May 2022

Questioning structure; the structure of a question, the role and value of questions in difficult situations, how to avoid the pitfall of a poor question aggravating a situation, Questioning style. Earning Customer Loyalty It is said in business that customer acquisition is an investment but profitability is built on customer retention. In other words, it typically costs you more to sell to a new customer than it does to a current one. As a result, your profits are higher when you sell to those who have already purchased from you. Customer retention is essential to business growth. So how do you earn customer loyalty and retain their business? Like any successful relationship, If you want customers to be loyal to you, you must be loyal to them. Your product must deliver on its promise as advertised—but that is just the beginning. Here are some tips to help you keep your current customers coming back for more: Provide Exceptional Customer Service Often times, customer service can be a key differentiator for companies that sell similar products. In today’s digital age it is all too common for companies to hide behind “digital walls”. Often times this elusive nature can lead to lost sales not to mention decreasing customer confidence. When customers have questions or problems they want them addressed—by a real human with real answers, not just a scripted list of FAQs or automated phone system. Two ways to accomplish this are through posting customer service phone numbers on your site and considering Live Chat type systems. Stay in Front of Your Customers You can’t foster customer loyalty if your customers forget you exist. You must stay in contact with them on a regular basis preferably with information that ultimately benefits them in the end (remember it about the customer not you.) Two ways of staying in front of them are through email and RSS feeds. The key here is to feed them information that helps them. Promotions on products, sales etc… all work and should be a part of your communication but doesn’t neglect the need to provide them with valuable content that helps better their position. This could be showing them new ways to use your product, complimentary products that may work well with the one they already have etc… Develop Customer Friendly Policies If you want to keep customers happy you must offer flexible policies. Don’t make it hard for them to return an item, get support for current, broken, or discontinued products, etc… Be flexible and understanding of their needs and above all else, make it right for them. Put these policies in place and honor them. If you don’t, your customers will run to the competitors that do never to return again. Consider Implementing a Rewards Program Loyalty or rewards programs are a great way to foster long term relationships and repeat sales. Rewards can be managed in just about anyway you can dream up from earning discounts on future purchases to earning products at various levels. Just make sure your internal systems can handle the route you adopt. Just about anybody can sell on the internet. Selling profitably and doing it for sustained durations is what separates real businesses from short run fly-by-night operations. If given the chance, I’d rather build a sustained business that lasts many years than build a business that is here today gone the next. Profitability is a key element in this equation. Truly caring about your customers is the real key to earning customer loyalty. I thought his list was pretty good for earning customer loyalty: following-up before they can calling to ask how things went after an event sending a note of appreciation telling them how much you value their business asking for input before it’s offered predicting their next need admitting guilt when you’re guilty delivering bad news before they even notice it

Customers are becoming more demanding and in some cases–rude. Complaints are an opportunity to improve existing service and begin delivering quality service. Identifies basic problem solving skills, complex problem and irate customer handling skills. Introduces the concepts of self-talk and class acts. Key Points Covered: Learn why complaints should be considered “opportunities.” Learn why the average business hears from only 4% of its dissatisfied customers. Visualize what the other 96% do. Learn to know the easiest type of complaint to resolve. Learn to understand the four basic steps you should take when handling a specific problem. The more complex problems require expanding these four basic steps. Learn two additional skills needed to diffuse difficult situations. Irate customers can be upsetting. How To Deal With Customer Complaints Every business has to deal with situations in which things go wrong from a customer’s point of view. However you respond if this happens, don’t be dismissive of your customer’s problem – even if you’re convinced you’re not at fault. Although it might seem contradictory, a customer with a complaint represents a genuine opportunity for your business: if you handle the complaint successfully, your customer is likely to prove more loyal than if nothing had gone wrong people willing to complain are rare – your complaining customer may be alerting you to a problem experienced by many others who silently took their custom elsewhere Complaints should be handled courteously, sympathetically and – above all – swiftly. Make sure that your business has an established procedure for dealing with customer complaints and that it is known to all your employees. At the very least it should involve: listening sympathetically to establish the details of the complaint recording the details together with relevant material, such as a sales receipt or damaged goods offering rectification – whether by repair, replacement or refund appropriate follow-up action, such as a letter of apology or a phone call to make sure that the problem has been made good If you’re proud of the way you rectify problems – by offering no-questions refunds, for example – make sure your customers know about it. Your method of dealing with customer problems is one more way to stay ahead of your competitors ESSENTIAL TIPS IN HANDLING CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS The hardest complainant type first: If a customer is abusive you must to make you first goal is to calm the customer’s temper and take control of the situation. You need remain open and friendly, stay calm and keep your voice low and controlled. Tell the customer you are interested in his/her complaint and say ‘in order to help you I need to fully understand your problem’. Then ask ‘can you tell me what is wrong in a calm voice to ensure I focus on the problem (rather than the emotion) so I am better able to find a solution’. Let customer ‘vent his or her frustration’ and don’t interrupt. Telling you their complete story, and describing how upset they are, allows customers to release pent-up frustrations. It is wise to take notes as you go as it helps you with your response and shows the customer you are seriously interested in their problem. BLAMING OTHERS IN YOUR ORGANIZATION The worst tactic I have come across is a customer service officer trying to blame me, the customer, for the problem. Never play the blame game! Blaming the customer for the problem will dramatically worsen the situation. Also particularly never use the phrase ‘sir our system requires…‘ or even worse ‘sir you don’t understand our system’ (a common phrase with many service providers in Asia, especially bank staff). Never blame others in your organization. Both the ‘system excuse’ and blaming others will be seen as evasive (or even worse cowardly) and destroy your credibility with the customer. No customer cares about your ‘problems’, they just want their problem solved. Accept responsibility as a representative of your company and place your efforts into solving the problem. ‘FRUSTRATION: HAVING TO RESIST THE TEMPTATION TO CHOKE THE LIVING S OUT OF SOMEONE WHO REALLY DESERVES IT!’ This is a funny saying however it has no place in customer complaint handling, in spite of the bad attitude of many customer service’s staff I have met (and trained) over the years. GET THE ENTIRE STORY: When the customer has told you the whole story regarding a complaint tell the customer what you will do to solve the problem. Do not tell the customer what he or she must do to solve the problem. Use phrases such as… ‘I will contact the xyz department’… ‘I will find the document’… ‘I will gather the necessary information’ etc. If you use ‘I’ in place of ‘you,’ you will help to minimise tension as it assures the customer that you are taking responsibility for the resolution of the issue. If you need to refer the matter to a third party always check back with the customer to ensure the other party has made contact and that the problem has been solved. Sure it’s wise to check with the third party to ensure a solution has been found first, however contacting the customer after the event will reinforce both your own and your company’s image. Important point never use the word ‘no’, either recommend a solution or suggest a compromise. PROBLEM SOLVING AS A CHANCE TO LEARN AND IMPROVE If you view problem solving as a chance to find out how to improve your company’s operation (or image) and as an opportunity to learn something, rather than a nasty experience, you can approach these difficult situations with a more positive frame of mind. In most complaint situations there are only win-win or lose-lose results. Everyone will win with satisfied customers as you can gain a positive company image and an advocate for you and your products/services (plus hopefully some personal satisfaction) or everyone can lose with upset customers and the gradual destruction of your company’s place in the market plus… personal emotional upset. Every time

Transactional Analysis (or TA as it is often called) is a model of people and relationships that was developed during the 1960s by Dr. Eric Berne. It is based on two notions: first that we have three parts or ‘ego-states’ to our ‘personality. The other assumption is that these converse with one another in ‘transactions‘ (hence the name). TA is a very common model used in therapy and there is a great deal written about it. Communications (Transactions) When two people communicate, each exchange is a transaction. Many of our problems come from transactions which are unsuccessful. Parents naturally speak to Children, as this is their role as a parent. They can talk with other Parents and Adults, although the subject still may be about the children. The Nurturing Parent naturally talks to the Natural Child and the Controlling Parent to the Adaptive Child. In fact these parts of our personality are evoked by the opposite. Thus if I act as an Adaptive Child, I will most likely evoke the Controlling Parent in the other person. We also play many games between these positions, and there are rituals from greetings to whole conversations (such as the weather) where we take different positions for different events. These are often ‘pre-recorded’ as scripts we just play out. They give us a sense of control and identity and reassure us that all is still well in the world. Other games can be negative and destructive and we play them more out of sense of habit and addiction than constructive pleasure. Conflict Complementary transactions occur when both people are at the same level. Thus Parent talking to Parent, etc. Here, both are often thinking in the same way and communication is easy. Problems usually occur in Crossed transactions, where the other person is at a different level. The parent is either nurturing or controlling, and often speaks to the child, who is either adaptive or ‘natural’ in their response. When both people talk as a Parent to the other’s Child, their wires get crossed and conflict results. The ideal line of communication is the mature and rational Adult-Adult relationship. So what? Being a Controlling Parent can get the other person into a Child state where they may conform with your demands. There is also a risk that they will be an Adaptive ‘naughty child’ and rebel. They may also take opposing Parent or Adult states. Be a Nurturing Parent or a talk at the same level as the other person to create trust. Watch out for crossed wires. This is where conflict arises. When it happens, first go to the state that the other person is in to talk at the same level. For rational conversation, move yourself and the other person to the Adult level. Transactional Analysis and Communication Transactional analysis or TA is a branch of psychotherapy developed by Eric Berne. His definition of it is “a theory of personality and a systematic psychotherapy for personal growth and change”. Knowing about TA can be very useful for improving our communication skills. TA is about how people are structured psychologically and is both a theory of communication and a theory of child development. Berne’s model is a three part ego-state model. An ego state is “A consistent pattern of feeling and experience directly related to a corresponding consistent pattern of behaviour”. There are three ego states in Berne’s model: Parent, Adult, Child. Ego states are irrespective of age and are capitalized to differentiate from the normal use of the words parent, adult and child. The Parent and Child ego states are echoes of the past. The Adult ego state is a response to the here and now when a person is grown up and using grown up responses. Ego states are ‘things’ not names. They are a set and related; thoughts, feelings and behaviours. Communication between people can be from one ego state to a different one or from one ego state to the same ego state. Normally communication will be from one ego state either to the same ego state or a different one. The person who first communicates will expect a reply to be from a certain ego state. If communication is from a different ego state to the expected one, then the communication may be ineffective and the message may be lost, not received or disregarded by the person receiving it. If communication is from Adult to Adult then it is likely to be the most effective communication for most of our communications. The ‘3 Rules of Communication’ in TA 1st Rule of Communication So long as transactions remain complementary, communication can continue indefinitely. 2nd Rule of Communication When a transaction is crossed, a break in communication results, and one or both individuals will need to shift ego states in order for the communication to be reestablished 3rd Rule of Communication The behavioural outcome of an ulterior transaction (one where two messages are sent at the same time; one overt social and one covert psychological) is determined at the psychological level and not at the social level. Example of Complementary Communication Example of non complementary communication Diagram shows Parent ego state – expected reply would have been something like “I’m sorry it won’t happen again” from Adapted Child The ego states are sub-divided. Parent ego state is divided into: Parent into Critical Parent CP – which is negative, unsupportive, critical. Nurturing Parent NP – which is supportive, helpful, nurturing, comforting. Child ego state is divided into: Free Child FC (sometimes referred to as Natural Child NC) which is spontaneous, freewheeling, playful, self-indulgent, curious, rebellious. Adapted Child AC – which is toned down behaviour that has been learnt in response to the reactions from other people to us and our behaviour. The learned or adapted responses are more likely to generate a given result from the receiver. The 3 ego states can be used as a way of analysing transactions (communications) between people. A transaction is a communication from A

For communication to occur effectively, the ability and skills are required: must be able to communicate effectively with all levels of managements . Must have substantial experiences, training in oral and written communication and demonstrate good writing skills. Be able to prepare special analysis, research reports, and proposals. Must have ability to communicate and sell ideas, firm, and products. Need ability to compare effective correspondence Must be able to cultivate and maintain good customer relationship. Need skills in gathering, analyzing, and interpreting data and in writing analytical reports. ENCODING : Encoding is dressing your thoughts with the meaningful language. Then the use of this language, oral, written or nonverbal, becomes a message . The wording of he message should observe the art of empathy so that it reaches the receiver correctly and understandably. Encoding includes writing, speaking, and other communication means. Decoding is done by the receiver. His decoding of the message depends upon his past background, perception, knowledge of the language, understanding ,viewpoint and relations with the sender. Decoding is reading , listening and understanding . Developing Effective Communication Skills Speaking and Listening Skills, Verbal and Nonverbal Communication Consequently, developing good listening and effective speaking skills should be an integral part of everyone’s personal development. Information cannot be effectively received, transferred or exchanged without using good communication skills. Verbal and Nonverbal Communication Skills Individuals’ communication skills are a basis for an effective dialogue, and involve both verbal and nonverbal communication skills. While verbal communication helps to express oneself, nonverbal enhances spoken ideas by means of bodily, voice, and eye behavior, facial expression, etc. It reinforces the effect of spoken words. In addition, nonverbal communication can be viewed as a reliable indicator of real feelings of an interlocutor. Observed and paid attention to, it can help a person to understand another one better. Effective Listening Listening is probably the most used skill in everyday communication. It involves hearing and paying attention to the speaker. However, hearing and effective listening are completely different abilities. Hearing thousands of sounds every day is a normal thing for an individual. Effective listening, on contrast, involves not only hearing, but also comprehending and understanding the message. Sounds simple. However, not everybody is a good listener – some people prefer to talk. But to be a good communicator, what is important for an individual in both the personal sphere and at the workplace is to be an effective listener. Communication Skills Notes Pay attention to the speaker, first of all, in order to show you are involved in communication. Respond both verbally and nonverbally, showing that the message is being comprehended and followed. Eye contact, gestures, facial expression, short responses or brief expressions of attitude, such as nodding, help the speaker to understand whether a listener follows the conversation. Do not interrupt the speaker in the middle of a speech. Wait till the idea is explained completely, think the information over to understand the meaning, and only then provide suggestions, comments, or ask questions. Ask questions and confirm your understanding of the message. A brief summary of what the speaker said might be the best idea. It shows that the speaker was listened and paid attention to. Effective Speaking As a mean of communication, effective speaking plays a vital role in people’s lives. Though everybody speaks everyday and is able to express ideas, thoughts, or requests, not everybody can do it well. Some people are difficult to follow, some explain their thoughts in a complicated manner, and some are simply boring to listen to. Avoid these mistakes. Use plain and simple words unless the audience is specialized in the subject area. Use complete simple sentences for the message to be easier to comprehend. Do not speak too fast. It is difficult to comprehend information if much of it is presented in a short period of time. Make pauses. Pauses between sentences and ideas will give a listener some space to think the words over, to understand the message. Structure and connect ideas. Major points should be presented in a logical manner. Otherwise it is difficult to follow the speaker. So, make sure that each next thought expressed expands on the subject and on the previous point. Support ideas not only with words, but with intonation and nonverbal means of communication as well. Proper intonation can stress certain ideas you want to draw attention to. Nonverbal means of communication, such as gestures and facial expression, establish a closer connection with the audience, and enhance the message being communicated. Benefits of Good Communication in the Workplace Communication Skills Improve Workplace Efficiency Good communication in the workplace is essential and helps to improve morale, increase efficiency and create healthy working relationships. In any form of employment, good communication skills are a real asset and particularly in today’s difficult financial climate, it is more important than ever to be able to communicate effectively whether this be with colleagues, employers, employees or customers. For those who have been made redundant and are now facing job interviews or are having problems with others within the workplace, effective communication skills will be an extremely useful resource. Understanding Good Communication Skills When most people think about communication it is usually speaking that first springs to mind, however, being able to listen well is a large part of effective communication. It is also about being able to listen to what the other person is not actually saying but is communicating through non-verbal behaviours. Examples of non-verbal communication include using gestures, facial expressions, body language as well as using various props. Good Workplace Communication Improves Morale A major benefit of good communication within the workplace is that it may very likely lead to an improvement in office morale. For example if employees never or rarely receive any kind of positive feedback or idea as to how the company is performing then it is often quite difficult to stay motivated. When very little is communicated back to employees this may also trigger a sense of distrust

Handling difficult people and situations is one of the most stressful aspects of the modern working environment. This handling difficult people and situations training course provides a practical guide on how to handle difficult people and situations effectively and ensure successful outcomes. Delegates will examine aspects of human behaviour and review their options when faced with difficult, aggressive or un-co-operative people. This course provides delegates with an opportunity to discuss their own experiences as well as those of others in a safe and supportive environment. Dealing with customers frustration quickly and professionally are all part of providing a high quality customer service level. Everyone has his or her own personal customer service nightmare story. So it’s easy to understand how a customer may perceive things from their side of the counter when they confront you looking for satisfaction. The next time you encounter a difficult customer relation situation either on the phone or in person consider the following steps: Step 1: Remain Calm Yourself When a customer begins to vent their frustration it is important to remain calm yourself. Staff may take things personally and assume that the customer’s anger is directed at them and so then it is natural to become defensive. *Realize that in most situations the customer is likely angry at the situation and not you. Step 2: Allow the Customer to Vent Their Frustration: Do this without interrupting. If you would like to defuse the customer’s anger, try apologizing. You could use such phrases as, • “I’m sorry you had to go through this.“ • “I can understand why that would be so upsetting.” Usually when you apologize, the customer’s anger is immediately dissipated. You may feel uncomfortable for apologizing for something that you are not responsible for. However, keep in mind that you are apologizing on behalf of the facility not yourself. Step 3: Paraphrase The Problem In your own words, paraphrase what the customer is saying and feeling. Show you are truly sympathetic with the customer’s problem. Step 4: Resolve The Problem Once you have gained the customers confidence, you are in a position to resolve the problem. It’s a common mistake to try to solve the problem while the customer is still angry. The customer is often looking for an apology first, then a resolution to the problem. Record and report the incident to your supervisor. This can assist them in determining if the problem is a common issue for customers that needs possible changes to the operation to avoid future situation and /or if follow up is required with the customer. In some circumstance you may not be able to resolve the customers concern. Record the details and forward them to your supervisor for follow-up. This will assure that all that can be done will be done Here are some further techniques for dealing with an upset customer: Technique 1: Keep It Impersonal and Professional It is important not to antagonize the customer by the way you speak to them. For example, if you have to inform them that they did not interpret the swim schedule correctly. Never say, “You didn’t read it correctly.” Instead say, “There are a few areas on the schedule that could be improved upon.” Can you see the difference in the way the message could be sent and received? It’s as if the customer was not at fault. Technique 2: “I Versus You” Imagine an upset customer trying to explain something to an employee that does not understand. The employee says, “You are confusing me.” This statement makes the customer feel more frustrated. Instead of saying, “Excuse me but I am confused” or “Let me see if I have this straight.” Using “ I” instead of “you” avoids angering the customer further, and will help, as opposed to hinder, the communications process. Technique 3: Avoid Saying, “But It’s _______Policy” Nothing frustrates a customer more than to hear the phrase “It’s our policy” To the customer this suggests that the organization comes first and the customer comes second. Think how some banks treat customers these days and you will visualize the frustration that your customers will experience with a statement like that. Instead take the time to explain why such a decision has been made. Technique 4: Take Responsibility How many times have you experienced an employee say, “It’s not my job”, When you ask them a question, or you ask the clerk where a certain item is located in a store, and you are told where you can find it, instead of being escorted to it. Always take the steps to ensure the customer’s needs. Technique 5: Keep The Customer Informed Sometimes when a problem arises that cannot be resolved immediately, you can tell them that you or your supervisor will get back to them by a certain time. Even if you don’t have that problem solved by that time, call the customer back to advise them that you are working on it. The customer will respect you and the facility for keeping in touch. Technique 6: “You Have To…” A customer doesn’t have to do anything. The customer is doing us a favor, not the other way around. Instead of saying, “You have to do this“ say, “Would you mind doing this so we may resolve the problem quickly”. The customer will see that you recognize the importance of resolving the issue quickly and will likely support your request of them.In the height of busy times, it is sometimes difficult to follow these steps and techniques, but if you have had a bad experience, review these suggestions and see how you may have handled things differently. A few words to consider… Our Customers Customers are the most important people …in person on the phone or by mail. Customers are not dependent on us … we are dependent on them. Customers are not an interruption of our work… they are the purpose of it. We are not doing them a favor by serving them… they are

However good your product or service is, the simple truth is that no-one will buy it if they don’t want it or believe they don’t need it. And you won’t persuade anyone that they want or need to buy what you’re offering unless you clearly understand what it is your customers really want. Knowing and understanding customer needs is at the centre of every successful business, whether it sells directly to individuals or other businesses. Once you have this knowledge, you can use it to persuade potential and existing customers that buying from you is in their best interests. Why Do Your Customers Need You? Every business needs a reason for their customers to buy from them and not their competitors. This is called a Unique Sales Proposition (USP). Your USP can be identified by completing the phrase ‘Customers will buy from me because my business is the only Your USP can change as your business or your market changes, and you can have different USPs for different types of customer or product. For example; a stationery shop could offer a free same-day delivery service for its business customers within a local area – an effective USP for businesses that need fast delivery the same stationery shop could offer a 5 per cent discount to businesses that spend more than kshs 500 a month – this would be a USP for cost-conscious customers the stationery shop could also make sure it offers the most comprehensive stock of artists’ materials in the area – a USP for local professional or amateur artists All of these USPs can be effective because they are driven by what the customer looks for when making a buying decision. It’s a good idea to review your USPs regularly. Can you tailor your products or services to better match your customers’ needs? Consider asking your customers why they buy from you. This will tell you what they think your USP is – this may differ from what you think your USP is. It’s also useful to check constantly what your competition is doing. Remember – if your competitors are doing the same, your USP isn’t unique any more. What Do You Know About Your Customers? The more you know about your customers, the more effective your sales and marketing efforts will be. It’s well worth making the effort to find out: who they are what they buy why they buy it how they use your product If you’re selling to other businesses, you’ll need to know which individuals are responsible for the decision to buy your product or service. For information on targeting decision-makers, see our guide on how to target the right people in an organisation. You can learn a great deal about your customer’s by talking to them. Asking them why they’re buying or not buying, what they may want to buy in the future and asking what other needs they have can give a valuable picture of what’s important to them. Understanding customers’ needs and desires can help you tailor your product or service to better suit their needs. It may also highlight valuable developments you can make to your current offering, or indicate gaps in the market that you can fill with new products or services. See our guides on spotting market opportunities and how to develop new products and services. Strong sales are driven by emphasizing the benefits that your product or service brings to your customers. If you know the challenges that face them, it’s much easier to offer them solutions. See our guide on the sales appointment. It’s also well worth keeping an eye on future developments in your customers’ markets and lives. Knowing the trends that are going to influence your customers helps you to anticipate what they are going to need – and offer it to them as soon as they need it. You can conduct your own market research and there are many existing reports that can help you build a picture of where your customers’ markets – and your business – may be going. For information on market research, see our guide to market research and market reports. Ten things you need to know about your customers 1. Who they are If you sell directly to individuals, find out your customers’ gender, age and occupation. If you sell to other businesses, find out what industry they are in, their size and the kind of business they are. For example, are they a small private company or a big multinational? Knowing this can help you identify similar businesses that you could target. 2. What they do If you sell directly to individuals, it’s worth knowing their occupations and interests. If you sell to other businesses, it helps to have an understanding of what their business is trying to achieve. 3. Why they buy If you know why customers buy a product or service, it’s easier to match their needs to the benefits your business can offer. 4. When they buy If you approach a customer just at the time they want to buy, you will massively increase your chances of success. 5. How they buy For example, some people prefer to buy from a website, while others prefer a face-to-face meeting. 6. How much money they have You’ll be more successful if you can match what you’re offering to what you know your customer can afford. Premium, higher priced products are unlikely to be successful if most of your customers are on a limited budget – unless you can identify new customers with the spending power to match. 7. What makes them feel good about buying If you know what makes them tick, you can serve them in the way they prefer. 8. What they expect of you For example, if your customers expect reliable delivery and you don’t disappoint them, you stand to gain repeat business. 9. What they think about you If your customers enjoy dealing with you, they’re likely to buy more. And

WHAT IS CUSTOMER CARE? Customer care involves putting systems in place to maximize your customers’ satisfaction with your business. It should be a prime consideration for every business – your sales and profitability depends on keeping your customers happy. Customer care is more directly important in some roles than others. For receptionists, sales staff and other employees in customer-facing roles, customer care should be a core element of their job description and training, and a core criterion when you’re recruiting. But don’t neglect the importance of customer care in other areas of your business. For instance, your warehousing and dispatch departments may have minimal contact with your customers – but their performance when fulfilling orders has a major impact on customers’ satisfaction with your business. A huge range of factors can contribute to customer satisfaction, but your customers – both consumers and other businesses – are likely to take into account: how well your product or service matches customer needs the value for money you offer your efficiency and reliability in fulfilling orders the professionalism, friendliness and expertise of your employees how well you keep your customers informed the after-sales service you provide Customer service, especially in the shape of a call-centre – is to customers one of the most visible and significant aspects of organizational performance. To many organizations however customer service is one of the most challenging and neglected areas of management, including those with modern call-centres. For customers the quality of customer service determines whether to buy, and particularly whether to remain a customer. Think for a moment how you yourself behave as a customer. You can perhaps think of an occasion when poor customer service or an unhappy exchange with a call-centre has driven you to leave a supplier, even if the quality and value of the product or service itself is broadly satisfactory. The significance of customer service eludes many senior executives, let alone the methods of establishing and managing customer service standards and quality. Our own experiences as customers demonstrate all the time that many large organizations fail particularly to empower customer-facing and call-centre staff, and also fail to design policies and systems to empower customer-facing staff and enable effective customer service. Often these are defensive strategies because staff are not trusted, and because competition is feared, or because simply the policymakers and systems-designers are too far removed from customers and their customer service expectations. Pricing strategy also plays a part on customer service – especially strategies which effectively discriminate against existing customers in favour of new customers, which in certain situations borders on the unethical, never mind being stupid in a customer service context. This is strange since by any reasonable measure or criteria – in any market or industry – it costs far more to gain new customers than to retain existing customers. Neglecting, constraining or failing to optimise customer services capabilities is waste of great opportunities. Instead many organizations and their leaders are habitually fixated on sales, marketing, advertising and promotion – desperately striving to attract new customers – while paying scant regard to the many customers that are leaving, just for the want of some simple effective customer service and care. We see this particularly in highly competitive and profitable sectors such as communications and financial services, where new customers are commonly extended better terms and attention than existing customers. No wonder customer turnover (‘churn’) in these industries can reach levels exceeding 25%. Leaders and spokespeople will blame the competitive market, and the fickleness of customers, but ultimately when a customer leaves a supplier it’s because they are unhappy about the service they are receiving – otherwise why leave? Benefits of effective customer service The central aim of effective customer service and call-centres is retaining customers, but when an organization gets this right the acquisition of new customers – and so many other things – automatically becomes much easier too. Retaining customers – enabled by excellent customer service – produces many positive benefits for the organization aside from the obvious revenue and profit results: Retaining customers through effective customer service enables easier growth, indirectly and directly, for example by sustaining healthier volumes and margins, and by business expansion from word-of-mouth referrals. High levels of customer retention via effective customer service also improves staff morale and motivation. No-one enjoys working for an organization that feels like a sinking ship, or where stressful arguments or pressures prevail. When customers are happy, all the staff are happier too – and more productive. Improved staff morale and motivation resulting from reducing customer attrition also positively benefits staff retention and turnover, recruitment quality and costs, stress, grievance, discipline and counselling pressures. Reduced customer attrition and upset naturally reduces litigation and legal problems, from customers or fair trading laws. Retaining customers also enables the whole organization – especially middle-managers – to focus more on proactive opportunities (growth, innovation, development, etc) rather than reactive fire-fighting, crisis management, failure analysis, and the negative high pressures to win replacement business. Having a culture of delighting and retaining customers fuels positive publicity and reputation in the media, and increasingly on the web in blogs and forums, etc. The converse applies of course, when nowadays just one disgruntled customer and a reasonable network of web friends can easily cause a significant public relations headache. For these and other reasons the cost difference and relative impacts on organizations between gaining and retaining customers can be staggering. A useful analogy is that only a fool tries to fill a bucket of water when the bucket has lots of holes. Better to fix the holes and stop the leaks before you try to fill the bucket. Especially consider the actual cost of retaining customers when all that many customers require is not to be upset. While the trend is apparently for more people to complain (mobile phones and the internet make it easier to do so, and people are less tolerant than they used to be) this does not necessarily mean that customers

MAASAI MARA UNIVERSITY REGULAR UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS 2013/2014 ACADEMIC YEAR THIRD YEAR SECOND SEMESTER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COURSE CODE: BHR 311 COURSE TITLE: EMPLOYEE HEALTH, SAFETY AND SECURITY DATE: 14TH APRIL 2014 TIME: 9.00AM -12.00PM INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES Question ONE is compulsory Answer any other THREE questions 1. (a) Explain the role of a Human Resource Manager in promoting employee health and safety at work (15 marks) (b) Enumerate the guidelines for integrating work place health and safety as a component of Human resource management. (10 marks) 2. a) “Employees are the chief custodians of their own health and safety at work”. Discuss. (5 marks) (b) Explain the importance of stress management in the work place as a factor influencing employee performance and productivity (10 marks) 3. (a) Explain the steps to be followed when establishing a work place health committee. (10 marks) (b) Explain the benefits of internal recruitment. (5 marks) 4. “Occupational health and safety can be important for moral, legal and financial reasons” Discuss (15 marks) 5. (a) Explain the key elements of a work place health program (10 marks) (b) Explain the latest trends in Health, safety and employee welfare that are organizational driven. (5 marks) 6. (a) Explain the elements of the occupation Health and Safety Act (10 marks) (b) Explain the use of insurance policies in Health and safety at work (5 marks)

  MAASAI MARA UNIVERSITY REGULAR UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS 2012/2013 ACADEMIC YEAR THIRD YEAR SECOND SEMESTER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT   COURSE CODE: BHR 310 COURSE TITLE: PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT DATE: 23RD APRIL 2014 TIME: 2.00-5.00 P.M. INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES Question ONE is compulsory Answer any other THREE questions 1. (a)(i) Define the following terms (i). Personnel management (2 marks) (ii).Forecasting (2 marks) (ii). Delegation (2 marks) (b)(ii) Using short explanations identify at least five importance of Human resource planning in personnel management. (10 marks) (c) Discuss the three factors or guidelines which a supervisor should consider to understand human relations. (6 marks) (d) State three basic principles of supervision. (3 marks) 2. Performance evaluation is an important element of the control mechanism of most organization in human resource management. (a) Explain four goals of appraisal. (8 marks) (b) State three problems that can arise in a system of performance appraisal. (3 marks) (c) Name four advantages of performance appraisal. (4 marks) 3. (a) Explain the term compensation in personnel management. (2 marks) (b) Discuss the three components of an employee’s compensation. Give examples. (9 marks) (c) Discuss the importance of recruitment in an organization. (4 marks) 4. Henry Fayol is renowned for having contributed towards the modern theory of human resource management. (a) Explain at least four principles of management put forward by Fayol. (8 marks) (b) (i) Apart from those you have explained above, identify four principles regarding performance reward. (4 marks) (ii) Outline three principles of management put forward by Fredrick Taylor. (3 marks) 5. (a) Discuss why employers offer benefits to their employees. (6 marks) (b) Explain the important implication of the employee retirement income. (6 marks) (c) Identify the major types of health insurance options.(3 marks)

  MAASAI MARA UNIVERSITY REGULAR UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS 2013/2014 ACADEMIC YEAR THIRD YEAR SECOND SEMESTER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS BACHELOR OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT   COURSE CODE: BHR 307 COURSE TITLE: TOTAL GENDER MAINSTREAMING DATE: 22ND APRIL 2014 TIME: 2.00 – 5.00 PM INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES Answer Question 1 and Any Other THREE Questions From Section 2 SECTION I QUESTION 1 a) Differentiate the following terms (8mks) i. Gender Equity and Gender Equality ii. Gender and Sex b) Explain the following terms (6mks) i. Gender issues ii. Gender concerns iii. Gender Gaps/Disparities c) i. Briefly outline the Government’s Position on Gender mainstreaming (3mks) ii. Give examples of both local and international instruments that the government shows compliance to Gender Mainstreaming issues (4mks) d) State any 4 issues in the employment Act 2007 that bring out the issues of Gender responsiveness (4mks) SECTION 2 2. i. Define the term Gender Mainstreaming (2mks) ii. Outline any 6 basic principles of Gender Mainstreaming (13mks) 3. Mainstreaming is not about adding a “woman’s” component or even a gender equality component into existing activity. Discuss this statement with regard to the concept of gender mainstreaming (15mks) 4. i. What is Gender Mainstreaming at work place (12mks) ii. State any 3 benefits of Gender Mainstreaming at the work place (3mks) 5. a. Explain and give effects of; (10mks) i. Workplace bullying ii. Sexual harassment b. State any 5 ways on how to deal with workplace bullying (5mks)

MAASAI MARA UNIVERSITY REGULAR UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS 2013/2014 ACADEMIC YEAR FIRST YEAR FIRST SEMESTER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS BACHELOR OF SCIENCE HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT   COURSE CODE: BHR 101 COURSE TITLE: BUSINESS LAW DATE:16TH APRIL 2014 TIME: 9.00AM – 12.00PM INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES Question ONE is compulsory Answer any THREE questions This paper consists of 2 printed pages. Please turn over. QUESTION ONE a) One legal characteristics of negotiable instruments is that it can be negotiated discuss ways in which a negotiable instrument can be negotiated. 15 marks b) An “actual” authority is a legal relationship between principal and agent created by a consensual agreement to which they alone are parties. Its scope is to be ascertained by applying ordinary principles of construction of contracts, including any proper implications from the express words used, the usages of the trade, or the course of business between the parties. To this agreement the contractor is a stranger; he may be totally ignorant of the existence of any authority on the part of the agent. Nevertheless, if the agent does enter into a contract pursuant to the “actual” authority, it does create contractual rights and liabilities between the principal and the contractor. It may be that this rule relating to “undisclosed principals,” which is peculiar to English law, can be rationalized as avoiding circuity of action, for the principal could in equity compel the agent to lend his name in an action to enforce the contract against the contractor, and would at common law be liable to indemnify the agent in respect of the performance of the obligations assumed by the agent under the contract Diplock LJ in Freeman and Lockyer v Buckhurst Park Properties (Mangal) Ltd [1964] 2 QB 480 In the light of the foregoing statement discuss the authority of an agent and of the liability parties in an agency relationship 10 marks QUESTION TWO ‘Where one party has, by his word or conduct, made to the other a promise or assurance which was intended to affect the legal relation between them and to be acted on it accordingly, then, the one who gave the promise or assurance cannot afterwards be allowed to revert to the previous legal relation as if no such promise or assurance had been made by him. He must accept their legal relations subject to the qualification which he himself has so introduced, even though it is not supported by any consideration but only his word’ Lord Denning in the case of combe vs. combe (1951)2 KB 215 In the light of the above statement, discuss the rule in the Pinnel’s case and its exceptions 15marks QUESTION THREE State and explain the seven stages of bankruptcy petition. 15 marks QUESTIONFOUR “The occupier of premises cannot escape liability for any injuries that are sustained by his visitors.” Anonymous In the light of the foregoing statement discuss the liability of an occupier and its exceptions. 15 marks QUESTION FIVE ‘I think Harris v. Watson was rightly decided; but I doubt whether the ground of public policy, upon which Lord Kenyon is stated to have proceeded, be the true principle on which the decision is to be supported. Here, I say, the agreement is void for want of consideration. There was no consideration for the ulterior pay promised to the mariners who remained with the ship. Before they sailed from London they had undertaken to do all that they could under all the emergencies of the voyage. They had sold all their services till the voyage should be completed. If they had been at liberty to quit the vessel at Cronstadt, the case would have been quite different; or if the captain had capriciously discharged the two men who were wanting, the others might not have been compellable to take the whole duty upon themselves, and their agreeing to do so might have been a sufficient consideration for the promise of an advance of wages. But the desertion of a part of the crew is to be considered an emergency of the voyage as much as their death; and those who remain are bound by the terms of their original contract to exert themselves to the utmost to bring the ship in safety to her destined port. ………….’ Lord Ellenborough: stilk vs. myricks (1809) In the light of the foregoing statement, discuss the rule that gave rise to the above verdict and other related rules 15 marks QUESTION SIX “The person who for his own purpose, brings on his lands and collects and keeps there anything likely to do mischief if it escapes, must keep it at his own peril, and if he does not do so, is prima facie answerable for all the damage which is the natural consequence of its escape” the rule in Ryland vs. Fletcher. Citing relevant cases, explain the above rule and the conditions to be fulfilled before rule is applicable. 15 marks