CONFIDENTIAL BM/JAN 2013/OCS461

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

FINAL EXAMINATION

COURSE CUSTOMER SERVICE PRINCIPLES

COURSE CODE OCS461
EXAMINATION JANUARY 2013
TIME 3 HOURS

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES

1. This question paper consists of three (3) parts : PART A (20 Questions)
PART B (4 Questions)
PART C (2 Questions)
2. Answer ALL questions from all three (3) parts :

i) Answer PART A in the Objective Answer Sheet.

ii) Answer PART B and Part C in the Answer Booklet. Start each answer on a new
page.

3. Do not bring any material into the examination room unless permission is given by the
invigilator.

4. Please check to make sure that this examination pack consists of:

) the Question Paper

) an Answer Booklet - provided by the Faculty
) an Objective Answer Sheet - provided by the Faculty

DO NOT TURN THIS PAGE UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO

This examination paper consists of 9 printed pages

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PART A (20 MARKS)

1. "Today's customers are much more sophisticated than they were five years ago."
Which of answers below does the above statement refer to?

A Most people own a smartphone to access information from the Internet.

B Customers are well informed about how products should perform.
C It is easy to return defective products to the merchant.
D Retailers are growing in numbers to serve the increasing population.

2. If customers have not complained to you, it implies that

A customers have no complaints.

B customers have no suggestions.
C customers are shy to provide complaints.
D you have not taken the trouble to ask the customers.

3. Wrongful perception may be influenced by

A frustration.
B expectation
C environment.
D people.

4. Which of the following is NOT the tool used to widen our scope of influence?

A Office memo
B Facebook
C Web forum
D E-mail

5. One important key to exceeding customers' expectations is to remember that

expectations are

A always changing.
B becoming more consistent.
C neither positive nor negative.
D unknown and full of mystery.

6. is an active resolution to a challenging situation.

A Professionalism
B Creativity
C Problem solving
D Reputation

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7. Work hard, play hard means that we should

A actively engage in sports after working hard at the office.

B be diligent while working and appreciate any attempt to enjoy work.
C celebrate successes and provide incentives as a reason to work hard.
D both play and work at the same time during office hours.

8. Customers who use Smart Tag services at tolled highways are considered as

A. low-touch customers.
B. medium-touch customers.
C. high-touch customers.
D. keep-in-touch customers.

9. Below are the advantages of a company that uses the Internet in serving its
customers EXCEPT

A enhancing service delivery.

B appealing to the customers' senses.
C saving on costs.
D having wider reach.

10. One of the key guidelines for system design is to create a culture that

A cares about the customer.

B supports empowerment.
C helps the customer.
D improvises the service.

11. "Sir, pleeeeaasee be patient". The spoken voice indicates changes in

A voice inflection.
B pitch.
C mood.
D melody.

12. The following are words to use when interacting with customers EXCEPT

A appreciate.
B challenge.
C regret.
D sorry.

13. Customers may be perceived as challenging because of the following reasons

EXCEPT

A they wear attires that go beyond your cultural norms.

B they are visibly upset about something which may be irrelevant.
C they imply that they are doing you a big favor for doing business.
D they are so nice that you hate to have to give them bad news.
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14. Condescension is

A understanding the differences among customers of different ages.

B praising the customers at every possible opportunity.
C unable to understand the information that is shared with customers.
D being disrespectful towards customers.

15. During a self-assessment, which of the followings is relevant?

A 'Bad luck'
B Honesty
C Excuses
D Blame

16. An individual's or group's feelings or attitudes towards a job, supervisor or company

refer to

A motivation.
B morale.
C self-concept.
D social needs.

17. Below are Joseph Klock's guidelines for praising employees EXCEPT

A praising public at every opportunity.

B telling employees what you like about them.
C creating an employee of the month award.
D providing frequent feedback.

18. Leaders who serve as coaches

A are good listeners who allow others to share situations and ideas.
B delegate task to employees and train them how to do it.
C perform as informal leaders to the employees.
D open to new ways of doing things differently.

19. Customer service personnels' fulfilling moment of their job happens when

A customers are successfully persuaded to buy products.

B customers speak to them sincerely and politely.
C positive solutions are created for the customers who faced problems.
D they met with challenging customers.

20. Excellent customer service can create a more pleasant and productive work
environments because

A customers act as good coproducers when the environment is suitable.

B the value of internal customers is highlighted in company's policies.
C customers' problems are creatively solved in an effective manner.
D profit goals are more successfully accomplished.
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PART B (40 MARKS)

QUESTION 1

Briefly explain the following terminologies:

a) Reputation management
b) Flowcharts
c) Empowerment
d) Customer intelligence
e) Inbound calls
(10 marks)

QUESTION 2

a) Identify THREE (3) customer attributes that may allow an organization to better
understand who its customer is. Provide examples for each.
(3 marks)

b) Suggest FIVE (5) questions in the ethics checklist.

(5 marks)

QUESTION 3

a) What is leadership?
(1 mark)

b) Recognize THREE (3) characteristics of excellent leader.

(3 marks)

c) Suggest and explain FIVE (5) ways to meet and exceed your boss's expectations.

(10 marks)

QUESTION 4

Discuss FOUR (4) common barriers to problem solving and decision making.
(8 marks)

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PART C (40 MARKS)

QUESTION 1

Read the following case study and answer the questions that follow.

Mr. Affan is Customer Service Manager at Pizza Planet, a famous pizza restaurant that
operates in Kuala Lumpur. Basically, Pizza Planet with an enormously successful delivery
system introduced its own website to handle orders, customers' comments and complaints.
This introduction was due to repeated customer requests although the company
management was doubtful as to whether the website was needed, would prove profitable
and would enhance the already successful delivery business. As time passed, the
customer usage increases daily and the efficiency of the website has also increased.

Recently, Pizza Planet underperforms compared to its competitors and received so many
complaints from its customers. The negative complaints appeared all over the web such as
unknowledgeable employees, late responses to their specific requests and so on.
Customers no longer stand for this kind of treatment and they take their business
elsewhere. Therefore, the organization suffers by losing of customers. It also loses the
current dollars that the business relationship has created and loses future business with the
customers.

Immediately, the management of Pizza Planet summoned a meeting to identify the source
of problems and discussed the solutions. In the meeting, the management encouraged an
open and accepting environment as shared ideas can create a unique and creative
opportunity to generate solutions. As a Customer Service Manager, Mr. Affan voiced out
his idea to understand the customer of the twenty-first century whereby they are
sophisticated in the ways that they search for and make purchases. According to Mr. Affan,
as the service provider, the organization must be aware about what today's customers'
expectations and wants that guaranteed hassle-free customer experiences.

In addition, Mr. Affan also told the management that the problems and complaints occurred
due to other reasons. This is because the introduction of new system for the Customer
Service Department to replace the outdated delivery system to better serve the customers
since today's customers are intrigued by using new technologies to enhance their lives. Mr.
Affan realized when new technologies were introduced in the workplace, the employees
were often accepting with a mixture of emotions. For them, new technologies mean new
things to learn and old habits to break. Therefore, Mr. Affan recommended a few steps to
prepare the employees to greet the opportunities of new technologies with an open mind.
One of the steps was preparing the employees who involved from the start of embracing
the new system.

a) "In the meeting, the management encouraged an open and accepting environment
as shared ideas can create a unique and creative opportunity to generate solutions."

Identify and define a specific term that reflects the statement above.
(2 marks)

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b) The case study above contains the cost of losing customers. Elaborate the other
TWO (2) costs of losing customers when they take their business elsewhere.

(4 marks)

c) Based on the case study, list and explain the THREE (3) expectations of the twenty-
first century customer.
(6 marks)

d) The case study above mentioned that Mr. Affan recommended the steps to prepare
the employees to accept the opportunities of new technologies with an open mind.
Elaborate and suggest the other SEVEN (7) steps that can be used by Mr. Affan to
facilitate the employee's acceptance of the new technologies.
(7 marks)

e) Provide ONE (1) additional service that the website of Pizza Planet can offer to its
customers to serve them better.
(1 mark)

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QUESTION 2

Read the following case study and answer the questions that follow.

V-Two Services (VTS) is a building maintenance contractor which specializes on Heating,

Ventilation and Air-conditioning (HVAC) engineering services. Its four year contract with the
Ministry of Defence (MoD) is nearing its end before its contract renewal is being reviewed.
Due to the recent energy saving requirement which it doesn't have the capacity to comply,
VTS partners with Hijau Energy Solutions (HES), a power control system consultant into a
joint venture. In a recent negotiation with MoD to renew the contract, it came to VTS
attention that another party had put an offer on the table to secure the contract. It turned out
that the other party was HES whom VTS was partnering on the deal. VTS was surprised that
HES had broken its promises to work together. Previously unknown to VTS, HES actually
possessed the know-how and infrastructure capability in delivering HVAC services.

VTS's knee-jerk response was to offer some harsh criticism on what HES had done and to
effectively tell them that VTS was done working with them. HES had no chance to explain
themselves and VTS reaction eventually hindered the probability of working with HES
Frustratingly, VTS told HES repeatedly that they are able to do the deal on their own; it's a
challenge made using tone of revenge. VTS never attempted to enquire HES on the
reasons why HES made the separate bid. In due course, this made HES agitated to bid up
the price on the deal and to try to win it for themselves.

The reasons why VTS was very annoyed are clear. HES's behavior to try and get the deal
on their own illustrated a lack of professional protocol. But in the first place, VTS failed to
understand HES thoroughly in and out. It should gave VTS an early and helpful signal that
this might not be the type of partner with whom they wanted to work. VTS confidently
worked solo without any partner to secure the deal, and ultimately failed due to inability to
comply with the new energy consumption rules. Unfortunately this seems to be a common
mistake that companies make in their "talk first" decision-making process in order to feel
better in the moment—but it doesn't move them toward their goal. It is too easy to forget the
desired goal in moments of emotion.

a) Is HES categorized an internal customer or external customer to VTS? Provide a

definition to your answer and justify.

(4 marks)

b) Do you consider VTS encounter with HES as a conflict? Elaborate your answer.

(4 marks)

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c) VTS failed to apply the appropriate negotiation skills when encountered with the
conflict. Identify THREE (3) negotiation skills which VTS should had followed.

(9 marks)

d) Name the specific credibility element which HES failed to follow? Justify your
answer.
(3 marks)

END OF QUESTION PAPER

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