Customer Service

Unit one: Understanding the organisation (H/503/0322)

Unit 1 Assessment
Assessment
You should use this file to complete your Assessment.
The first thing you need to do is save a copy of this document, either onto your computer or a USB drive
Then work through your Assessment, remembering to save your work regularly
When youve finished, print out a copy to keep for reference
Then, go to www.vision2learn.com and send your completed Assessment to your tutor via your My Study
area make sure it is clearly marked with your name, the course title and the Unit and Assessment
number.

Please note that this Assessment document has 17 pages and is made up of 5 parts.

Name: IONELA GHEORGHE

Organisation: Which organisation(s) are you basing your answers to this assessment on?
If you are currently working, you may wish to base it on the organisation which employs
you.

I am basing my answers mainly on the organisation I am currently work for, which is

Redeeming Our Communities (ROC), based in Partington, a small village in the
South part of Trafford Metropolitan Borough (one of Manchesters 10 boroughs).

Can you provide a brief description of this organisation? (Please note you will not be
marked on this; it is simply to provide your tutor with a brief outline.)

ROC is a charity that runs projects for the community all across UK (150 active
projects). The charitys main aim is to bring about community transformation by
creating strategic partnerships which open up opportunities for crime and disorder
reduction and improved community cohesion.

Part 1 The role of customer service in organisations

This part will help you to evidence Learning Outcome 1: Understand the factors that affect an
organisation and the customer service role

Learning objective Place in Assessment

1.1 Describe the products and services of commercial, public Question 1 Page 2
and third sector organisations

1.2 Describe the differences in customer service between Question 2 Page 3

commercial, public and third sector organisations

1.3 Outline the role played by the customer service occupation Question 3 Page 3
within the organisation and industry

1.4 Identify the major competitors of the organisation Question 4 Page 4

1.5 Identify factors that can affect the reputation of the Question 5 Page 4
organisation

Creating Careers Ltd, 2015. All rights reserved. 1

Customer Service
Unit one: Understanding the organisation (H/503/0322)

1. Complete the table below with a description of the products and services for at least
two commercial organisations, public organisations and third sector organisations. [1.1]

Please ensure you provide a description for each organisation, rather than a list.

Organisation type Name of organisation Description of products and services

Commercial Rentalcars.com This is an online car hire service that can
organisation be accessed from a computer, smart
phone or tab from 63 countries all over
the world. Its call centre from
Manchester is opened 24/7, 365 days a
year. You can hire a car, amend or
cancel your booking. (using their app or
over the phone).
Commercial Tescos This is a chain of shops that sell a great
organisation variety of products from grocery, cloths
to garden items or IT. They also provide
other services than sales: insurance, fuel
or mobile broadband.
Public NHS Provides health services from access to
organisation treatment for patients to logistic services
for GP or hospitals.

Public Office of The Police and

There are 40 PCCs in UK (except for
organisation Crime Commissioner
Greater Manchester and London) and
their offices are responsible for securing
an efficient and effective police for their
area, setting the police and crime
objectives for their area, setting the force
budget, appointing the Chief Constable
and holding them to account for running
the force.
Third sector Redeeming Our This is a national charity that works in
organisation Communities Partington partnership with churches, housing
associations, other community groups
and statutory agencies in order to deliver
community projects that make peoples
life better. People of goodwill working
together for safer, kinder communities.
Third sector NSPCC It is the UKs childrens charity. Their
organisation main goal is to end child abuse in UK.
They help children who have been
abused to rebuild their lives and they try
to prevent child abuse by awareness
campaigns.
2. Complete the table below by describing the differences in customer service between
commercial, public and third sector organisations. You should outline customer service

Creating Careers Ltd, 2015. All rights reserved. 2

Customer Service
Unit one: Understanding the organisation (H/503/0322)

roles in each organisation and highlight the differences in how customer service is carried
out across these organisations. [1.2]

Organisation type Description of customer service and

the differences between organisations
Commercial Commercial organisations have as a main goal maximising the
organisation profits. In this respect, customer service plays an important role as
customers influence the raising or fall down of a company. Their
main goal is to keep their existing customers happy, to gain new
customers and to maintain a positive reputation of the company.

Public Public organisations are Government owned. They do have

organisation customers whose needs they have to meet but they dont focus
mainly on keeping their customers happy but to stick to the
budgets.

Third sector They are independent of the government, there are neither
organisation commercial nor private. They are not for profit organisations, most
of them being volunteer-led. Their income comes from external
funding (from other organisations/ statutory agencies, e.g. Police
and Crime Commissioners Annual Grant), from providing different
services or from bids to grants.

3. In relation to your current organisation (or one that you are familiar with), outline the part
that customer service plays:

a. Within the organisation : customer service plays an important role within our
organisation and like any others we try to meet customers needs at all times. Our
customers come from all backgrounds, but most of them come from broken families or are
part of communities with issues like isolation, increase of anti-social behaviour or drugs.
Our aim is to improve peoples lives delivering projects (mainly) for young people; in this
way, our work helps law enforcement agencies to reduce crime.

b. In the industry as a whole. [1.3]

In this industry, the hardest part is to make customers aware of the services we provide,
most of them being free of charge (as theyre already funded). That is why our company
invests a lot of money in advertising.

4. Who are the major competitors to your current organisation (or one that you are familiar
with)? [1.4]
Our main competitors are also charities that have a similar activity and that bid for the
same grants: e.g. NSPCC, UK Research etc.

Creating Careers Ltd, 2015. All rights reserved. 3

Customer Service
Unit one: Understanding the organisation (H/503/0322)

5. Identify at least two factors that could affect the reputation of your current organisation
(or one that you are familiar with). [1.5]

One factor that could affect the reputation of my current organisation is not having well
trained staff. For example, we work with volunteers for the Restorative Justice projects we
deliver across UK. We work in partnership with the police and with mediators. Our role is
to provide trained facilitators who facilitate the communication between the offender and
the offended. These facilitators have usually worked in the justice environment before but
they still need to be aware of the practices and procedures this process involves. So
training the staff plays an essential role and therefore having untrained staff could ruin our
organisations reputation.

Not delivering the projects/ activities we bid for not only affects our companys reputation
but could also lead to not getting the funding for our activity anymore.

Now that you have completed part 1 of your Assessment, remember to save the work you
have done so far you will need to send your work to your tutor for marking once you have
completed all 5 parts of this Assessment.

Part 2 Rights responsibilities and organisation procedures

This part will help you to evidence Learning Outcome 2: Understand employee rights,
responsibilities and organisational procedures

Learning objective Place in Assessment

2.1 State employer and employee rights and responsibilities Question 1 Page 5
under employment law and the importance of having these

2.2 Detail the employer and employee rights and Question 2 Page 6
responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act

2.3 Describe the organisations procedures for health and Question 3 Page 6
safety and documentation used

2.4 Outline how the Disability Discrimination Act relates to Question 4 Page 7
employment

2.5 Identify other key legislation relating to industry and Question 5 Page 7
organisation
2.6 Describe the organisational procedures for equality and Question 6 Page 7
diversity detailing any monitoring and documentation activity

1. Use the table below to give details of employer and employee rights and responsibilities
under employment law and the importance of having these (consider the importance to
the organisation, employees and customers, where relevant). You should include at least
two employer rights / responsibilities and at least two employee rights / responsibilities in
your answer. [2.1]

Rights and responsibilities Why are they important?

Creating Careers Ltd, 2015. All rights reserved. 4

Customer Service
Unit one: Understanding the organisation (H/503/0322)

1. Employer: has to provide a safe and
healthy workplace for their employees.
2. Employer: has the right to ask their
employees to do their daily tasks as agreed is beneficial for both parties. It is an
and stated by the employment contract.
1. Employee: has the right to be paid and
to get the pension
Providing a safe and healthy environment
for your employees is one of the employers
responsibilities. The employer has to
ensure that all their staff is protected while
doing their work and to be sure that all
personnel are aware of the Health and
safety procedures and they comply with
them.
It is a law requirement under The Health
and Safety at Work Act (1974) but it also
ensures the employees are able to fulfil
their duties in the best conditions.
Complying with the contract of employment
important document and can be used as a
proof of both parties agreement at the
beginning of the employment period. But
when an employee is not doing their job the
terms of the contract may be changed or
may be affected.
Under the employment law, every
employee has the right to be paid for the
work they have done. This is a statutory
regulation and it must be included in the
contract of employment.

2. Employee: has the responsibility to
comply with the employment law and with
the companys procedures and policies.
Every company has its own organisational
rules and procedures that have to be
followed by both employer and employees.
Not following them might make you the
subject to disciplinary procedures or even
dismissal.

2. Give details of employer and employee rights and responsibilities under the Health and
Safety at Work Act. You should include at least two employer rights / responsibilities and
at least two employee rights / responsibilities in your answer. [2.2]

Who? Rights / responsibilities under Health and Safety at Work Act

Employers have the responsibility to safeguard all plant machinery,
Employer equipment and systems of work and all the persons who are related to
the companys activity: managers, employees, customers or
contractors.
Employers have the responsibility to ensure all personal are aware of
Employer the health and safety procedures and that they all comply with them at
all times at their workplace.
The employees also have the duty to avoid harming themselves or
Employee others by their work.

Creating Careers Ltd, 2015. All rights reserved. 5

Customer Service
Unit one: Understanding the organisation (H/503/0322)

Employees have to be aware of and to comply with the Health and

Employee Safety procedures in order to keep themselves and others around
them health and safety.

3. In relation to your current organisation (or one that you are familiar with), describe the
organisations procedures for health and safety and any relevant documentation that is
used. [2.3]
If possible, provide relevant health and safety policies / documents from the organisation
to support your answer. These documents should be annotated to highlight the relevant
sections.

One of our procedures of maintaining a safe and secure business environment is to

prevent the building/offices from being entered by unauthorised people. At my workplace,
all persons who enter the building have to sign in, wear a visitor badge and must be
accompanied by a member of the staff while dealing with different business in the building.
When returning to the reception, all visitors must return the visitors badge and to sign out
stated the time of leaving the building. This procedure is not only an internal policy but also
a requirement of the Fire and Rescue Service.

4. Outline how the Disability Discrimination Act relates to employment. [2.4]

The Equality Act 2010 makes it unlawful to discriminate against employees (including
workers) because of a mental or physical disability. Companies that employ people with
different disabilities have to ensure reasonable adjustments are made so that the disabled
persons can attend work and have access to all facilities the same like any other
employee.
It is also the employers responsibility to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment or
victimisation and to provide all employees with equal opportunities no matter their gender,
age, sex, race or religion.

5. In addition to the information provided in the questions above, identify the other key
legislation that specifically relates to your chosen organisation and its industry as a
whole. [2.5]

The Equality Act 2010

Data Protection Act 1988
Charities Act 2011
The Charities (Protection and Social Investment) Act 2016

6. Complete the table below to describe the procedures followed by your chosen
organisation in relation to equality and diversity. Your answer should include details of any
monitoring that takes place and documentation used to support this monitoring. [2.6]

Procedure How is it monitored? What documentation is

used to support this
monitoring?
Both men and women are Data collected is There is an Equality and

Creating Careers Ltd, 2015. All rights reserved. 6

Customer Service
Unit one: Understanding the organisation (H/503/0322)

paid equally if they have
the same role and
experience.
Employees are selected
by their experience not by
age or nationality, for
example.
Our company has already
employed many senior
persons (some of them
also having a disability)
and people of other
nationality than English.
New jobs are advertised
first internally and if not
occupied they will be
advertised externally.
confidential and presented
only on request (only if
there is a complaint filed)
and is monitored by the
operations manager.
Data collected is
confidential and presented
only on request (only if
there is a complaint filed)
and is monitored by the
operations manager.
New roles within the
organisation are included
in the weekly internal
newsletter sent to all
employees so that
everyone have access to
them.
Diversity form that every
employee reads and signs
at the beginning of their
employment period.
There is an Equality and
Diversity form that every
employee reads and signs
at the beginning of their
employment period.
Weekly newsletters sent
by email by the National
Development Manager.

Now that you have completed part 2 of your Assessment, remember to save the work you
have done so far you will need to send your work to your tutor for marking once you have
completed all 5 parts of this Assessment.

Part 3 Career pathways within customer service

This part will help you to evidence Learning Outcome 3: Understand career pathways within
customer service

Learning objective Place in Assessment

3.1 Describe the main career pathways available within a Question 1 Page 9
customer service role

3.2 Identify sources of information and advice available on the Question 2 Page 9
customer service industry, occupations and career progression

3.3 Identify methods of learning available in the organisation to Question 3 Page 10

assist in career progression

3.4 Identify the procedure for accessing formal learning Question 4 Page 10
programmes and the procedure for challenging refusal if
available
3.5 Explain how new customer service situations can aid self- Question 5 Page 11
development and career progression
1. Describe at least two different types of career pathways that may be available within a
customer service role. In your answer you should make reference to the entry level
position of your chosen pathways and any qualifications or on-the-job learning that would
aid progression. [3.1]

Creating Careers Ltd, 2015. All rights reserved. 7

Customer Service
Unit one: Understanding the organisation (H/503/0322)

My current position is that of a receptionist within this organisation and it involves working
closely to customers, partners or suppliers. My role could progress to a HQ administrator
position within this organisation which is not very different from my current position; it will
include some more duties and responsibilities like dealing and negotiating with new
customers/ contracts. At the moment Im only dealing with existing customers/ contracts.
At some point, I could take a position as an operations manager but this position requires
more experience that I have at the moment and a qualification in management.

2. Identify a range of sources where a person can find information and advice on the
customer service industry, occupations and career progression. [3.2]

Information relating to: Source(s)

Professional bodies, ACAS, Access to Work contact

Customer service industry centres, Citizens Advice Bureau, Trade unions etc.

Career advisors, professional bodies

Occupation

Supervisors
Career progression

3. In your current organisation (or one that you are familiar with), what methods of
learning are available to help with career progression? [3.3]

My current organisation supports their employees when it comes to career progression.

The weekly newsletter includes all vacancies within the organisation and is accessible to
all employees from all our centres across UK. The company also has a HR department
and anyone who wants to change their career or who just needs advise on their job can
speak to our career advisor.

4. In your current organisation (or one that you are familiar with), what is the procedure for
accessing formal learning programmes? What is the procedure if an application for access
to learning is refused? [3.4]
If possible, provide relevant organisational procedures to support your answer. These
documents should be annotated to highlight the relevant sections.

There wasnt the case lately, but if an application for access to learning is refused by the
department manager, an applicant has the right to appeal (30 days) against the initial
decision and can address a formal complaint to the National Director who will further
investigate the circumstances and who can make a final decision.

5. Explain how new customer service situations can help with self-development and
career progression. [3.5]

New customer service situations give us, people who work closely to customers, new
opportunities to self-development within the career we have chosen. Dealing with difficult
customers means new challenges for us as professionals. From every new situation we

Creating Careers Ltd, 2015. All rights reserved. 8

Customer Service
Unit one: Understanding the organisation (H/503/0322)

deal with there is always something good we can learn. Keeping a positive attitude
towards new or difficult situations helps us to improve our professional skills; learning new
things all the time helps us deliver great customer service.

Now that you have completed part 3 of your Assessment, remember to save the work you
have done so far you will need to send your work to your tutor for marking once you have
completed all 5 parts of this Assessment.

Part 4 Support for customer service employees

This part will help you to evidence Learning Outcome 4: Understand how employees are
supported within the customer service role

Learning objective Place in Assessment

4.1 Identify sources of information and advice on Question 1 Page 12
employment rights and responsibilities
4.2 Identify types of representative body related to the Question 2 Page 12
industry
4.3 Detail the main roles and responsibilities of each Question 2 Page 12
representative body and their relevance to the industry
4.4 Outline sources of support for their role within the Question 3 Page 13
organisation to include issues relating to:
Equality
Health and safety
Career progression

1. Identify a range of sources where a person can find information and advice on
employment rights and responsibilities. You should identify at least three sources of
information in your answer. [4.1]

Internal sources of information are:

Line managers/ supervisors;
Personnel specialists or informed colleagues;
Staff representatives;
Trade Union representatives
Books/ documents provided by the organisation.

External sources of information are:

Citizens Advice Bureau, Legal professionals;
Trade Unions regional/ head office;
Organizations like ACAS, Govern, Equality and Human Rights;
Chambers of Commerce
2. Complete the table below, identifying the representative bodies related to your chosen
organisation / industry. You should also include details of the main roles and
responsibilities of these bodies and their relevance to the organisation / industry. [4.2] [4.3]

Creating Careers Ltd, 2015. All rights reserved. 9

Customer Service
Unit one: Understanding the organisation (H/503/0322)

Representative body Roles and responsibilities Relevance

National Council for Provides training,
Voluntary Organisations information and networking
(NCVO) to charities. It also offers
guidance on topics from
how to start a charity, to
funding, managing people
and volunteers, and
governance.
Small Charities Coalition Helps set up and provides
support to networks of
charity trustees. They
help small charities
access
the skills, tools &
information
they need to get going
and
run their activities.
It is the representative body
in UK for voluntary
organisations. 33% of UK
charities and voluntary
organisations are NCVO
members.
It is an external body that
only provide charities with
help they need in terms of
information, skills or
statutory requirements.

The Board of Trustees Trustees have overall
control of a charity and are
responsible for making sure
its doing what it was set up
to do.
The board makes all
important decisions for the
charity and it is the one that
really rules within the
charity.

3. For a customer service role in your current organisation (or one that you are familiar
with), use the table below to provide details of the support that is available in relation to the
following issues:
a) Equality
b) Health and safety
c) Career progression [4.4]

Issue Sources of support

a) Equality Our company promotes equality and diversity and offers equal
opportunities to all employees no matter gender, age, race or
religion or disabilities. From the very starting point of our
employment period we are all encouraged to accept each others
particularities and to respect every single individual the way they
are.

Creating Careers Ltd, 2015. All rights reserved. 10

Customer Service
Unit one: Understanding the organisation (H/503/0322)

b) Health and We do have training courses from time to time or short sessions
safety to review the companys procedures in case of fire, for example.
With regards to my own safety Ive been offered an eye test
recently as the long hours work on computers affected my
vision.
Our companys health and safety procedures state that every
health issue during the working hours must be called in to the
line manager.

c) Career Once a year every employee has an interview with their line
progression manager and the national director to discuss their career
progression. An appraisal report is made by the line manager
and depending on the personal circumstances, promotions can
be considered.

Now that you have completed part 4 of your Assessment, remember to save the work you
have done so far you will need to send your work to your tutor for marking once you have
completed all 5 parts of this Assessment.

Part 5 Policies and procedures

This part will help you to evidence Learning Outcome 5: Know the organisations policies and
procedures

Please answer all of the questions in this part in relation to your current
organisation (or one that you are familiar with).

Learning objective Place in Assessment

5.1 Describe the main principles, policies and procedures Question 1 Page 15
of their organisation and its documentation
5.2 Explain how the organisations principles are Question 2 Page 16
disseminated to employees
5.3 Outline relevant policies and codes of practice Question 3 Page 16
adopted by the organisation and how employees are
made aware of these
5.4 Explain how employees are consulted on changes to Question 4 Page 16
the principles, procedures and policies within the
organisation
5.5 Identify issues of public concern relating to their Question 5 Page 17
industry and organisation and how these are dealt with

Creating Careers Ltd, 2015. All rights reserved. 11

Customer Service
Unit one: Understanding the organisation (H/503/0322)

1. Use the table below to describe the main principles, policies and procedures of your
chosen organisation. You should also include details of documentation used to support
these principles, policies and procedures. [5.1]

Description Supporting documentation

Principles Redeeming Our Communities is www.roc.uk.com
committed to bring about community
transformation by creating strategic
partnerships between statutory
agencies, voluntary groups and
churches.
Policies Data Protection Contract of employment
Health and Safety Or
Equal Opportunities Staff Handbook
Statutory Legislation and Regulations
Disciplinary and Grievance
Procedures Health and safety at work procedures. Information available in the Health
All employees are provided with and Safety Procedures Register.
regular training and updates on all
procedures.

2. How are the organisations principles communicated to employees? Explain this below.
[5.2]

The organisations principles are very well known by all employees but they are also
available on the companys website (they are public) or on the companys intranet, should
a member of the staff needed any information on this topic.
New principles are communicated and discussed with the employees at our periodic staff
meetings.

3. Outline the policies and codes of practice that are adopted by the organisation. How
are employees made aware of these policies and codes of practice? [5.3]

Data Protection
Health and Safety
Equal Opportunities
Statutory Legislation and Regulations
Disciplinary and Grievance

All these policies are in place and help the organisation run their activity smoothly and also
helps the managers to make an objective decision when an unfortunate incident happens
or a complaint is filed. The companys code of practice and various policies are accessible
to all staff via the intranet and they are also included in the employee handbook.
Employees are asked from time to time to review these policies and to inform the
management team of all misconduct or inappropriate behaviour they are aware of.

4. Explain how employees are involved with and consulted on changes to the principles,
procedures and policies within the organisation. [5.4]

Creating Careers Ltd, 2015. All rights reserved. 12

Customer Service
Unit one: Understanding the organisation (H/503/0322)

New policies, procedures and principles are discussed with the employees at our periodic
staff meetings. Change is not always embraced gladly by everyone but when it comes to
changing procedures or principles all staff members have the right to have their say with
no pressure from above. The reasons behind changes are discussed and analysed
objectively and only after consulting all staff a decision is made by the managing team
and, if approved by the board of trustees, it will be final.

5. Use the table below to identify issues of public concern relating to the industry and
organisation, and describe how these issues are addressed / dealt with. [5.5]

Issues of public concern How they are addressed / dealt with

Lack of communication between youth and
elderly in most regions of UK
High level of isolation amongst elderly in
rural areas of UK
We are trying to develop more projects help
young people and elderly develop a closer
relationship; for example, in a small town in
the South East region, our volunteers run
an activity which involves teenagers helping
40-60 years old people improve their
computer skills.
We run a couple of befriending
programmes for 60+ seniors. They meet
once or twice a week in local libraries or
churches premises, they chat, have a tea
and biscuit and make lots of friends.

Increase of anti-social behaviour amongst Because most of these teenagers come

young people from broken families and because they are
not taken care of, they tend to skip school
and to join inappropriate groups that
sometimes have to do with drugs, alcohol
and crimes. In order to help the police
reduce the anti-social behaviour level we
offer various activities for young people
from small communities: sports activities,
arts & craft, drama lesions etc. All of these
activities and lessons are run by volunteers
and they take place once a week during the
so called ROC Cafs/ youth clubs.

Once you have completed all 5 parts of this Assessment, go to www.vision2learn.com and
send your work to your tutor for marking. Log in to the platform and send your Assessment
to your tutor via your My Study page for marking. Good luck!

Creating Careers Ltd, 2015. All rights reserved. 13