SCM Customer Service Operations LB 5 Jobs & Legal Concerns in Customer Service

Learning Block Objectives Recognize job positions in customer service Explain employees’ roles in identifying, recording, and reporting issues and concerns associated with potential violations in the supply chain, including violations by employees, management, vendors, or customers Implement key-aspects of work related rules, government regulations, and corporate policies Apply common laws in customer service operations LO1

Customer Service Responsibilities and Job Types Customer service involves working with customers and meeting their needs. Sometimes, customer service departments work directly with sales Customer service representative tasks include: Sales – Selling products & services Provide information to customers to assist with decision making Obtaining and passing on sales leads Suggest upgrades to meet the customer’s needs LO1

Customer Service Responsibilities and Job Types Clerical – Responsibilities include: Making customer service notes about issues Making notes about various transactions Processing client information about new or current customer accounts Taking phone calls to handle customer accounts and questions LO1

Job-Related Responsibilities Duties and responsibilities vary depending on the type of industry and nature of work Retail Stores: Deal with customer complaints Handle cash Processing orders Telemarketing: Help customers place orders through the internet Answer customer questions over the phone or online LO2

Jobs in Customer Service Customer service jobs involve helping people, and interfacing with other supply chain functions. Customer service tasks take place in-person, online, or over the phone Customer service tasks stand out because they are linked with every function in the chain Customer service interaction with customers and the information collected impacts: Continuous improvement Revenues, profits & cash flow Customer orders and repeat business LO2

Customer Service Job Titles Customer Service Assistants (CSA) – Entry level positions answering basic questions and helping customers find products or services CSA reports to a Customer Service Representative (CSR). The CSR sells to customers and answers queries Customer service representative (CSR) reports to a Customer Service Supervisor (CSS) In B2B environment, the CSR translate data into supplier managed inventory planning and responds to large-scale requests for quotations & request for pricing LO3

Customer Service Job Titles Customer Service Supervisors (CSS) Delegate work Instruct customer service team members Resolve more complex issues Customer Service Supervisor reports to the Customer Service Managers (CSM) LO4

Customer Service Job Titles Customer Service Manager (CSM) duties include: Hiring Monitoring team performance Training & staff development Mentoring & coaching CSM reports to top level executive such as Directors and Vice Presidents in operational departments such as Customer Service, Customer Care, or Sales LO4

Additional Customer Service-Related Roles New Customer Service roles include: Care Agents Case Managers Service Delivery Departments Sales roles must also now have strong customer service skills Sales representatives now sell products, place the order, expedite the order fulfillment process and follows-up with customer enquiries and complaints Some organizations have focused customer service roles for order management such as: Order Management Clerks, Order Management Associates, or Order Entry Clerks LO5

Laws, Rules, and Policies Every organization, firm, or business is governed by rules and regulations set by local, state, and the federal government Employers and employees are responsible for knowing the laws, regulations, and policies to ensure best practices are followed When these rules are ignored, serious consequences can affect employers, employees, and even customers LO5

Laws, Rules, and Policies The core reason certain laws, rules, and company policies must be known is that they directly affect employees, customers, and third parties throughout the supply chain. These written documents cover: General employee information Company expectations Employees’ rights Safety and security policies Personal conduct expectations

Laws, Rules, and Legal Responsibility All individuals are responsible for spotting, recording, and reporting legal and regulatory concerns about employees, suppliers, and customers Firms and employees must comply with the laws established for their environment Companies have some common responsibilities and are bound by them. Firms must familiarize themselves with external factors that govern their industry and the laws that apply to them

Legal Responsibility Several levels of government, law making bodies, and regulatory agencies generate laws Law making bodies include: City Councils; Township Boards; County Commissions, State Legislators & Federal Legislators Law making bodies have regulatory agencies that issue additional rules and guidelines that are enforced by law The large number of rulemaking bodies makes compliance challenging for businesses and supply chain professionals Rules may also vary from location to location

Trust and Ethics To establish trust, customer service providers must: Be calm; Communicate thoroughly; Honestly & Quickly with customers Address issues outside your control immediately with a supervisor or senior management Ethical standards govern the conduct of individuals or groups Customer service providers must always choose the right and legal approach Good ethical practice is a competitive advantage for companies

Ethical Responsibility Unethical behavior damages a company’s image and reputation, low employee morale, high employee turnover, and lost customers Ethics involves questions about fairness, justness, rightness, or wrongness of an action Ethics guide behavior Legal compliance is the minimum acceptable standard for ethical behavior

Ethics Most companies now have ethical behavior expectations that go beyond the legal requirements Examples of Legal and Ethical Conduct: Honesty and integrity – in all relationships Professionalism – High standards of prof. competence Responsible Management – Use resources to maximize benefits to employers Service in the public interest – Reject corruption Conformity with the law – National, state, local, & company

Common Laws Policies and laws are here to protect people and ensure efficient functioning of businesses and society Legal and regulatory concerns are paramount in every step of supply chain Outcomes of obeying common law include: Human Rights Food safety Control of hazardous products and materials Environmental protection

Common Laws The Department of Labor administers and enforces federal labor laws. Common laws include: Human rights and human rights laws – Protect basic rights, freedoms & how countries treat their citizens Food safety and food safety laws – Handling, preparing, and storing of food Hazardous products and materials laws – Production, handling, and storage. Laws protect both handlers and the environment Environmental laws – Protect the environment. May require specific disposal practices and/or careful packaging in reverse logistics

Common Laws Other laws that govern business conduct include: wages & hours, workplace safety & health, workers’ compensation, and employee benefits Consequences of Not Following Laws & Policies Include: Individuals can get hurt Employees can loose their jobs Companies can lose profits or be forced out of business Societies can be affected with pollution and disease Entire economic sectors can be negatively affected Companies and employees can be fined and, in extreme cases, possibly jailed

Legal & Regulatory Concerns Legal and regulatory concerns with order management and customer service impact the supply chain management process when these expectations are not met Awareness ensures that employees conduct themselves professionally and fulfill customers’ expectations