I. General Information

1. Course Title:
Customer Relations

2. Course Prefix & Number:
BUSN 1162

3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:

Credits: 3

Lecture Hours: 3

Lab Hours: 0

4. Course Description:

This course will introduce the basics of customer service in the areas of service strategies, attitudes, retention, communication, and sales. The student will learn how to create positive memorable experiences for customers, provide consistent caring and professional service, and avoid becoming involved in unproductive customer interactions.

5. Placement Tests Required:

6. Prerequisite Courses:

There are no prerequisites for this course.

9. Co-requisite Courses:

There are no corequisites for this course.

II. Transfer and Articulation

1. Course Equivalency - similar course from other regional institutions:

Normandale Community College, BUSN 1210 Exceptional Customer Service, 3 credits
North Hennepin Community College, BUS 1610 Consumer Behavior, 4 credits

III. Course Purpose

1. Program-Applicable Courses – This course is required for the following program(s):

Business Management, AAS Degree
Administrative Assistant, AAS Degree
Administrative Assistant, Administrative Support Diploma
Healthcare Administrative Speciialist, AAS Degree

 

IV. Learning Outcomes

1. College-Wide Outcomes

College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies	Students will be able to:
Demonstrate oral communication skills	Demonstrate appropriate telephone techniques.
Demonstrate interpersonal communication skills	Role play angry customer scenarios.

2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of the course:

• Interact with dissatisfied customers;
• Demonstrate telephone, e-mail, and web site techniques;
• Identify and avoid customer turnoffs;
• Identify behaviors that win customer loyalty;
• Analyze the six major components of a customer-focused environment;
• Implement strategies for promoting a positive service culture;
• Communicate effectively with a diverse customer population;
• Prepare strategies to improve listening ability; and
• Solve customer needs in selling situations.

V. Topical Outline

Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.

1. Lecture Sessions

1. The customer service profession
   • The role of customer service in a career
   • Societal factors affecting customer service
   • Consumer behavior shifts
   • Growth of the service sector
2. Contributing to the service culture
   • Establishing a service strategy
   • Customer-friendly systems
   • Strategies for promoting a positive service culture
   • What customers want
3. Listening to the customer
   • Listening vs. hearing
   • Listening habits
   • Positive steps to better listening
   • Characteristics of a good listener
4. Customer service via technology
   • Benefits and drawbacks
   • Attitudes
   • What to do and say
   • Technology etiquette and strategies
5. Verbal communication skills
   • Avoiding negative communication
   • Communicating positively
   • Providing feedback
   • Dealing assertively with customers
6. Nonverbal communication skills
   • The scope of nonverbal behavior
   • The role of gender in nonverbal communication
   • The impact of culture on nonverbal communication
   • Negative nonverbal behaviors
7. Service breakdowns and recovery
   • Difficult customers
   • Reasons for customer defection
   • Working with internal customers
   • The problem solving process
8. Encouraging customer loyalty
   • The role of trust
   • Provider characteristics affecting customer loyalty
   • Enhancing customer satisfaction as a strategy for retaining customers
9. The role of selling in customer relations
   • Identifying customer needs
   • Proposing alternatives to solve needs
   • Reacting to customer resistance
10. Exceeding expectations
    • Intrinsic and associated value
    • Perception of value
    • Enhancing message clarity
    • Customer user group
    • Convenience/timing