CHAPTER EIGHT Customer Service in a Diverse World

McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., All Rights Reserved. 8-2 L EARNING O BJECTIVES Recognize differences are NOT bad Develop sensitivity to uniqueness Understand need to treat customers as individuals Determine actions for dealing with people Identify factors that make people diverse Comply with legal requirements Serve all customers effectively

McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., All Rights Reserved. 8-3 D EFINING D IVERSITY Innate characteristics Learned or gained factors

McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., All Rights Reserved. 8-4 D IVERSITY The different characteristics, values, beliefs, and factors that make people different, yet similar.

McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., All Rights Reserved. 8-5 C ULTURAL V ALUES Taught at young age Based on beliefs of culture or subculture Not better or worse than others Indicate acceptable behaviors and practices Can impact service Influence perceptions and actions Expressed openly or subtly

McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., All Rights Reserved. 8-6 T YPICAL C ULTURAL V ALUES Modesty Expectations of privacy Forms of address Respect for elders Importance of relationships Gender roles Attitude towards conflict Concept of time Ownership of property

McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., All Rights Reserved. 8-7 Q UALITY S ERVICE T O D IVERSE G ROUPS Language differences Disabilities Elderly customers Younger customers

McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., All Rights Reserved. 8-8 C OMMUNCIATING W ITH D IVERSE C USTOMERS Be careful with remarks/jokes Use inclusive language Respect preferences of address Use general terms Recognize word impact Use care with nonverbal gestures Recognize importance of cultural differences