Unit 4: Customer service and selling skills in travel and tourism (LEVEL 3)

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1 Unit 4: Customer service and selling skills in travel and tourism (LEVEL 3) Learning outcomes By completing this unit candidates will learn the fundamental importance of excellent customer service delivery to the travel and tourism industry. They will identify the benefits of excellent service and how organisations ensure high standards. The importance of assessing the needs of each customer type and of extensive product knowledge is explored. Customer service skills, including dealing with difficult situations, and communication abilities will be identified and demonstrated. Candidates will also assess how organisations evaluate their own customer care provision. Candidates will produce evidence to meet the unit assessment objectives in order to show that they understand: the methods that organisations use to provide high quality customer service how travel and tourism organisations meet the needs of different customers the organisational information required by employees to deliver excellent customer service the methods used to measure and evaluate customer service. Candidates will also demonstrate the skills and qualities needed to provide excellent customer service and how to use selling techniques to meet organisational objectives. Assessment objectives 1 Analyse the benefits of excellent customer service and the methods used to achieve them Knowledge, understanding and skills Benefits: customer satisfaction repeat business recommendations to other customers increase in customers increased turnover improved efficiency improved internal relationships/teamwork competitive advantage company image improved morale of employees job satisfaction bonus or salary increase Methods: establish recruitment criteria for customer facing staff induction programmes staff training and development incentives and rewards product training technology product database customer database (continued overleaf) OCR Level 3 Nationals in Travel and Tourism 1

2 Assessment objectives 1 Cont. Analyse the benefits of excellent customer service and the methods used to achieve them 2 Investigate one travel and tourism organisation and describe how it meets the needs of its different customers 3 Investigate one travel and tourism organisation and outline the information that employees need in order to provide excellent customer service 4 Identify and demonstrate the skills and qualities required to provide excellent customer service in three situations, including one complaint Knowledge, understanding and skills regular updating of customer records customer feedback systems (formal and informal) corporate image, eg use of templates and house style, standard telephone answering techniques customer charters Examples of customer types: individuals couples groups, eg special interest, ad-hoc, schools families, eg with toddlers, teenagers, older children and single parent different age groups, eg babies, toddlers, children, teenagers, adults, middle aged, senior citizens different cultures specific needs, eg disabled access, people travelling with babies, religious requirements, dietary needs leisure, pleasure and business travellers Examples of how different needs are met: tour operators, eg different products/brands for each age group/customer type airlines, eg first, business and economy class hotels, eg business facilities tourist information centres (TICs), eg foreign language speakers visitor attractions, eg range of ticket types Organisational information may include: opening times organisation structure, eg roles and responsibilities correct use of telephone, eg what to say, how to transfer calls products available dress code, eg uniform, hair and jewellery health and safety legislation Product information may include: range of products where to find information about products prices or where to find them geographical information, eg routes, travel times and where to source information accommodation types, availability and where to find the details how to use timetables and schedules The three situations must be: one face to face communication one telephone communication one written communication One of the above situations must be a complaint. Examples of customer service situations: selling (continued overleaf) 2 OCR Level 3 Nationals in Travel and Tourism

3 Assessment objectives 4 Cont. Identify and demonstrate the skills and qualities required to provide excellent customer service in three situations, including one complaint 5 Demonstrate selling techniques to one travel and tourism customer 6 Illustrate the methods used to evaluate customer service Knowledge, understanding and skills providing information and passing messages to customers or colleagues dealing with customer queries taking and confirming bookings Skills and qualitiies: personal presentation and professional appearance body language building rapport appropriate business-like manner positive attitude listening skills warmth and enthusiasm investigative /research skills (internet, timetables, guides, brochures) numeracy and ICT managing stress and working under pressure sense of humour dealing with difficult situations self motivation team working meeting deadlines Selling techniques: approaching customers assessing interest and investigating customer needs raising awareness establishing rapport presenting options dealing with queries overcoming objections switch-selling/alternatives selling-up closing the sale recording the sale offering after-sales service Methods used: customer feedback, eg suggestion boxes, questionnaires, informal feedback mystery shopper focus groups monitoring of complaints benchmarking OCR Level 3 Nationals in Travel and Tourism 3

4 Assessment This unit is centre assessed and externally moderated. In order to achieve this unit candidates must produce a portfolio of evidence showing that they have met all of the assessment objectives. Portfolios of work must be produced independently. They will need to be made available, together with witness statements and any other supporting documentation, to the OCR Visiting Moderator when required. Centres must confirm to OCR that the evidence produced by candidates is authentic. An OCR Centre Authentication Form is provided in the Centre Handbook and includes a declaration for assessors to sign. It is a requirement of the QCA Common Criteria for all Qualifications that proof of authentication is received. An OCR Model Assignment is available for this unit and can be downloaded from our website and can also be found in the Model Assignments folder on this CD Rom. Guidance on assessment and evidence requirements This unit provides underpinning knowledge, understanding and skills for many travel and tourism units. It has key links with Unit 3: Marketing travel and tourism, Unit 6: Human resources for travel and tourism, Unit 7: Hospitality for travel and tourism, Unit 8: Planning and managing a travel and tourism event, Unit 10: The cruise market, Unit 11: Career planning for travel and tourism, Unit 12: Developing skills through work experience in travel and tourism, Unit 13: Working as an overseas resort representative, Unit 14: Retail travel operations, Unit 20: UK visitor attractions, and Unit 27: Working as airline cabin crew. Candidates will be required to become familiar with at least one travel and tourism organisation for the purposes of this unit and in particular for the assessment of Assessment Objective 2 and Assessment Objective 3. A suitable organisation may be a hotel, airport, travel agency, tour operator, visitor attraction or other travel and tourism organisation that is accessible to the candidate. These could be contacted by candidates and researched independently. Alternatively, tutors may arrange organisational visits. Candidates may need support to ensure that appropriate contact is made and advice regarding questions that elicit the required information. If an organisational visit is not possible then it is recommended that guest speakers, case studies and organisation profiles (from the internet or company provided information packs) be used to support the unit. Alternatively, candidates could gather information whilst on work experience. Candidates must be encouraged to use each opportunity to gather information for all assessment objectives. The importance of excellent customer service and selling techniques to travel and tourism organisations is fundamental and it is the aim of this unit to give candidates an understanding of this concept. To this end candidates should be encouraged to discuss their own experiences of customer service provision and the impacts it has had on them (Assessment Objective 1). In order to grasp the basic concepts candidates could consider their experiences of customer service en route to college, within their daily environment, at a local shop. This can then be developed through visit or case study into a travel and tourism situation. Candidates should also consider the impacts of good and poor service on the internal customer. Candidates may have experience of being an internal customer though previous work experience situations or as a part-time member of staff. Such situations will also add to a discussion about the measures organisations take to ensure the high quality of service. Candidates will need to be provided with the underpinning knowledge of differing customer types (Assessment Objective 2) before carrying out organisational research. Candidates should be encouraged to think of the full range of customer types for their selected organisation and to give a wide range of examples. 4 OCR Level 3 Nationals in Travel and Tourism

5 Candidates need to understand the importance of product knowledge in the delivery of excellent customer service (Assessment Objective 3). Excellent skills are insufficient if they cannot be supported by knowledge about the products and services an organisation offers. A thorough investigation into one organisation is required to provide this information The skills demonstration required in Assessment Objectives 4 and 5 will ideally be assessed through a work placement. Where this is not possible simulation (role-play) can be used. These should be as realistic as possible with the use of appropriate props. Candidates are required to demonstrate customer service in a face-to-face situation, on the telephone and in writing. One of the situations must involve a complaint. The assessment of these skills can be linked with other units (see links above). A wide range of skills and qualities are required for the provision of excellent customer service (Assessment Objective 4). There are many situations where the provision of customer service requires considerable tact or sensitivity. Dealing with bereavement or serious injury, or managing an emergency situation requires particular skills and qualities. Also, dealing with certain types of complaints, perhaps where the customer has been at fault in some way, requires sensitive handling. These should be explored. It is recommended that organisational guidelines for dealing with complaints are researched and followed. The training manager from a travel and tourism organisation would be an ideal guest speaker. Selling skills (Assessment Objective 5) are of fundamental importance to many roles within the travel and tourism industry (and are recognised by the industry as a skills deficit). Candidates should be encouraged to develop their skills to the highest standard. Once again a guest speaker will ideally support the underpinning knowledge for this unit, eg the manager from a travel and tourism organisation could give a mini session on selling skills (those taught to the overseas resort representatives, telesales staff or travel consultants). Alternatively, they may be able to provide guidelines. For Assessment Objective 6 candidates are required to illustrate (ie describe with examples) the methods used to evaluate customer service. Candidates should be encouraged to investigate the different evaluation methods used by a range of travel and tourism organisations. Sample questionnaire and comment cards can be easily obtained from many organisations. The trade press feature a mystery shopper article on a regular basis. Candidates may provide portfolio evidence for all of the assessment objectives in this unit using a range of presentation techniques. This may include assessor testimony/witness statements logbooks, diaries, the use of video, audio and presentation software, posters/charts, written work. Where video and/or audio evidence is provided this must be supported by assessor testimony/witness statements. Where candidates demonstrate competence, centres should record skills demonstrated on appropriate recording documentation. Signposting to Key Skills The unit contains opportunities for developing the Key Skill, and possibly for generating portfolio evidence, if teaching and learning is focused on that aim. Key Skill Key Skill Key Skill reference reference reference C3.1 N3.1 ICT3.1 C3.2a N3.2a ICT3.2 C3.2b N3.2b ICT3.3 C3.3 N3.2c N3.2d N3.3 OCR Level 3 Nationals in Travel and Tourism 5

6 Mapping to National Occupational Standards Occupational Standards Travel Services (Tour Operations- Resort Operations) Travel Services (Leisure and Business Travel, Tour Operations - Head Office Operations and Resort Operations, Commentaries and Interpretation) Travel Services (Leisure and Business Travel, Tour Operations- Head Office Operations, Supervising, Commentaries and Interpretation) Travel Services (Leisure and Business Travel, Tour Operations- Head Office Operations and Resort Operations, Commentaries and Interpretation) Unit number Title 3.13 Optimise on site sales of goods and services 3.17 Improve the customer relationship (Customer Service) 3.18 Monitor and solve customer service problems (Customer Service) 3.27 Research, prepare and supply information (Administration) Tourist Information Services 2 Identify and provide tourist information and material required by customers Resources This section provides suggestions of suitable resources. The list is neither prescriptive nor exhaustive, and candidates should be encouraged to gather information from a variety of sources. Some suggested resources are intended for Tutor use. The resources in this section were current at the time of production. Books Blanchard, K. & Bowles, S. (1998) Blohowiak, D. & Karr, R. (1997) Branson, R. & Craven, R. (2002) Burke, J. & Resnick, B. (1999) Holloway, C. (2001) Outhart, T. et al (2000) Rickerby, S. (2005) Raving Fans: A Revolutionary Approach To Customer Service Harper Collins Business The Complete Idiot s Guide to Customer Service Alpha Books Customer is King: How to Exceed Your Clients Expectations Virgin Books Marketing and Selling the Travel Product 2nd Ed Delmar publishing The Business of Tourism 6th Ed. Harlow: Pearson Education Travel and Tourism for Advanced GNVQ HarperCollins AS Travel and Tourism Philip Allan Updates 6 OCR Level 3 Nationals in Travel and Tourism

7 Shaw C et al (2002) Smith, S. & Wheeler, J. (2002) Riley D. & Greasby, E. (2005) Building Great Customer Experiences Palgrave Macmillan Managing the Customer Experience: Turning Customers into Advocates Prentice Hall Check Your English Vocabulary for Leisure, Travel and Tourism Second Edition Bloomsbury Publishing PLC CDRoms/DVDs/Television Programmes/Videos A Guide to Consumer Rights (2001). TV Choice Coaching and Customer Care (1999). TV Choice Keeping the customer satisfied (1996). TV Choice Television travel programmes/documentaries, eg Holidays from Hell, Holiday Reps, Airport Various DVDs on customer service and quality from Video Arts Journals/magazines/newspapers Attractions Management Holiday Which? Travel Trade Gazette Travel Weekly (mystery shopper) Other useful resources include airline magazines and tour operators holiday brochures (customer charters). Websites BAA customer service pdf. Customer service policies at BAA. Marriott UK and Ireland. URL: Core values and culture in corporate information section of the Marriott hotels site. RyanAir. URL: SHL. URL: Our clients section has case studies on hospitality and travel and tourism. Skytrax. URL: Customer comments about service on airlines and in airports. Virgin. URL: How to complain section in About us on this Virgin group website. Virgin Atlantic Airways. URL: Customer service section for Virgin Atlantic Airways. OCR Level 3 Nationals in Travel and Tourism 7

8 Grading Assessment Objective AO1 Analyse the benefits of excellent customer service and the methods used to achieve them AO2 Investigate one travel and tourism organisation and describe how it meets the needs of its different customers AO3 Investigate one travel and tourism organisation and outline the information that employees need in order to provide excellent customer service AO4 Identify and demonstrate the skills and qualities required to provide excellent customer service in three situations, including one complaint Pass Merit Distinction Candidates provide a simple analysis of the benefits of excellent customer service and the methods used to achieve them. Their analysis demonstrates limited understanding of the methods used to achieve excellent customer service and is supported with few examples. Candidates provide a basic description of how one travel and tourism organisation meets the needs of its different customers. Their description includes few customer types and demonstrates limited awareness of different customers needs. Candidates outline briefly the information that employees need in order to provide excellent customer service. Candidates demonstrate limited understanding of the organisational and product knowledge needed to ensure the delivery of excellent service. Candidates demonstrate basic skills and some of the qualities required to provide excellent customer service in three situations, including one complaint. Although they are hesitant at times, overall their response in each situation is acceptable. Candidates provide a clear analysis of the benefits of excellent customer service and the methods used to achieve them. Their analysis demonstrates some understanding of the methods used to achieve excellent customer service and is supported with appropriate examples. Candidates provide a detailed description of how one travel and tourism organisation meets the needs of its different customers. Their description includes a range of customer types and demonstrates some awareness of different customers needs. Candidates outline clearly the information that employees need in order to provide excellent customer service. Candidates demonstrate some understanding of the organisational and product knowledge needed to ensure the delivery of excellent service. Candidates demonstrate competent skills and many of the qualities required to provide excellent customer service in three situations, including one complaint. Their response in each situation is appropriate. Candidates provide a detailed analysis of the benefits of excellent customer service and the methods used to achieve them. Their analysis demonstrates a thorough understanding of the methods used to achieve excellent customer service and is supported with a variety of well chosen examples. Candidates provide a comprehensive description of how one travel and tourism organisation meets the needs of its different customers. Their description includes a wide range of appropriate customer types and demonstrates in-depth awareness of different customers needs. Candidates outline in full the information that employees need in order to provide excellent customer service. Candidates demonstrate a thorough understanding of the organisational and product knowledge needed to ensure the delivery of excellent service. Candidates demonstrate fully competent skills and many/most of the qualities required to provide excellent customer service in three situations, including one complaint. Their response in each situation is effective, efficient and confident. 8 OCR Level 3 Nationals in Travel and Tourism

9 Assessment Objective AO5 Demonstrate selling techniques to one travel and tourism customer AO6 Illustrate the methods used to evaluate customer service Pass Merit Distinction Candidates demonstrate basic selling techniques to one travel and tourism customer. Their management of the situation is acceptable. Candidates describe, in basic terms, the methods used to evaluate customer service. Their description is supported with few examples. Candidates demonstrate competent selling techniques to one travel and tourism customer. Their management of the situation is appropriate. Candidates describe, clearly, the methods used to evaluate customer service. Their description is supported with appropriate examples. Candidates demonstrate fully competent selling techniques to one travel and tourism customer. Their management of the situation is effective, efficient and confident. Candidates describe, in detail, the methods used to evaluate customer service. Their description is supported with a variety of well chosen examples. OCR Level 3 Nationals in Travel and Tourism 9