Obj. 3.03

A top priority. A customer-service mindset means that a business considers providing

excellent customer service to be a top priority. It’s not just moderately important or

necessary in certain cases only—it’s essential! Customer service can’t be a business’s only

objective, however—it must also create products, manufacture them, run its internal

operations, etc.

• True

• False

Achieve their goals. By satisfying customers, businesses are usually able to achieve their

company’s goals. Satisfying customers involves providing excellent customer service and

doing whatever is necessary to make customers happy. Businesses do not provide

excellent customer service for the specific purpose of reducing expenses, hiring more

employees, or satisfying vendors, though those may be secondary results.

• True

• False

Employees would not have jobs if there were no customers. Without customers, there

would be no need for employees. Businesses would close, and employees would be out of

work. This doesn’t mean that customers actually own the business. Customers deserve the

very best service at all times, regardless of what might happen in the future. Businesses

pay employee bonuses—not customers.

• True

• False

Complete attention. Each customer is entitled to an employee’s complete attention.

Employees should focus their attention on each customer in turn, not on what is going on

around them. Employees are able to provide excellent service if they pay attention to what

their customers want. Employees should not offer unsolicited advice or personal opinions

to customers. Employees should provide customers with all available information.

• True

• False

Well-informed. Customers have a right to expect employees to know how to do their

jobs—and how to do them well. Employees must develop the skills necessary to perform

every aspect of their jobs, and also be familiar with all of the business’s policies and

products. Self-serving is giving priority to one’s own interests. Open-minded is being

receptive to new or different ideas. Goal-oriented is being focused on obtaining specific

objectives.

• True

• False

Competitive. Emphasizing customer service can help a business to be more competitive. In many cases, customers will compare businesses, then choose the one that provides the best customer service. If the service is really outstanding, they may even recommend this LAP-CR-004-CS ©2015, MBA Research and Curriculum Center® Set Your Mind to It 2 business to others. Innovative refers to introducing something new. Objective means fair or impartial. Possessive means having a desire to own or control.

• True

• False

Greater profits. Businesses that demonstrate a customer-service mindset usually retain

their current customers. Since it is much less costly to retain current customers than to

find new ones, greater profits are usually the result. Publicity is any non-personal

presentation of goods, services, or ideas that is not paid for by the company. Assets are

anything of value that the business owns. A season is a certain time of year.

• True

• False

Reduced complaints. Handling complaints costs businesses money because of the time and effort involved, the possible loss of business, and, in some cases, refunds to customers. Customers who receive excellent service are less likely to have complaints. Rapid

employee turnover, increased costs, and decreased employee morale are not benefits to businesses.

• True

• False

Careers. Employees who demonstrate a customer-service mindset often receive compliments from customers, positive performance evaluations, raises, and/or promotions. Efficiency, competitiveness, and the need to be recognized vary from person to person.

• True

• False

A promotion. Customers who regularly demonstrate a customer-service mindset often

enjoy career advancement, such as promotions and raises, as a result. Promotions are one way for businesses to acknowledge and reward employees’ customer-service skills. An expense account is a sum of money given to employees who need it for travel, entertaining clients, etc. Customers, rather than businesses, often thank or compliment employees who have been especially helpful.

• True

• False