessor : Mr. L
Subject Area : Customers' satisfaction
Preparation and Strategies
Objectives
* Identify and understand customers' needs and wants
* To identify the factors that are required to satisfy customers' needs
Strategies for achieving objectives
> Observe customers reaction to the different ways employees' use to serve them
> Speak to customers to find out how satisfied they are
> Discuss with colleagues on how to serve customers better
> Attend to all types of customers to gain experience in dealing with different types of people
> Experiment with different ways of handling customers
> Discuss with the manager on the different ways of improving customer satisfaction
> To study all the different types of products available at AAA
> Read all available manuals on Customer Service at AAA
Target date for completion :30 September XXXX
Verification by Assessor and Comments
[This is where you get your Manager/Assessor to comment about your performance in the area identified above and get him/her to sign (& stamped).]
Signature:
Student's Reflections
[This is where you write in detail about your objectives.]
In AAA, customer satisfaction is a vital criteria in generating daily revenue and upholding the company's good image. Furthermore, customers usually replace their optical products such as spectacles within 2-3 years. Selling and marketing products and following up with customer orders are the main operations in the branch. As such, each and every employee must grasp basic interpersonal relationship skills in dealing and serving their customers.
Firstly, the ambience of the shop plays an important role in contributing to customers' needs ...
This is a preview of the whole essay
Signature:
Student's Reflections
[This is where you write in detail about your objectives.]
In AAA, customer satisfaction is a vital criteria in generating daily revenue and upholding the company's good image. Furthermore, customers usually replace their optical products such as spectacles within 2-3 years. Selling and marketing products and following up with customer orders are the main operations in the branch. As such, each and every employee must grasp basic interpersonal relationship skills in dealing and serving their customers.
Firstly, the ambience of the shop plays an important role in contributing to customers' needs and wants. Even though different customers may favour different themes for decoration of the shop, a hygienic and serene ambience must exist. Customers will therefore feel more relaxed and comfortable upon shopping in the branch. To fulfil this need, the employees in the branch always clean up the shop before it opens for business for the day. As the shop opens at 10.30 AM daily, employees reach 20-30 minutes beforehand to conduct cleaning chores such as sweeping and mopping the floor, clearing out the rubbish and dusting of display racks. Hence, customers are usually pleased with the cleanliness of the shop. If the shop is filthy or has a bad scent, customers may express a disgusted or annoyed look. In my opinion, this will affect the good image of the company.
Besides that, AAA also strive to upgrade the ambience of the shop to cater to the changing of customers' needs and wants. The branch in which I worked was formerly situated in one shop lot. Later, AAA bought over the corner lot to replace it. The present shop is much bigger and has more space to display optical products. Besides that, I happened to know that the branch in Y shopping mall was closed in mid November for renovation works. When the shop was reopened, customers were delighted with the new decoration theme and had a fresh experience shopping in that branch. The shop now has a revamped and modern ambience. All these relocation and renovation works show that AAA place great emphasis in customer satisfaction and upholding their image as the biggest optical retailer in the country.
Basic customer manners are part of the employees' ethics. They are very important to create a good first impression for customers. Moreover, the optical industry is a very competitive industry and such manners will play a role in creating a good image for AAA at the first impression. When customers enter the shop, employees greet and welcome them warmly. Greetings such as "Good morning" or "Welcome" were usually heard when customers stepped into the shop. I was taught to wear a smile to all the time while serving customers. By doing so, customers feel less intimidated and are comfortable in approaching employees for enquiries which lead to probable sales. I was also reminded to smile even if the customer does not respond or return a smile. Besides that, I was trained not judge customers by their outward appearance. All customers must be treated equally friendly and hospitable. Upon leaving the shop, employees must thank the customers for visiting although they did not make any purchases. This will portray a friendly image to customers.
To enhance customer satisfaction, employees must be able to master strong communication skills. I was taught by my branch manager to be versatile in my conversations towards different types of customers. Generally, there are 4 types of customers; expressive, amiable, analytic and driver (AAA Handbook, 2003). Towards an expressive customer, the employee can consider using flattery and must be enthusiastic in conversations. Employees must also demonstrate competence with expressive customers to gain their attention and confidence. For amiable customers, employees must naturally be friendly to them and ascertain trusting relationships. Employees must be quick in responding to their problems and hospitable in acknowledging their problems. Analytic customers require no flattery or exaggeration. In order to deal with such customers, employees must be knowledgeable. Information provided to them must be backed by solid evidence. Driver customers are usually impatient and require no personal involvement. Employees must answer their questions straight to the point and eliminate delays in processing their orders. In my experience, all these types of customers do exist. Failure to communicate well with them leads to unsuccessful sales (AAA Handbook, 2003).
In order to meet customers' needs, employees must also be knowledgeable in the optical field. When customers enter the shop and intend to purchase some products, they will normally ask questions to clarify their needs and wants. For instance, they might present questions such as "Will this spectacle frame rust?", "Why is this brand of contact lens more expensive than the other?" and "What is the difference between this frame and the other?". Many a times, customers need explanation and assistance before making a purchase in the branch. If employees are unable to answer their questions, customers may feel agitated and refused to return the next time. They will feel that employees are not helpful in their shopping course. As a trainee, I was given much information to read up. I was even told to memorize some of the important information such as the functions of certain products and their prices. I took about one week to memorize the basic information. There was so much to remember that I had to admit there was still some information I could not remember even on the last day I worked. During my first month working in the branch, I could sell only a few products. Most of the time, I observed how my other colleagues serve the customers and sell products to them. Only about in the middle of second month, I was able to serve customers and sell products without any help from my other colleagues. Thus, being knowledgeable in the optical field as well as the services and products by the company is very important to satisfy customers.
From my experience, almost all customers who wish to make a purchase will ask for discounts. Therefore, all employees must know the appropriate price to quote. Prices stated on the price tags are prices before discount. Employees can then give discounts to customers but only up to the allowable percentage. Customers usually leave the shop feeling satisfied when they are given more discounts. They felt that their purchases haven been worthwhile. This pricing method also promotes customer satisfaction as it enables employees to build a better relationship with returning customers. Employees usually give a higher discount to returning customers. This will encourage customers to make more purchases from the same shop in future. However, employees are reminded to give discounts only at customers' requests. Selling at higher prices lead to higher revenue for the company.
After customer orders have been completed, employees will normally call up the customers to inform them that their orders are ready. In addition, if there is a delay in orders, customers will also be informed. This caters to the needs of customers as some of them who may live far from the branch would not want to travel all the way finding that their orders are not available to be picked up. Besides that, AAA also showed their commitment in customer satisfaction as they do make delivery of customer orders right up to their doorsteps. During my course of training, we called up a customer to inform her that her order was ready to be collected. She was unable to come to the branch and requested that we delivered her order to her home. Her request was granted almost immediately and my colleague and I were sent to deliver the order. I could see that the customer was very pleased with our customer service as we were willing to carry out additional service without charging a fee. Besides that, the branch's manual also encouraged employees to perform a follow up on customer orders. About a week after sales have been completed, employees are to call up the customers and find out whether customers are satisfied with the products or if they have any complaints. However, from my conversation with other colleagues, follow up on orders are usually not performed as it has not been a culture of the branch.
Employees are given commission based on their sales performance. This further strengthens their commitment towards maximising customer satisfaction. This is due to the reason that higher customer satisfaction will normally lead to better sales. All in all, employees in the branch showed a satisfactory level of promoting customer satisfaction to uphold the company's good image.
Completion Date : 30 September XXXX
