NC 682: Customer Service I: Fundamentals

Citrus College Course Outline of Record

Citrus College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Winter 2021
Credits: 0
Total Contact Hours: 24
Lecture Hours : 24
Lab Hours: 0
Hours Arranged: 0
Outside of Class Hours: 48
Strongly Recommended: High intermediate or advanced English language skills; grasp of paragraph form and PowerPoint presentation.
Transferable to CSU: No
Transferable to UC: No
Grading Method: Non-Credit Course

Catalog Course Description

The Customer Service I: Fundamentals course introduces learners to the basics of customer service and communication. Students will learn how to conduct themselves professionally in an American work setting, how to communicate effectively with customers, coworkers, and superiors, and how to maintain positive interactions with customers in a variety of service formats. Open entry/exit. 24 lecture hours.

Course Objectives

  • Develop appropriate communication skills for the workplace.
  • Learn about and identify diverse communication styles and service formats.
  • Develop appropriate attitudes when servicing customers.
  • Identify and recognize miscommunications with customers.
  • Learn appropriate language for admitting mistakes, giving instructions, and asking follow-up questions in a polite manner.
  • Understand the needs and expectations of customers and the dynamics of interpersonal encounters.
  • Demonstrate improved communication skills with customers, coworkers, and superiors.

Major Course Content

  1. Define and recognize the importance of customer service.
    1. Added value to company, business, or organization
    2. Customer relationship and loyalty
    3. Brand loyalty
  2. Learn the characteristics of good customer service and skills needed to meet or exceed customers’ expectations.
    1. Rapid response times
    2. Customer feedback collection and analysis
    3. Customer self-service
    4. Omni-channel support
    5. Emotional intelligence
      1. The five features of emotional intelligence
    6. Creative problem-solving
    7. Clear and consistent communication
  3. Identify the formats of customer service and demonstrate ability to communicate effectively using all formats (i.e. verbal, written, formal, informal, email, text, etc.).
    1. Phone call / Text message
    2. Email
    3. Video conferencing
    4. Self-service
    5. Messaging
    6. Social media
    7. Live chat, chatbots
  4. Demonstrate awareness of developing appropriate attitudes with all customers.
  5. Learn and practice communication skills: verbal and non-verbal, including tone of voice, body language, word choice, etc.
  6. Identify and apply techniques to effectively de-escalate high-emotion customer interactions, i.e. use appropriate language for admitting a mistake with customers, calming strategies, affirmation, and awareness.
  7. Demonstrate comprehension of correct and incorrect ways and techniques for servicing customers.

Suggested Reading Other Than Required Textbook

Materials supplied and/or created by the instructor (i.e. Power Point and Voice Thread presentations, videos, websites, and documents)

Examples of Required Writing Assignments

Paragraph(s) on application of theories learned to personal work setting

Examples of Outside Assignments

Role-play group project and in-class online presentations

Instruction Type(s)

Lecture, Online Education Lecture